LITMIR.BIZ

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      “No. It isn’t.” As far as she was concerned, she didn’t have to explain anything else to this man. She rubbed her palms down the front of her jeans. “Uh, if you’ll excuse me, I think I’ll go get my things.”

      “I’ll help you.”

      Tessa let out a silent groan. Was the man never going to leave? Aloud she said, “Thanks. I do have several bags.”

      What are you so antsy about, Tessa? A normal woman would be enjoying the company of a good-looking man. And Joseph Hollister definitely fits that description. What are you afraid of? That you might actually allow yourself to be attracted to the deputy?

      Trying to ignore the taunting voice in her head, she walked past him and out of the kitchen.

      * * *

      As Joseph followed Tessa Parker out to her truck, he mentally cursed himself. What the hell was he doing? He’d already investigated the situation and made certain no one was going to vandalize his late friend’s home. He’d checked this woman’s credentials and everything appeared accurate. She had a legitimate reason for being on the Bar X Ranch, so why was he still hanging around when he should’ve left a half hour ago? Because she looked like a walking dream?

      Her slim, angular face was dominated by startling blue eyes, prominent cheekbones and a soft, wide mouth. Straight, caramel-brown hair hung nearly to her waist and though she was far more slender than his usual taste in women, she was nicely curved in all the right places. Her creamy skin was smooth and soft, like she’d been living in a tropical climate rather than the dry west. Furthermore, she carried herself with class and grace.

      Yeah, all those things were pleasant to a man’s eyes, he conceded. But in Tessa Parker’s case, it had been the vulnerable wobble in her voice and the emotions flickering in her eyes that had tugged at something inside him. Even if she did have a family back in Nevada, she seemed to be very alone. And that notion bothered Joseph far too much.

      “I’m sure I brought much more than I need,” she was saying as she opened the back door on the truck. “But since I was uncertain about how long I’ll be staying, I wanted to have plenty.”

      She placed two very large suitcases on the ground, along with a pair of duffel bags. Joseph picked up the suitcases, both of which were quite heavy.

      “I’ll get these,” he said. “If the duffel bags are heavy, leave them. I’ll fetch them later.”

      “Thank you,” she said, “but I can manage.”

      Joseph followed her back up the steps of the retaining wall and into the house. Along the way, he found himself watching the sway of her slender hips and the curtain of thick hair moving gently against her back.

      In the living room, she placed the bags she’d been carrying on the rug and turned on a table lamp situated near the recliner.

      Joseph asked, “Where would you like for me to put these?”

      She gestured to a spot on the floor near the other bags. “Just sit them down there. Both bags have wheels. I’ll deal with them later.”

      For some idiotic reason he felt a wash of warm color burn his face. “I can see they have wheels. But they’re both very heavy.”

      An impatient, even wary expression crossed her face and it dawned on Joseph that he was making her uncomfortable. But then he had to remember he was a stranger to this woman. He couldn’t expect her to behave as though he was an old friend.

      “Well, yes, they are. But—” She broke off with a shake of her head then gestured toward the archway. “All right, let’s go.”

      She started out of the room in a long stride and Joseph fell into step behind her. As they made their way down a narrow hallway, the scent of her flowery perfume teased him like a gentle ocean breeze.

      “I don’t suppose you have any idea which bedroom Mr. Maddox used, would you?”

      Her question snapped him out of his dreamy cloud. “I’ve only been as far as the study,” he admitted. “It’s the first door on your right. Why do you want to know about Ray’s bedroom, anyway?”

      Pausing in the middle of the hallway, she turned to look at him. “This is probably going to sound silly to you, but I’m not sure I’d feel comfortable about staying in Mr. Maddox’s room.”

      “I don’t understand why you’d feel that way. This is your house now.”

      As soon as he’d said the words, he wished he could take them back. They sounded insensitive, even rude. And she didn’t deserve that. Not unless she turned out to be a complete fraud.

      Seemingly unoffended by his tart remark, she said, “That’s true. But I’m a stranger in this house. I feel it would be more proper for me to stay in a guest room.”

      Even though she’d told him she hadn’t been acquainted with Ray Maddox, she seemed to want to respect him and his memory. Joseph had to admire her for that.

      “Well, let’s have a look and maybe we can figure out which room was Ray’s.”

      Nodding in agreement, she moved on down the passageway and opened a door on the left. Peering inside, she said, “I very much doubt a man used this bedroom. I’ll stay in this one.”

      Joseph followed her into the bedroom and placed the cases at the foot of a queen-size bed. When he looked up from the task, he saw the pretty heiress standing in the middle of the room, gazing around with a look of awe on her face. Everything was in white. Even the antique-style furniture.

      He said, “I don’t know what you’re thinking, but all this stuff looks new to me.”

      Clearing her throat, she walked over to a long dresser with a scallop-edged mirror. Lying on the glass top was a matching brush and mirror with silver-engraved backs. The set was the fancy sort, like the one his mother kept for sentimental reasons.

      Joseph watched her pick up the brush and rub her fingers across the soft bristles. “I think you might be right. Did a woman live here with Mr. Maddox?”

      “Not since his wife died. And that’s been several years ago.”

      Tessa shifted her gaze to the bed, which was covered with a fluffy down comforter and pillows edged with lace. “How odd to find a room like this in a widower’s house.”

      “Maybe Ray had all this fixed for you,” Joseph suggested.

      She looked at him, her lips parted with surprise. “That’s a crazy notion. Ray Maddox didn’t know me.”

      “He had some sort of connection to you. And he obviously made plans for you to be here.”

      The notion appeared to rattle her. She quickly placed the brush back on the dresser top then, bending her head, she fastened her hands around the front edge of the dresser as though she needed to support herself.

      As Joseph watched her, he was assaulted with all sorts of urges, the main one being to put his arm around her shoulders and assure her that whatever was bothering her would eventually right itself. But he’d only met her a few minutes ago. Even if she did need comforting, he had no right to get that personal.

      “I’m so confused. I’m not sure what to think anymore.” With her head still bent, she slanted a look at him. “That’s why I have to stay long enough to find answers.”

      The notion that she might be here for an extended length of time filled Joseph with far too much pleasure. He tried to ignore the sappy reaction as he walked over to a pair of large windows and made a show of inspecting the locks.

      “What are you doing?” she asked.

      He could feel her walking up behind him and then her lovely scent was floating around him.

      “Making sure the locks are secure,” he answered.

      “I thought you said this was a crime-free area.”

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