by Debra Holt
Even in heels and standing on the first step, she still had to look up a bit to meet his gaze. When she did that, she realized her stance put her much too close to his lips. Bad move. She tried to keep her gaze averted and focus on something else; they were very hard to ignore.
“Yes, it was a lovely dinner. Thank you for taking me to such a lovely place.”
“So we can agree it was all lovely.”
Was he mocking her? He was making her feel like a school girl; instead of the woman of the world who she was… or at least she was in New York… maybe not so much here in New Mexico. Get a grip. She was rambling again!
“I enjoyed it as well.” His sudden smile made her feel all warm and gooey inside… that was dangerous, too.
“I wanted to give you something at the restaurant, but we were interrupted.” His blonde interruption.
Angie found herself holding her breath. Did he notice? What did he want to give her? If he tried to kiss her again, she would… what? Faint? Run? Melt? His gaze rested briefly on her lips. Here it comes. The pair of silver orbs looked up quickly and found her watching him. His mouth curved into a wicked grin. Jace knew exactly what she was thinking. She hated how he could do that.
“This is what I was going to give you earlier. I meant to do it this morning, but you weren’t awake when I left.”
His palm was outstretched between them in the confines of the minimal space. She dragged her gaze from his face to the object between them. A key ring with one key and a small code alarm button lay on his palm. She looked at him with a puzzled brow. Not exactly what she had expected.
“A house key and the button on the top will open the gates at the end of the drive. I don’t like leaving them open when no one is home. So now you can come and go even when I’m not around. Besides, it would seem strange if my family was around and you couldn’t get into your own home.”
Of course, his family. All of this was for their benefit. Lest she forget what this was all about. She must remember she was a temporary guest here, nothing more. And that was fine with her. Wasn’t it? She almost snatched the key ring from him. The less contact, the better.
“You think of everything. Thanks.” She turned to make her escape upstairs, except his hand on her elbow halted that. Angie gave him what she hoped was a nonchalant look tossed over her shoulder.
“I did enjoy tonight, too. I hope we’ll have many more. Sweet dreams.” And then he took a step up, bent and touched his lips gently to her cheek.
It was a quick, chaste touch, but her skin burned where his mouth touched. Angie was grateful for the steadiness of the wooden banister beneath her hand as her legs felt akin to jello at that moment. She didn’t trust her voice to respond. She turned and was very much aware that Jace continued to stand behind her, watching as she made her escape upstairs.
Chapter Seven
“You’re married?! Did you get abducted by aliens along the way here? Did they do mind melding or something on you?”
Angie stowed the last of the pair’s luggage into the trunk and shut it with an exasperated sigh. Turning, she found the pair of women looking at her as if she had two heads. They were both top executives back in New York, but for some reason looked like they had just stepped into the Twilight Zone once in New Mexico.
“Aliens? Really, Zoe?” The taller one turned to the woman beside her. Her sunglasses slid down her nose a bit as she looked over the rim with raised brows.
“Yes, aliens, Carrie. Don’t you know that Area 51 and Roswell is here in New Mexico? Who’s to say that she didn’t get abducted? It happened once already in Texas, and it could happen here, too.” Zoe’s explanation was priceless.
“Both of you get in the car.” Angie could only shake her head at the pair. She slid behind the wheel as Carrie held the front passenger seat forward so Zoe could climb into the back. After all, she was the shortest of the group… pint-sized almost. Carrie’s longer legs needed the room.
The two women had flown into Albuquerque, an hour south of Santa Fe. Angie was glad of the opportunity to travel outside the area and see some more of the state. It was definitely a land of contrasts just as all the travel brochures touted. She found she enjoyed every bit of it. Each hour brought a new light on the ever-changing canvas. Plus, it was good to get some distance, and perspective, on how things were going with Jace.
They had fallen into some sort of pattern the last week. Each morning, she came downstairs to find he had already left the house. He always left a short note… mostly telling her to have a good day and that he would see her later in the evening. Evidently his marshal duties kept him quite busy. That was good. After all, she had so many things going on with the store that she was busy all day herself. Besides, the quicker it was ready, the sooner she would be returning to her own home. The word sounded odd now in her mind especially when applied to New York.
“My God, this is desolate country. Are we still in the United States?” Zoe made the comment as her gaze swiveled around them as they headed north, leaving the city behind. There were rugged mountains to their right, a range of mountains in the far distance ahead of them and to their left… flat, brown plains.
“We are definitely not in Kansas, Toto,” Carrie threw over her shoulder in reply to Zoe’s comment. “Not a skyscraper or Broadway marquee to be seen. And this fresh air might shock my lungs.”
Angie had to smile to herself. “It wasn’t too long ago that I was saying the same thing, but this country grows on you. It is pretty amazing. The colors are phenomenal. Wait until you see the way they change before your very eyes against a white adobe wall…” Her voice trailed off as she found herself being watched by both women, their expressions odd.
“You sound like a walking travel brochure or something. You have changed,” Carrie noted with a curious glint in her eyes. “Now perhaps you should tell us a little more about this marriage?”
Zoe leaned forward in order to not miss a word.
How to explain their situation? How to explain Jace? Angie thought for a moment or two. No matter how she put it, it always sounded odd and somewhat unbelievable.
“It’s a long story. But there was a major misunderstanding when Jace, that’s my husband…” She faltered. Just how much should she tell them?
“Go on.” Both women spoke up in unison. She had their rapt attention.
“Anyway, Jace’s family is really into family solidarity and morality and reputations. And with me trying to get the store started, I naturally felt it was best to not cause any rumors… you know what I mean.” She glanced over at Carrie and then at Zoe in the rearview mirror. Their expressions told her that they weren’t quite getting it.
“Rumors? What sort of rumors? Why would there be rumors?” Carrie never left a stone unturned.
“There was a storm and we had to share a room at this hotel and one of the family’s good friends, a pastor as luck would have it, saw us there…” Angie paused, catching her breath and trying to think how to make it all sound quite amusing. She was failing.
“Look, we have a good reason. I need you both to go along with it. It’s for the sake of the business. Okay?”
“Well, when you put it like that, sure we get it,” Zoe piped up.
Carrie looked at Angie and just smiled… a cat-like, all-knowing, all-seeing smile of female intuition.
“So what is this Jace like?” Zoe ventured.
What was he like? Like no man she had ever met before. He was infuriating, handsome, and sexy as all get out, and totally disarming with the way he could make her blood sizzle one moment and send her into fits of laughter the next. He was gentle and caring, too. All those thoughts ran through her mind as she struggled to find the right words to adequately do the man justice.
The expressions that crossed her face caused Carrie to take closer note. Her eyes narrowed and she smiled. Finally, their boss had met the man. This was going to be quite interesting in more ways than one.
“He’s nice. He’s a U.S. Mar
shal.” That was what Angie finally came up with as her succinct reply.
Zoe jumped on that. “Like Wyatt Earp? Does he carry a gun and ride a horse, too?”
Carrie and Angie shared a look. Then they just shook their heads. Bless Zoe’s heart. She was a whiz kid with computers and fiscal analysis, but sometimes she just amazed them with how her mind worked on other things.
“Yes, he rides a horse on occasion. And he has a gun, although you really don’t notice it because most of the time it’s hidden under his jacket. And he’s also part Apache.”
“As in Geronimo? A real Indian?” Zoe’s eyes grew wider in her face.
“Native American,” Angie corrected. She remembered with a smile how she had said the same thing not too long ago.
“So, when do we meet this amazing man? He sounds like someone I might like to get to know.” Carrie threw a lazy smile at Angie.
Angie’s grip tightened a bit on the wheel. “Remember he’s taken, ladies… by me. At least that’s what people have to think for the time being.”
“Hmm… right.” Carrie grinned in earnest now. She gave a look over her shoulder while Angie kept her concentration on the road ahead. Carrie met Zoe’s gaze with a slow wink.
*
After the pair was settled into the condo Angie had secured for them not far from the store’s location, they all set to work. Lists were made and plans outlined. Computers were up and running. Angie was amazed how easily it was all coming together. With Zoe and Carrie in place, now she could concentrate on her part of the puzzle.
Angie needed to spend time with her sketchbook and begin creating the looks that would showcase her opening collection for this store. Boy, did she have a head full of ideas! While she already had a great deal of clothing already in production for this store, she needed to add the “show pieces” that would be unveiled in the grand opening.
Later that afternoon, she departed the store armed with her sketchbook. Angie left her car behind in the parking lot at the rear of the building. She loved to walk along the side streets and enjoy the colors and vibrancy. Her steps took her in the direction of the plaza. Much the same as it had during the early settler days, the plaza of the city served as the heart of the city central. As she passed the other small businesses along the way, she found herself meeting smiles and nods and friendly greetings of the shopkeepers.
The rumor mill worked quite well in this city that was really a small town in spirit. They all knew that a big time designer was in their midst and curious about her and her plans. And then of course, there were the other rumors, that not only was she an outsider in their midst, but she had managed to do what so many of their local girls could not achieve; she had won the heart of Jason Blackhawke. She was now a member of one of the town’s honored families. That had elevated her above the first few rungs of the ladder for newcomers.
If they only knew. She pushed the other thoughts that followed from her head. Angie found a bench not far from the huge weeping willow that stood sentry over the comings and goings of the plaza. She loved the way the wind moved the soft green fronds to and fro with such gentleness as if they were fine lace lifting on the light breeze. There was a pond, and a pair of swans held court there, one white and one black. A fountain sent the soft sounds of falling water across the green lawns. Children and even adults would pause beside it, make a quick wish or two, and toss a coin into its waters. Angie smiled at their hopefulness. She had never tossed a coin in a wishing well. Maybe someday, she might give it a try… before she left.
The sounds of the city around her were comforting and she closed her eyes for a moment and opened her other senses; tinkling bells from shop doors being opened and closed, soft laughter from friends greeting each other along the paseos or seated in the outdoor bistros, giggles of children feeding bits of bread to the swans, while their mothers watched from other benches around the area, the smell of pinon wood and aromas from the cafes mixing and mingling. At the hour, the sound of church bells could often be heard above it all.
In New York, there were no benches like this. Well, Angie amended that one. There were benches, but they were usually covered by graffiti and who knew what else. There was more asphalt than grass; fumes from all the traffic congestion created a haze that hung between the tall concrete and glass paneled buildings, and often sealed in the stifling heat. She had to walk or take a taxi for blocks from her work to find enough open space to actually catch a real breeze and enjoy the blue sky.
Angie shut off the comparison at that point. There was a peace here that spoke to her. She had never found that before. Perhaps this place was what she had been searching out for so long? The same thought had come to her more and more in recent days, catching her unawares and giving her pause. She tried to push it aside and not allow it to take hold for long.
She opened her sketchbook to a blank page, but she did not make a mark. Her thoughts wrapped around the idea in her mind. What if she stayed here? She didn’t necessarily have to live in New York for her business. She could fly back east when she had to. She could possibly transform the loft area of the store into an apartment for herself. Angie could see it in her mind’s eye. Or perhaps a house in the Upper Canyon? But then Jace’s house flashed into her mind and she had to push it away.
Their charade made it impossible to think her dreams could be reality. Their sham of a marriage… well, she had no choice but to leave. Perhaps Albuquerque? No… still too close. Face it. This can never be the home you seek. It belongs to Jace. That brought other sad things to mind and she gave herself a mental shake. Get busy! Angie set her mind to focus back on the sights and sounds around her. Her pencil began to fly over the blank pages.
The shadows had lengthened when she next looked up. It was later than she planned to stay. Just one more touch on her last sketch, a draping of the jacket to redo. Intent on her work, she was unaware of the figure that stood and watched her from several feet away for the last few minutes.
Jace had stopped by the store to… what? Just to check in with her? Why? These were questions he chose not to examine too closely. It just seemed that once he left his office a couple of blocks away, his feet had carried him in her direction. Angie wasn’t at the store; her two assistants were and he definitely felt the center of their curiosity. Jace found out what it felt like to be interrogated instead of being the interrogator.
They were protecting Angie. He saw that and was glad of it. She needed such friends. Sometimes, he had the feeling that she tried to be too much of the loner. Oh, she could shine amid a crowded room. That was when her “professional” persona kicked in. He was certain it was one of the reasons that she succeeded in such a demanding and tough world as high fashion. Her outer skin might be a few layers thick when it had to be, but he sensed there were chinks that allowed in painful things, too. Angie guarded those. These were things he still tried to figure out about her.
For the present, Jace just stood and enjoyed the sight before him. Her head was bent to the side, her eyes intent on the paper on her lap. Her hand, with the pencil, fairly flew in broad strokes across the page. She had such concentration in her features. He noted how the tip of her delicate pink tongue was caught and held between her lips. She probably wasn’t even aware of it. But he was. He was fighting the battle to stand still… maintain the distance.
What would she do if he walked up to her right now and planted a kiss beside that pink tongue? A smile crossed his face at that one. He was aware that she was still skittish at times in his presence. Those times were often when the atmosphere became charged with awareness of each other.
He did his best to not overstep, overplay his hand… he didn’t push them for fear of her retreating behind her wall. It was a slow and steady hand that was needed to unlock the mysteries of Angelina Lord. The treasure that waited for a man behind her green eyes would be well worth the patience he fought to control. Each passing day, the truth kept peeking at him from the places he tried to hold it at bay.
He shook his head at the word. The emotion that had claimed others before him, had wrapped itself around the organ in the center of his chest and would not let go. All because of Angelina Lord. The woman who seemed to be warming a bit to his company each day. There was a sparkle in her eyes she tried to temper down when he drew near, but he caught sight of it. It gave fire to the spark of hope lodged inside his chest.
There it was. He had actually admitted it to himself. He hoped she would not want to leave Santa Fe. And that included him as well. It was a gamble he was undertaking. He stood to suffer a major fall if the cards fell against him. He also knew with absolute clarity in his soul that she was worth the leap of faith. There would be more long nights with cold showers in his future. She was still a big city girl determined to return to her home. That was something that held him in check. He watched a few more moments. Then he pushed away from his vantage point beside the tree trunk, his surveillance at an end.
“You’re going to lose the light soon.”
Angie’s head flew up. Her hand stopped on the page and green eyes focused on him for a long moment.
Then she glanced at the slim platinum watch on her wrist. “It’s almost six! I lost all sense of time.” She closed her book and replaced her pencil inside her shoulder bag on the bench beside her. “I do that a lot when I’m in the ‘zone’ as Zoe calls it.”
“You look like you’re finding your creative flow. Getting lots of work done?”
Angie swung the straps of the bag over her shoulder and stood next to him.