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her shoulder. “Seems like way too much opportunity for mistakes.”

      “I’ve tried to tell Ana the same thing.” As much as she tried not to be, Patience found herself acutely aware of his chest hovering behind her ear. The scent of his body wash lingered in the air. Clean. Crisp. She couldn’t help herself; she inhaled deeply.

      “You forgot to record check number 3521,” he said, pointing at the screen.

      Sure enough, there was an unrecorded check. “This is the biggest problem,” she said. “Ana always forgets to mark the checks in both places.”

      “I thought you wrote the checks?”

      “I write out the monthly checks for the bills. That doesn’t mean your aunt doesn’t write out her own ocassionally. Especially when she want to give money to the humane society. See?” She pointed to the written ledger. “Check 3521 in her handwriting.”

      She shifted in her hair, so she could better confront him. “Are you going to question everything I do while you’re living here? Because if so, it’s going to make for a very long stay.”

      “I wasn’t questioning anything. All I did was point out you missed a check.”

      Right. And his pointing out had nothing to do with his distrust. “Look,” she said, “I know you don’t like me—”

      “I never said I didn’t like you.”

      Patience blinked. “You didn’t?”

      “No. I said I didn’t trust you. There’s a difference.”

      Not much. “Gee, thanks. I feel so much better.”

      A hint of color found its way to his cheeks. It, along with his quick, sheepish smile, dulled her annoyance. “I’m not saying this right at all,” he said. “I came in because I realized what I said back in the kitchen didn’t come out as apologetically as it should have. What I should have said was that I’m sorry for treating you like a trial witness last night. I should have let the matter drop after Ana corroborated your story.”

      “Actually,” Patience replied, “what you should have said was that you’re sorry for even suggesting I’d hurt your aunt.”

      Stuart grabbed the edge of the desk, trapping her between his two arms. Body wash and heat buffeted the space between them, the combination making Patience’s pulse quicken. She looked up to meet a gaze that was bright and resolute. “Ana is the only family I have,” he said. “I won’t apologize for trying to protect her.”

      This was where Patience should retaliate with angry defiance. Unfortunately, she understood where Stuart was coming from. When it came to keeping your family safe, you did whatever you had to do. No matter what.

      Still, she wasn’t ready to let him off the hook. “Let’s get something straight,” she said, straightening her spine. “I like Ana. She’s been good to me. Real good. I would never hurt her. I don’t care how good your reason is—you are a jerk for thinking otherwise.”

      They were back to Mexican standoff territory, with their eyes challenging one another. Patience focused on keeping her breath even. She didn’t know if it was his scent, his close proximity, or the thrill of having held her ground, but she could feel the adrenaline surging through her. When Stuart broke the moment with a slow, lazy smile, her heart jumped. The thrill of victory, she decided.

      “Yes, I was,” he said. “A jerk, that is.”

      “Finally, we agree with something.” She sat back, only to realize the new posture placed her in the crook of his arm. Instinct screamed for her to straighten up again, but that would imply she was nervous, and since she wasn’t nervous she forced herself to look relaxed. “Apology accepted.”

      Stuart responded with a low chuckle before—thankfully—shifting positions and releasing her. Patience was surprised how much she missed his scent when it disappeared.

      “How about we start over with a clean slate?” he said. “Hi. I’m Stuart Duchenko.”

      She stared at his extended hand. For some reason, the gesture kicked off warning bells. “Why?” she asked.

      “Why what?”

      “Why the one-eighty?” A dozen hours ago, he was smirking with suspicion. Now he wanted to be friends?

      He’d obviously expected the question, because he chuckled again. “Because you’re right, I was being a jerk. And, because Ana would have my head if she saw the way I was acting. Our bickering like a couple of twelve-year-olds won’t help her. Therefore, I’m hoping we can be civil for her sake.”

      He had a point. Ana would expect better of her, as well. “Does this mean you’ve decided to trust me?”

      “Let’s not go crazy. I am, however, willing to give you the chance to prove me wrong.”

      “Well, isn’t that mighty big of you.” Although, in truth, they had something in common. She didn’t trust him, either.

      His hand was still extended, waiting for her acceptance. Fine. She could be the bigger person, too. For Ana’s sake.

      “I’m Patience Rush,” she said, wrapping her fingers around his palm.

      His grip was firm and confident, more so than she expected. Patience was shocked at the power traveling up her arm.

      You’re playing with fire, a tiny voice whispered in her ear. Stuart wasn’t some sour-smelling creep she could hold off with an expressionless stare. He was a man whose clout and influence could ruin her life. But, like a shining red sign blinking “Do Not Touch,” she couldn’t resist the challenge.

      “Nice to meet you, Patience. I look forward to getting to know you.”

      “Same here.”

      She wasn’t sure what to say next and, based on the awkward silence, neither did he. The strangest energy had begun humming around them. Wrapping them together, as if the two of them were suddenly on the same page. Weird. Other than Piper, Patience had always made it a rule to keep an invisible wall between herself and the rest of the world. To feel a connection of any kind left her off balance.

      Stuart’s smile mirrored her insides. Tentative and crooked. “Look at us being all civil.”

      “Let’s not go crazy,” she replied, quoting him. “It’s only been a minute. Let’s see how we do at the end of the day.”

      “I’m up for the challenge if you are.”

      Oh, she was more than up for it. If being civil led to him dropping all his talk of “secrets,” then she’d civil him to death.

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