had set them off. Dragging the sheet along with him, he wrapped it around his naked body.
“Shush,” he said, walking out of the bedroom and flipping on the lights. “What are you two about?”
A frantic rap sounded on the door and he opened it to find Jordan standing on the other side. She was dressed in just a T-shirt and her panties, her feet bare.
Pushing past him, she stalked inside, then spun around to face him. “Were you just in the house?” she asked.
He looked at her and shook his head, trying to reconcile her strange appearance at his door. “What time is it?”
“I-I don’t know. Late. Maybe two?” Her expression was etched with fear. “Were you just in the house?”
Danny raked his hand through his hair. “No. I was asleep.”
“Don’t lie to me,” she snapped.
“What the hell are you talking about, Jordan? After you left, I came right back here. I’ve been here ever since. Though not by choice.”
“Someone was in my bedroom,” she said. “I was having trouble sleeping and I turned over and opened my eyes and he was standing in the doorway. I could see him.”
Danny reached out and drew her into his arms. “It was probably just a nightmare.”
“No!” she cried, shoving away from him. “I reached out to turn on the light and then he was gone. But I heard his footsteps in the hall. I ran out to follow him, but there was no one there.”
“Sometimes your mind can play tricks on you.”
“I know what I saw.”
“The doors were locked. How could anyone have gotten in the house?”
She drew a ragged breath, then sighed softly, sinking against his body. “I-I don’t know. I was just so-I was sure I-”
Danny smoothed his hand over her hair and drew her closer. “Do you want me to go back and search the house for you? I’ll take the dogs. If there’s anyone in the house, Finny and Mogue will find them.”
“No. I’m fine.”
“You can stay here with me, if you like. We’ll look into this tomorrow.”
She glanced up at him, eyes wide. “I can’t stay here.”
“Why not? Nothing is going to happen.” He took her hand, lacing his fingers through hers, then drew her along toward the bedroom. “I’ll stay on my side of the bed and you have to promise to stay on your side.”
“I don’t know,” she murmured. “Maybe I should take my chances in the house.”
“Your choice,” Danny said with a shrug. “I can send the dogs back with you. They’ll protect you.”
“Maybe that would be best,” she replied.
Danny couldn’t think of anything he wanted more than to have Jordan in his bed. From the moment they’d first kissed it had been all he could think about. But it had to be on her terms. Since her father’s call, she’d been a bit more aloof and he knew exactly what she was thinking. Having an affair with him would probably break all kinds of rules that she couldn’t afford to break.
“I’ll walk you back and make sure everything is all right.” He strode into the bedroom, grabbed his jeans and tugged them on. Then he pulled his jacket from the bedpost and when he returned to her, draped it over her shoulders. “Come on, let’s go.”
As they walked outside into the chilly night, he whistled softly to the dogs and they fell into step behind them.
“You probably think I’m crazy,” she said.
“No. Does anyone else have a key to the house? Did you ever give one to any of the workmen?”
“No. I’ve always been very careful. And I lock the temporary doors from the inside with a padlock. There’s no way to get in once I’ve locked everything.”
They walked through the dark house. He could feel her tense beside him and he slipped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. When they reached her bedroom, he walked inside first. “I thought you said you turned on the light.”
“I did,” she said. “At least, I think I did. Maybe this was just all a dream.”
Danny turned on the bedside lamp, then carefully surveyed the room. There didn’t seem to be anything amiss. “Come on, hop in.”
The dogs explored the room as Jordan crawled back into bed and pulled the covers up to her chin. Danny sat down on the edge of the bed. “The dogs will bark if anyone comes into the house.”
“Stay here a little longer,” Jordan said.
“Sure. Do you have any whiskey? Maybe a drink would calm your nerves.”
“There is a bottle downstairs.”
“I’ll go get it and check all the doors and windows. You stay here with the dogs.”
Jordan turned onto her side and clutched his hand. “I feel so stupid. It was probably just a bad dream. I had that curry for dinner and I always have weird dreams after spicy food.” She looked up at him. “I’m sorry I bothered you.”
“It’s not a problem,” he said. He dropped a kiss on her lips, not really thinking before he did. She was so close, it just seemed like the most natural thing to kiss her. But as soon as he drew back, Danny realized that one kiss would not be enough. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
The house was silent as Danny walked through the lower floor, checking the windows and the doors. He had to believe that Jordan had seen
It was the print of a man’s shoe or boot, a bit larger than his own, with a different pattern on the sole. Bending down, Danny ran his finger over the footprint and found the mud still damp. “What the hell,” he muttered. Someone
He grabbed the bottle of whiskey from the table in the library, along with two glasses and headed upstairs. For now, he’d keep his discovery a secret. It wouldn’t do to scare Jordan. But he had no intention of leaving her alone in the house now-with or without his dogs.
When he returned to the bedroom, Danny found her sitting up in bed, Finny and Mogue curled up beside her. He chuckled softly as he handed her a glass and poured whiskey into it. “I usually don’t let them sleep on the bed.” He snapped his fingers and the dogs jumped down to the floor. Danny sat down beside her and poured himself a glass.
“Did you find anything?” she asked.
Danny shook his head. “No. Everything was locked up tight. But I’m going to stay here tonight with you anyway. Just to be certain.” He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and pulled her up against his body.
She relaxed, resting her whiskey on his stomach as she nestled into the curve of his body. Danny sipped at his drink as he rubbed her shoulder, his palm smoothing over her silken skin. His thoughts focused on that part of her body then drifted back to their swim in the pool.
How much would it take to get them back to that moment, to that instant when their eyes met and the world seemed to stand still? He nuzzled his face in her hair then pressed a kiss to her forehead. He wasn’t going to go there. Not until she was ready.
“Feel better?” he asked.
“Yes,” she said.
The whiskey warmed his belly and relaxed his body. But it only made the thoughts of her more intense. He ran his hand over her arm and she turned in to him, her warmth seeping through the jeans he’d pulled on. It wasn’t enough just to touch her.
Danny leaned over and pressed his mouth to hers, his tongue slowly tracing the crease between her lips. When he drew back, she was watching him. They stared at each other for a long time, neither one of them moving or speaking. Then Jordan pushed up on her elbow, her hand slipping around his neck to draw him near.
A long, soft kiss was his reward for his patience. And when she finally drew back, he knew that they’d started where they’d left off earlier. In fact, to his surprise, she’d decided to jump ahead a few steps.
She worked the buttons open on his jeans, then ran her hand from his belly to his chest and back again. Her touch sent his senses reeling and he wasn’t sure if he could maintain his control at this kind of pace.
