“When was this?”
“Around one or two.” Her friend studied her. “You’re pale, hon. You okay?”
No, but I will be. She’d trusted her instincts in the past, ever since the accident, and wasn’t about to stop now. Since Jace knew where she lived...maybe he’d been sent to scout out her home to ensure she was home so he could break into her shop.
Had he sunk that far? It was so unlike him, but again, so was the long hair and the beard.
“Did he say anything?”
“No, he drove off before I could ask him what he wanted.”
“It’s okay. I think I know who he is, but thank you for letting me know. His name is Jace and he’s an old boyfriend.”
“Maybe you should turn him into a new boyfriend.” Maria winked. “As far as anyone hanging around your house, no worries. You know we always look out for you and Hank thinks of you like a sister. Need me to do a little digging on this Jace for you?”
Maria did some government contract work with computers, Kara remembered. She was supposed to be a cyber whiz.
“No. It’s okay. He’s harmless.”
I hope he is.
“You need us, any time of day or night, call.” Maria gave her a quick hug and then walked away as Kara closed and locked the door.
Kara wondered why Jace was casing her home. Why now?
Filled with worry about the jewels she’d purchased, Kara headed into the bedroom, removed the jewelry and locked all of it in the safe in her bedroom closet. The safe had an alarm rigged to it.
She slipped out of her business suit and took a quick shower, rinsing off the day’s tension. After dressing in a pale peach sweater, jeans and sneakers, she fished through the refrigerator and settled on a quick leftover salad.
Kara kept glancing at the kitchen clock as she ate at the counter. When she finished, she dumped the dishes into the sink and called her parents. The brief call reassured them she was fine, only tired.
The roar of a motorcycle outside made her jump. Kara pushed back from the table and ran to the window, peeking outside. Dread and a trill of delight rushed down her spine as a tall man dismounted from the bike parked on her driveway. The late-afternoon sunshine picked out gold streaks among the dark brown strands of long hair spilling down to the collar of his brown leather jacket.
Jace.
At least he had the courtesy to show up instead of stalking her neighborhood.
She flung the door open as he sauntered up the walkway. “You’d better have a terrific reason for coming here. This can’t be a social call.”
“Maybe it is a social call.”
His expression gave away nothing. Jace always did play it close to the vest. Kara almost didn’t let him enter, but out of a sense of curiosity, she stepped back and closed the door behind him. Jace strode into the living room as if he belonged here.
“Why are you here?”
He looked incongruous standing there, larger than life, as out of place as the statue of David displayed in a garbage dump. The delicate silk-covered chair by the window looked too fragile to support his muscled weight, while his biker boots would leave marks if he propped them up on her glass coffee table.
He looked around the room. “Place looks nice.”
“It’s an investment in a home in a nice neighborhood. I’m thinking of my future, something I once thought you did as well.”
Those wide shoulders lifted as he raked a hand through his long hair, making the curls messier and somewhat endearing. Do not go there, she cautioned herself.
“Got bored with planning a future.”
Jace glanced around, his blue gaze sharpening as he took in the artwork on the walls, the inlaid bookshelves filled with well-loved paperbacks, not leather-bound antiques.
He strode over, past the twin mirrors framing the inlaid fireplace and the brass lamps set upon matching tables, and removed a book from the shelf. Kara inwardly fumed as he thumbed through the pages of a well-known thriller novel.
Jace arched a dark eyebrow. “Kind of plebeian for someone with your breeding.”
She snatched the book back and set it on the table. “I enjoy reading all genres. Unlike you and those foul-mouthed knuckle-draggers whose company you’re frequenting. I imagine your reading choices are limited these days to beer-bottle labels.”
Something flickered in his gaze. Kara felt a tug of remorse for sharp words. This wasn’t her. Not him.
“Touché. Guess you have me pinned down.”
“I’m sorry. That was nasty and that’s not me. What happened to us, Jace?” she asked quietly.
His chest rose and fell, as if he’d inhaled her words. “We knew each other really well. Maybe too well.”
“When did we become cruel instead of being each other’s everything?”
For a moment, his expression turned haunted. “People change.”
“Or don’t.” Kara thought of all the reasons she’d broken it off with him. “It’s obvious you still adore that machine in my driveway.”
Now, he did look at her, his blue gaze narrowing. “I told you riding bikes wasn’t something I was willing to give up. Not for you, or anyone.”
