INSEPARABLE

Inseparable
NEW YORK TIMES AND USA TODAY BESTSELLING AUTHOR
Brenda Jackson

www.millsandboon.co.uk

To the love of my life, Gerald Jackson, Sr.

My one and only. Always.

To everyone who enjoys reading about

those Madarises, this one is especially for you.

To the 1971 Class of William M. Raines High School,

Jacksonville, Florida, on our 40th year class reunion.

And to all Raines Vikings everywhere. Ichiban!

Dear Reader,

I never imagined when penning my first Madaris book that I would still be going strong sixteen years later.

The Madaris family is special, not just because it was my first family series, but because over the years you’ve made them your family. The Madaris men have become your heroes because they represent those qualities you desire in a man—someone whose looks take your breath away, and who has the ability to make you appreciate the fact that you are a woman.

In Inseparable, Luke’s brother Reese takes center stage as a man who believes he has a best friend for life in LaKenna James. But things begin to heat up when she temporarily moves in with him while her condo is being completed. But Reese is a Madaris man through-and-through. And like all Madaris men, once he finds a woman he truly desires, he can’t seem to walk away. But is Kenna the one woman who can claim his heart and soul? And for Kenna, an even bigger question looms…can a hot and heavy attraction ruin a great friendship?

I hope you enjoy reading Inseparable, the seventeenth book in the Madaris Family and Friends series.

All the best,

Brenda Jackson

A merry heart doeth good like a medicine:

but a broken spirit drieth the bones.

—Proverbs 17:22

Contents

Prologue

Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Chapter 24

Chapter 25

Chapter 26

Chapter 27

Chapter 28

Chapter 29

Chapter 30

Epilogue

Prologue

His eyes quickly moved from his plate of food to the flat screen as he followed the closed-captioning scrolling across the bottom of the television. He used the remote to raise the volume to hear the details of the breaking news story. As the anxious reporter stood in front of an abandoned warehouse, he listened with great interest.

“This is the sixth woman in a year’s time who has been murdered in the Twin Cities area in what police believe may be the work of a serial killer. The latest victim was raped and then brutally tortured before being killed in the same manner as the other women. Each body has been found with one shoe missing.” The reporter’s face looked grim, shrouded in disgust and shock. “The killer, who has been dubbed the ‘Shoe Killer’ by police, is still at large and has been linked to similar murders in other states,” the reporter continued. “So far there have been no leads. And police admit they aren’t any closer to arresting a suspect, but they vow to bring whoever is responsible to justice. Personally, I hope so—and soon. Just knowing he’s out there somewhere means that no woman in the Minneapolis–St. Paul area is safe.”

He shook his head at the newscaster and chuckled softly, amused by the reporter’s last line, about no woman being safe. The observation was certainly an understatement.

The Minneapolis police were smart, but he was smarter, which was why he had eluded them for over a year. But then he hated taking chances. And he knew it was just a matter of time before he made a mistake, played a bad hand…like he’d almost done last night.

His tongue flicked across his lower lip as he remembered what had happened. Hell, she hadn’t fought hard enough. Eyes that should have shown fear revealed nothing. When he’d finished, he had stared into her dark eyes and for a second had thought of sparing her life. But then the mere idea of such a thing brought out the beast in him. In the end, her death had been more brutal than the others because she had almost made him break his one steadfast rule: no survivors.

He drew in a deep breath as he pushed away from the table and stood up. He glanced around the house he’d called home for the past two years. It was as neat as a pin, which suited him perfectly. At times it provided emotional warmth, something that he hadn’t been able to understand. It was only during those times when the house seemed dreary and cold that he’d known it was time to kill. But now it was time to move on. Another city. Another state. Another woman.

He smiled at the thought. He would be patient, blend in and gain the trust of those he met. Then when they least expected it, he would become who he really was.

Shaking his head, he turned off the television and walked across the room to a cardboard box and lifted the lid. Shoes—more than a dozen of them in all shapes, styles and sizes. Each one was a souvenir—not from a sexual conquest but rather from a kill. In his mind, one complemented the other. And both were just as important.

He sighed and glanced out the window. It was time for him to move on.

Chapter 1

Blade and Samari’s wedding reception, New York City…

“What’s this I hear about you and Kenna moving in together?”

Reese Madaris tightened his hold on the wineglass and met the intense gaze of the older woman staring back at him. She was his great-grandmother, Felicia Laverne Madaris—the first, since she’d had the honor of having a granddaughter named after her.

The elderly woman stood as straight as she could for someone in her nineties. She was quick to tell anyone that her cane was strictly for appearances’ sake and not because she ever used it, although most people knew better.

You would think that since it was his cousin Blade’s wedding day—an event his great-grandmother had worried might never happen given Blade’s reputation as one of Houston’s most notorious bachelors—she’d be happy. Reese couldn’t help thinking, Why isn’t she in the middle of the ballroom floor doing a happy dance? Instead, she was harassing him about his best friend, LaKenna James.

He knew his great-grandmother wouldn’t give up until she’d gotten an answer. “Yes, Kenna’s moving in with me for a while,” he said. “She found out that her condo won’t be finished for another month after she’d already packed up her stuff to leave Austin.”

A smile touched his great-grandmother’s lips. “That was nice of you to offer her a place to stay.”

He shrugged. “I’d do anything for Kenna. You know that.”

Felicia Laverne Madaris nodded. “Yes, I know. The two of you have a special friendship. I just hope it will survive the coming months.”

He lifted a brow. “The coming months?”

“Yes. Since Blade is no longer Houston’s most eligible bachelor, you are,” she said.

“Which means?”

“You’re a Madaris. And although you work for a living, most people know you don’t have to. Whether you want to admit it or not, you’re pretty wealthy. And thanks to your uncle Jake, you all are.”

Reese took a sip of wine and acknowledged that what his great-grandmother had said was true. Thanks to his uncle Jake Madaris who was one of the area’s most prosperous ranchers and a savvy businessman and investor, Reese, along with the rest of the Madaris clan, was extremely wealthy. If Reese never worked another day in his life, he would still be able to live comfortably. But the bottom line was he did work for a living and he enjoyed it.

“I still don’t follow you, Mama Laverne. What does my being a bachelor with money have to do with anything?” he asked.

His great-grandmother shook her head. “Blade has been the most eligible single Madaris man for so long that now you and your cousins have to assume the obvious.”

“Which is?”

“Women will turn their sights toward another Madaris—you, Lee, Nolan and Corbin, but especially you.”

He lifted a brow. “Why especially me?”

“Because you’re the oldest Madaris bachelor, even if it is by just a few months. And because you’re a loner, you date whenever it pleases you and not according to anyone else’s timetable. They’ll see you as a challenge—not only in pursuing you, but as the ultimate catch in marriage.”

A scowl quickly appeared on Reese’s face. His great-grandmother was right about him in that he only dated when it pleased him. He was more than comfortable being serially monogamous—dating one woman at a time. He didn’t want any woman in his pocket and didn’t intend to be in any woman’s pocket either. In other words, he liked being in control. Unlike Blade and his older cousin Clayton, who had both enjoyed having plenty of lovers before they’d finally settled down, he was never interested in getting involved with a bunch of women just for the sake of doing so.

He had a habit of being up-front with any woman he dated. He much preferred relationships to one-night stands and casual affairs. However, the length of time the relationship lasted depended on how well he and his partner connected.

He had dated Alyson Richards for close to a year before she began showing signs of jealousy toward Kenna. That was the one thing he did not tolerate from any woman—Kenna would always be in his life. Whoever came between them was wasting their time, he thought.

He glanced across the room to where Kenna was dancing with his uncle Jake. She was his best friend and had been since college, and he refused to put up with any woman who had a problem with that. He refused to be a trophy for any woman who pursued him just for the thrill of it or for the Madaris status—that wasn’t going to happen.

“Just thought I’d warn you,” said his great-grandmother, her voice interrupting his thoughts. “You also need to consider how being the most eligible bachelor in Houston is going to affect Kenna.”

His gaze moved from his uncle Jake and Kenna back to Mama Laverne. “Affect Kenna in what way?”

“Kenna being your best friend is one thing. But now that she’ll be living under your roof for a while, it will cause a stir. She’ll become the envy of every single woman in town.”

Reese couldn’t help but laugh. “Really, Mama Laverne, I doubt women will start coming out of the woodwork. Besides Kenna’s and my relationship is strictly platonic. You and the family know that, and frankly it’s nobody else’s business.”

“That might be the case, but I can see some women trying to drive a wedge between you and Kenna.”

Reese shook his head, thinking their friendship was too rock solid for that to happen. “Thanks for the warning, but don’t worry. Kenna is the closest friend I have and she always will be.”

“Yes, and that’s a good thing as much for Kenna as it is for you,” his great-grandmother added.

He knew he shouldn’t ask, but he couldn’t resist. “And why is that?”

Resting both hands on top of her cane, she responded, “Because Kenna is a nice-looking girl who will be new in town. There will be plenty of men vying for her attention. There will probably be just as many men checking her out as there will be women knocking at your door.”

She paused a second, glanced around and said, “Well, I might as well mosey on over and chat with May Lois to see what she’s been up to.”

Reese pondered his great-grandmother’s words. After all, Felicia Laverne was the matriarch of the Madaris family. She had outlived her husband, whom she readily admitted to being deeply in love with. She had raised seven sons and buried only one of them. She was close to her sons, and their wives, her grands and great-grands. She was a good mother—the best.

But she had one major flaw. She had a tendency to stick her nose where it didn’t belong when it came to family. She knew it. They knew it. But she had a heart of gold that couldn’t be traded for anything in the world. Since it was her only flaw, the family figured they’d overlook it.

After the song had ended, Reese glanced across the room and found Kenna again. She was back on the dance floor, this time with his brother Luke.

For some reason his great-grandmother’s comment about Kenna being hotly pursued once she moved to Houston seemed to annoy him. Over the years she’d had a number of steady boyfriends, a few hits and a few misses. Some he’d liked and some he hadn’t liked. But he knew for a fact that she hadn’t been head over heels in love with any of them. She’d guarded her heart after her college boyfriend Terrence Fairchild had played around on her with another girl on campus. At the time Reese had been involved with someone else, but that hadn’t stopped him from providing Kenna with the shoulder she needed to cry on.

Although she’d dated steadily after that, it was years before Kenna got involved in a serious relationship again. That guy was Lamont Cotton, whom Reese hadn’t much cared for. She and Lamont had been involved for eight months before they’d gone their separate ways. Then she began dating again, but didn’t get serious with anyone until Curtis Purcell. She’d mentioned last month that she and Purcell had split, but she hadn’t said why.

Personally, he didn’t need to know the details. What he did know was that another man she’d gotten involved with had broken her heart yet again. Over the years his protective instincts for Kenna had grown stronger. In a way, that was what had made them closer, and made their relationship seem what some considered more than friendly. For Reese and Kenna, it was normal. It was the way things were naturally supposed to be.

The very first time he had brought her home from college one weekend to introduce her to his family and explained to them that she was his best friend and nothing more, they had accepted her as such. But every once in a while someone would try to insinuate that there was more between them. It had gotten to the point where he let them assume whatever they wanted to.

He took another sip of cabernet. For some reason he couldn’t stop staring at Kenna as she moved around the dance floor. He tried to see her as other men did. Not as his best friend, but as a woman—and if his great-grandmother’s predictions were true—who would attract dozens of men once she moved to Houston.

Her short, medium-brown curly hair was stylishly cut and framed an attractive, warm-brown face. No doubt men would be mesmerized by her soft brown eyes, her full lips, creamy, flawless, chocolate-brown skin and the soft curves of her body. Although most women assumed a tall, slender frame was the only body type that could catch a man’s eye. Reese knew that men were strongly attracted to a full-figured, voluptuous woman like Kenna, who was stacked in the most delectable ways. There was no doubt in his mind that any man would think she was beautiful.

Just like there was no doubt they would lust after her, he thought as he took another sip of red wine. Even Reese had to admit to lusting after her himself, once—the first time they’d met when she had shown up at his dorm room one day. He had been twenty and in his junior year at Morehouse and she was eighteen and a sophomore at Spelman. She was whip-smart and an ace in physics. She had been recommended as a tutor, and that had been the start of their friendship. That was eleven years ago.

“Any reason you’re standing over here staring across the room watching Kenna dance with Luke?”

Reese blinked before looking around to meet his cousin Nolan’s eyes. He, Nolan and another cousin, Lee, had all been born the same year. Nolan’s brother Corbin trailed them by ten months. “I wasn’t aware I was staring.”

The corners of Nolan’s lips lifted into a smile. “You were. There’s nothing wrong, is there?”

He glanced back toward the dance floor to see that his brother Luke had been replaced by his cousin Corbin as Kenna’s dance partner. “No, there’s nothing wrong.”

“Well, if you’re waiting to claim a dance with Kenna you’ll have a long wait on your hands. We’re all waiting our turn,” his cousin said, grabbing a champagne flute off a passing waiter’s tray.

He couldn’t help but smile at that. Kenna liked to dance and his brothers and cousins enjoyed the challenge of keeping up with her on the dance floor. “No problem.”

He polished off his cabernet, thinking it really wasn’t a problem. She was enjoying herself. From across the room he saw the huge smile on her face and the sparkle in her eyes. His Kenna. His best friend. She glanced in his direction, met his gaze and smiled.

He smiled back before looking over at Nolan to find his cousin staring at him strangely. “What?”

Nolan chuckled. “Nothing.”

He tensed at his cousin’s one-word response, wondering what was going on in Nolan’s mind. He eyed him suspiciously before saying, “I’m going to dance with Kenna.”

“Sorry, pal, you’ll have to wait your turn” was Nolan’s reply, before he began drinking his champagne.

Reese chuckled and said over his shoulder as he walked toward the dance floor to cut in on Corbin, “No, I don’t, since I have an inside connection.”

“Darn, Kenna, I can barely keep up with you. Are you sure you haven’t taken more dancing lessons since the last time?” said Corbin.

Kenna couldn’t help but smile. Besides painting, dancing was her favorite hobby. Growing up, she had envied the girls who had been able to take dance lessons, something her grandmother hadn’t been able to afford. She’d made a promise to herself that once she finished college and had a job, she would take dance classes. And she did.

She enjoyed everything from ballroom to Latin to hip-hop. She did it all, including belly dancing and tap, which wasn’t an easy feat for a full-figured woman. She blamed it all on her hips, which wouldn’t go away no matter how hard she danced or worked out. She’d gotten used to them and accepted her curvy figure as something she’d have to live with.

“Come on, Corbin, it’s not like you to whine.” She laughed. “The music just started, so don’t conk out on me now. It’s just the tango.” They snapped their heads around in perfect sync and stared at each other with feigned smoldering passion.

“Just the tango?” he said, as their heads swiveled back and forth in tandem. Corbin’s thick, neatly coiled dreadlocks went flying over his shoulders. “Look around. We’re the only ones left on the floor now. All eyes are on us.”

He quickly glanced over Kenna’s shoulder as he twirled her around. “I think Reese is coming to cut in. Of course he wants to be the center of attention.”

Kenna threw her head back and laughed as Corbin dipped her body low to the floor. Anyone who knew Reese knew that the last thing he wanted was to be the center of attention, of anything. No doubt he was coming to sweep her off the dance floor since he probably thought that the long slit on the side of her gown revealed too much leg—one of the dangers of dancing the tango.

Reese could be a little overprotective at times. But she could deal with it. He had been her best friend for as long as she could remember, and she loved him like a brother. She quickly repressed the thought, which she knew was a lie. She did love him, had always loved him, and not as a brother. He was the man she would never have, and as her best friend he’d always looked out for her. She no longer fantasized about “what might have been,” but accepted the role he played in her life now—the part he would always play.

She picked up his masculine scent long before he reached her. He tapped Corbin on the shoulder and took over as her dance partner. She couldn’t help but smile at him. Like always, he dreamily smiled back.

Reese had no idea that whenever he smiled at Kenna—even though they were just friends—he had a way of making her feel beautiful and special. Even though their relationship was far from intimate, she knew him better than anyone. She knew his likes, dislikes, his innermost secrets. She knew when things were bothering him without having to ask. She could feel him. She could decipher his mood, and could even pick him out of a crowded room. It was like she had radar, a sixth sense, where Reese was concerned. They were simpatico.

Without saying a word, they danced the tango like contestants on Dancing With the Stars. When she had needed a partner for her ballroom dance classes a few years ago, he had obliged, but after much complaining. There was never any doubt that they were great dancing together, but they also looked incredibly good together.

The tango ended and the band began playing a swing dance number. The swing dance was another favorite of hers. And as she and Reese stood facing each other, hand in hand, moving their feet in rhythm to the beat, they couldn’t help but laugh. Reese was the only man who could keep up with her on the dance floor and do it with such style.

As they danced, she couldn’t stop her eyes from roaming over his body from head to toe. He was handsome in his tuxedo, but then he looked handsome in everything. He was one of the hottest men she’d ever laid eyes on, and in a room filled with good-looking Madaris men that said a lot.

Reese was tall, almost six foot three. And as far as Kenna was concerned, he was the epitome of masculinity at its finest. His deep, rich copper skin tone only deepened the most gorgeous pair of brown, bedroom eyes any man could possess. Then there were his dimples and his generous lips that beckoned women to want to lick them for days.

She swallowed hard, suppressing such thoughts, and reminded herself that although she secretly loved him, their relationship was based on friendship, nothing more. But that didn’t stop her from appreciating him as a man—and seeing him through the eyes of a woman sexually attracted to a man—every once in a while.

The swing dance ended and the band began to play a slow song. Kenna turned to leave the dance floor when Reese tightened his hold on her hand and pulled her closer to him. She went willingly.

When he wrapped his arms around her and drew her closer to his muscular frame, she put her head on his chest and closed her eyes. It wasn’t the first time they’d slow-danced together, but it was so rare that she relished the times they did.

After three dances with Reese she wondered why no one had cut in. She tilted her head away from his chest and took in the curious looks that were focused on them across the ballroom. Although she and Reese weren’t the only ones on the dance floor, his family standing on the sidelines of the ballroom had their eyes glued to them. Why?

She tilted her head upward and met Reese’s gaze. “Is something going on that I should know about?” she asked softly.

He smiled at her. “Why do you ask?”

“Everyone is staring at us.”

He glanced around the room and returned his gaze to hers. “They always stare at us when we dance together.”

“Yes, but this time it’s different.”

He shrugged. “You know how my great-grandmother is. She heard you’re moving in with me and has probably gotten everyone thinking that there’s more than friendship between us.”

“But why would she say something like that? Everyone knows we’re nothing more than friends,” Kenna said.

“Yes, but I’m sure she reminded them that in the beginning Syneda and Clayton had been friends, too.”

“Yes, but things between us are different. Surely they know that.”

He smiled. “They do. Don’t worry about it. They’re just trying to mollify the old gal.”

Kenna sighed softly and rested her face on Reese’s chest again. She couldn’t understand why his great-grandmother would say such a thing when everyone knew the kind of women Reese was usually attracted to—tall and slender, which was something she definitely was not.

The song ended much too soon, but instead of leading her off the dance floor, Reese tilted her chin upward to meet his gaze. His brown bedroom eyes scanned her face with concern. “Hey, you’re okay?” he asked in a voice that was so low it was barely audible. It was lower than she’d ever heard before.

She nodded and smiled. “Yes, I’m fine. What about you? Are you beginning to think my moving in with you isn’t such a good idea after all?”

“No, I still think it’s a good idea. What kind of friend would I be if I didn’t let you stay with me? And don’t worry about my great-grandmother. We know the real deal regardless of what others believe is going on between us, right?”

She nodded, keeping the smile plastered on her face. Yes, he was right. They knew the real deal. He would never look at her the way he looked at other women. They would never be anything more than best buddies.

“Right,” she said, smiling. “We know the real deal even if they don’t.”

He returned her smile. “True.”

She drew in a deep breath as he led her off the dance floor, and she wondered how she was going to remain level-headed living under Reese’s roof for thirty days.

Chapter 2

A month later…

Reese leaned in the doorway with a cup of coffee in his hand and looked behind Kenna to the moving truck parked in front of his ranch house. It was a truck he knew was loaded down with heaven knows what.

He had offered to fly to Austin and help her make the drive to Houston, but that independent streak in Kenna—which annoyed the hell out of him at times—had refused his help. She claimed she needed to do things herself, since it was her way of turning another page in her life. A part of him understood that, mostly because he understood her.

“So how was the drive?” he asked, offering her the cup of coffee in his hand. Like him, she needed the caffeine, especially during the early morning hours, and it was early. At four in the morning most of Houston was still asleep, including the men who worked his ranch. Kenna preferred driving at night, although Reese had been concerned about her safety.

She took a sip, closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. She opened her eyes and met his gaze with sparkling eyes. “I hope you never lose your knack for making coffee. Starbucks has nothing on you, Reese Madaris.”

“Glad you think so,” he said, chuckling, taking the cup back from her and taking a sip himself. “There’s a pot inside, waiting for you.”

She smiled and he couldn’t help but chuckle again. Kenna was easy to please. Before walking inside she glanced over her shoulder. “Do you want me to move the truck and park it somewhere else instead of right in front of your door?”

“It’s fine right there. My men and I will unload it after breakfast,” he said, pulling her into the foyer and closing the door behind them.

She turned to face him. “Aren’t you going to work today?”

“No, I took the day off to help you get settled.” He could tell from her expression she didn’t like that. It was that independent streak again.

“You didn’t have to do that, Reese,” she said, frowning. “Remember our agreement? I don’t want to disrupt your life or your lifestyle by moving in.”

“You’re not. Now go into the kitchen and pour yourself some coffee. You’re usually in a bad mood until you’ve had your first cup.”

“I’m not in a bad mood.”

He grinned. “Yes, you are.”

Her mouth curved in a smile. “Okay, maybe you’re right.”

“As usual. And while you’re getting your caffeine fix, I’ll be in my office checking my emails. After that I’ll join you in the kitchen.” He turned and walked down the hallway, headed toward his office. Kenna’s gaze followed him as he walked away.

The foyer opened up to a spacious living room that had a spiral staircase leading to a second floor where most of the bedrooms were located. As Kenna made her way through the dining room and into the kitchen to get the cup of coffee she so desperately needed, she took in the decor.

She loved Reese’s home and remembered when he had purchased the land for it. They had talked about it endlessly before he finally made up his mind to build his house. He had shown her the floor plans for the design of the house that his cousin Slade—the architect in the family—had drawn up. She had fallen in love with it immediately. It was a sprawling two-story ranch-style house surrounded by more than seventy-something acres of land. Reese was down-to-earth and enjoyed being in the great outdoors. He could never be happy living in a condo in Houston.

Kenna had been the one to pick out the furniture for every room. It was at a time when Reese had been out of the country working for Remington Oil. When he’d returned to the States, it was to find the house completely furnished and ready for him to move in.

In the kitchen were sleek granite countertops and sparkling stainless-steel appliances. It was a huge, spacious kitchen compared to the one she had in Austin. As she reached for the coffeepot, she couldn’t help but think about how happy she’d been to see Reese when he’d opened the door. The moment he smiled, all the problems she had encountered on the road from Austin had faded away.

She’d gotten so sleepy while driving to Houston that she decided to check into a motel to get a couple of hours sleep. Although Reese had volunteered to help her drive from Austin, she felt she needed the time alone to think. She wanted to be sure the decisions she had made had been the right ones.

She would be the first to admit she was nervous about her new job. She had gone to work for the Austin Police Department right out of college, and for the past seven years the place had practically become her home. The people she worked with had become her family and she had enjoyed being a part of that. Now she would have to start over, meet new people, make new friends, and get used to her new environment.

She knew accepting the job in Houston had been a smart move, especially since she’d be earning almost double the salary she made in Austin. The Houston Police Department hadn’t just considered her value as a sketch artist, but they had taken into account her ability to gather details others might overlook. With all the new technology, she figured it was just a matter of time before her job would be done by a computer. But there were some things computers just couldn’t do, like factoring in things that required more than just sketching a suspect’s face. Kenna was adept at obtaining seemingly inconsequential details from witnesses and victims—clues to solving crimes that might be missed. She had a way with people. And she had the ability to understand the human psyche in subtle ways.

She was good at what she did and very thorough. With Kenna, the typical three-hour interview was more than just a way to make a composite sketch. She had the ability to draw out subconscious details from witnesses that were important to the investigation. She had received several commendations from the police department for helping to crack a few cases. That was one of the reasons the Houston Police Department had wanted to hire her, making an offer any sane person couldn’t refuse.

She didn’t.

That had been a few months ago. She had come to town and found the perfect place to live. Her condo should have been ready by now, but bad weather had delayed completion of construction on the building.

Temporarily moving in with Reese had been his suggestion. And it had been a no-brainer, since she’d crashed at his place whenever she came to town anyway. She considered him family, especially after her grandmother—who’d raised her after her parents were killed in a car accident—died while Kenna was still in college. After that, the Madaris family adopted her as one of their own.

She leaned against Reese’s kitchen counter as she took another sip of coffee. The other reason for her move from Austin was to be near Reese. Although he visited her fairly regularly in Austin, the need to be closer to him had been a motivating factor in accepting the job.

It was a decision she was already beginning to regret.

She knew how she felt about him. But he didn’t have a clue, and she intended to keep things that way. Lately, she had begun seeing him through different eyes. And she knew why. This was the first time in eleven years that neither of them was involved with someone else. For her, that meant she had too much idle time on her hands and no man to keep her occupied. With Reese, she was nothing more than a dear friend, someone he could trust completely. Someone he could share anything with….except his heart.

She took another sip of coffee trying to recall just when she’d realized she was attracted to him. She’d been attracted to him since college, but her feelings had escalated when they’d taken a trip to Las Vegas together. It had been his present to her on her twenty-fifth birthday. Had it been almost four years?

She shook her head remembering that weekend. It was a couple months after she’d broken up with Lamont. Although she’d never told him, her relationship with Lamont ended after he’d questioned her friendship with Reese one too many times. She had warned him that if he brought it up again that would be the end of things between them. He hadn’t taken her seriously, and in the end she’d shown him she meant business.

Reese figured she needed cheering up after her breakup, and to this day she’d never told him about Lamont’s accusations. But Lamont wasn’t the only man who had thought that something more than just friendship was going on between her and Reese.

“You’re tired. I can tell.”

She glanced up as Reese entered the kitchen. A smile touched her lips. “I am tired.”

He angled his head and looked at her. “I’m going to be real upset if I find out you didn’t take my advice and check into a motel for the night when you hit the halfway point.”

She rolled her eyes. “It was only a two-and-a-half-hour drive. It was nice with no traffic. However, I did get sleepy and pulled into a motel for a few hours,” she admitted.

“I’m glad. So, do you want to go to bed before or after breakfast?”

She smiled, knowing he hadn’t meant it the way it sounded. But she could hope. “It’s too early for breakfast, and I could use a couple of hours’ sleep.”

“Go on up. Your room is ready.”

“Thanks.” She took another sip of coffee, thinking the room he was referring to was just that—her room. And it had her signature all over it. She had decorated it to her liking and it was the one she always slept in whenever she came to visit. It was right across the hall from his.

She placed the cup in the sink. “I’ll be up before the ranch hands are ready for breakfast.”

“You don’t have to. We can handle things without you. Your luggage comes in the house and everything else gets stored in the barn, right?”

“Right.”

She didn’t have to tell him that most of the stuff in the truck was what she didn’t trust the moving company to take care of. They were keepsakes—things that had sentimental value and had once belonged to her grandmother but were now hers.

“Thanks for letting me stay here, Reese.”

He glanced over at her as he poured another cup of coffee for himself. She felt his gaze and it stimulated something inside her. “You don’t have to thank me, Kenna. What’s mine is yours.”

Something stirred deep within her again and she drew in a sharp breath before nodding her head. She turned to leave the kitchen and had almost made it to the dining room when Reese called out to her.

“Kenna?”

She stopped and turned around with a practiced smile. “Yes?”

“I’m glad you’re here.”

Something in Kenna’s chest tightened and a part of her wanted to race across the room, throw herself into his arms and declare that she was glad to be anywhere he was—always. Instead she said. “I’m glad I’m here, too.”

Before she could say something else, something she would later regret, she quickly walked in the direction of her room.

Reese slid his hands down his face as he watched her leave. They were both tired, and maybe that was the reason he had picked up on the tension between them. He knew there was something going on. He could tell by the firm set of her lips and her body language.

He took a sip of his coffee and tried replaying everything that had happened since she’d arrived. For some reason he needed to clear his mind of a few things and make heads or tails of the situation. She had arrived at his door a little past four o’clock in the morning. He hadn’t been able to sleep knowing she was on the road at night and driving a rented U-Haul truck alone, so he was relieved when he’d heard the sound of the truck pulling into the yard.

Even though it took less than three hours to drive from Austin to Houston for most people, he knew Kenna wasn’t like most people when it came to driving at night. When she was tired and sleepy, she couldn’t stay awake. She had promised him that she’d get plenty of rest before making the trip, but he knew she hadn’t done that. When he had talked to her before she’d left Austin, several friends were still at her place seeing her off.

The original plan was for her to leave Austin around six o’clock in the evening. That way she would have arrived by nine o’clock that night. But instead she hadn’t left Austin until well past midnight, which had annoyed the hell out of him. He had been ready to bite her head off when he’d opened the door at four in the morning. However one look at her and he had been so glad to see that she had arrived safe and sound that he had pushed his anger aside. But now he was getting mad again.

Taking another sip of his coffee, he moved away from the counter to glance out the window. The sun was just starting to rise, which meant that the ranch hands would be up and stirring soon. Although he worked full-time for Madaris Explorations, he still maintained a working cattle ranch. His spread wasn’t as big as his uncle Jake’s or his brother Chancellor’s by any means, but a part of him would always be a rancher.

His foreman, Joe Seaborne, had been with him since he’d built the ranch five years ago. Before that Joe had worked for his uncle Jake, and he had come highly recommended. Joe was a good man and kept things running smoothly. His uncle Jake was using Reese and Chancellor’s land to expand the breeding program for his Red Brangus cattle.

He turned away from the window when he heard the key being inserted in the lock and wasn’t surprised when Joe walked in smiling.

“I saw that big truck out front. I guess that means Kenna has arrived.”

Reese shook his head, grinning. Of course most of his men knew Kenna and knew what a fantastic cook she was. Whenever she came to visit, she’d spoil them by preparing whatever they liked to eat. Even the ranch cook, Tanker Jones, enjoyed eating Kenna’s food every once in a while.

“Yes, Kenna is here, but that doesn’t mean she’ll be at anybody’s beck and call.”

Reese knew it was hard for the big bear of a man to look sheepish, but he managed to do just that. “Of course not, Reese, but I’m sure one Sunday dinner won’t hurt, will it?”

“You’ll have to ask her.” And there was no doubt that Joe would ask, like there was no doubt Kenna would prepare more than one Sunday dinner for his men. “Just remember she starts her job with the HPD in a couple of weeks. Until then she has to get settled in here.”

Joe smiled. “I understand. And speaking of new jobs, that guy we hired starts today. He’s already here.”

Reese nodded. “I’ll meet with him later. You did check him out before bringing him on, right?”

“Yes. He came highly recommended by his last employer.”

“Good. We don’t want a repeat of the last guy we hired.”

Last year a new hire ended up skipping out with Joe’s favorite saddle. Luckily they were able to catch him when the police stopped the culprit as he was speeding out of town.

Reese decided now was as good a time as any to meet with his new hire. He had a feeling Kenna would sleep longer than she intended, which was fine with him. Her schedule had been hectic the last couple of weeks as she packed up and moved from Austin to start a new life in Houston. As far as he was concerned she needed the rest, and he was going to make sure she got it.

Chapter 3

Kenna ran her fingers through her short curls once more before sliding her feet into her sandals to go downstairs. She had only meant to sleep a few hours, but a quick glance at the clock showed it was almost noon. The luggage Reese had put in her bedroom was proof that he and his men had unloaded the truck without her help.

Hearing voices outside her bedroom window, she walked over to the sill and saw Reese talking to a few of his men on the ground below. She recognized all of them except one, so she figured he must be the new guy Reese had mentioned he was hiring. He was a pretty nice looking man. But the woman in her couldn’t help but appreciate Reese, especially in the looks departments. He was eye candy of the most luscious kind, and he epitomized what tall, dark and handsome truly meant. As far as she was concerned, no other man looked as good in a pair of jeans as Reese Madaris. But then he cleaned up rather nicely too, she thought, remembering how good he’d looked at Blade’s wedding last month.

She and Reese usually talked two or three times a week. It wasn’t unusual for him to tell her what was happening around the ranch. Sometimes he’d ask her opinion about certain things and she would do likewise. Whenever there was a problem she couldn’t resolve—personal or professional—he was the first person she called. And no matter what he was doing, no matter whether it was day or night, he would make time for her.

When she saw Reese head inside the house, leaving the group of men behind, she closed the curtain and proceeded to go downstairs. But before she reached the doorway, the phone rang.

Kenna and Reese had come to an understanding years ago that their friendship gave them the right to answer the phone at each other’s place. If the caller took issue with it, then that was their problem.

She picked up the phone in her room. “Tall Oaks Ranch.”

There was a pause.

“Yes, I’d like to speak to Reese,” said a woman’s voice.

Kenna immediately knew it was Alyson Richards, Reese’s ex-girlfriend, the one he’d dated for almost a year. Everyone had assumed that Alyson might become Mrs. Reese Madaris. But a few months ago, Reese had called and surprised Kenna when he casually mentioned that he and Alyson were no longer seeing each other. Kenna had every reason to believe it had been Reese’s decision and not Alyson’s. He hadn’t given her an explanation for the breakup, and she hadn’t asked for one.

“No problem. Hold on a minute.”

“Wait! This is Kenna, right?” the caller asked.

Kenna’s mouth curved into a smile that all but said, like you didn’t know. Instead, she said, “Yes, this is Kenna.”

“Hi, Kenna, this is Alyson. Reese told me you were moving to Houston. How nice.”

“Yes, it is nice.”

“And he mentioned you were moving into a town house.”

Kenna really didn’t want to get involved in a long conversation, since Alyson had never liked her and they both knew it. “It’s not finished yet.”

“Oh.”

A smile touched Kenna’s lips. She could imagine the wheels turning in Alyson’s head. It wouldn’t take her long to figure out that she was staying with Reese until her condo was finished. “Hold on, Alyson. I’ll get Reese for you.”

“Fine.”

Kenna put the phone down and went to the edge of the staircase. “Reese, you have a call. It’s Alyson.”

He appeared at the foot of the stairs and stared up at her and smiled. She drew in a deep breath at the way his lips curved and how his dimples seamlessly appeared. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was smiling at her or if he was smiling because Alyson was calling. Of course it’s because of Alyson and not you, a mocking voice said in her head. Get real, LaKenna James. Reese has no reason to smile at you that way.

“Okay. I’ll grab it down here. Did you get some rest?” he asked.

“Yes, but you should have woken me up, Reese.”

“No, you needed to sleep. You missed breakfast, but come join me for lunch.”

“Okay.” She went back to her bedroom, and when she heard two voices on the line she hung up the phone.

Alyson Richards.

Kenna couldn’t understand why Alyson didn’t like her when she had been more than friendly to her. Alyson, who worked as an executive administrator at a local hospital, was beautiful and had everything going for her—including being the daughter of a Texas senator. The few times Kenna had seen Reese and Alyson together she’d thought they looked good together, and if they married, they would have beautiful babies. The very thought hurt, but she’d been honest about it anyway.

“If I had a man in my life I wouldn’t have time for such thoughts,” Kenna muttered as she made her way down the stairs. When she walked into the kitchen Reese glanced over at her and then said to Alyson over the phone. “Here’s Kenna, why don’t you ask her?”

She lifted a brow. Reese shrugged his massive shoulders and handed her the phone. “Alyson wants to ask you something.”

Kenna continued to hold his gaze. “Yes, Alyson?” she said evenly.

“Kenna, now that you’re moving to Houston you probably don’t know a lot of people and I’ve come up with this wonderful idea,” she said in a cheerful tone.

Was this the same woman she’d spoken to earlier? The one who’d acted cool and reserved? “And what’s that, Alyson?”

“That Reese should give you a welcome-to-town party this weekend.”

Kenna shook her head. “He doesn’t have to do that.”

“I think he should, since you’re his best friend. And I’ve volunteered to help and host it at my place. It’s more than big enough, and since it’s in town it will be convenient to everyone. Reese said it’s okay with him if it’s okay with you. I think it’s a wonderful idea.”

A part of Kenna felt she should appreciate the gesture, but she had an uneasy feeling about Alyson. Drawing in a deep breath she turned her gaze away from Reese to look out the window.

She wasn’t sure why the two had split. But from the sound of things, Alyson intended to use this party as a way to get back together with Reese. There was nothing wrong with Alyson trying to patch things up, even if it was with Reese—the man Kenna loved. And because she loved him, she wasn’t about to stand in the way of someone who evidently was trying real hard to get a ring on her finger. Especially since it was a ring that Kenna would never wear.

She turned around to see Reese still leaning against the counter, watching her. She knew what he was doing. He was trying to read her, trying to figure out what she was thinking. Their eyes held for a moment before she lowered her gaze. “A party sounds like fun, but I wouldn’t want you to go to any trouble.”

“No trouble. Just let me handle everything. Goodbye.”

“Goodbye.”

She handed the phone back to Reese. “That’s nice of her to do that.”

Reese didn’t say whether he thought it was a nice gesture or not. Instead, he said, “Go ahead and sit down. A couple of PBJs with cookies and milk are coming up.”

Kenna smiled as she eagerly plopped down in one of the chairs at the kitchen table. At heart she was a simple girl who liked simple things. Though most women preferred gourmet food, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich topped off with cookies and milk hit the spot better than anything. The same was true for Reese. That was one of the first things they’d discovered they had in common.

She watched Reese as he made the sandwiches and thought the same thing now that she did whenever she saw him, no matter what he was wearing. He was more good-looking than any man had a right to be—gorgeous beyond words, ruggedly handsome and sexy to a fault. Plus he was the most wonderful friend in the world.

When other women saw him, they only looked at what was on the outside. She knew him inside and out. He was hardworking, honest and caring. He had this protective side when it came to her that set her teeth on edge one minute and made her feel like the most adored woman on earth the next.

She studied his hands as they spread peanut butter across the slice of bread. They were large hands—callused, even scarred in some places. She had begun imagining those same hands touching her in places a friend’s hands didn’t dare go. She probably should have hung her head in shame. But right now, she preferred sitting there and watching him through the lustful eyes of a woman who wasn’t his best friend.

He was humming one of Drake’s songs in a deep, velvety voice. He was certainly in a good mood. Had Alyson’s phone call done that to him? She knew she shouldn’t be envious of her if it had. Kenna knew she needed to put her feelings for Reese in check over the next few weeks and stop dreaming about something that wasn’t going to happen, something that could end their friendship if Reese ever found out. She wasn’t going to let her out-of-control libido jeopardize her relationship with the best friend she’d ever had.

She turned away and looked outside the window, instead. He had insisted that she stay here while her town house was being finished. Maybe she shouldn’t have been so quick to jump at his offer. But then, she always stayed with him whenever she came to Houston. But a month was a long time to live under someone’s roof. They’d never been together that long before. Was he up for it? Was she? He liked his space and she liked hers. But for some reason they had no problem sharing with each other.

Moments later, Reese brought the sandwiches to the table along with a plate of chocolate chip cookies and a pitcher of milk. She glanced over at him when he sat down. “You never did say why you and Alyson broke up,” she asked as she poured a glass of milk.

He glanced over at her. “You never asked.”

Point taken.

Had she asked, he would have told her, since there were no secrets between them. The fact that he didn’t know that she was attracted to him didn’t count. “Okay, I’m asking now.”

He poured a glass of milk. “She was becoming too possessive, and after a while she became jealous of you.”

Kenna winced. “Of me?”

“Yeah. She started questioning our friendship. Said she didn’t believe we were just friends.”

Kenna nodded. “But she does now?”

“We’ll see.”

For a moment Kenna couldn’t do anything but stare at her milk. Did that mean Reese was giving Alyson another chance? Was she going to reclaim the spot she’d once held with Reese? He had hung in with Alyson longer than any of his past girlfriends. A part of Kenna knew she should be glad he was on the verge of possibly getting back together with Alyson, but…

“I need to meet with Dex later today at the office. Do you want to come with me?” he said, interrupting her thoughts.

A few years ago Reese had accepted a position with his cousin Dex’s company, Madaris Explorations, and a couple of months ago he had been promoted to foreman. He had been ecstatic, elated and honored. He also knew he had big shoes to fill—those of Trevor Grant, the previous foreman. Trevor and two of his Marine buddies had decided to open a tactical operations firm.

In college, Reese had followed in Dex Madaris’s footsteps and had gotten a degree in geology. And like Dex, he began working with Remington Oil right out of college. He’d traveled extensively when he’d worked for Remington, and had gotten the chance to work alongside some of the world’s most renowned scientists and researchers.

Kenna glanced up and couldn’t help but stare at how his mouth had widened to take a bite of his sandwich. She could just imagine that mouth touching her body in a number of places. She took a sip of her milk, not liking the way her thoughts were going. But how could she make them stop moving in that direction?

“Kenna?”

She glanced up at Reese. “Yes?”

“Do you want to go with me to the office?”

She shrugged. “Sure. I can unpack later. Besides, I need to stop by and see Clayton and Syneda. Now that I’m living in Houston, I want them to handle all my legal affairs, especially the foundation I’ve established in my grandmother’s honor.”

“Okay. I have a couple more things to do around here and then I’ll be leaving around three,” he said.

“I’ll be ready.”

He leaned back in his chair and looked at her with his deep, piercing brown eyes. “Something is bothering you, Kenna, I can feel it. And I want to know what it is.”

Kenna swallowed hard. There was no way she was going to come clean and tell him what was really on her mind. It was her problem and not his. And truthfully, it shouldn’t have been her problem either. He wasn’t a fantasy she should be entertaining. She decided to feign nonchalance. “Nothing is wrong with me, Reese, other than I’m anxious about my job. You know how I am about starting something new.”

She saw his body relax a little. “But that was one hell of an offer the HPD made,” he said.

“I know,” she said with a heavy sigh. “But still, change isn’t easy for me, and other than you and your family I don’t know anyone here.”

He nodded slowly. “That’s why Alyson thinks the party is a good idea. Are you sure you want one?”

She shrugged. To be perfectly honest, she didn’t, but she wouldn’t tell him that. He worried about her enough as it was and she didn’t want to come off as ungrateful. “I don’t want to put anyone out by having them throw a party for me. But if that’s a way to meet people, then yes, I’m fine with it. It might be fun.”

“First of all, you aren’t putting anyone out. I should have thought of doing it myself, but I didn’t. So maybe Alyson has the right idea after all.”

She took a sip of her milk. If for one minute he thought Alyson wanted to throw this party for anything other than her own selfish reasons then he needed to think again. And now that she knew why Alyson and Reese had split, Kenna figured the woman had a good reason for wanting her to meet other people.

Fortunately for Alyson, her little plan just might work. In order for Kenna to rid herself of all these crazy, far-out fantasies she’d been having about Reese, she needed to meet someone, and the sooner the better.

She glanced up at him. “Yes, maybe she does have the right idea.”

Reese bit into his cookie. It shouldn’t have come as a surprise that Kenna was having second thoughts about moving to Houston, even though, like he’d said, the offer had been a good one.

He of all people knew how Kenna felt about change. When she’d told him about the offer, he had all but talked her into taking the job, mainly for his own purely selfish reasons. She was his best friend and he wanted to have her close by. Why? So he could look after her, of course. Without him around, she would work fifteen-hour days and not take care of herself. Being only a few miles away and in the same city was a lot better than being a hundred-fifty-plus miles away in another city. He’d never regretted the times he’d made the drive or took a flight to Austin to see her. But still…

“Want some more milk?”

He glanced over at her. “Yes. Thanks.”

He watched as she lifted the pitcher and poured the milk into his glass. “So what about that guy you were seeing, Curtis Purcell?” he asked. “The two of you didn’t want to do the long-distance romance thing?”

He wondered why he was asking her about it when he hadn’t asked about him for months. She hadn’t brought up Purcell either, which had been just fine with Reese, since he didn’t care for him. Come to think of it, he’d stopped liking him the night when he had shown up at Kenna’s house to surprise her, only to discover she was out on a date with Purcell. Reese had let himself in, made himself at home and had been there when Purcell had brought her home.

The man had kissed Kenna good-night when she got out of the car, but hadn’t bothered walking her to the door. How tacky was that? As far as Reese was concerned, a gentleman not walking a woman to the door after a date was downright disrespectful.

She glanced over at him. “No. Why do you ask?”

“Just wondering.” It was on the tip of his tongue to ask why, but he decided he would ask another time. He finally realized that for the first time in eleven years, neither of them was involved with anyone else.

He glanced at his watch as he stood. “I’ve got a few things I need to take care of before we leave for town.”

“All right. I see you’ve got a new guy working for you. I looked out the window and saw him earlier.”

“Yes, his name is Clark Lovell and he started today,” Reese said. “Already I can tell he’s one that keeps to himself. He doesn’t have much to say, but he can handle a horse and can rope a cow and that’s what Joe needs.”

He paused a moment. “And just so you know, Joe is going to ask you about fixing Sunday dinner.”

She smiled. “I don’t have a problem with that.”

He chuckled. “I figured you wouldn’t. You’re such a soft touch when it comes to the ranch hands. I’ll be back to pick you up at three.”

“Okay.”

He headed for the door and then turned back after grabbing his Stetson off the rack. “I know you’re still wondering if you did the right thing moving to Houston, Kenna. If you ask me, I think it was the right decision.”

He walked toward the door, hoping that on that particular subject she believed him.

Chapter 4

“I’m ready, Reese.”

Reese turned around, and Kenna’s knees nearly buckled from the force of his gaze. Why was he looking at her like that, she wondered, as his eyes roamed over her from head to toe. “Is anything wrong, Reese?”

His gaze returned to her face. “No, nothing’s wrong. Is that a new dress?”

“No.”

He inclined his head. “I’ve never seen it before.”

Kenna chuckled as she reached for her purse off the table. “Probably not. You don’t go shopping with me, so you’ve never seen my entire wardrobe. Is something wrong with it?”

“No. It looks nice on you.”

Her heart thumped in her chest at his compliment. “Thanks.”

Her heart kept right on thumping as she followed Reese to his SUV parked out front. She breathed deeply, trying to get a grip. It wasn’t her that had attracted Reese’s attention, but the dress itself. Usually she wore slacks, and that was probably the reason he’d been taken aback by the dress.

He opened the door and she eased inside. When he hesitated, she glanced up at him. “Okay, Reese, what’s wrong now?”

“Nothing.”

Kenna frowned slightly when he closed the door and then walked around the front of the SUV to get inside. He backed up and pulled out of the driveway without saying a word.

“I’ll introduce you to the new guy when we get back,” he said, interrupting her thoughts.

She glanced over at him. He had changed his shirt and was wearing another pair of jeans. As always, he looked good. “Okay,” she said. “I went out to the bunkhouse earlier and got a chance to talk to Joe a little, but he wasn’t there.”

“Who?”

“Your new guy.”

“Oh. I guess he was out tending the herd or something.”

Usually when Reese wasn’t attentive it meant his thoughts were elsewhere. She decided to give him time to sort out whatever was bothering him. There was probably something going on at the ranch that needed his undivided attention.

While he was quiet, she would use the time to think about the phone call she’d gotten from Leon, one of the police officers she’d worked with in Austin. According to him, Curtis Purcell had shown up at the station looking for her. He claimed he had dropped by her house and found it empty and wanted to know if she’d left a forwarding address. She had, but Leon wouldn’t give it to him, not until he checked with her first. She instructed Leon not to give Curtis her new address or her new cell phone number if he returned. How long had it been? Three months? He hadn’t tried contacting her in all that time. Why did he suddenly want to see her now?

“You okay? You keep sighing over there.”

Kenna glanced over at Reese. “Yes, I’m fine. But a friend of mine, a police officer back in Austin, called to let me know someone was looking for me today. He went by my place and saw that I’d moved out.”

Reese’s brow lifted as he glanced over at her. “Who?”

“Curtis.”

Reese trained his eyes on the road ahead, but not before Kenna saw his expression tighten. “What did he want?”

“Not sure” was her response.

“Let me guess. He wants to be the comeback kid.”

Just like Alyson. She bit down on her lower lip. “I’m not sure what he wants, Reese, and I don’t plan to find out. I told Leon not to tell him anything. Besides, if he really wants to find me you’ll be the next person on his list. He knows how close we are and that you’ll know where I am.”

“I would just love for him to contact me about you.”

Kenna frowned slightly, tilted her head and looked over at him. “What did Curtis ever do to you?”

“Nothing. But he treated you like crap.”

“He did not! He didn’t walk me to the door that one time and you were ready to hang him up by his toes for it.”

“Damn right. And you never said why the two of you called it quits,” he continued, bringing the SUV to a stop at a traffic light.

“You never asked,” she said, giving him the same response he’d given her about Alyson earlier that day.

He glanced over at her. “Okay, now I’m asking.”

She looked straight ahead out the windshield for a few moments while nibbling on her bottom lip. She turned back toward Reese. “He pulled a Terrence Fairchild on me.” She hated bringing up the guy who’d been her boyfriend in college. The one she’d assumed she would marry one day.

A deep frown settled on Reese’s face. She knew he was remembering the incident. He had been there for her. “You caught Curtis in bed with another woman.”

She shrugged. “Not exactly.”

His frown deepened. “Then what exactly?”

She paused a second. “I caught him in bed with another man.”

Reese’s hands gripped the steering wheel so tight he felt it might crumble in his hands. When he suddenly hit the brakes to avoid hitting the car in front of them, he pulled off to the side of the road and killed the ignition. At that moment he wished he could kill someone else instead—namely Curtis Purcell.

Furious, he unbuckled his seat belt and twisted around in his seat to face Kenna. “Why in the hell didn’t you tell me? And don’t you dare hand me that crap about me not asking.”

He figured his tone along with the anger etched in his face painted a real good picture of just how mad he was, and that now was not the time to get cutesy on him. He was definitely not in the mood.

She nervously licked her lips and his gaze was automatically drawn to her mouth. Why was his gut clenching and why did he suddenly feel this hard lump in his throat?

“I didn’t want to bother you about it. It was around the time you got your promotion to foreman and I didn’t want to say anything that would rain on your parade, Reese,” she said in a soft voice that pleaded for understanding.

His anger subsided somewhat. “So you went through all that alone?”

She shrugged. “Once the shock wore off, I could have kicked myself for not picking up on it earlier. I ignored all the signs that he was on the down-low. He was a former pro football player, for Christ’s sake. He acted really macho and he had dated lots of women before. I was mad with myself as much as with him for falling for his line. In the end, I asked myself the same question I’d asked myself a number of times before. Why me?”

Reese took in a deep breath. Yes, why her? He could only shake his head as he recalled the men who, over the years, hadn’t appreciated what an incredible woman she was. He would hate to think that more than a few of them had a screw loose, but seeing was believing. He couldn’t understand why any man didn’t appreciate Kenna. She was a good woman—the best. And he wasn’t just saying that because she was his best friend. He knew it was true.

“So you want to give me any dating advice?” she asked.

He snorted. “Dating advice? Hell, I’m not totally together either, when you consider the number of girlfriends I’ve had over the years myself. But then you wear your heart on your sleeve.”

She frowned. “I wasn’t in love with Curtis, nor was I in love with Lamont. I believed I was in love with Terrence during the two years we dated. But the older I got, the more I realized I wasn’t really in love with him. I liked the idea of being in love, if that makes any sense.”

No, it didn’t really, he thought. But he’d talked to enough women in his family to know that they sometimes looked at things differently than men. “What about Lamont? The two of you dated for more than a year. I didn’t ask before, but I’m asking now. Why did the two of you split?”

She did that lip thing again with her tongue and the same as before, seeing her lick her lips did something to him. Crap! What was wrong with him? Granted he hadn’t been with a woman since his breakup with Alyson five months ago, but still, this was Kenna for crying out loud. He’d seen that nervous habit plenty of times over the years, so why was he suddenly lusting over the one woman he shouldn’t have the hots for?

“He was jealous of you. Like Alyson, he didn’t believe the ‘we’re just friends’ line either. The first time he brought it up I gave him the benefit of the doubt, since I’d be the first to admit our relationship is a bit unorthodox. But I warned him that if he accused me again that things were over between us. Unfortunately, he didn’t take me at my word.”

Reese slowly shook his head as he buckled his seat belt again and started the car. He really didn’t know what to say. When he glanced over at Kenna, he immediately knew what she was thinking. He cut off the ignition again.

“Look, Kenna, don’t even think it. We agreed years ago that if we met someone and it got serious, if that person couldn’t deal with our friendship it would be their loss and not ours. Are you having second thoughts about that?”

“No, but a part of me can’t help but sympathize with Alyson. The two of you would still be together if she hadn’t gotten it into her head that I was a threat.”

“Maybe and maybe not. It’s a bad idea for any woman to get it into her head that she can decide who my friends are. And as far as Lamont thinking we had something going on, then he was a fool. I never liked him anyway.”

“Have I ever dated a guy you did like?”

“No.”

He waited to see if she would ask him why and then exhaled slowly when she didn’t. Had she asked, he wouldn’t have been able to give her a reason. He just hadn’t liked them. “So what do you think Purcell wants with you?”

“Who knows? He might want to try to convince me that finding him in bed with another man wasn’t all bad and that we can work things out and get back together.”

Reese snorted. Purcell was really stupid if he actually thought that. He’d heard how some women would accept their man even after finding out they were on the down-low. But he knew for sure that Kenna wasn’t one of them.

“After your meeting with Clayton and Syneda, and mine with Dex, we can stay in town and grab dinner. And if you’re up to it, we can also do a movie. How does that sound?”

“Sounds great,” she said, smiling.

He smiled back at her. “Good.”

Chapter 5

“Mr. Madaris is in court now, but Mrs. Syneda Madaris will see you in a minute,” the receptionist said.

“Thanks.” Kenna sat down in the plush chair and glanced around the office. She had been inside the Madaris Building several times, but this was the first time she had visited the law offices of Madaris, Madaris and Madaris. Since Blade had gotten married, his wife, Samari Di Meglio Madaris, had joined Clayton and Syneda at their law firm. Kenna could just imagine Clayton, the only man, having to deal with his beautiful, opinionated wife, who was a lot to handle, plus his cousin’s gorgeous, exotic-looking wife, Samari, whose hot Italian temper could flare at a moment’s notice. Things could get pretty damn interesting around here.

While she waited, Kenna recalled the conversation she and Reese had shared during the ride over. After asking if she was interested in dinner and a movie, things had got pretty quiet between them. They talked about attending Morehouse’s homecoming in a few months, and about how Luke’s rodeo school, which was scheduled to open in two weeks, was doing. Reese hadn’t invited her to go with him, and she couldn’t help wondering if he intended to invite Alyson.

Kenna had received an invitation to Luke’s rodeo opening before leaving Austin, so if Reese made plans to take a date then she would do the same. There was no way she would be a third wheel with him and Alyson. Maybe it wasn’t such a bad idea to make sure that happened. Having a date was one way to ensure that Reese wouldn’t feel obligated to include her in his plans.

“Mrs. Madaris will see you now.”

Kenna smiled at the receptionist. “Thanks.”

Kenna thought the same thing now that she had the first time she laid eyes on Syneda Madaris. The woman was simply gorgeous. And from what Kenna had heard, in the courtroom she was equally impressive.

Long, golden-bronze hair flowed down her shoulders, and her sea-green eyes always seemed to sparkle with excitement. Her pregnancy was more obvious now than it had been a month ago, and she had a radiant glow about her. Reese had mentioned that Syneda and Clayton had announced that they were having a boy. Everyone was happy, especially the couple’s eight-year-old daughter, Remington, who had been begging for a baby brother or sister, preferably a brother.

“Kenna, it’s so good seeing you,” Syneda said as she hugged her.

“Thanks. Same here.”

That was one of the things she enjoyed most about Reese’s family. They were good people, down to earth and as friendly as could be. “Reese had a meeting with Dex, so I thought I’d tag along and use the time to meet with you and Clayton. I understand he’s in court.”

“Yes, his court docket was changed, but I’ll be glad to help you with anything.”

“It’s about the foundation I established a few years ago in my grandmother’s memory. I would like your firm to take over handling it for me.”

Syneda smiled. “It will be our pleasure. We handle a number of foundations and trusts already, including the one Trask has set up and the one Uncle Jake and Diamond established as well.”

“Wonderful.”

“It will only take a few minutes to complete the paperwork and then a couple of weeks to get everything notarized. We’ll call you back to sign the necessary documents at that time.”

“That sounds like a plan,” Kenna said excitedly.

Less than ten minutes later, Kenna had completed the paperwork and returned the forms to Syneda. “Thanks, Kenna,” Syneda said, sliding the documents into a folder. “So when did you arrive in Houston?”

“This morning. I sold almost everything I had in Austin, since I want to start fresh and buy new furniture. The things I didn’t want to part with I loaded in a U-Haul truck and drove here.” She chuckled. “I think Reese was a nervous wreck until I arrived at his place. He was afraid I’d fall asleep at the wheel and wind up in a ditch or something.”

Syneda smiled. “I can imagine. He’s very protective where you’re concerned.”

She nodded. “Yes, and I’m very protective where he’s concerned as well. I think he’s a wonderful person and a special friend.”

“Yes, and you’re in love with him.”

Kenna went utterly still. Was Syneda a mind reader? “What did you say?”

A knowing smile curved Syneda’s lips. “I said you’re in love with Reese.”

Kenna drew in a sharp breath, opened her mouth to deny it and then stopped. From the look Syneda gave her, she wasn’t buying anything Kenna had to say. The sea-green eyes staring at her were sharp, shrewd, confident, and for a moment Kenna felt like a deer caught in the headlights. Syneda was right, of course, and the only thing Kenna could do was come clean.

“Yes, I love him. But how did you know?”

Syneda chuckled. “I can tell whenever you look at him. I always suspected as much, but last month when you were on the dance floor, you only had eyes for him.”

Kenna shook her head. “That’s pathetic.”

Syneda gave her a soft smile. “No, it’s not pathetic. There’s nothing wrong with a woman loving a man.”

“But it’s pathetic when he doesn’t love you back. Reese only sees me as his best friend and nothing more. I’m so afraid he’s going to discover the truth one day and that will ruin everything.”

Syneda shook her head. “I don’t think it will be that way at all. Making the move from friends to lovers was pretty easy for me and Clayton.”

“Was it?”

Syneda’s smile widened. “Yes, and it will be just as easy for you and Reese once he realizes he loves you as well.”

“Trust me, he doesn’t love me that way. In fact, he and Alyson are trying to work things out, and maybe that’s a good thing.”

Syneda rolled her eyes. “Alyson Richards?”

“Yes.”

The mere mention of the woman’s name grated on Syneda’s nerves. All it took was for her to remember when she and Clayton had run into Reese and Alyson at a political fundraiser last year. Alyson, who evidently considered herself a fashionista, had pulled Syneda aside to tell her that her shoes weren’t the same shade of purple as her dress. Syneda quickly let Alyson know that she was well aware of that fact, and hadn’t meant for them to be exactly the same color.

“I wouldn’t be so sure if I were you,” Syneda said. “Alyson is too possessive, and Reese knows it.” Syneda lifted a brow. “And why do you think working things out between them is a good thing if you’re in love with him?”

“Because I can control my emotions a whole lot better if he’s seeing someone and if I am, too. This is the first time Reese and I aren’t involved with anyone else, and I figure that’s the reason for my attraction. There’s no one else to take my mind off him.”

“Oh, I see.”

“So I figure it’s time for me to find someone and start seriously dating again. It won’t be so bad if Reese decides to get back together with Alyson. I’ve gotten used to her being in the picture and I know how to deal with her. Heaven forbid if he gets serious about some other woman who can’t accept the kind of friendship we have.”

Syneda didn’t say anything as she studied Kenna. Clearly, Kenna didn’t know her own beauty or power. Granted, Reese was slow. But Syneda was certain he would eventually realize he loved Kenna. With some men you had to light a fire under them. That’s what had had to happen to Luke to get him to see what he’d be losing if he didn’t come to his senses.

“So you actually believe Alyson is the best person for Reese?” Syneda asked Kenna skeptically.

Kenna shrugged. “I don’t know about her being the best person for him, but I think she understands our friendship and knows it’s non-negotiable. She’ll be fine. She’s even agreed to throw me a party this weekend at her place so I can meet new people. I’m hoping there will be at least one guy there I like.”

Syneda forced a smile, just imagining the party Alyson had planned for Kenna. Then her smile widened. She had a feeling those plans were about to backfire and Alyson would finally see just how protective Reese was when it came to his best friend. Mama Laverne had it all figured out, and Syneda had a feeling the family matriarch was right once again.

“Well, if you think meeting new guys and moving on without trying to win Reese over is for the best, then do what you have to do,” Syneda said nonchalantly. She would give anything to be a fly on the wall at the party this weekend. Kenna might have thought she was being the sacrificial lamb by graciously stepping aside and letting Alyson have Reese, but she had a feeling that in the end Reese wasn’t going to let that happen.

“Now if I can just find someone to take me to Luke’s rodeo school opening in a couple of weeks without appearing desperate,” Kenna said, interrupting Syneda’s thoughts.

“You aren’t going with Reese?” Syneda asked, somewhat surprised, especially since Reese usually brought her to all their family functions.

She shrugged. “I’m hoping he takes Alyson. And if he does, then I don’t want him to feel responsible for me.”

“So you figure you should have your own date,” Syneda said.

“Yes. Usually when I date a new guy, I tend to take things slow. But I’m not sure I’ll have that luxury this time.”

Syneda studied Kenna and saw that she was dead serious. “Well, even if you don’t have a date, I’m sure there will be plenty of single men there. Reese won’t have to worry about you, which means he’ll be able to give Alyson his full attention.” I’d like to see that happen.

After Kenna left her office, Syneda leaned back in her chair, smiling. She was going to miss the show at Alyson’s place Saturday night, but there was no way she was going to miss the one at Luke’s opening. In fact, she intended to have a front-row seat.

“Hey, aren’t you Reese Madaris?”

Reese turned to face a woman who'd just passed him in the hallway leading to his office at the Madaris Explorations Company. “Yes, I’m Reese Madaris.”

The woman flashed what Reese figured was her sexiest smile as she closed the distance between them and extended her hand.

“Hi, Reese. I’m Camille Strickland.”

He shook her hand and returned the smile. “Hi, Camille.”

“I dated your cousin Blade a while back. I hear he got married.”

“Yes, he got married a little over a month ago.”

“Oh. What a shame. I understand you’re available.” She reached out and traced a manicured finger along his arm.

“Available for what?” he asked, annoyed by her boldness.

“Whatever comes to mind,” she said seductively. She seemed to be pouting. “You’re not like Blade. He liked flirting,” she said in a sultry voice.

“Sorry to disappoint you.”

“Don’t apologize. Here’s my card,” she said, thrusting it into his hand. “Give me a call.” She batted her eyelashes several times and then gave him a flirty wink before turning to walk down the hallway, swaying her hips in a body-hugging pencil skirt and killer high heels that looked like they could double as lethal weapons.

Okay, he would admit that she looked good—but he wasn’t Blade. And when it came to women, his and Blade’s tastes were completely different. It would take more than a tight skirt and stilettos to make him tongue-tied. Even five months without sex hadn’t made him that hard up.

He continued walking, shaking his head as he stepped into an elevator at the same time another woman did. She glanced over at him and gave him a come-hither smile. “Excuse me for asking, but aren’t you Reese Madaris?”

Reese stepped off the elevator thinking that some women had no shame. The woman had tried coming on to him, and way too strong. When the elevator stopped on the next floor to let other passengers on, he retreated all the way to the back, as far away from her as he could get. She had repeatedly licked her lips as if to give him a blatant come-on, letting him know just what she could do with her mouth. The combination of her words and actions had been a total turn-off.

When he exited the elevator, he glanced over his shoulder and saw that the woman was still following him. When he rounded the corner, so did she. Probably not a coincidence. Reese continued walking and heard her make some sort of growling sound, but he refused to turn around. Damn, had he attracted a stalker? His grandmother had warned him what would happen now that Blade was off the market. And it seemed the old gal knew what she was talking about.

He smiled when he saw Kenna sitting in the lobby waiting for him. When she saw him she smiled, eased out of the chair and began walking toward him with a graceful stride that he couldn’t help but admire. He really liked the dress she was wearing, which showed off her curvy hips, her ample cleavage and the most gorgeous legs any woman could possibly possess. She was the kind of woman any man would want to have as his own. She didn’t have to flaunt her beauty and sexuality. It came naturally. He was convinced that one day she would make some deserving man very happy.

An idea quickly popped into his head. When he reached Kenna he pulled her into his arms and kissed her on the forehead. “Thanks for waiting, sweetheart.”

“No problem,” she said, giving him a what-the-heck-is-going-on look with her eyes.

He glanced over his shoulder to see the woman leaving the building, and it was only then that he released a deep sigh.

“Okay, what was that about?” Kenna asked him, following his gaze.

He chuckled as he tightened her hand in his. “Mama Laverne warned me that with Blade out of the picture, chances are single women would turn their sights on me. I thought she was joking, but apparently I was wrong.”

“Wow, you’re in demand, huh?” she asked, grinning as he led her out of the building.

“I don’t see anything funny about it. In fact, on our way to dinner I need you to give me some dating advice.”

She lifted a brow. “Dating advice about what?”

“How to handle unwanted advances…”

Chapter 6

Kenna shifted in her car seat as she thought about Reese’s request for dating advice. She couldn’t help smiling. Poor baby.

“I hope you’re hungry, because I am.”

She glanced over at him and snickered. “I guess a man can work up an appetite eluding women on the prowl.”

“Hey, watch it. You know how I am about stuff like that.”

Yes, she did know. Reese wasn’t like most men who were as gorgeous as he was. He didn’t have a conceited bone in his body. He probably thought he was just a regular-looking guy, even though his looks alone could make a woman’s panties wet.

She remembered just what she’d thought the first time she met him at his dorm room to go over his physics studies. She had taken one look at him and for a moment all thoughts of Terrence had been erased.

The first thing she’d noticed about him, besides the beautiful color of his skin, the darkness of his eyes, his chiseled jawline and kissable mouth, was that he had the manners of a Southern gentleman—one who knew how to treat a woman like a lady.

It didn’t take long to discover that he was a loner. Although he had plenty of friends on campus, he pretty much stayed to himself most of the time, rarely allowing others into his circle. He was not a party animal. In fact, the more time they spent together studying, the more she got to know the real Reese Madaris, the one few understood or ever got close to.

“You never did answer my question,” he said, glancing over at her when the SUV came to a stop at a traffic light.

“Your dating question?”

He shrugged. “If you want to call it that. I’m not interested in any of those women. Most of them were probably involved with Blade. Do they honestly think they can just move from one Madaris to the next?”

Kenna couldn’t help but laugh. “Seriously, Reese, a woman hard up for a man will move from one brother to the next. They don’t care. Like your great-grandmother said, with your cousin Blade out of circulation, that means you’re next.”

“Then I guess that means you and I need to keep on pretending.”

She rolled her eyes. “Or you and Alyson need to hook up again.”

He shook his head. “I doubt that will happen.”

She wondered why he felt that way, but decided not to ask. She figured the only way to get rid of her attraction to him was to make sure he was seeing someone and she was seeing someone, too. “We’ll see.”

When he didn’t respond she decided to flip through the pages of a magazine she’d found in his SUV—a tractor magazine. “You’re buying another one of these?”

He glanced over at her. “I’m thinking about it. And you never answered my question.”

She hadn’t answered it because she didn’t want to think about how it would feel being rejected by a man like Reese. “My advice to you would be to let them know you’re not interested up front. The worse thing a man can do is to lead a woman on.”

He nodded. “That sounds fair. But what if they don’t get the hint?”

She glanced up, met his gaze and grinned. “Trust me. You have a look that lets a woman know when you don’t have the time or the inclination. A woman would be crazy to try and take you on. But then…there are a lot of bold, brazen women out there, so beware.”

“But if push comes to shove, you’ll be my backup plan right?”

She didn’t want to think what being his backup plan might entail. Inside the Madaris Building when he had leaned over and kissed her on the forehead, it had taken everything she could muster not to get weak in the knees. She could see women—plenty of them—coming on to him. Yet he hadn’t been interested.

“You haven’t answered me yet.”

She glanced over at him and gave him a rueful smile. He was asking a lot of questions and it seemed she was evading a lot of answers. “Okay, if I must, then yes. I’ll be your backup plan. I guess that’s the price of being your best friend, right?”

He chuckled. “Right.”

After midnight they returned to his house. Reese couldn’t remember when he had enjoyed an evening more. They had eaten at Sisters, a restaurant owned by Netherlander Sinclair, a family friend.

The food had been delicious, the entertainment enjoyable. The only drawback was when he had excused himself to go to the men’s room. He was approached by two women who tried coming on to him. He was sure they had seen him sharing a table with Kenna but still were bold enough, thoughtless enough and disrespectful enough to approach him anyway. Taking Kenna’s advice, he thanked them but told them he wasn’t interested. His bluntness didn’t seem to dissuade them. He couldn’t understand how Blade had dealt with that kind of aggressiveness. But for Blade it wasn’t a big deal. His cousin had enjoyed being Houston’s most sought-after bachelor.

After dinner, Reese and Kenna took in a movie. It was Denzel’s latest and was directed by former actor Sterling Maxwell, a family friend who made a cameo appearance in the movie. By the time the movie ended, it was still relatively early, so they figured they might as well see another movie. Since Kenna hadn’t complained about watching his guy flick, Reese agreed to see a romantic comedy with her. He hated to admit it, but he actually enjoyed it.

“I guess I’ll spend tomorrow unpacking,” Kenna said once they returned to Reese’s place.

He glanced over at her. “You can sleep late if you want to. Do whatever you want at your leisure. In two weeks you’ll be working again.”

He followed her to the kitchen and sat down at the table. She started brewing a pot of coffee and then went to the cookie jar. She was comfortable in his home, just as he was in hers whenever he’d visited her in Austin. Just as he would be once she moved into her place in Houston after it was completed.

For a brief moment he sat watching her. He couldn’t help but wonder how things would be if they were both married to someone else. More than once someone in his family had taken him aside and told him that it was unrealistic for him to assume any woman would understand and accept the relationship he shared with Kenna. He had been quick to tell them he disagreed. Any woman he married would have to accept Kenna as his best friend. He knew Kenna had the same expectation of the men she dated, so he didn’t see a problem.

Alyson had been fine with his friendship with Kenna after he’d explained how things were. At least he thought she had been fine with it. But after eight months, she began questioning why Kenna had a standing invitation to spend the night at his place when she didn’t. Why couldn’t Kenna just get a hotel whenever she came to town? At first he’d ignored her, and thought sooner or later she would wise up and stop asking questions. But she hadn’t, and the more she whined about his relationship with Kenna, the more he began putting distance between them. Finally, he’d gotten fed up and ended things with Alyson.

Reese didn’t know what Alyson had planned for the weekend, but he figured she thought it would be a way to make up for all the mean and hateful things she’d said about Kenna. Unfortunately, he wasn’t in a forgiving mood.

“How many cookies? One or two?”

He grinned. “Why do you bother asking? You know I can’t eat just one.”

She put two cookies on a plate and placed a freshly brewed cup of coffee on the table in front of him. “It’s late.”

His eyes connected with hers. “Am I supposed to have nightmares or something if I eat a chocolate chip cookie past midnight?”

“Maybe,” she said, taking the chair across from him. “You never know.” She took a sip of her coffee and then asked, “What time do you plan on getting up in the morning?”

He shrugged. “I have a meeting at a job site at nine, so I’ll probably leave here around eight to get there. Why?”

“I need to return the moving van and pick up a rental car.”

“It’s already been taken care of.”

“What do you mean it’s been taken care of?”

“While we were in town, Joe took the truck to the rental agency and picked up a car for you. You didn’t see the moving van when we pulled up, did you?”

“No, I just assumed it was parked in the back or something.”

“No, your rental car is parked out back.”

“Thanks. That saves me a lot of time tomorrow.”

He looked over at her. “You don’t have to thank me. You should know by now I got your back.”

She smiled and picked up a cookie. “Yes, I know.”

That was another thing that he appreciated about his friendship with Kenna. She wasn’t hard to please, and over the years she had been nothing but supportive. After he graduated from college, she had supported his decision to go work for Remington Oil for a few years instead of working for Dex right out of college. She’d agreed with his reasoning that since Remington Oil was a bigger company, he could acquire a lot of skill and knowledge that would be valuable when he did make the move to Madaris Explorations. While working at Remington, he’d gotten the chance to travel to a lot of exotic places and meet a lot of interesting people. When he finally did decide to work with Dex’s outfit, his résumé had been impressive and he had a lot more to offer.

He and Kenna sat at his kitchen table talking while they drank coffee and ate cookies. When he finally looked over at the clock, it was almost two in the morning.

“It’s late. You need to go on to bed, Reese. You have to get up early in the morning. Thanks to you, I don’t,” she said.

She was right. Even though he usually didn’t leave the ranch until eight, he made it a point to meet with Joe every morning around six. He would usually be in bed by now but hadn’t been aware of the time, since he had enjoyed sitting and talking to her.

“You’re right. I need to get to bed. You know your way around this place, and if there’s anything you need, just ask Joe.”

“I will.”

With great effort he stood up from his chair. He wasn’t ready to end their conversation. “You’re going to stay up a while longer?”

“Um, not too much longer. I’m not that sleepy, since I took a long nap earlier. I might check out a movie downstairs.”

Like her, he enjoyed movies. When he had the house built, Kenna had convinced him to include a home theater in the basement. The room had been built to her specifications and was perfect for movie and sports enthusiasts. Whenever she would come for the weekend, Kenna ended up spending more time there than any other room in the house.

“Okay. Then I’ll see you when I get home tomorrow.”

“All right. Don’t work too hard.”

He chuckled as he turned to leave the kitchen. “I won’t.”

Suddenly it hit him as he walked toward the stairway. He was feeling something he couldn’t explain, some emotion he was trying hard to make sense of. What the hell was wrong with him? Why did he feel the need to give her a kiss good night? They hugged all the time. Once in a while, he would greet her with a peck on the cheek or the forehead when they hadn’t seen each other for a long while. But usually he wouldn’t just kiss her for no reason.

The only reason he’d kissed her earlier that day was to give his stalker the impression that he was already taken. But for some reason he couldn’t explain, he felt his night wouldn’t be complete unless he tasted the softness of her skin on his lips, pulled her into his arms and held her tight, and smelled her tantalizing fragrance in his nostrils.

A hard knot suddenly settled in his throat. Crap! What on earth could he be thinking? Kenna was his best friend, for crying out loud. His protective side, the one that usually emerged where she was concerned, was somewhere hiding right now. Shaking his head, he quickly walked up the stairs, thinking that once he got to his room he needed to smack his head against the wall a few times.

There had to be a reason his brain was malfunctioning, like it had short-circuited somewhere along the way. Why on earth would he see Kenna through the eyes of a man filled with lust? Granted, it wasn’t the first time he had thought about it. Like last month at Blade’s wedding reception, when he’d been looking at her, listening to his great-grandmother’s comments.

He would get a good night’s sleep and wake up in the morning thinking like the Reese Madaris he knew—the one who would not, under any circumstances, get hot and bothered about his best friend.

He walked into his bedroom and closed the door behind him. He would get a good night’s sleep, and he was convinced come morning he would be thinking straight once again.

Kenna inhaled a slow, deep breath as she watched the couple on the wall-to-wall movie screen and wondered why no man had ever kissed her like that—warm and sloppy wet. Tongues do more than just mingle. They stake claims over and over again in a passionate way. It was the kind of kiss that could steal the breath right out of your lungs, make your head spin a thousand times and make your heart pound hard in your chest. She shook her head and thought it could only happen that way in the movies.

She glanced around the huge, dark room at three in the morning and realized this was just the place she needed to be. She had showered, slipped into an oversize T-shirt and leaned back in one of several comfortable, soft-leather recliners in Reese’s home theater that cushioned your backside like nobody’s business. The huge movie posters on the wall, the popcorn-making machine and the recessed lighting helped create an authentic movie-theater atmosphere.

Kenna found the perfect movie to watch, a romantic thriller. One minute she was aroused by the intimate scenes, and the next she was sitting on the edge of her seat as the couple fought off the bad guys.

The house was quiet since Reese had gone to bed. Although she had enjoyed going out to the movies with him earlier that night, she hadn’t been able to concentrate, since she’d spent most of the time thinking about him. His closeness had an unsettling effect, and she became more convinced that the plan she’d shared with Syneda was the right one. If Reese and Alyson were together, then she wouldn’t be so focused on every move he made. Now that she would be living in Houston, the only way she could continue to look at him as her friend and not the most handsome man she knew was to become involved with someone, and to make sure he became involved with someone, too.

There was no doubt in her mind that Alyson would invite plenty of eligible guys to the party, since the sole purpose was to help her meet people. Indeed, Alyson’s definition of meeting people was for Kenna to meet other guys so that she wouldn’t be around Reese so much.

Chapter 7

“So how are things going with you and your house guest?”

Reese switched his mobile phone from one ear to the other as he opened the door to get into his truck. He couldn’t help but shake his head. His cousin Blade was convinced that there was more to his relationship with Kenna than just friendship.

“Before I answer your question, how about answering mine? What the hell did you do to the women in this town? I can’t believe how bold they are. Some can’t seem to take no for an answer,” Reese said, recalling the woman who had shown up at the worksite that morning. She was the same woman he’d seen in the elevator yesterday. She was becoming a nuisance, and he’d come straight out and told her so. But his frankness hadn’t seemed to deter her, and he had the feeling he hadn’t seen the last of her. He had gotten hit on by women before, but never in such numbers.

“Probably because I never said no to them,” Blade replied easily. “They understood me and I understood them. Usually all they wanted was a good time.”

Reese frowned. “Then they need to look elsewhere, because I’m not interested.”

“I don’t see why not. You’re not seriously involved with anyone, unless you’re thinking of hooking up with Alyson again.”

Reese shifted in his seat. Kenna had mentioned that same subject a couple of times. And from the way it sounded, she didn’t have a problem with it. She was evidently willing to overlook the fact that the reason he’d split with Alyson in the first place was because of her negativity toward Kenna.

“And if I am?” he decided to ask.

“Then you need to make certain she’s no longer jealous of Kenna. Don’t forget I was there that day when she dropped by your place and I overheard her accusations.”

Reese snorted. Blade hadn’t exactly overheard anything. He had been deliberately eavesdropping and they both knew it. “I can handle Alyson.”

“I hope you can. A woman with a jealous streak can cause more harm than good. Now answer my question. How is Kenna?”

“Kenna is fine.”

A few moments later, after disconnecting his call with Blade, Reese sat quietly without moving in the SUV. If anyone knew how women behaved, it would be Blade. He’d certainly had his share of them. At times his cousin’s condo had seemed to have a revolving door.

His thoughts then shifted to Kenna. She had been asleep when he’d left that morning, but he knew that she’d stayed up late watching a movie. He hadn’t been able to sleep and had heard her tiptoe to her room around four in the morning.

He had lain in bed, pissed at himself because he still hadn’t come up with a reason why he was suddenly beginning to see Kenna in a different way. Hopefully, yesterday was a fluke and things would be back to normal today. The last thing he needed was for Kenna to pick up on anything and have a reason to feel uncomfortable around him.

He nearly jumped when someone tapped on his window. He rolled down the window when he saw it was Dex. “You okay?” Dex asked him.

Reese nodded. “Yeah, I’m fine. Why do you ask?”

“Because you’re just sitting there, staring into space. Aren’t you going to go grab lunch?” Dex said.

“In a minute. I just finished talking to Blade.”

“Oh, what’s he up to? Did he say how he’s adjusting to married life with a baby on the way?” Dex asked, leaning against Reese’s truck.

Reese couldn’t help but smile. He figured Blade was adjusting to marriage like Blade’s twin brother, Slade, and his own brother Luke had. It seemed they all enjoyed being married, and according to Luke, he couldn’t imagine his life without Mac. “He’s adjusting just fine. I just wish all his used-to-be's hadn’t turned their sights on me.”

Dex chuckled. “Hey, I heard about that. Unfortunately, you’ll probably be it until you get married.”

“Married? I don’t even have a steady girlfriend, Dex.”

“Yes. But there are some people in the family who won’t give up on the notion that Kenna is your girl.”

Reese rolled his eyes. “Kenna’s my best friend.”

“So we’ve heard, for a few years now. Look, I have no reason to doubt you and I think everyone else knows she’s your best friend. But I think there’s some speculation about what might be in your future.”

“Because Kenna decided to move to Houston?”

“Yes, that did lift a few eyebrows,” Dex admitted.

“It was a good job opportunity for her.”

“Yes, but another way to look at it is the two of you have become even more inseparable.”

He looked at Dex through the window. “And the problem with that is?”

“The two of you are going to have a hard time finding someone else who’s willing to put up with your friendship with each other. But hey, I support whatever rocks your boat. As far as I’m concerned it’s no one’s business but yours and Kenna’s.”

Reese let out a deep sigh. He agreed with Dex on that point. It was no one else’s business but his and Kenna’s.

“May I help you, ma’am?”

The words, spoken with a slight accent, made Kenna turn around. An easy smile touched her lips when she saw it was Reese's new employee. Tall, lanky and probably in his late thirties, she thought there was an intensity in the darkness of his blue eyes. “No, I’m fine. I thought I’d take Rollins out for a ride,” she said of the horse Joe had saddled for her earlier. “I’m LaKenna James, but everyone calls me Kenna,” she said, extending her hand to him.

“And I’m Clark Lovell. I just started working for Mr. Madaris a couple of days ago.” He paused a second and then asked. “Will you need an escort when you ride out?”

“An escort?” She chuckled. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’m used to the ranch. I’ll be fine.”

“You come here a lot?”

“Um, enough. Reese and I are good friends.” She wondered why she’d said that, then shrugged and figured that since most of the other men were aware that the two of them were friends, she might as well set the record straight with Clark from the start about the nature of her relationship with Reese.

“That’s what I heard—that you and the boss are good friends. Well, I’ll be seeing you. Good day, Miss Kenna.”

“Good day to you, too.” She watched him walk off. Reese had said the new hire didn’t have much to say to anyone, and that he mostly stayed to himself. Well, he’d certainly been talkative with her just now.

She used a stepstool to get in the saddle on Rollins’s back and led him out of the stables. It was a beautiful day, and she figured a horseback ride would do her good since it was something she enjoyed doing. Reese had given her her very first lesson years ago.

When she’d awakened that morning, her brain had felt sluggish from so little sleep, but once she got moving she was fine. She had slept until almost ten before going downstairs to prepare toast and coffee for breakfast. After breakfast, she went back upstairs to unpack the rest of her things. It didn’t take long, since most of her belongings had been organized and labeled.

She had taken a break from unpacking to enjoy lunch with Joe, a widower whose wife had died almost ten years ago. He’d brought her up-to-date on how his married daughters were doing and had proudly showed her recent pictures of his two grandkids.

Joe said Reese usually came home around five o’clock, so she decided to prepare dinner. She had cooked lasagna—one of Reese’s favorites. Luckily, she didn’t have to buy groceries, since all the ingredients she needed had been in the pantry.

As she rode away from the stable, she waved to the men she knew who were out tending the herd. Compared to Whispering Pines, Reese’s uncle Jake Madaris’s spread, Tall Oaks ranch and all the land it encompassed was relatively small. But as Kenna rode farther and farther away from the main house, it didn’t seem so small after all. Every so often she would look up at the trees, remembering when Reese had first brought her to his ranch and how the first thing she’d noticed was the oak trees that were so tall they seemed to touch the sky. She had mentioned it to Reese, which is why he’d named his ranch Tall Oaks.

As she rode, Rollins maintained an easy, comfortable gait, which was probably the reason Reese had picked the horse for her. One day she would convince Reese to let her ride Blue Bay, his personal stallion.

When she’d first met the family she had been amazed that all the Madarises knew how to ride, and that a few of them, like Reese’s brother Luke, were expert horsemen. Luke had been a big rodeo star and still competed from time to time. But since he’d gotten married, he’d devoted most of his time to his rodeo school.

Reese had yet to mention anything about his brother Luke’s rodeo school opening, so she could only assume he was taking Alyson. And when he did get around to mentioning it to her, she would play it cool. She’d let him know that she would be meeting someone there as well—a blind date or someone. He didn’t have to know the entire truth. But in this case, her explanation would have to work.

She checked her watch. By the time she rode back to the stable, Reese would be home or arriving shortly. He had texted her earlier and said he had a surprise for her. She couldn’t wait to see what it was. He knew how much she liked surprises.

The party was in two days, and she had called Reese’s cousin Christy to see if she wanted to go shopping with her. Christy’s husband, Alex, a private investigator, traveled a lot but was available for babysitting duties, so their shopping date tomorrow was all set.

Christy was an award-winning investigative reporter who had cracked an international kidnapping ring that was smuggling runaways out of the country as part of a sex-slave trade. Christy herself had gotten captured during the investigation and Alex had rescued her. It had sounded like an adventure at the time, but now she was certain neither Christy nor Alex had thought so then.

“C’mon boy, let’s go home,” she coaxed Rollins, tightening her hands on the reins to make him turn around and head back. “Let’s go home and see Reese.”

Talking to Joe, Reese heard Rollins before he saw Kenna, and turned to glance toward the open plain. He could make out the horse and rider in the distance. And then when the pair got closer he saw her.

Kenna was riding like the skilled equestrian he, Luke and Chancellor had taught her to be. Sitting straight in the saddle, head held high and looking forward with her hands holding the reins tight, she let the animal know who was in control. Rider and horse were moving together in almost perfect rhythm.

He could still remember that summer right after her grandmother had died. She’d had nowhere else to go, so he had invited her to come home with him and stay at his parents’ house. Having a woman in the house besides his mother had been something he, his father and brothers had to adjust to.

Luckily, Luke was on the rodeo circuit and out of town most of the time. But his younger brother Chancellor—whom everyone called Chance—had been home on leave from army ranger training, and Emerson—who’d been away at college—was also home for the summer. It had been during the couple of weeks around the Fourth of July when the Madaris family held their family reunion. Everyone was home and the place was like a madhouse. But in the end, he’d known that with all the craziness Kenna had enjoyed her visit.

He leaned against a post and stared at her. The last time she’d ridden Rollins her hair had been flying in the wind. This new short haircut would take some getting use to, but he liked it. He especially liked the way it framed her face. She was wearing jeans and a halter top, with big hoop earrings dangling from her ears. He thought she looked hot and it had nothing at all to do with the temperature. The closer she got, he began to recognize the glint of mischief in her eyes. He almost held his breath when she brought the horse to a full stop in front of him.

“Did you intend to run me over?” he asked, smiling, gazing up at her as he helped her off her horse. Boy, did she smell good. She never put on too much perfume. It was always pleasing to his nose, never overpowering.

“Nah, I’m just glad to see you,” she said.

Why did her words send his heart pounding in his chest? And why was her smile nearly stealing his breath? And where in the hell did that heated rush that raced up his spine come from?

“I fixed dinner,” she said excitedly, and he tried not to notice how cute she looked. He swallowed. Was she even wearing a bra? He could swear he saw the outlines of her nipples pressed against her halter top.

Hell! Why was he staring at her chest? And after the mental beat-down he’d given himself today, why was he still looking at her with yearning in his eyes again? What happened to Reese, the man who was nothing more than her best friend?

He cleared his throat. “I heard you prepared dinner. I also heard you made enough to feed just about everyone within miles of here. I’m sure Tanker appreciates getting a night off. You couldn’t wait for Sunday, uh?”

She threw her head back and laughed, and the sound seemed to float in the air on this incredible wave of clouds. It was the same air he was inhaling, and it was causing a shudder to rip through his body.

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