with her morning habits was scanty, but he didn’t peg her for a cheerful early riser.
He found her curled up on the sofa staring into the fire’s dying embers, a cell phone in her hand-stroking Nero, who was stretched out beside her.
“Sydney?”
She and Nero jumped at the same time. Nero slinked off the couch and tried to become invisible.
“Yeah, you better hide.”
“Sorry,” Sydney said. “I figured he wasn’t allowed on the furniture, but he ignored me when I told him to get down.” She was wearing his shirt and nothing else. He liked the look. But he didn’t like the sheen of tears in her eyes.
“Is something wrong?”
“I just couldn’t sleep. I decided to call my father and let him know when to expect me home, since I forgot to do it earlier.”
Even on New York time, it would still be an ungodly hour. “You called your father in the middle of the night?”
“I intended to simply leave a message. He turns off the ringer at night. But he was awake, so we talked for a bit.”
“You’re upset.”
She waved away his concern. “No, I’m okay. We were just talking about Mom, that’s all.”
Russ sat down beside her and, conscious of the fact he wasn’t wearing a stitch of clothing, grabbed a fleece throw he kept on the sofa and threw it over both of them. “I guess you still miss her a lot.”
“Yeah. But it’s Dad I’m worried about. He hasn’t been the same since she died. I’ve helped as much as I could without losing all my own clients, but without my mom it’s not enough. He’s going to lose the business.”
“What? You mean, bankruptcy?”
Sydney nodded. “I’ve put it off as long as I could. But Mom was sick for a while before she died and they lost some business then. When she got sicker, her medical bills really went through the roof, then their insurance, well, you know how it is for self-employed people. Since then it’s only been getting worse. The budget only has so much give and it’s given all it’s going to.”
“I’m sorry, Sydney. I can’t imagine what it would be like to lose a business you’ve built up your whole life. I’ve put less than ten years into mine, but it’s my lifeblood.”
“I didn’t mean to dump all that on you. Nothing drearier than someone complaining about her money problems. I hear it from my clients all the time when I’m trying to get them to pay their bills.”
Russ felt lower than an armadillo’s toes. “I wish you’d told me earlier about this.” He’d had no idea she was in financial trouble. In fact, looking at her clothes, her car and her jewelry, he’d figured just the opposite.
“I don’t want anyone feeling sorry for me, so stop it,” she said, her voice severe. “Most of his debts are secured by the business, which means they can’t touch his retirement fund, so he won’t be out on the street or anything like that. We’ll just get through it-”
“I could do more than offer sympathy. I could sign your contract.”
It looked like she had stopped breathing for a moment. But then she shook her head. “I couldn’t ask you to do that, especially after meeting Winnie. I’d be messing up two lives and there’s no guarantee I could fix things for my dad even if I had the money to do it. You said it best-throwing money at a problem isn’t always the answer. Maybe it’s simply time for-”
“Sydney, stop. I’ve been a complete imbecile about this whole inheritance thing. Of course I’ll sign the contract. I’ll set up a trust with the money, like you said, and use it to protect the wilderness and the animals and clean up pollution-I could do a lot of good things.”
“But what about Winnie?”
“You let me worry about her. I’ll just have to explain things to her. I could fix it so she could get a small income, enough that she’d never have to struggle but not enough to tempt her beyond her capacity. And Bert. I could make sure Bert’s okay.”
Sydney’s eyes filled with tears again. “You’d be giving me everything I said I wanted in the first place, but now I’d feel guilty taking it.”
“Where’s the contract? I’ll sign it right now. Is a million dollars enough to save your father’s business?”
“Way more than enough. Russ…are you sure? You were so adamant before about-”
“I’m positive. You can get the contract now or give it to me later, but I won’t change my mind.”
“Oh, Russ!” She threw her arms around him in an exuberant hug. “You have no idea-you just have no idea. My dad will be so excited. Not about the money, but the bragging rights. Everyone has tried to solve this case, for years and years, and Baines & Baines will get the credit. It’ll do wonders for business.”
Yeah, well, he’d known he wouldn’t be able to avoid publicity. “Do me a favor, okay? Can you wait to tell anyone until I’ve talked to Winnie? I want to break it to her gently that we’re not headed for
“Of course I will. Take as long as you need.” She hugged him again, but given the fact he was naked and she was almost, the proximity of their bodies led to more earthy results than mere gratitude. He scooted her onto his lap, where she was not able to miss the fact he was fully aroused.
“You look better in my shirt than I do,” he said just before kissing her.
There was no hesitation in her response. “It makes a dandy robe.”
“You can use it any time.” He reached inside the shirt and cupped her breasts, rubbing his thumbs over the nipples, and she shuddered. By signing her contract, it meant their business would not be concluded today. There would be details to attend to, probably all kinds of affidavits and government forms.
He would get to see her again.
“I know you have to go back to New York,” he said as he kissed her neck. “But you’ll come back to Texas, won’t you?”
“You want me to?”
“God, yes.”
“Because I was thinking,” she said as she swiveled around to straddle him, “that I don’t want this to be over. We’re too good together.”
Amen to that. Then they were beyond words as Russ lifted her hips and lowered her onto his arousal. She moaned with uninhibited pleasure as their sensual dance moved faster and faster, culminating in a shattering climax that sent them both hurtling into space.
When they returned to earth a few minutes later, Russ simply held Sydney in his arms and stroked her hair. Maybe she wasn’t like all those other city girls. Maybe they had a future. If the past three days stuck in the woods hadn’t scared her off, she wasn’t easily scared. If he lost her, it would be because he’d screwed up. He wouldn’t be able to blame it on the great outdoors.
“I need to get going,” she said. “It’s getting late and I still have to return my aunt’s car.”
“I know. Why don’t you go shower and I’ll fix you something for breakfast.”
Russ whistled as he toasted a bagel and poured some orange juice. This was going to work out. Somehow, it would be okay. Winnie would understand. She might be mad at him for a while, but she’d changed since their Vegas days. She’d grown up along with him. Maybe he wasn’t giving her enough credit and she would accept his decision without a fight.
When Sydney reappeared a few minutes later, she was wearing a black-and-white houndstooth skirt and a black turtleneck, along with black stockings and her black, pointy-toed shoes. She looked pure New York.
“You sure you don’t want to wear the hiking boots?” Russ asked. “Your ankle is going to bother you in those high heels.”
“I’ve committed enough fashion faux pas for this year,” she said with a grin. She had a sheaf of wrinkled papers in her hand. “This was in my briefcase.” It was the contract.
He gave the contract a glance and signed it.
“Russ, aren’t you going to read it? Maybe have a lawyer look it over?”
“Why? I trust you.”
“It’s just always a good idea to-Never mind. I guess you’re used to doing business on a handshake.”
“Damn right,” he said with a grin. “But with you, it was better than a handshake.”
Sydney drank the orange juice and ate half a bagel, claiming she wasn’t hungry after last night’s decadent
