An Extraordinary Match (The Match Series Book 3)

by Barbara Dunlop

  “It’s a maple cream,” he whispered in her ear.

  “Thanks.” She bit down.

  He helped himself to a nut cluster. “So, is the tall guy going to help him or turn on him?”

  “He’s in love with the blond woman, so he’ll try to kill the hero.”

  “That sucks.”

  “It does. But he’ll have to let the hero diffuse the bomb, or she’s going sky-high as well.”

  “Did he pick up the gun after the shootout?”

  Jade nodded.

  Lights flashed and sirens screamed on screen as the police finally arrived on the scene. The film cuts were chaotic, and there were too many characters to effectively follow the plot, especially when a guy was distracted by the feel of a real-life, gorgeous woman in his arms. Logan placed a soft kiss on the top of her head, since it was the closest available spot.

  “Tell me again why we’re watching a detective thriller?”

  “I want to remind myself there are good guys and bad guys in the world. Oh, look. That’s the cop who was on the phone. He lied to the commissioner in the first scene. He might be up to no good.”

  “There are also middle-of-the-road guys,” said Logan.

  “I suppose.” She helped herself to another chocolate.

  “You really were in the mood for something sweet.”

  “I’m combating sexual frustration. Ouch.” She reacted to a crack on the hero’s head. “Oh, man, that had to hurt.”

  “Excuse me?” Logan asked, leaning forward and turning his head to look at her.

  “Get out of the way. I can’t see.”

  “You’re battling sexual frustration?”

  She snickered. “You warned me not to beg.”

  “You want to beg?”

  She stretched up and planted a lingering kiss on his lips. “I want to finish the movie.”

  “You play dirty, woman.”

  “You only just figured that out?”

  Logan smiled as he sat back, loving that she was so straightforward. “I’ve never met anyone remotely like you.”

  “Look, there’s a second bomb. Now that’s going to be tricky.”

  There could be fifty bombs for all he cared. He was far more interested in gazing at Jade, the snug, silver tank top that outlined her breasts, the way her stomach indented, dipping into the waistband of her black jeans, her golden, smooth shoulders, soft neck, flowing auburn hair. He wanted to kiss every single inch of her, and he wanted to keep doing it for a very long time.

  “You should stay in Mirror Falls,” he told her.

  She stiffened, and he was afraid he’d made that sound wrong.

  “Extend your vacation,” he amended. Which was what he meant, wasn’t it?

  She didn’t look at him. “I wish I could. But I can’t.”

  His disappointment was acute. “You couldn’t get any extra time off? You could stay at my place. It wouldn’t cost you anything.”

  “I’ve got someplace I have to be.”

  “Okay.” He tried to curb his regret. She had a life. He understood that.

  The movie rolled on, the hero going one-on-one with the villain, the sweet, blond girl showing bravery and ingenuity in helping him. The bomb blew up as the pair dove out the service entrance door, splashing into a lake.

  “You ever think about going someplace else?” Jade unexpectedly asked him, as the onscreen couple surfaced and embraced.

  “You mean on vacation?”

  Was she asking him to come to New York City?

  “I mean to live.” She paused and seemed to gather her thoughts. “When Amy told me you’d asked Sasha to stay—”

  “Whoa.” He sat up straight, suddenly realizing his mistake. “Me asking you to stay and me asking Sasha to stay are two completely different things.”

  Sasha was the past, over, finished. What he’d felt for her was a fleeting affection and interest. What he felt for Jade was becoming all consuming.

  “So, you wanted her, but only here, only on your terms.”

  “Jade, I never—”

  “It didn’t seem like you even thought about following her.”

  “I didn’t,” he stated with conviction.

  “So, you never considered leaving Mirror Falls.”

  “Not at all.” He knew now, and he’d probably known then, that Sasha wasn’t the one.

  “I understand,” said Jade.

  “You do?”

  She smiled and framed his face with her hands. “I truly do see the appeal of the twenty-two cousins, the barbecues, the huge holiday parties. You belong in Mirror Falls. It’s an amazing place. You know, as long as you’re not stuck in jail or being ostracized by the entire community.”

  “You should stay longer,” he repeated. “We’ll have a barbecue. I’ll introduce you around. They’ll all love you.”

  She touched her forehead to his. “I really wish I could.”

  “But you have somewhere you have to be.” He knew he had no choice but to accept that. He smoothed her hair, cursing himself for having vowed to keep his hands off her tonight.

  “I do,” she said. “So, you want to stay over?”

  “Yes.” With or without sex, he longed to hold her in his arms for the rest of the night.

  “I’ll go put on something hideous. That’ll help you keep your hands to yourself.” She grinned as she sashayed away.

  Logan couldn’t help his own smile as he turned off the television and pulled the curtains. He put out the Do Not Disturb sign, shut down the gas fireplace, and switched off the living room lights.

  By the time he entered the bedroom, she was under the white comforter, her auburn hair splayed across the pillowcase. He shut off the lights and opened the window to let in some fresh air. By moonlight, he stripped down to his boxers. Then he climbed in beside her and gathered her supple body against him, spooning her back.

  He smoothed his hands over a short, silken nightgown. “This doesn’t feel hideous.”

  “It’s not,” she whispered. “It’s French silk, low cut, delicate lace, translucent ice pink. And I’m naked underneath.”

  “You’re cruel.” He gathered her closer still, battling the passion roiling in his belly. “But I’m made of steel.”

  “Is that your steel digging into my back?”

  “You’re outrageous.”

  “I’ve got you right where I want you.”

  “Frustrated and uncomfortable?”

  She rolled onto her back and traced his lips with her index finger. “It’s after midnight, Logan. I figure it’s not tonight anymore. It’s tomorrow.”

  Relief washed through him. “I like the way you figure.”

  “My years of college did not go to waste.”

  “They did not.”

  He gazed down at her in the dim light, anticipation building in his veins. She was his. She was about to be his, and she had to stay his. He had no idea how he was going to make that work, but he knew he couldn’t possibly give her up.

  Chapter Ten

  It was four a.m. when Logan drifted off to asleep. Jade desperately wished she could join him, but she was out of time. She shifted up on her elbow to watch him sleep. His jaw was strong with a whiskered shadow. His eyes were wide set, his features symmetrical, and his mouth kissable soft.

  She gazed at him as long as she dared, dreading the passing of each minute. Finally, she had to move. She slipped out of bed and padded quietly from the bedroom, showering in the guest bathroom across the suite to keep from disturbing him. Then she dressed and packed her suitcase. Too soon, the moment came when it was truly over. Sam was meeting her in front of the hotel, and they couldn’t delay the military aircrew.

  She carefully set a note on her pillow, swallowing her guilt. It was on hotel stationery, which somehow made it worse. But she couldn’t bear to wake him and say goodbye. She didn’t have time to explain, and she didn’t know how much she was allowed to tell him anyway. She couldn’t bring herself to make up a lie.


  Her chest ached, and her throat was closing over. But she gripped the handle of her suitcase and moved silently into the hallway.

  Sam was already waiting outside. It was full dark, and rain drizzled down on them. It was only a few blocks to the airport, and the dozen taxis in town wouldn’t be on duty yet. Since they were trying to be as discreet as possible, they simply walked their way down Main Street.

  Sam dialed a combination into a locked, chain-link gate at the airport. There was no check-in, no security as they crossed the slick tarmac to the metal staircase that led them into a small, unmarked plane.

  An older man met them on board the utilitarian, low-ceilinged aircraft. He was accompanied by a young soldier who took her suitcase.

  “Good morning, Jade,” said the older man. “I’m JW Sterling, Army retired. “I’m a friend of Sam’s.”

  Jade shook his hand. “Nice to meet you. Thank you for helping me.”

  He smiled. “No trouble at all.” He gestured to a row of jump seats along the side of the plane. “Let’s get you strapped in.”

  She dried her hands on the front of her jeans. “I’ve never flown like this before.”

  “Not exactly first class,” said Sam. “But it’ll get us there.”

  “It’s kind of exciting,” she said, determined to push away her heartache.

  “It’s also fast,” said JW. “We’ll be at the base in a couple of hours.”

  Jade glanced from one man to the other. “How can I thank you for doing all this? I don’t know why you would, but I’m incredibly grateful.”

  “No need to thank us,” said Sam. “You’re an asset to your country. We all recognize that.”

  Jade couldn’t help but think it was an exaggeration. But she was incredibly relieved to have the nightmare ending. She lowered herself into one of the seats, and JW showed her how to buckle the harness.

  JW took the seat beside her, Sam across the narrow plane.

  “Anyone see you leave?” JW asked Sam.

  “I think we’re in the clear.”

  Jade settled into the seat. It wasn’t spacious, but it wasn’t uncomfortable either.

  The engines revved, and the plane began its taxi. The uniformed soldier came by and handed them each a bottle of water.

  “In-flight service,” JW joked.

  As they sped down the runway, Jade tried to hang on to the sense of relief she felt at getting out from under WNT.

  But as their speed increased, panic began to build. She was assailed by the realization that she shouldn’t have left Logan with nothing but a note. She should have woken him up to say goodbye. She should have explained to him it was Florida, jail or WNT, and that she didn’t have a choice.

  She started to picture him waking up alone, reading her note, thinking she was callous or indifferent, that what they’d had together meant so little to her. Nothing could be further from the truth. What she felt for him was terrifyingly strong.

  The plane blasted off into the air, climbing at an almost unimaginable rate, leaving Logan farther and farther behind.

  “This is for you,” said JW, holding out a slim cell phone. “If you don’t mind, I’ll disable your old one.”

  She battled her distress. “I need a new cell phone?”

  “You do,” Sam confirmed. “I’ve shut down all of your e-mail accounts. I’d suggest using only your government one to start with.”

  A sense of unease crept through her. What exactly had she signed up for?

  “I have some paperwork,” said Sam, lifting a briefcase into his lap and opening it. “I’ve canceled your credit cards and set up a new bank account. If you sign here, everything will be transferred.”

  Her worry built. “It’s still all in my name, right?”

  “Of course it’s still in your name. And regular government paychecks will be deposited into the new account.”

  “Am I in hiding? Am I going underground?”

  Sam cracked a smile. “Not at all. We’re just putting some rudimentary security measures around you. You should lie low for a week or two until we get everything settled. After that, as an employee of the US government, you can do whatever you like.”

  “And WNT will stay away.”

  “They absolutely will not poach employees from the military.”

  “What about my apartment?”

  Sam leafed through some papers. “I got you out of the lease. Movers will be there tomorrow, and everything will go into storage until you have a place in Florida.”

  “You are frighteningly good at this.”

  “It’s not me,” said Sam.

  “Or me,” said JW.

  “The military moves people all the time,” said Sam. “They have experts in everything.”

  Though she knew she should be happy, she was desperately sad. It was all executed with amazing precision. She was now under the protection of the government, and she was free from WNT. It was good. It was all good. And the only significant compromise was a potential relationship with Logan.

  She knew that if things had been different, she would have said yes to him. She would have stayed longer in Mirror Falls. She could have asked Virgil for additional time off. She’d have met Logan’s family, gotten to know Amy, stuck around to see where their relationship might lead.

  Leaving Mirror Falls might be a showstopper for Logan. But Jade would have considered staying there with him, assuming what they had turned out to be real. If it was real, she’d have stuck by his side forever.

  *

  Logan awoke to sunshine streaming into the hotel suite and an empty space in the bed beside him. He lay still and listened, straining for the sound of water running, footsteps, or possibly Jade’s voice on a telephone call.

  There was nothing.

  He sat up, and his gaze caught on a note on her pillow. He smiled as he unfolded it. Hopefully, she was bringing back bagels and coffee. He was starving.

  As he read, his smile faded, and he blinked in disbelief. She caught an early flight? What flight? He knew all the scheduled flights in and out of Mirror Falls. There was nothing in the early morning.

  She’d wrote that she was sorry and that she’d never forget their time together. What the hell?

  He came to his feet. How could it happen? How could she be gone?

  He went for his telephone before remembering he didn’t have her number. There’d been no reason to get it.

  He’d track it down. He’d track her down. It wasn’t going to end like this, a note on a pillow with a generic “goodbye” and “I’ll remember you” message.

  He quickly pulled on his clothes and left the suite, impatiently stabbing at the elevator button before giving up and taking the stairs. Amy’s house first, he decided, on the off chance that she had Jade’s phone number.

  But on the way down, he came up with a better idea. He stopped at the front desk and got a copy of her hotel record. Sure enough, it had an address and a cell phone number. He dialed it and got a computer-generated voice message. So he sent her a text, telling her to call him as soon as she could.

  Then he took in the New York City address. If she didn’t call him back, he’d go to New York and talk to her in person. He’d check the Treeline Aviation schedule, assign other pilots to his flights, and take a couple of days off. He headed out the front doors of the hotel, turning left toward his office, restraining the urge to break into a jog.

  But halfway down the block, his path was blocked. Ewan and John suddenly appeared and closed ranks in front of him, stopping his progress.

  “Where is she?” asked Ewan.

  “Get out of my way.” This was not the day to mess with Logan.

  “Not until you tell us where she is.”

  “Back off.” Logan pressed forward.

  John put a firm hand on his chest.

  Logan swatted it down. “Get out of my way.”

  “Answer our question. We know she left the hotel.”

  “Bully for you.” Logan stepped to one si
de.

  John moved with him. “We also know you’re fucking her.”

  Logan’s lip curled in a snarl, and he squared his shoulders. “You’ve got two seconds to shut up and get out of my way.”

  Ewan came up on Logan’s left side, and when Logan turned, John grabbed him from behind. Logan reflexively broke the hold, his elbow cracking into John’s jaw. Ewan took a swing, and Logan ducked. He hit back, smashing his fist into Ewan’s face.

  The man staggered back, and Logan whirled in time to deflect a blow from John. Then he punched hard, two in the stomach and another in the jaw. His fist cracked satisfyingly against bone.

  “Whoa, whoa, everybody stand down,” came a commanding voice. The sheriff moved in, followed by a deputy.

  “They threw the first punch,” Logan told his cousin Clive.

  “He attacked us,” said Ewan.

  John still seemed dazed.

  “I’ve never known Logan to have a temper,” said Clive.

  “He does when it comes to the girl,” said Ewan.

  “The girl?” asked Clive.

  “Jade Korrigan,” John added through teeth that were clenched in obvious pain.

  Logan hoped he’d broken the man’s jaw.

  “I’m going to have to take you all down to the station,” said Clive. He shot Logan a look of apology.

  “I was defending myself.” Logan didn’t have time for the police station or anything else right now.

  “I’ll need statements from all of you,” said Clive.

  “This is a travesty,” said Ewan. “He attacked us.”

  “You want to come willingly or do I have to cuff you?”

  “I’m a witness.” Store owner Shelly MacDonald stepped forward. “Logan’s telling the truth. These two guys attacked him. I think they were lying in wait around the corner.”

  “I’m a witness, too,” said Dan Solomon, another nearby business owner. “I saw the whole thing, and I’ll testify. These guys grabbed Logan for no reason.”

  “Hang on.” Ewan started to back away. But the deputy was there to grab him, swiftly locking him in handcuffs.

  Logan felt a smile grow on his face. Then he felt a buzz in his pocket. At first he hoped for a text from Jade. But then he realized it was his search-and-rescue pager.