LITMIR.BIZ

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crossed to the huge bay window and brushed the lacy white curtains aside. Through the open blinds, he could see the distant lights in the windows of the lodge, even with the numerous tall trees on the property. He turned to face her. “Nice view.”

      Nodding, she stood in the doorway and smiled. The pale pink Victorian lamp on the dresser gently lit her face. Zach’s heart filled with memories of the tender love they once shared. It felt unnatural not to pull her close and kiss her as he used to.

      “It is a pretty view, isn’t it?” She crossed to where he stood at the window.

      “That it is,” Zach whispered, his voice suddenly giving out.

      Did she enjoy sleeping in such a huge bed alone?

      Had any men slept there with her, held her close afterward? Julie had never been one to sleep around. Maybe she’d changed. Zach realized he would be disappointed if she had. He’d loved her innocence, her sweetness. Was she still the same woman he knew back then?

      The Bureau expected him to use his past with Julie to bring closure to this international assignment. His mission was to stick close until she inadvertently led them to leaders of the terrorist group.

      For the first time in his professional career, Zach wondered if he was in over his head. Because of his emotional involvement with Julie, was he in danger of losing his edge? If that were true, he was as good as dead.

      “Come on, I’ll show you Emmie’s room,” Julie said, interrupting his thoughts. “It’s just across the hall.”

      Emmie’s room.

      Zach felt as if he’d been kicked in the gut. He should’ve thought of that possibility before now. Would he be able to face a little girl’s bedroom without feeling the heartache of what could have been? Drawing a deep breath, he raked a hand through his hair and swallowed hard. “I’m…right behind you.”

      Julie flipped on the light switch and Emmie’s room came alive. No matter how hard Zach braced himself for the impact, a wave of painful emotions washed over him as he stood frozen in place.

      He’d dealt with apprehending vicious criminals before with no problem. He’d worked through the horrors at Ground Zero, but all it took was the sight of a little girl’s bedroom to freeze him in his tracks.

      An oak bed with a matching dresser and mirror filled the small room. Julie had decorated the twin bed with a pastel pink-and-white gingham comforter that matched the dust ruffle and canopy. A pink floral wallpaper border made its way across the top of the cream-colored walls. A vast array of stuffed animals lay peacefully arranged across the pillows.

      Stuffed animals.

      Zach recalled his daughter’s crib. Picturing it clearly in his mind, he could almost reach out and touch the cherrywood railings…and Ashley. Taking her little bed apart, saving some toys and giving away the rest, had been the hardest thing he’d ever had to do. No mission had ever compared to the heartache of that task. No mission ever could.

      “I did Emmie’s room over, also.” Julie smiled up at him, a tender look in her eyes when she talked about her little girl. “I asked her to help me choose the fabric and furniture. I was surprised that she had so many opinions on the subject.” She laughed lightly. “This is what we agreed on.”

      “It’s nice,” Zach managed. Surprised that his feet weren’t glued to the floor, he made his way over to a child-sized table under one of the windows. A small, crayon-filled wicker basket rested on a chair. Several of Emmie’s drawings lay scattered across the top. Zach stopped to touch one of them. It showed a house, several trees and an animal that appeared to be a horse, but maybe it was a dog. “I see Emmie likes to draw,” he said, turning to her.

      Julie nodded. Love and obvious pride in her daughter reflected in her eyes. “She doesn’t usually give her pictures away. You must have made quite an impression.”

      Forgetting his job for a brief moment, Zach’s heart filled with happiness for Julie. He was glad she had her little girl to love after the loss of her husband. “Has it been hard for you, raising her on your own?” He pulled out one of the little chairs. Sitting as best as he could on the tiny piece of furniture, he flipped through the rest of the drawings.

      Julie sat on another small chair next to him. “Yes, at times it has been difficult, of course.” She sighed. “But my family has been so helpful. My mom and dad are always there, never in an overbearing way, but just when I needed them the most.” Taking a quick breath, she wiped a tear from the corner of her eye. “Tim…was twelve years older than me and had no family to speak of. He was an only child. His parents passed away before we met.”

      Zach couldn’t bear to see her eyes filling with tears. He had to do something to lighten the moment. “What is this? A horse? A dog? A…dinosaur?” He smiled and tapped a finger on the animal in the drawing.

      Julie laughed. “Oh, that.” She sighed. “That’s Emmie’s dream house, as she calls it.” Leaning closer Julie touched the image of the animal her daughter had drawn. “This…is a horse.” Her eyes lit in amusement. “You were right the first time.”

      The pleasant, light floral fragrance she wore filled his senses. Zach resisted the powerful temptation to reach out and pull her into his arms. He wanted to comfort her, protect her. Tell her everything would be all right.

      But how was a guy supposed to comfort a possible spy?

      “A horse, huh? She hasn’t seen any real horses, has she?” Raising an eyebrow, he smiled.

      “No, she hasn’t. Not yet. Maybe I should do something about that.” Julie’s gaze met his and she smiled.

      “Yeah.” And maybe he should do something about the undeniable feelings he had to hold Julie close. Keep her safe from the evil forces surrounding her and the inn.

      Clearing the all-too-vivid intimate scenario lingering in his mind, Zach leaned back in the tiny seat. “If you’re ever in Montana, I can show her plenty of horses. We breed them.”

      “Oh! So you went back to the ranch you loved,” Julie said, smiling as if she’d won a prize.

      Zach laughed. “Well, that’s part of the story. Happy now?”

      “Not until I know the rest,” Julie teased.

      How could he share his grief without the pain that always gripped his heart? Somehow, he would have to allow the anguish he’d been hiding to resurface in order to solve the case.

      Yet here he was talking with Julie in her daughter’s room. Instead of sadness overcoming his soul, he was sitting at a little girl’s table, laughing. In place of the usual heaviness settling in his heart, there was a spark of joy.

      Zach cleared his head. He had a case to solve. Suspects to track and bring to justice. The Bureau depended on him. If one more agent went down, they were all in danger. He could not let that happen. He needed a keen eye and an analytical mind to apprehend the spies.

      Even if one of them was…Julie.

      They sat so close that their knees touched beneath the small table. If he leaned in a few inches he’d be able to steal a kiss. Slowly, his gaze drifted to her mouth. Soft, full lips like Julie’s were meant to be kissed.

      Often. By him. Just as he used to.

      Abruptly, Zach rose to his feet. “I’d…better go. You sure you want to get up so early on a Saturday?”

      “No problem. Besides, you’re not getting out of this.” Smiling, she reached for his hand and led him out of the room. “You’re going to tell me everything tomorrow, remember?”

      “Right.” Nothing could be further from the truth.

      After making their way down the stairway, Zach grabbed his jacket from the coatrack. He confirmed no dead bolts on her door. No alarm system, either. The team of agents would have no problem installing the electronic bugs, the pinhole cameras and microphones.

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