board. I was getting desperate, and I figured I had nothing to lose by
approaching some of the big firms.”
“I'll bet most of them laughed in your face,” Josh
responded glumly.
“Not exactly. But all I got from the rest of them were
form letters telling me they didn't handle my sort of case.”
“Your situation here is a little unusual,” Josh allowed.
Maggie nibbled on her lower lip. “So why did you take
this case. Josh?”
“Felt like a change of pace,” he said simply, shifting
again on the pillows. “Like I said. The case is unusual.”
Maggie studied him for a moment longer and then got to
her feet. “I think there was more to it than that.”
She smiled tremulously as she came over to the bed.
“You know what I think?”
He slanted her a speculative glance, wondering if she
had figured out that he was using Peregrine Manor as a place to convalesce.
“Why do you think I took this case?”
“I think that, in spite of what you say, you're still
playing hero.” Her eyes were soft as she bent over the bed to adjust the ice
pack on his ankle. “I think something in my letter appealed to your old desire
to rush to the defence of the weak and the innocent. You don't want to admit it
because you're much too macho. You're too used to hiding your real motives
behind the facade of the tough, cynical private eye who's seen it all.”
Josh shot out a hand and caught her wrist. Maggie made
a small, startled sound. Her gaze flew to his and he took some satisfaction in
seeing the dawning awareness in her bright sea-green eyes. “If you really
believe that, lady, you're setting yourself up for a major fall.
Take some advice. Don't waste your time attributing any
fancy do-gooder motives to me, I'm a businessman. Period. You'll get what you
paid for.”
“You've already told me I'm not paying the going rate.
So what, exactly, will I get?” Maggie made no attempt to withdraw her hand from
his but Josh could feel the tension radiating through her.
“I'm not sure yet.” His voice slipped into a husky
growl as he realized just how soft her skin was. The scent of her filled his
head. A new surge of arousal shot through him. Without even thinking about it,
he used his grip on her wrist to tug her closer.
Alarm and sensual awareness flared simultaneously in
her eyes. “Josh? Josh, stop it. For heaven's sake, I don't even know you.”
He smiled slightly. “But I know you.”
“No, that's not true.” But she still made no effort to
pull free. Instead, she was watching him with a fascinated look. “You don't
know anything about me.”
“I know you're small-town born and raised. You were a
librarian until recently. I know you spent your summer vacations here at
Peregrine Manor when you were growing up. I know your parents live in Arizona.
I know you've been dating a real-estate broker named O'Connor.” Josh smiled
dangerously. “Want me to continue?”
Her lips parted in astonishment. “How did you…? Wait a
minute. You grilled the Colonel and the others, didn't you?”
“I'm a private eye, remember? Digging up information is
my business.”
“You mean prying into other people's lives is your
business.”
He shrugged. “Same thing. You get used to it after a
while. There is no such thing as real privacy in the modern world. In any case,
I figured I was entitled to do a little digging where you're concerned. Your
friends were warning me off, you see. It annoyed me.”
She frowned in confusion. “Warning you off what? Me?”
She was clearly shocked.
“Right. The Colonel as good as told me not to try to
seduce you unless my intentions were honourable.”
“How embarrassing.” For the first time she started to
struggle. Her hand twisted in his grasp. “You can bet I'll have something to
say to all three of them. They mean well, but I don't appreciate people
interfering in my private life.”
Josh tightened his grip on her wrist for an instant,
not wanting to let her go. But when she
approaching some of the big firms.”
“I'll bet most of them laughed in your face,” Josh
responded glumly.
“Not exactly. But all I got from the rest of them were
form letters telling me they didn't handle my sort of case.”
“Your situation here is a little unusual,” Josh allowed.
Maggie nibbled on her lower lip. “So why did you take
this case. Josh?”
“Felt like a change of pace,” he said simply, shifting
again on the pillows. “Like I said. The case is unusual.”
Maggie studied him for a moment longer and then got to
her feet. “I think there was more to it than that.”
She smiled tremulously as she came over to the bed.
“You know what I think?”
He slanted her a speculative glance, wondering if she
had figured out that he was using Peregrine Manor as a place to convalesce.
“Why do you think I took this case?”
“I think that, in spite of what you say, you're still
playing hero.” Her eyes were soft as she bent over the bed to adjust the ice
pack on his ankle. “I think something in my letter appealed to your old desire
to rush to the defence of the weak and the innocent. You don't want to admit it
because you're much too macho. You're too used to hiding your real motives
behind the facade of the tough, cynical private eye who's seen it all.”
Josh shot out a hand and caught her wrist. Maggie made
a small, startled sound. Her gaze flew to his and he took some satisfaction in
seeing the dawning awareness in her bright sea-green eyes. “If you really
believe that, lady, you're setting yourself up for a major fall.
Take some advice. Don't waste your time attributing any
fancy do-gooder motives to me, I'm a businessman. Period. You'll get what you
paid for.”
“You've already told me I'm not paying the going rate.
So what, exactly, will I get?” Maggie made no attempt to withdraw her hand from
his but Josh could feel the tension radiating through her.
“I'm not sure yet.” His voice slipped into a husky
growl as he realized just how soft her skin was. The scent of her filled his
head. A new surge of arousal shot through him. Without even thinking about it,
he used his grip on her wrist to tug her closer.
Alarm and sensual awareness flared simultaneously in
her eyes. “Josh? Josh, stop it. For heaven's sake, I don't even know you.”
He smiled slightly. “But I know you.”
“No, that's not true.” But she still made no effort to
pull free. Instead, she was watching him with a fascinated look. “You don't
know anything about me.”
“I know you're small-town born and raised. You were a
librarian until recently. I know you spent your summer vacations here at
Peregrine Manor when you were growing up. I know your parents live in Arizona.
I know you've been dating a real-estate broker named O'Connor.” Josh smiled
dangerously. “Want me to continue?”
Her lips parted in astonishment. “How did you…? Wait a
minute. You grilled the Colonel and the others, didn't you?”
“I'm a private eye, remember? Digging up information is
my business.”
“You mean prying into other people's lives is your
business.”
He shrugged. “Same thing. You get used to it after a
while. There is no such thing as real privacy in the modern world. In any case,
I figured I was entitled to do a little digging where you're concerned. Your
friends were warning me off, you see. It annoyed me.”
She frowned in confusion. “Warning you off what? Me?”
She was clearly shocked.
“Right. The Colonel as good as told me not to try to
seduce you unless my intentions were honourable.”
“How embarrassing.” For the first time she started to
struggle. Her hand twisted in his grasp. “You can bet I'll have something to
say to all three of them. They mean well, but I don't appreciate people
interfering in my private life.”
Josh tightened his grip on her wrist for an instant,
not wanting to let her go. But when she
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