The Diehard Warrior

by Youngblood, Jennifer

Heat crawled up his neck. “I don’t snore.”

  “Do too,” she winked, her hand going to her hip as she waved the spatula out beside her. She made a point of looking him up and down. “Why don’t you get a shower, while I finish up breakfast?”

  He frowned, his feet staying rooted to the floor. “I don’t like the idea of leaving you down here alone. Not when there’s no alarm system.”

  “What time are the guys coming?”

  “Ten.”

  “What time are we going to visit with your friend Piper?”

  “One o’clock.”

  Maddox caught the shadow that crossed her features. Despite her carefree appearance when he first entered the room, Addie was apprehensive about visiting Piper. He didn’t blame her. It was sure to be an emotional encounter. He suspected that it might also be tense. While Addie was holding to the notion that Piper and Jordan had a good marriage, the facts spoke otherwise.

  Addie offered a smile, dispelling the gloom, before turning back to the stove. He bridged the distance between them and stood beside her.

  “What ya makin’?” He looked at what she was stirring, pointing. At first, he thought his eyes were deceiving him. “Is that sausage gravy?”

  “Sure is.” A proud smile tipped her lips.

  His voice rose. “Are you kidding me? I love biscuits and gravy!”

  “See, you’re not the only one who remembers.” She wiggled her eyebrows.

  “Did you make biscuits too?”

  She pointed. “Baking in the oven.”

  “H—how in the heck did you learn how to make biscuits and gravy?” he sputtered

  She laughed. “Delaney taught me.”

  He was at loss for words. The woman of his dreams was standing beside him and she’d made his favorite meal. “Wait a minute.” He grabbed her arm, his expression dead-pan.

  “What?”

  “I’ve gotta pinch myself to make sure I’m not still sleeping. This is too good to be true.”

  “Hey, now.” She lightly shoved him. “Go take a shower.” She wrinkled her nose. “You stink.” She lifted her chin. “I’m not having a stinky person at the table.”

  “I don’t stink,” he countered, feeling offended, even though he knew she was mostly joking. He had to fight the urge to sniff under his arm.

  She giggled. “Go. I’ll be fine down here.”

  “I dunno.” He glanced around the cabin, thinking how easy it would be for someone to break in.

  “I’ve been up for three hours already, and I’ve been perfectly fine. A few more minutes won’t kill me.” She lifted an eyebrow. “I say a few minutes, but I guess that depends on how long it takes you to shower.” She cocked her head, a teasing light flickering in her eyes, picking up the gold flecks. “From the looks of that unsightly frizz, it might take a while to tame that hair.”

  He was glad she was loosening up towards him. He touched his curls. “Sheesh. I’ve only been up a short while and already I’m getting ripped by that lethal tongue.” He grinned, loving every minute of it. “All right. I’ll shower.” He reached to grab a piece of bacon from the plate beside the stove, but she slapped his hand.

  “No eating until breakfast.”

  He let out a long breath, his shoulders sagging. “All right. What are you? The bacon Nazi?”

  “Yep.” She lifted her chin, looking stern. When she turned her attention back to the gravy, he snagged a piece.

  Her mouth fell, making her look like a disgruntled kid. “Maddox!” she growled. “You’re supposed to wait.”

  He grinned, loving how easy it was to get a rise out of her. “This is the appetizer.”

  She brought her lips together in a tight line. “Fine,” she pouted. She pointed with the spatula. “Go. Chop, chop. And hurry. Biscuits aren’t good cold.”

  He saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

  * * *

  Maddox ate until he thought his stomach would pop. “That was fantastic.”

  “Really?” Her eyes filled with cautious hope.

  “Really. Some of the lightest biscuits I’ve ever had.”

  Her lips curved with pleasure as she sat back in her seat. “Thank you.”

  A current of desire buzzed through Maddox. Everything he’d ever wanted was sitting right there in front of him. All he had to do was stand up and pull Addie into his arms. Well, he could go that route … if he were a glutton for punishment. In two-seconds flat, Addie would slap him—no punch him—and order him out of her house. Then she’d be left alone to face this threat. He decided then and there that someone upstairs must have a sense of humor. Otherwise, why in the heck would he be in this situation? He’d better school his feelings before he made a complete idiot of himself. “Despite all the turmoil … it was good to see you singing this morning.”

  Color seeped into her cheeks as she gave him a nervous laugh. “I was feeling pretty down this morning when I first got up. Singing helped take my mind off everything.” She hugged her arms, her eyes turning to dark pools of green. “Too much alone time’s not good. I start thinking about everything.” Her voice faltered. “Jordan’s death. How Piper’s now a widow. My almost kidnapping.” She shook her head, her features tightening. “The crazy part is that we still don’t have any answers.”

  He rubbed his jaw, mentally running through the plan. “I should hear back from Sutton today. Hopefully, he’ll be able to shed some light on the kidnapper, find out why he targeted you and if he’s the one who killed Jordan.”

  “Yes,” she said despondently, “and I hope Piper will be able to tell us what was going on with Jordan.”

  He gave her a meaningful look. “Including why Jordan met with a divorce attorney.” It took half a second for the air between them to grow tense. “We have to press Piper on the state of her marriage, even if it’s uncomfortable,” he added.

  She threw up a hand. “Geez. Why does it matter what kind of relationship they had? Jordan’s gone.”

  He heard the tremor in her voice, felt a wave of sympathy for the loss of her friend. It was all he could do to keep from reaching over and taking her hand. “It might not matter, but we have to turn over every stone. That’s the only way we’ll find out the truth.” He eyed her, knowing his next comment would set her off. Nevertheless, it needed to be said. “I’ve been thinking about the key Jordan gave you.”

  She straightened in her seat, interest flickering in her eyes. “Have you had some ideas about what it goes to?”

  “A few.” He waved a hand. “But that’s not what I want to talk about.”

  She cocked her head, looking thoughtful. “Then what?”

  “Jordan gave the key to you, not to Piper, his wife. Does that not strike you as odd?”

  Her forehead raised. “I dunno. Not necessarily. We were good friends, and I happened to be in the same location where he was.”

  “You didn’t happen to be there.” He made air quotes. “Jordan came to see you.”

  She frowned, wariness seeping into her voice. “To get the jewelry for Piper.”

  “Yeah, that’s what he said.”

  She gave him a hard look, spitting out the words. “I have no reason to doubt that Jordan came to see me to get the jewelry.”

  “And yet he happened to drop a key into your purse. Now someone’s out to get you.” He fought the urge to roll his eyes. “Do you not see a pattern here?”

  “You don’t have to get smart about it.” Her jaw tightened. “I don’t understand why you’re so determined to throw Piper under the bus.”

  It took effort to keep from raising his voice. “I’m not trying to throw anyone under the bus. Jordan said you were the only one he could trust, meaning that he might not have trusted Piper. That’s all I’m saying.”

  “That’s absurd!” she scoffed, her face turning red. “Of course he trusted Piper.”

  He held up a hand. “You’ve got to remove your emotions from this, look at it analytically.”

  She shook her head, her voice cracking
with emotion. “I just lost one of my closest friends. My best friend lost her husband.” Her nostrils flared, the words falling like concrete blocks from her lips as she balled her fist. “Forgive me if I’m a little emotional.”

  The conversation was spiraling out of control. He had to rein it back in. “I get it. What you’re going through is tough, but I’m not the enemy here.”

  “Then stop acting like it,” she shot back.

  They sat eyeing one another until Maddox spoke. “All I’m saying is that it might not be wise to let Piper know we have a key.”

  She gave him an incredulous look, throwing her hands in the air. “How many times do I have to tell you that you’re wrong about Piper?” Her eyes misted. “She loved Jordan, and he loved her.”

  He gave her a measured look. “How much do you trust Piper?”

  “Implicitly.” Her green eyes flashed, chin tilting up in defiance, ready to take him on. She was stunningly beautiful and so dang stubborn.

  He drummed his fingers on the table, thinking aloud. “So, you think we should tell Piper about the key?”

  She flicked her wrist. “Absolutely. If there’s even the slightest chance that Piper knows what it could go to, then it would save us time.”

  “True,” he conceded.

  She sat there glaring like he was public enemy number one. “From the way you’re going after Piper, I’m beginning to think you have a chip on your shoulder about women.”

  He laughed in surprise. “Nope. Not all women.” He gave her an appreciative look, his gaze lingering on her long enough to evoke a deep flush over her cheeks. “Just one headstrong beauty with corkscrew curls and a sharp tongue that could lacerate metal.”

  She fast-blinked a couple of times, then let out a nervous laugh. “All right, Bama boy. You’re putting on the charm a little thick,” she blustered, touching her hair.

  He couldn’t stop the grin that stole over his lips. “Nope. Even I’m not that charming.” He winked. “Just telling the truth.”

  Her face blared like a beacon, her mouth moving jerkily like she was at a loss for words.

  “The more things change, the more they stay the same,” he mused.

  “What does that mean?” she demanded.

  “You don’t have to fight me at every turn.”

  Her eyes widened. “You’re such a moron,” she muttered.

  “Takes one to know one,” he taunted. The fight in her was thrilling.

  She blew out a long, frustrated breath, but a hint of a smile touched her eyes. Like him, she was invigorated by the verbal sparring.

  He put on his best fearful expression. “You know, sometimes you can be a little scary.”

  She pulled a face. “Huh?”

  He motioned at her with his hand. “Not just you, but all women.”

  “Oh, no. Here we go.” She rolled her eyes as she pushed back her chair and stood. She reached for her empty plate and glass, taking them to the sink.

  He also stood, grabbing his plate. As tempting as it was to launch into his explanation right off the bat, it was better to remain quiet, whet her appetite to capture her attention.

  She sighed, turning to him. “Okay, let’s hear it.” She rinsed off her plate and fork and placed them in the dishwater. Next, she took his plate from his hand. Their skin brushed, causing a tingle to rush through him. He could tell from her startled expression that she felt it too. Didn’t Addie get it? What they had together came along only once in a lifetime, to those who were lucky. The time he’d spent with Addie was the best of his life, like walking in the sun 24/7. Without her, life was drab and gloomy.

  He pointed at the cookie sheet. “Do you have something to put the biscuits in?”

  “Yes, in the upper cabinet, to the left of the fridge. Over there.”

  He opened the cupboard and reached for a container and lid. A smile played on his lips. “I still can’t believe you made me biscuits and gravy.” He gave her a sideways look. “No Southern boy living and breathing can resist a woman who knows how to cook.” His voice was light, but he could tell from the way she stiffened that she caught the serious undertone of his statement.

  “So?” she said offhandedly. “Can Felicity cook?”

  Wow. This Felicity thing had taken a life of its own. Did he dare tell Addie that the whole thing was a ruse? Nah, it was kind of fun seeing Addie squirm a little. “Oh, yeah. She’s an amazing cook.”

  A dark thundercloud puffed over her face. “How fortunate for you,” she said tartly. Long pause. “You never did finish your story, about why women scare you.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Addie was getting bent-out-of-shape about Felicity. Did that mean she still cared about him? The notion sent his heart pumping a little faster. Down, boy, he cautioned himself. Even if Addie did care, there was still the enormous obstacle of his profession looming over them. Neither of them knew how to get past that. He leaned against the counter, folding his arms. “Okay, it all started with Adam and Eve.”

  She snorted out a laugh. “Seriously?”

  “Just hear me out. Eve partook of the fruit, leaving poor Adam no choice but to also partake.”

  “Original sin, huh.” She shook her head. “Blame it all on poor Eve.”

  “Okay, you want another example from the Bible? Take Sampson and Delilah. The guy got his mind all wrapped up in a woman and she tricked him into cutting his hair.”

  “All right. I’ll play along.” Her eyes sparkled with interest. “What else you got?”

  “David and Bathsheba,” he said, his tongue hanging on the word bath.

  She laughed. “I don’t think her name is pronounced that way. It’s more like Basheba, with the T being silent.”

  “It’s Bath Sheba. After all, her bath was what started all the trouble.”

  “Oh, no. Don’t go blaming David’s treachery on Bathsheba. The poor woman was simply taking a bath. It wasn’t her fault David was a Peeping Tom.”

  “She was bathing on a rooftop. If you ask me, she was begging for trouble.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Actually, if you go back and read the Bible reference, it doesn’t say specifically where Bathsheba was. David was on the rooftop when he saw her taking a bath—something she was doing not only for hygiene purposes but also for a ritual ceremony required by the Law of Moses. The fault lay clearly with David. Think of the beginning, how the story was framed, ‘In a time when all kings went to war, David stayed back.’” She wagged a finger, giving him a victorious look. “An idle mind is the devil’s workshop.”

  He let out a low whistle. “Wow, you know your Bible references.”

  “I’ve taken a few classes on the subject,” she quipped.

  Addie was wicked smart. Her appetite for continuous learning was one of the things that first attracted Maddox to her. Like him, she loved traveling to new places. They used to talk for hours about the places they’d like to one day visit together. It cut to know that would never happen.

  “Putting the blame on Bathsheba’s par for the course. A typical male perspective,” she huffed.

  He winced. “Ouch. That hurt.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Is that all you’ve got, Bama boy?”

  “What about Jacob? The poor sucker worked seven years for the love of his life and ended up with the sister. Need I say more?”

  Her eyebrow shot up. “The women didn’t do that. It was their father.”

  He blew out a long breath. “Okay, I’ll give you that one…if we’re splitting hairs.”

  She shot him an incredulous look. “Give me that one? Really? All right, mister. What about Queen Esther? Her valor saved an entire nation.”

  “All right,” he drawled. “You’ve got me there.”

  She looked back at the table. “Would you hand me those glasses?”

  “Sure.” As he handed them to her, something hanging on the side of the refrigerator caught his eye. He peered, getting a closer look. It was a card with scraggly edges like it had been crafted by a child. T
here was a tree and a smiley-faced heart drawn in crayon with two words—Be Happy. It looked like something a student would give a teacher. To Maddox’s knowledge, Addie had little interaction with children. “What’s that?”

  She followed his eyes. “What?”

  “The card on the refrigerator. What’s the story behind that?”

  She looked thoughtful. For a second, he thought she was going to tell him, but a cryptic smile curved her lips. “A story for another time.”

  “Now you have me intrigued. Come on,” he urged. “Tell me.”

  She wiggled her eyebrows. “Nope. Don’t think so,” she chimed. Their eyes met, sending a burst of exhilaration shooting through him. Being here with Addie felt right—more right than anything had felt in a long time.

  He moved closer, the air between them crackling with unleashed energy. “But I’ll be so disappointed,” he murmured, his gaze tracing down the line of her delectable neck, begging to be kissed.

  “I guess you’ll have to get used to disappointment,” she uttered, her voice going husky. He caught the flicker of desire in her eyes igniting a fire in him. His fingers itched to touch her hair. “What if I tickle it out of you?” he teased.

  Her eyes widened as she rocked back. “You wouldn’t dare!”

  “Oh, yes, I would,” he grinned, reaching for her.

  She squealed and jumped as he started tickling her. “Stop,” she protested, laughing.

  “Okay, if I must, I must.” He blew out a long, dramatic breath.

  Her lips curved into an unencumbered smile. For an instant, the problems seemed to vanish like morning mist over a lake, giving way to the rising sun. This is what contentment was—being with the woman he loved, doing simple things like cleaning the kitchen. He realized she was studying him with a bold, reckless glint in her vivid green eyes like she was challenging him to kiss her. Blast it! The wise thing to do would be to walk away to protect his heart.

  Walk away! the voice in his head commanded. But Maddox had never been one to walk away from a challenge. A silent exchange passed between them, making him ultra-aware that they were alone. He stepped closer, his finger trailing lightly down the curve of her jaw. The intimacy of the moment enveloped them like a silken parachute. “You know, it’s not fair,” he said softly. Yes, he might be jumping out of a plane, but he had a parachute, right?