been soaking wet when they’d come inside, and since he hadn’t been able to fix the generator, he couldn’t throw her clothes in the dryer. He’d given her a shirt and drawstring sweatpants to wear, and suddenly he regretted not covering her up in a parka or something.
The tight peaks of her nipples made his mouth go bone dry. He’d been trying to convince himself since yesterday that he wasn’t attracted to Jamie Crawford, that he’d simply enjoyed having someone so open-minded listen to his story, but at this moment, he couldn’t deny what he felt. With her damp hair falling down her back and curling at the ends, and those perky breasts beneath his shirt, she was undeniably beautiful.
And he was undeniably turned on.
He watched as she bent forward to towel-dry her hair, then cleared his throat. “I just made a pot of coffee before the power went out. Would you like a cup?”
“Yes,” she said gratefully.
“Sit down. I’ll bring it in here.”
He quickly left the room, breathing deeply as he headed to the kitchen. He moved through the shadows, grabbing mugs and pouring coffee. When he brought the steaming cups into the living room a minute later, he found Jamie sitting on one of the leather couches, her skin glowing in the candlelight.
“Guess you were smart to buy those supplies,” she remarked, glancing at the shining wicks of the various candles he’d placed around the room.
He joined her on the sofa, making sure to keep a respectful distance. “So Gideon is sticking to his story?” he asked, unable to stop the bitterness from entering his voice.
Her mouth dipped in a frown. “For now.”
“For now?” he echoed. “Does that mean you think I’m telling the truth?”
“It means he’s lying about something,” she replied. “I’ll probably go back in a day or two and give him another push.”
“You think it will help?”
“It won’t hurt,” she pointed out. “Besides, I can’t just leave it alone, not when I’m certain Gideon is hiding something. Trust me, Cole, if he saw you that night, I’ll get him to admit it.”
The moment his name left her lips, a peculiar little shiver moved up his spine. Christ. Why was he so drawn to this woman? After his disastrous marriage to Teresa, he hadn’t felt any inkling to get involved with anyone again. If anything, his ex-wife’s betrayal had him thinking that he was done with women for good.
And then Jamie Crawford showed up on his doorstep, and each time he looked at her, he experienced a pull of attraction. An irrational need to find out if her skin felt as soft and smooth as it looked.
“Thank you,” he said. “It’s nice to know that someone is actually interested in finding the truth.” He scowled. “If only the sheriff were more inclined to do so.”
Jamie gave a wry smile. “He really doesn’t like you, you know.”
“Oh, trust me. I know.”
She shrugged. “I think the changes you made to this town unnerve him.”
“I built a hotel,” Cole said, a defensive edge creeping into his tone. “Which benefited this town, I might add.”
Those violet eyes searched his face. “What made you get into real estate?”
He blinked. He still wasn’t used to it, the way she changed subjects so smoothly. She was obviously quite skilled at it. Ruefully, he realized she’d probably be pretty damn good in a business negotiation.
As she waited for an answer, Cole thought about her question, then chuckled. “When an interviewer asks me that, I say it’s because I like beautiful buildings and creating homes for people.”
She raised one auburn eyebrow. “And the real reason?”
He grinned. “I wanted to spite my father.”
“Interesting.” She leaned forward to put down her mug. “I want to know more.”
“My father made his living buying up companies and tearing them down.” Cole set his jaw. “So I decided I’d make my living doing the opposite.”
“Is it true you gave away all of his money when he
The tight peaks of her nipples made his mouth go bone dry. He’d been trying to convince himself since yesterday that he wasn’t attracted to Jamie Crawford, that he’d simply enjoyed having someone so open-minded listen to his story, but at this moment, he couldn’t deny what he felt. With her damp hair falling down her back and curling at the ends, and those perky breasts beneath his shirt, she was undeniably beautiful.
And he was undeniably turned on.
He watched as she bent forward to towel-dry her hair, then cleared his throat. “I just made a pot of coffee before the power went out. Would you like a cup?”
“Yes,” she said gratefully.
“Sit down. I’ll bring it in here.”
He quickly left the room, breathing deeply as he headed to the kitchen. He moved through the shadows, grabbing mugs and pouring coffee. When he brought the steaming cups into the living room a minute later, he found Jamie sitting on one of the leather couches, her skin glowing in the candlelight.
“Guess you were smart to buy those supplies,” she remarked, glancing at the shining wicks of the various candles he’d placed around the room.
He joined her on the sofa, making sure to keep a respectful distance. “So Gideon is sticking to his story?” he asked, unable to stop the bitterness from entering his voice.
Her mouth dipped in a frown. “For now.”
“For now?” he echoed. “Does that mean you think I’m telling the truth?”
“It means he’s lying about something,” she replied. “I’ll probably go back in a day or two and give him another push.”
“You think it will help?”
“It won’t hurt,” she pointed out. “Besides, I can’t just leave it alone, not when I’m certain Gideon is hiding something. Trust me, Cole, if he saw you that night, I’ll get him to admit it.”
The moment his name left her lips, a peculiar little shiver moved up his spine. Christ. Why was he so drawn to this woman? After his disastrous marriage to Teresa, he hadn’t felt any inkling to get involved with anyone again. If anything, his ex-wife’s betrayal had him thinking that he was done with women for good.
And then Jamie Crawford showed up on his doorstep, and each time he looked at her, he experienced a pull of attraction. An irrational need to find out if her skin felt as soft and smooth as it looked.
“Thank you,” he said. “It’s nice to know that someone is actually interested in finding the truth.” He scowled. “If only the sheriff were more inclined to do so.”
Jamie gave a wry smile. “He really doesn’t like you, you know.”
“Oh, trust me. I know.”
She shrugged. “I think the changes you made to this town unnerve him.”
“I built a hotel,” Cole said, a defensive edge creeping into his tone. “Which benefited this town, I might add.”
Those violet eyes searched his face. “What made you get into real estate?”
He blinked. He still wasn’t used to it, the way she changed subjects so smoothly. She was obviously quite skilled at it. Ruefully, he realized she’d probably be pretty damn good in a business negotiation.
As she waited for an answer, Cole thought about her question, then chuckled. “When an interviewer asks me that, I say it’s because I like beautiful buildings and creating homes for people.”
She raised one auburn eyebrow. “And the real reason?”
He grinned. “I wanted to spite my father.”
“Interesting.” She leaned forward to put down her mug. “I want to know more.”
“My father made his living buying up companies and tearing them down.” Cole set his jaw. “So I decided I’d make my living doing the opposite.”
“Is it true you gave away all of his money when he
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