Six years later, his ex is back. And she’s got twin secrets...

What will wealthy private investigator Cole Sullivan say when he discovers the woman he left years ago is the mother of his twins? Before Dani Moore can tell him to stay away, they share a searing kiss instead, confirming their explosive chemistry is far from over. But will Cole’s own life-or-death secret—the one that destroyed their relationship—continue to keep them apart?

KAREN BOOTH is a Midwestern girl transplanted to the South, raised on ’80s music, Judy Blume and the films of John Hughes. She writes sexy big-city love stories. When she takes a break from the art of romance, she teaches her kids about good music, hones her Southern cooking skills or sweet-talks her husband into whipping up a batch of cocktails. Find out more about Karen at www.karenbooth.net.

Also by Karen Booth

The Best Man’s Baby

The Ten-Day Baby Takeover

Snowed in with a Billionaire Pregnant

by the Billionaire

Little Secrets: Holiday Baby Bombshell

Between Marriage and Merger

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Secret Twins for the Texan

Karen Booth

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-1-474-07656-2

SECRET TWINS FOR THE TEXAN

© 2018 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2018

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

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www.millsandboon.co.uk

For my Desire author sisters,

Joanne Rock and Cat Schield.

I couldn’t have written this book without you!

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Dedication

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Thirteen

Extract

Extract

About the Publisher

One

More than anything, Cole Sullivan wanted some dinner. It had been a long day of juggling his two jobs—running the Sullivan Cattle Co., his family’s longhorn ranch, and investigating the disappearance of Jason Phillips, which had recently become a murder case. There were not enough hours in the day to be good at one thing, so Cole felt as though he was half-assing everything, and that was not the way he liked to operate.

But before food, he needed a shower. Hours out on a horse had his back in knots, and just as much time on the phone and the computer doing investigative work had his shoulders feeling even worse. He left behind his filthy ranch clothes and walked across the cool Carrara marble floor in his luxurious master bath. This was one of his favorite places to unwind and enjoy the finer things in life. With a turn of the gleaming chrome handle, a dozen showerheads sprang to life in the generous glass enclosure. He ducked into the hot spray, adjusting a few nozzles to hit his back and shoulders in just the right spots. Drawing in a deep breath, he willed his muscles to do the unthinkable and relax. The stress he was under was not good for him. His doctors would be deeply disappointed to learn how much strain he was putting his body through every day. He was practically tempting death. But it didn’t matter. Worry about his physical state wasn’t going to keep the multimillion dollar family business running, and it wouldn’t avenge the death of an innocent man who’d left behind a seven-year-old daughter.

“Cole? You in there?” Cole’s younger brother, Sam, was yelling out in the hall. This was one of the downsides of having his two brothers living on the family ranch. Separate houses for both Sam and Kane, and even at opposite corners of the sprawling property, but still, very little privacy.

Cole shut off the water and grabbed a thick white towel from the heated chrome bar, another luxury he appreciated greatly on days like today. “Yeah. I’m in here. What’s wrong?”

“Nothing. I just meant to talk to you about something today, but we haven’t had a spare minute.”

And this was my spare minute. “Let me throw some clothes on. Grab a beer or something and I’ll join you in a few.”

“Got it.”

Cole ruffled his hair with the towel, then wrapped it around his waist. Padding into his walk-in closet, he grabbed clean jeans and a plaid shirt, and joined his brother. Sam was out in the kitchen, sitting on one of the eight hand-tooled leather stools at the bar overlooking the center island topped with black Ashford marble. Much like the bathroom, no expense had been spared in the kitchen, with state-of-the-art stainless appliances and—something Cole considered a necessity for his coffee habit—a commercial grade espresso machine.

“What’s up?” Cole headed straight for the subzero refrigerator and pulled out the steak he’d been looking forward to all day. He set it on the counter to let it come to room temperature.

“Dani’s back in town.”

Cole froze for a moment, letting those words sink in. He turned around. “What did you say?”

“Danica? Your ex-girlfriend? She’s back in town. I thought you’d want to know.” Sam threaded his fingers through his thick brown hair, a shade or two darker than Cole’s. His blue eyes were plaintive, as if he expected Cole to accept the truth, regardless of the implications. Five years younger, Sam had a way of just coming out with things. There wasn’t much diplomacy.

“Of course I know who you mean.” Cole strode over to his brother and folded his arms across his chest. “Back or just visiting?” He hadn’t seen Dani in nearly six years. That time had helped dull some of the sting of their breakup, but he lived with the reason for it every day. It was sitting inside his brain, just waiting to kill him.

Sam took a quick swig of his beer. It was the last bottle of Cole’s favorite IPA. He never should’ve been so generous as to offer his brother a drink. “From what I heard, she’s back. She’s working as head chef at the Glass House over at the Bellamy.”

“Not surprising.” By all accounts, Dani had been wildly successful in New York. So much so that Cole was shocked she’d ever return. What job could be so enticing as to make her step off a big stage onto the decidedly smaller one in Royal?

“I just thought you would want to know. In case you want to look her up. Or something.” Sam shrugged. “I don’t know if she’s still single, but you are. And I know one thing for sure—you were a hell of a lot more fun when you were with Dani.”

“Hey. That’s not fair.”

“It’s the truth.”

Cole didn’t bother disguising his grumble. “I know better than to go barking up that particular tree. Dani would rather choke me than talk to me.”

“Can you blame her? You broke her heart, Cole.”

“I had my reasons. You know that better than anyone.”

“And six years later, you’re still alive while the woman you used to be madly in love with has just moved back to town. Maybe I’m nudging you in the right direction.”

Cole shook his head. “I don’t need nudging, but thanks. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“That’s it?” Sam got up from his bar stool and knocked back the rest of his beer, tossing the bottle in the recycling bin.

“The Dani chapter of my life is closed. She moved on and so have I.” That wasn’t entirely true. He still thought about her, more than he would ever admit out loud. Sometimes he even had dreams about their immediate and sizzling connection. Visions of Dani beckoning him to bed, her silky dark hair cascading over his crisp white sheets, still haunted him. Memories of making love with her were unforgettable—her luscious curves fit too perfectly in his hands to ever erase them from his mind. But she wasn’t meant for him, and there was nothing he could do about that.

“You moved on to more work than is reasonable for one person to do.”

“I gotta stay busy, Sam. It’s the only way I know.” Cole didn’t need the money he earned from having two careers. Not by a long shot. But he did need to stay occupied. It was the only thing that kept him sane.

“You don’t think Dani will come looking for you?”

“Are you kidding me? The woman packed up every one of her worldly belongings and moved halfway across the country three days after I broke it off. That’s how far she’s willing to go to get away from me.” Cole’s stomach rumbled. He stalked to the far side of the kitchen and pulled out a cast-iron pan for his steak. “My guess is that Dani will avoid me like the plague while she’s here.”

“You think you know her that well?”

“I do.”

“And you don’t want to reach out to her and tell her what happened?”

“No. I don’t.”

Sam shot Cole that look of pity that he absolutely hated. If he didn’t love his brother so much, he might be tempted to knock that look right off his face. “You are a sad case, Cole Sullivan.”

“That’s life. The sooner you get used to it, the better.”

* * *

Whether she liked it or not—and she didn’t like it at all—Danica Moore could not live in Royal, Texas, and avoid Cole Sullivan forever. She was going to run into him and his handsome face at some point, and it would be ridiculously hard not to slap him. Just imagining the sting of her palm when it struck his chiseled jaw brought a bit of satisfaction, but not enough to undo the pain Cole had caused her. A lifetime of face slaps could not erase that.

Running into Cole’s parents or one of his two brothers, Sam and Kane, was just as likely. The superwealthy Sullivans were as ubiquitous in this town as the sun was fierce in July. Dani was eager to avoid any surprise run-ins—too much dredging up of painful memories. His elitist parents’ persistent disapproval of her. The accident. Nursing Cole back to health. And a rejection that not only knocked her back on her heels, it left her gasping for what had felt like her last breath.

But she was back in Texas, a state that was in her blood, and there was nothing anyone was entitled to say about that. She wanted her twin sons to know the open sky and fresh air she’d lived off as a child. She wanted them to know the only living family she loved, her aunt Dot and her longtime best friend, Megan Phillips. When Megan told her that the executive chef job at the Glass House at Maverick County’s crown jewel, the Bellamy, was available, Dani took her chance to return to Royal. She could keep her career as top-notch chef on track and give her boys a connection to a place she loved deeply. Couldn’t do both of those things in New York. Hence, hello, Texas. Again.

But for as many problems as Royal solved, it left her with one—Cole. He was the ultimate loose end. She was already living on borrowed time. She’d been back in Royal for a few weeks. She’d have to see him eventually, so she decided she would see him on her terms. Tonight. His place. He would get no warning. He didn’t deserve it.

Dani turned in the mirror, sucking in a breath so deep it was as if she believed the air was made of confidence. Her long black hair was perfect—glossy and full. Touchable. Her makeup was on point, as well. The dress was the cherry on top. Cherry red, to be exact, cut to show off her assets and hugging every curve she’d been blessed with.

She’d worked hard to get back her prepregnancy body, and she intended to let Cole get an eyeful before she informed him that she’d returned to Royal for good and he was cordially invited to leave her the hell alone. Break a woman’s heart and you get the cold shoulder. Or in Cole’s case, trample a woman’s heart, destroy her illusions about love and leave her knocked up with twins, and you got a four-alarm fire set on showing you what’s what.

Dani ducked her head into the bedroom her five-year-old twin boys, Cameron and Colin, shared. She adored this room, with its powder blue walls, the bunk beds the boys had always wanted, and plenty of floor space to play with cars and trains. It was everything they couldn’t have in a New York apartment. “Everybody ready for bed?”

Elena, Dani’s faithful nanny, looked up from the book she was reading to the boys. “You look amazing,” Elena said. “You’re going to knock Cole Sullivan dead.”

Dani raised a finger to her lips and shook her head so quickly she nearly rattled her own brain. She wasn’t ready for Cameron and Colin to know Cole’s name. Not yet. They were still so little, so innocent. It wasn’t their fault their daddy couldn’t be counted on.

“Oh, right. Sorry.” Elena’s facial expression said more than her words—she understood how important it was to keep the boys a secret from Cole and vice versa. “Boys, hold on one minute. I need to talk to Mommy.” Elena got up from the floor and tiptoed over to Dani. “You sure you’re not going to tell him?” She didn’t need to add the part about the boys. Dani knew exactly what Elena was asking.

“No way. Not today.” Dani wouldn’t tell Cole anything unless she was completely certain that he wouldn’t reject the boys the way he’d rejected her.

“What are you going to say to him when you run into him later and he sees the boys?”

Dani patted Elena on the shoulder. “That’s the least of my worries. Cole is so self-absorbed, I doubt he’ll bat an eye.”

Elena smiled, even though she appeared unconvinced. “I’m sure you know what you’re doing.” She returned to her spot on the floor to resume story time.

“You boys be good for Elena, okay?” Dani reminded them.

“Where are you going, Mommy?” Cameron asked, ever the chatty and curious one. He looked most like Dani, with dark brown hair and hazel eyes. Colin, her quiet observer, more closely resembled Cole. Lighter hair. Soulful blue eyes.

“I have an old friend I need to go see.”

“Why can’t we go with you?”

“Because this is going to be boring grown-up talk and I know you’ll have much more fun with Elena. Plus, it’s nearly your bedtime. Growing boys need their sleep.” She knelt down onto the carpet and collected her hugs and kisses. “I love you both very much. See you in the morning.”

“Good luck,” Elena mouthed.

Dani marched down the hall, snapped up her car keys and slipped through the kitchen to her three-car garage. She’d had nearly six years to stress and worry about the first time she would see Cole again. If she stopped to think about it for too long, she’d put it off, and she didn’t want to do that. She knew the exact message she wanted to send tonight, which meant leaving the minivan parked right where it was and choosing to climb into her latest purchase, a treat for herself, a silver Porsche convertible.

Dani had always loved cars. She got it from her dad, who had been a police officer. Ten years gone and Dani still missed him like crazy, but zipping around in this little sports car made her feel closer to his memory. He’d taught her to drive stick. He’d taught her to be a great driver. All those years in New York had meant too many taxis and subway rides. Dani liked to think that her new car was a perfect metaphor for her new life. She was in control now. Completely.

She pulled out of the circular flagstone driveway, the engine purring. The Texas ash and bur oak trees dotting the perimeter of her two-acre property were lit up by the landscape lighting below. The night air was warm, but she could tell that fall was on the way. The days were getting shorter and the mornings a tiny bit cooler. As she drove away from her house, Dani still couldn’t believe it was hers—six bedrooms and a nanny suite, tall leaded-glass windows and yellow jessamine vines climbing the trellises next to the arched front door. There was a big pool for the boys out back, and she was having a play structure put in next week. It was perfect, and she’d earned it all on her own.

As she pulled past the guard gate at the entrance to her neighborhood, she couldn’t quite believe that, either. Pine Valley was an ultra-upscale gated golf community, the exact opposite of the neighborhood she’d grown up in. Having had a dad in law enforcement and a mother who struggled to keep a job, Dani grew up modestly. They weren’t poor, but they weren’t well-off by any stretch. Dani still naturally gravitated toward the clearance section in a department store if that was any indication. Even now, when she had money.

The drive out to Cole’s ranch gave Dani the perfect opportunity to rehearse her speech, but every time she started it, she tripped over her words. The trouble was imagining what it was going to be like to finally face him. If he cracked his heartbreaker smile, or looked too closely at her with his piercing blue eyes, she could easily be a goner. If he touched her with his strong hands, she’d melt into a puddle. The love and passion she shared with Cole had once run so deep. Ignoring that would not be easy. Which meant she needed to give him the news in as direct a fashion as possible. “Cole, I’m here to tell you I’m back. And I don’t care if you don’t like it. If you leave me alone, I’ll promise to do the same for you.” That could work. Now she hoped that she could deliver it as smoothly as that.

Dani flipped on her blinker and turned on to the road out to the Sullivan family ranch. Just being on the outer edges of their massive property, miles and miles of some of the most gorgeous ranch land in this part of Texas, made her nervous. It was a big reminder of the deepest divide between her and Cole before he’d dumped her—his family was royalty here, with enough money to never think about it twice.

She came from next to nothing, and Cole’s parents quite frankly had never seen the appeal of Dani. His mother had even once told her that she didn’t think she was good enough for her son. Dani had kept that tidbit to herself, deciding at the time that love would conquer all and she would eventually win them over. That day never came. Cole broke up with her a mere six months later, and the memory of that interlude with his mom became fuel for Dani’s quick exodus from Royal. She knew when she wasn’t wanted and always acted accordingly.

Dani passed the opulent main gates to the Sullivan Cattle Co. property and instead drove around to the smaller access point used by the ranch hands and delivery people. She would’ve preferred to make a grander entrance, but she remembered the code for the side gate, not for the others. That was how far she’d been pulled into Cole’s life, and just how far she’d been flung out. Still, her heart was pounding when she pulled up to the keypad and pressed the square silver buttons. Knowing her luck, Cole had changed the code.

Wouldn’t you know, the iron gate creaked and rolled across the driveway. Dani decided to take this as a final sign. Today was the day she was meant to do this. The sun was still setting as she approached the house, leaving behind gorgeous wisps of red and orange set against that vast black Texas sky. Dani had always loved this house, even if it was a bit over-the-top. There were nearly a dozen peaks in the roofline, too many windows to count, and a wide porch suitable for your fifty closest friends to pull up a rocking chair and sit a spell. It wasn’t even the best view on the property, either. The vista out behind the house was even better—with a sprawling flagstone patio and pool and the perfect sight lines to enjoy the gorgeous pastoral scene.

Dani pulled up in front of the main house and parked. She checked her hair and lipstick, then flipped up the visor. She’d better get going before she chickened out. She marched straight up the porch steps and on to the front door. As nervous as she’d been to punch in the code at the gate, ringing the doorbell felt one hundred times more harrowing. The chime was so loud, she could hear it clearly right through the door. She turned away and stepped to the edge of the porch, surveying the crushed-stone drive that carved its way through the grass for a mile down to the main road. Up here on this hill, tucked away from the rest of the world, she couldn’t deny she was happy to be back in Royal. Even with everything waiting for her on the other side of that front door.

She turned back and took another try at getting someone to answer, this time jabbing the doorbell twice. She stood up on her tiptoes and looked through the glass at the top of the heavy wood door. In that instant, her eyes met Cole’s as he strode through the front hall.

Shoot.

She dropped down to her heels. Her heart was hammering like she’d just run to the house instead of driving. She pressed her hand to her heaving chest and backed up to the middle of the porch to give herself some space. Short and sweet. Keep it simple and get the heck out of Dodge.

She forced a smile as he opened the door but quickly realized just how pointless her preparations in the car had been. She was in no way ready to be in the company of tempting and towering Cole Sullivan. Not his muscular shoulders or broad chest. Not his haywire brown hair, so thick it had no choice but to stand nearly straight. And good God, it was damp. Had he just taken a shower? She was not ready for those ice-blue eyes or his tanned skin or the way his lips were slack and questioning right now. She was not yet ready to handle the way he was blinking at her, in utter shock. How could anyone make confusion so sexy?

“Well, well. If it isn’t Dani Moore. I heard you were back in town.” His voice was all swagger and ego, and that just made her mad. Of course he already knew she was back. How could she have been so stupid to have thought any less of him? Cole stepped over the threshold, leaving him a single stride away.

Instinctively, she took another step back. She could feel exactly how drawn she was to him. Her body wanted nothing more than to press against the hard planes of his body and kiss him. Her brain was well aware of how foolish that idea was, and it was prepared to do anything to protect her. “Yes. I’m back.”

“Six years and you just show up on my front porch?” He shook his head and laughed mockingly.

Dani failed to see what was so damn funny. “Hell, yes, six years and I just show up on your front porch. I was afraid that if I called, you’d lock up the whole ranch so tight no one would ever get in.” She sucked in a deep breath to quiet her thumping heart. She could do this. Even if seeing him had her ready to abandon common sense and fling herself into his arms. No wonder she’d been so hung up on him for years. Seeing Cole Sullivan was like coming home.

“So this is a permanent change?” His thick eyebrows drew together, making it hard to answer in a timely fashion.

“I’m the new executive chef at the Glass House.”

“That’s a pretty fancy gig.” Cole leaned against the door frame, crossing his arms over his broad chest. “Of course it’d have to be to pry you away from the glamour of New York.”

She pursed her lips. How dare he take that tone? “It wasn’t about the glamour. Going to New York was about putting myself on the map in the culinary world. And it was about getting as far away from you as possible.”

He smiled wide, and damn if it didn’t make the desire to kiss him that much stronger. “Gotta love that trademark honesty of yours. It’s refreshing.”

“I’m not here to entertain you. I don’t want things to be awkward or uncomfortable if we run into each other, and you know how this town is. We’ll definitely cross paths. I just don’t want any trouble.”

“If you don’t want things to be awkward, come and have a drink.” He gave a nod inside.

“This isn’t social hour, Cole. This was supposed to be a quick visit.”

He cocked an arrogant eyebrow at her. “If it’s not social, why are you wearing a dress designed for stopping traffic?” He looked her up and down, his determined gaze making it feel as though she was wearing nothing at all. “Not that I’m complaining. I’ve always loved this particular view, and I have to say, it’s improved with time.”

Heat bloomed in her chest and ran the length of her body. Damn the more girlish parts of her. Why did they have to be so thrilled by the revelation that he thought she looked good? Oh, right, because that had been part of her plan. She’d wanted to mow him over with her assets. Well, good. She’d accomplished that much. “This old thing? I’m still unpacking, and it was the first thing hanging in my closet.”

The skepticism was all over his face. “Uh-huh. Well, it seems a shame to put that old thing to waste. Come in and have a glass of scotch”

“No, thank you.”

“I have a bottle of twelve-year Johnnie Walker Black from the ’70s. My dad had it in his cellar. I know you love your scotch.”

Shoot. She did love scotch, and being around Cole had her needing to soothe her ragged nerves. Plus that bottle of water she drank in the car on the way over? It had been a bad idea. She needed to use the ladies’ room, pronto. Even so, it didn’t matter. This was Cole Sullivan. He hadn’t just trampled her heart, he’d driven over it with his big old pickup. She would never forgive him for that.

Anger rose in her like floodwaters. “I told you, no. Don’t think that you can just sweet-talk me and I’ll be nice to you.” She whipped around so fast her skirt twirled. That hadn’t been her aim, but it did make for good drama. “See ya around, Cole.” She waved, not looking at him, thundering down the stairs.

“Dani. Come back. Stop being ridiculous.”

She stopped dead in her tracks. “Ridiculous? What exactly about this is ridiculous? You treated me like crap, Cole. I nursed you back to health after your accident and how did you reward my undying devotion? You broke up with me.” With every word out of her mouth, she was only getting more and more infuriated. She planted a finger dead in the center of his chest. “You are a jerk. And I don’t have drinks with jerks. End of story.”

She reached for her car door handle, but the next thing she knew, Cole had his hand on her arm. His touch was tentative, but it was enough to make her shudder. Her heart fluttered. White hot desire coursed through her veins. He sent a tidal wave of recognition through her, something for which she’d been wholly unprepared.

Two

Cole acted out of pure instinct, tearing down his driveway after Dani. Damn, the woman could run in heels. Luckily, his long legs carried him fast enough to give him an edge and he caught her, wrapping his hand around her arm before she could open the car.

The instant he touched her, he knew he’d made a colossal mistake. He knew it all the way down to the soles of his feet. There was too much fire between them. Always had been and probably always would be. Sure, that had been years ago, and a lot had changed since then, but he should have known better. Still, he couldn’t let her run off like this.

“Dani, don’t. Please don’t leave. It’s okay to still be mad.”

She whipped around, sending a trail of her sweet perfume straight to his nose. How could he have forgotten how beautiful she was? Glossy black hair, fiery brown eyes and red lips that could make a man forget what exactly he’d come for. “I do not need your permission to be mad. I’ll be mad for the rest of my life if I feel like it.”

One thing was for sure—Cole was sorely out of practice in the art of taming Dani. “I know. I’m sorry. You’re right.”

She tried to wrestle her arm from his grip, but that bit of friction between them—warm skin against warm skin—sent a flood of memories through his brain. Dani had always done this to him. She’d always brought everything back to life. He’d just forgotten how good it felt to have a taste of it.

“Let me go.”

He did as she requested, but she didn’t move. She didn’t immediately reach for the handle on the car door, and Cole decided to take that as a good sign. She wasn’t running again. Not yet, at least. “Please come in and have one drink. I want to hear about New York. I want to know what’s going on in your life.”

“Maybe I don’t feel like telling you.”

“Good God, you are stubborn.” He shook his head. “Probably why I could never quite get you out of my system.”

“Yeah, right.”

“I’m dead serious. I wasn’t kidding about the scotch, either.”

She looked away, and the moonlight caught her profile—an adorable nose that turned up slightly at the end, dark hair blowing in the breeze across her creamy skin. For what felt like the millionth time, he wished he hadn’t had to push her away nearly six years ago, but he’d had no choice. Life and death had been hanging in the balance. Her whole future opened wide, and his narrowed to a narrow and finite point.

“I do need to use the restroom,” she muttered, seeming embarrassed.

“Perfect. Come on in.”

He tentatively placed his hand at the small of her back to usher her up the driveway, but she was walking a pace faster. “I wasn’t kidding. I drank an entire bottle of water on the way over here.”

Cole laughed and jogged ahead, taking the porch steps in two long strides and opening the door for her. “You know where it is.”

She cocked an eyebrow at him. “I do.”

He watched her as she walked down the hall, wondering once again if he was seeing things. Dani was in his house. Wearing a dress that hugged every glorious inch of her, especially his favorite parts—her hips, her butt, her breasts. Basically, everything that was lush and round and good for sinking his fingers into. When Sam had told him a half hour ago that she was back in town, he certainly hadn’t thought she’d turn up on his front porch. It was like fate was delivering him a gift he had no idea what to do with.

There was no telling how long Dani or her lovely dress were going to stick around. His gut told him he’d better make this good. He hustled into his grand but comfortable living room, with high wood-beamed ceilings and seating for at least twenty people for the rare times when he decided to entertain. He turned off the flat-screen TV above the stacked stone fireplace and switched on an antique bronze craftsman lamp to cast a warm glow, making the room feel cozier. More intimate. He put on some soft music and lit a candle. Hopefully Dani wouldn’t use that open flame to set his house on fire. He was straightening the throw pillows on one of the leather sofas when she appeared.

“Company coming over?”

“What kind of gentleman would I be if I didn’t make the place presentable?”

“I don’t know. What kind of gentleman would you be?”

The question was so heavy with innuendo it could’ve broken a bone if dropped on his foot. “On the rocks, right?”

“Good memory.” She breezed past him and took a seat.

“I only poured you one of these at least a hundred times.”

“Probably more like twice that.”

“Sometimes we drank beer. Or wine. There was a lot of wine.” The undercurrent was that there had been an awful lot of good times between them. Fun times. Celebratory, joyous times. Birthdays. A few anniversaries, even.

There was a lot of history between them, and he knew he had no business dredging it up. Not tonight. Possibly not ever. Especially not about the reasons he’d had to break up with her. Still, she’d always been his biggest weakness. A drink for old times’ sake wouldn’t hurt.

He walked over and handed her the drink. She took it from him, their fingertips brushing just enough to send a jolt of electricity zipping up along his arm. She was as sexy as ever, even when she was mad. Maybe especially when she was mad.

“Tell me about New York.” He took the seat right next to her on the couch. Some habits were impossible to break. Sitting with her like this made him want to put his arm around her, pull her close and kiss her. He needed to feel her soft lips against his and taste everything he’d missed over their years apart. The realization made it nearly impossible to sit still, let alone seem relaxed.

She sat a little straighter. “It was great. I did well for myself. Well enough to buy a house out in Pine Valley.”

“Did you take up golf? That’s a neighborhood for hitting the links or raising a family. That doesn’t really seem like your speed.” Maybe she’d changed more than he’d bargained on.

“It’s beautiful out there, and it’s a gated community. I like feeling safe. Is there anything wrong with that?”

He shook his head. “Nope. Nothing at all.” He took a long sip of his drink. “I guess your success explains the zippy little death trap you pulled up in.”

“A woman is entitled to buy a sports car.”

“Absolutely. Just be careful. One run-in with a semi and you’ll end up in traction. Or worse.”

“You’re one to be giving lectures on driving. I seem to remember you wrapping your squad car around a tree and nearly killing yourself.” A dark shadow fell across her face as she turned to look at him. “That’s what started the trouble between us, remember?”

He’d walked right into that one. He needed to avoid subjects that could eventually lead to the stupid things he’d done. “I’m not talking about me. And you don’t see me driving around in a roller skate.”

“It’s a Porsche. And it’s fun to drive. You should try it some time.” She shot him an all-knowing look that made his pants feel a little too tight. “So, she probably shouldn’t have said anything, but Megan told me that you’re working on the investigation into her brother’s murder.”

He nodded. “You know, Megan’s been through the wringer. It’s hard for me to blame your best friend for wanting to tell you everything. But yes, we are keeping a very tight lid on things until we can catch Rich.”

“So you think he’s still here in Royal? Hiding out? Lurking in the shadows?”

“I do. There’s a lot of money that’s gone unaccounted for and we know he’s not about to walk away from that. The man has no fear. He’s proven that he will do anything.”

“I still can’t believe he stole Will’s identity, embezzled all of that money, and then went and married Megan.” She shuddered. “It’s so scary. I can’t imagine what she’s going through. I just wish there was something I could do to make it better.”

“That’s my job. But don’t worry. We will catch him.”

“Good.” She knocked back the rest of her drink and gently set the glass on the table.

“One more?”

“I shouldn’t.” She looked right at him, her tempting lips within striking distance. He couldn’t think of a time he’d wanted to kiss her more, not even the very first time he’d done it, when he was a young Texas Ranger and she was a brand-new chef. Back when their whole lives were stretching out before them and the future seemed ripe with possibilities. “But it’s just too delicious to say no.”

“That’s my girl.” He berated himself as soon as the words came out of his mouth. That’s what the old Cole would’ve said. The Cole who’d broken her heart to save her. He got up from the couch and poured them both another drink before sitting back down. Hopefully she hadn’t noticed what he’d said.

“It’s been a long time since you called me that.”

“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have said it.”

She took the glass when he offered it to her. “It’s okay. It was actually sort of nice to hear.” She laughed quietly. “I don’t know exactly how pathetic that sounded, but I’m guessing pretty darn pathetic. That’s what happens when you go for years being single. You end up a total sucker for sweet things guys say.”

His ears perked up at that. Not only was she still single, she’d been that way for a while. He knew he shouldn’t take any encouragement, but now that he had a drink under his belt and she was softening her hard exterior, it was impossible not to want her and feel as though he had a chance. “Apparently the men of New York don’t know a good thing when they see it.”

Her eyes raked over his face. That hot, seductive look made him want to dig his hands into her hair and taste her lips. He wanted to unzip that dress, touch every inch of her silky skin, and get lost in her for hours. “A few have a clue. They just don’t manage to have a clue for very long. That’s the problem.”

“Anybody serious?”

She arched an elegant brow. “You really want to know?”

“I really want to know.” Except he didn’t. The thought of her with another guy made him want to put his fist through a wall, even when he’d willingly given her up.

She took another sip of the amber scotch and cradled the glass in her hand. “One guy lasted a year. Another chef. Celebrity chef, actually. I doubt you watch the Food Network, but he has a bunch of shows. Taylor Blake.”

Cole didn’t watch the Food Network, but he’d have to be living under a rock to not know Mr. Blake. He was a big figure in the world of barbecue championships, handsome as a male model and knew his way around the kitchen. He also happened to look quite a lot like Cole. Apparently Dani had a type. “I know exactly who that is.”

“Oh. Well, it was a long time ago now. He came close to popping the question, I think, but it didn’t happen. Too many career aspirations between the two of us.”

Dani had always had big dreams. She’d come from very little and had always been determined that wouldn’t define her. Her lofty goals were part of what had made Cole end things with her, even though they were also much of what had attracted him to her. He couldn’t guarantee her he’d be around long enough, and he never wanted to hold her back. “I’d say I’m sorry, but I’m not really.”

“I’m not sure what that means.”

“It means I’m not sorry you’re single.” The words escaped his mouth before he realized what he was saying. He needed to ride the brakes right now, not rev the engine, even if Dani did make his heart pound in his chest and everything below his waist flicker back to life. He was in the middle of a case, back to putting himself in danger. She’d hated it when he was a Texas Ranger, running around and catching criminals. Now he was back at it as a private investigator.

But that was part of who he was—he’d always had a strong sense of right and wrong and a fierce desire to set things straight. This thirst for justice was fed when Cole was twelve and his parents had some trouble with several ranch hands that were not only stealing from them, they were committing robberies in Royal. The Texas Rangers had solved the case and recovered his parents’ losses. In their cowboy hats and holsters, Cole had thought the Rangers were everything he wanted to be—strong, resourceful, and dedicated to seeing that justice was served.

“You’re drunk,” she said.

“No. I’m not.”

She laughed that breathy Dani laugh. “I sometimes think you like to argue as much as I do.” She angled herself toward him and flashed her big brown eyes, biting her lower lip. It felt like an invitation, but he wanted a little more. One more sign. “I sort of missed it. I have yet to meet another man who will stand up to me.”

“Is that what you want? Is that what you need?” His pulse was thundering in his ears as he waited to hear her response. He was really hoping for I need you. Right now. Right here.

“Now where’s the fun in telling you what I need, mister? I’d rather keep you guessing. I think I’ve earned the right to do that.”

But he did know what she needed, and what she wanted, at least when it came to the physical. That part had never been a problem between them. In fact, it had always been perfect. Consequences be damned, he decided to dip his toes in this hot water, even if he might end up getting scalded. He lowered his head, eyes open to watch for punches launched, but all Dani did was shake her head.

“You’re going to kiss me?”

“Right now.” He moved a little closer.

“Right here?”

“Unless you tell me to stop.” He was inches away, so close that he felt her warm breath on his lips. Her beautiful skin was calling to him, begging for his touch.

“I suppose one time couldn’t hurt.”

Dani sealed the deal before he could do it. Cole clamped his eyes shut and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. It only took a second until she was bending into him, angling her neck for a deeper kiss. Her lips parted and her tongue sought his. That was all the encouragement he needed. He leaned back on the couch, pulling her with him, until her beautiful body was stretched out over the length of his.

She pulled away for an instant, breathless. “What are we doing?”

“I think you know exactly what we’re doing.” He hoped like hell she wasn’t about to change her mind. He never knew with Dani. He kissed her neck, which was a bit of a low blow. He knew exactly how much she loved it.

Dani groaned her approval. “If this happens, it doesn’t mean anything. Not a damn thing, okay?”

Maybe Dani really was a gift delivered by the universe. If he could have her one more time and go back to his miserable life later, it would be the best of both worlds. For both of them.

“I promise. This doesn’t mean a thing.”

* * *

The heat from Cole’s body was making it impossible to think straight, but Dani did manage one salient thought: if she was going to have a meaningless hookup with some guy, Cole was her best choice. There was nothing to lose. Everything had already been lost.

He dug his fingers into her hair, deepening their kiss. Of course she was going to respond in kind. He tasted of her favorite scotch. She’d forgotten how good he was with his tongue. He was bringing to life parts of her that had practically closed up shop. He drew a line down her spine but kept going, tugging up the hem of her dress, dragging his knuckles along the backs of her thighs. The air was cool against her skin when he had the fabric up around her waist, but then his fingers slipped into the back of her panties and the heat spiked again.

He was hard between her legs. Even through his jeans she could feel how badly he wanted her. It felt like some small measure of revenge to grind against him, knowing she was frustrating him. Unfortunately, her own dissatisfaction was gaining speed.

Cole shifted up onto his elbows, and Dani reared back her head.

“Let’s sit up,” he said, his voice a sexy rumble. “I want to get to the rest of you.”

“Of course.” She hopped up and Cole straightened to sitting.

He curled his finger. “Come here.” His voice was low and rough.

It sent a thrill right through her, but she shook her head. “Not yet.”

“Don’t tease me, Dani. You’ll kill me.”

“As appealing as you make that sound, I want what I can get out of this, too.” She planted her hands on his thighs, leaning forward and letting him get an eyeful of her cleavage. Then she lowered herself to her knees.

Cole untucked his soft, plaid shirt and tore it open. Thank goodness for pearl buttons. Dani sucked in a gasp when he rolled himself out of the sleeves. How she’d missed his broad chest and the patch of sandy-brown hair. She spread her hands across his firm pecs, loving the way his chest rose beneath her palms. She trailed a finger down his centerline, stopping to trace the contours of his abs. A woman could get lost following those lines. Dani had, many, many times.

When she reached his belt buckle, the metal clattered. She unbuttoned his jeans and drew down the zipper. Cole raised his hips and let her tug his pants down his legs. She placed her elbows on his thighs again, leaning forward and touching him through the fabric of his black boxer briefs. He closed his eyes halfway and dropped his chin to his chest, a deep groan escaping his throat. She loved feeling how hard he was from her touch. She loved knowing that she could still do this to him after all this time.

She pulled the waistband down and took him in her hand, lowering her head and drawing only the tip into her mouth. She stroked and sucked, swirling her tongue round and round. He dug the fingers of both hands into her hair, curling them into her head, raking them through her tresses. She wasn’t about to let him reach his peak this way. She just wanted a reminder that she could drive him crazy if she wanted to.

She gently released the suction of her lips. His eyes opened only partway as he looked at her. “You are wearing entirely too many clothes.”

She stood and Cole scooted to the front edge of the couch, bracketing her legs with his knees. She looked down at him, watching as he untied the bow at the side of her wrap dress. The reaction he had when the dress fell open was so good she almost wished she had a camera to capture the moment. The lust in his eyes? The craving? It was off the charts. The bra and panties she’d opted for, made of the finest French lace, were clearly adding to the appeal. Dani loosened the other tie and let the dress fall to the floor.

Cole rose from the couch and stepped out of his boxers. He was towering over her, even when she was still wearing heels. All that hard manly muscle pressed against her was enough to send her over the edge. She’d forgotten just how easy it was to want Cole Sullivan.

He wasted no time reaching around and unhooking her bra and dragging it down her shoulders. He gripped her rib cage with both of his hands and rubbed her nipples with his thumbs, sending a ribbon of pleasure shooting down her torso and into her thighs. He lowered his head and drew one firm bud into his mouth, swirling his tongue in circles. She watched him as he nearly sent her over the edge with the simplest touch.

She placed her hands on his waist and felt the raised skin of the scar along his right flank. He jumped a bit and so did she. They looked at each other and she saw it in his eyes—an unspoken acknowledgment of their traumatic past. The accident. The breakup. Everything that ushered in the last five years, one of the most difficult periods of her life, despite the beauty of becoming a mother. This was a mistake. She could not let Cole in. Not like this.

She pushed away from his chest and scrambled around, plucking her clothes from the floor as humiliation washed over her.

“What are you doing? Do you have some place you need to be?” he asked gruffly.

“This is a mistake, Cole. A huge, massive mistake.”

“You need to work on your pillow talk.” He was just standing in front of the couch—completely naked, no less.

She was not going to let visions of his physique get in the way of her quick escape. She grabbed her fancy undergarments from the floor. What had she been thinking putting these on when she got dressed? She knew where she was going. Cole didn’t deserve French lace. He didn’t deserve to see her in a potato sack, as far as she was concerned. She gave him everything once—her heart, body, and devotion. He threw it all away.

A bundle of clothes in her arms, she tore off down the hall to the powder room she’d used when she first arrived. She couldn’t even look at her own reflection in the mirror. She was too embarrassed and furious with herself. She’d probably spit right into the glass. She sat down on the toilet to pee and stepped into her panties. So much for telling Cole to stay away—she’d swung in the opposite direction, let him take off her clothes and climbed right onto his lap. How dumb could she possibly be?

A knock came at the door. “Dani. Come on. Stop being so dramatic.”

Speaking of dumb, what was Cole thinking, accusing her of being dramatic? “Go away. Go upstairs to your room or something. I don’t want to see you again.” She flushed the toilet to drown out anything he might say in response. Unfortunately it didn’t work.

“I want to make love to you, Dani.” His voice was louder now, like his forehead was pressed against the door.

“No. You want sex. It was supposed to be a meaningless hookup. Remember? You promised me this would mean nothing.” Now that her bra was hooked, she made quick work of wrapping herself up in that stupid, stupid dress. She was going to have to throw it away or drop it at the dry cleaner’s and never pick it up.

“Come on. Are you just going to leave me like this?”

Dani grumbled and made a cursory glance in the mirror, just to remove the smudges of mascara from beneath her eyes. She didn’t want him to see her looking like a raccoon. “I’m coming out.”

“Good.”

She stormed right past him, down the hall and back into the living room to locate her shoes. “This was wrong...coming here was a huge mistake. I don’t ever want to see you again. I don’t want to talk to you. Nothing.” She worked her feet into her pumps and made the mistake of looking at him. He was standing there in nothing more than his boxers, still sporting the erection that she was not going to make go away.

He flinched at her words, but they were the only thing that made sense to her right now. “That’s a tall order. You just moved back to town. We’re bound to run into each other.”

Of course that had been exactly Dani’s thinking when she’d come over here. Now it didn’t seem like such a convenient argument. “You do your Cole Sullivan things, running around catching bad guys and raising cattle with your big perfect family, and I’ll do my thing. Hopefully we won’t see each other at all.”

She marched to the front door and breezed right through. She would’ve closed it right behind her if Cole hadn’t stuck his leg in there and muscled it open. Down the driveway she raced, but she could sense Cole behind her. Get to the car. Just get to the car.

She opened the door and climbed into the driver’s seat, but this was one hell of a time to have long legs and be driving a convertible. She had to contort her body to get into it.

“Dani, stop.”

“Cole, have you lost your mind? You’re out here in your underwear.”

“Do you honestly think I care about that right now? You come to my house all hellfire and brimstone, and I kiss you and you melt right into my arms. What is going on? I thought this could just be two friends having fun. Getting reacquainted. Apparently not.”

“You act like you did nothing wrong, Cole. You broke up with me, remember?”

“You don’t know everything.”

She turned the key and revved her engine. “I know enough. Good night, Cole.” The car jerked ahead a few feet when she let go of the clutch, but then it stalled out. “Dammit,” she mumbled under her breath. So much for her dramatic exit.

“Guess I’ll see you around town.”

“I hope not.” She turned the key and the engine purred back to life.

“It’s a small town, Dani. You can’t hide from me forever.”

His voice faded into the black night as Dani sped away, cursing herself for coming out here. Kissing Cole Sullivan and letting him take off her clothes had been a mistake. Granted, loving him had been a bigger one. With two little boys at home relying on her to have her act together and give them a stable life, it was a mistake she couldn’t afford to repeat.

Three

Cole loved downtown Royal, but especially when there was a party. The Labor Day celebration, with its food vendors, hay rides and carnival games, was a favorite. It heralded the end of the brutal Texas summer and the start of what he hoped would be a beautiful fall. But first, he and the team had to track down Rich. They had to make him pay for his litany of crimes—Jason’s murder, stealing Will’s identity, and siphoning off millions of dollars from Will’s company and the Texas Cattleman’s Club. If he was sent away for all of that, everything would be right with Cole’s world. Well, almost everything. Dani coming back into town had turned a few things upside down, namely his ability to think about anything else.

He strolled through the main block, which had been closed off to traffic. He was willing to admit to himself that he was hoping to run into Dani; he just wasn’t prepared to say it out loud. She’d consumed his thoughts since the other night, and not just because clothes had come off and she’d left him as sexually frustrated as he’d ever been. Six years had numbed him to the memory of what Dani did to him. She made him feel alive. She might have a terrible attitude 50 percent of the time, but he knew that wasn’t what was in her heart. Her exterior was nut-hard, but on the inside, Dani Moore was as soft and tender as could be.

He’d seen that caring side after his accident six years ago, when he was still a Texas Ranger. He’d narrowly survived colliding with a guardrail during a high-speed pursuit. Cole had been carried off in a stretcher with broken bones, lacerations and contusions. After his more urgent injuries had been tended to and he was finally stable, the doctors ordered an MRI. That was when they’d discovered the tumor, an inoperable glioma, square in the middle of his brain.

Luckily, Cole had sent Dani home to get some sleep, so only his brother Sam had been there when he got the news. She wasn’t there to hear the words no one ever wanted to hear, especially not from an oncologist. They couldn’t remove it. Radiation was unlikely to make a difference. It was likely going to be the thing that killed him, but there was no way to know how long he had. Could be days, weeks, months, years or decades. Plenty of people walked around not even knowing they had one, the doctor had said, which had been of zero comfort to Cole.

Cole swore Sam to secrecy, although Sam had begged him to talk to Dani about it. He knew that Cole had been getting ready to ask Dani to marry him. He’d bought a ring. He’d been about to ask her to build a future with him.

Cole wouldn’t hear any of it. That doctor had signed his death warrant. He’d already seen what worry did to Dani. Hell, every time he went out on a call or worked on an investigation, she was a ball of stress. She always hugged him and kissed him fiercely when he made it home safe. Cole understood why. Dani’s dad had been in law enforcement and he’d died in the line of duty. She’d had to watch the way her mother fell apart afterward, drinking and aiming all kinds of verbal abuse at Dani. Emancipated at seventeen, Dani eventually ended up with her aunt Dot in Royal. Dani’s toughness came from loss. Cole would not let that happen again.

So he’d done the only thing he could think to do. As soon as he was back at home, he’d broken it off. Oh, the anger and fury unleashed that day was brutal. But Cole had taken it. Yes, she’d spent countless hours with him in the hospital, and yes, they’d been together for three years. He’d had to lie and tell her that none of that mattered anymore. He didn’t love her. Those were the words that had been the hardest to say.

Of course, Dani had refused to believe him. She’d flat out called him a liar. She’d thrown things at the wall—pillows and books and magazines. So he’d had to double down on his fabrication and tell her there was another woman. That was the beginning of the end. She’d become impossibly quiet. Tears rolled down her cheeks, and she’d called him a cheating bastard. He hated to hurt her that way, but it was the only way to cut things off for good.

Three days later, Dani left for New York. By all accounts from the other night, she’d done well for herself. His plan had worked perfectly. Except he was still waiting for the day this stupid tumor might take his life. And he’d never bargained on Dani ever returning to Royal.

The late-morning sun beat down on Cole’s back as he continued his survey of town for Dani. When he rounded the corner near Miss Mac’s Pie Shack, he nearly ran square into Vaughn McCoy and Abigail Stewart. They both were grinning ear to ear, Vaughn’s service dog, Ruby, between them.

“How are you two doing today?” Cole asked.

Abigail smiled even wider, a feat Cole did not think was possible. She pulled Vaughn closer and gazed up into his face. “We’re perfect. Absolutely perfect.”

Vaughn took Abigail’s left hand and presented it to Cole. “Newlyweds, to be exact.” The ring sparkled in the sun as she wagged her fingers.

“Oh, wow. Congratulations! When did this happen?”

“Just now,” Abigail said. “We got Judge Miller to perform the ceremony in our backyard.” She smoothed her hand over her protruding belly. “We wanted to get it done before this little one decides to make his or her presence known.”

Cole wasn’t the envious type, but he could feel the jealousy rising up inside him. Vaughn and Abigail had the life he’d always wanted, the one he’d once thought was a done deal for Dani and him. Why did some people get their happy ending while others didn’t? He didn’t know the answer.

He shook Vaughn’s hand. “Well done. I’m very happy for you both.”

“When are you going to get around to settling down? Or are the Sullivan boys all committed to being bachelors for life?” Abigail asked.

It would’ve taken Cole an hour to give the real answer. Instead, he laughed. “If you ask my mother, we’re all running on borrowed time. She wants grandchildren yesterday.”

“Good to see you, Cole. I’d better get my bride down to the diner. She’s already reminded me a dozen times how hungry she is,” Vaughn said.

Abigail shrugged adorably. “I’m dying for pancakes and bacon.”

Cole clapped Vaughn on the shoulder. “You heard her. Get to it.”

Just as the happy couple walked away, Cole spotted Dani across the street. Unless his eyes were playing tricks on him, she was with two small boys. The street was packed now, and he had to wind his way through the crowd, past folks saying hello or wanting to talk to him.

I’m so sorry. I’m supposed to be meeting someone.

Yeah, hi. I’ll see you later?

Dani and the two boys were turning and walking away from him. He had to hurry. Or maybe just lunge for Dani. Without thinking, he reached past several people and grabbed her arm. The crowd parted and she whirled around.

“Cole? What in the world?” She tore off her sunglasses and nearly pierced his very being with her blazing brown eyes.

His heart was about to pound its way out of his chest. “I’m sorry. I just...” You just what? Saw her and thought you’d wrap your hand around her? “I wanted to say hello.”

“Oh, well, hi.” Dani looked down at the two boys who were right at her hips. One was clutching the skirt of her light blue sundress, the other holding on to her hand.

“Can we talk? Over here?” With a nod, he suggested a bench in front of the Royal Diner.

She pursed her lips tightly. “We said all we needed to say the other night.”

He should’ve known he’d have to put some elbow grease into this. “It’s a hot day. Probably not a bad idea to sit and take a break.”

“I’m fine. Really.”

He pointed down at one of the two boys. “I think he could use some time out of the sun. His cheeks are pretty pink.”

Horror crossed Dani’s face and she leaned down to check on the boy. “Are you okay, honey?”

He nodded. “Just hot. And thirsty.”

“Fine, Cole. But just for a minute.” She took the boys’ hands and led them over to the bench. They both climbed up and sat, swinging their legs. Dani pulled a bottle of water from her bag and offered it to them.

“Who’s this you have with you?” Cole asked.

She hesitated for a moment. “These are my sons. Cameron and Colin.”

Her what? Cole nearly had to pick his jaw up off the sidewalk He was as confused as could be right now. Dani had painted herself as a single woman without a care in the world aside from her career. One would have thought the topic of having two children might have come up while they’d talked the other night. Was this why she’d glossed over part of her time in New York? And if so, what was she hiding? He crouched down in front of the boys, knowing he had to play it cool. Dani had little patience for him right now. “Hi, guys. I’m Cole. Now which one of you is Cameron and which one is Colin?”

The boy in the red-and-white-striped shirt thrust his hand up into the air. “I’m Cameron.”

“So you must be Colin.”

In a blue-and-white-striped shirt, Colin seemed more reticent than his brother. He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

Cole peered up at Dani, who was beaming at the boys. “I guess there were a few things we didn’t have a chance to talk about the other night.”

She cleared her throat. “A few things.”

Cole straightened to his full height. Dani was flat-out stunning today, but he couldn’t allow himself to be distracted by the way she looked in that sundress with the skinny straps, all glowing skin and luscious lips. “How old are the boys?”

She took a step away from her sons. “Uh. Four. About to turn five.”

Cole turned and looked at them again, doing the math in his head. Like most brothers, they were horsing around, poking and prodding each other. Cole was no expert, but they looked ready to go to school. He wasn’t buying the idea that they were four, but he couldn’t ask them in front of their mom. “You putting them in kindergarten this year?”

“No. One more year of preschool. They’re not quite ready yet.”

“I see.” He took another glance at them. Their coloring was just like his own. Hair color? Remarkably similar. It was even thick like his, not fine like most young children’s. “Your relationship with Taylor Blake must’ve been a lot more serious than you let on.”

“I don’t really want to talk about it, Cole.”

If he wasn’t standing in the middle of a packed sidewalk, Cole would ask Dani all sorts of questions. He might even ask for a paternity test. But he had to be glad that she wasn’t kicking him in the shins right now or calling him names. After the other night, he did not think a calm conversation with Dani would be possible, but here they were. He was prepared to do anything to preserve the peace.

But were these boys his? Was it possible that Dani had been pregnant when she packed up and left for New York? They’d had no contact whatsoever, except for a letter Dani sent six months after she left, asking if he wanted to talk. Unable to open that door and wanting to protect her, he hadn’t responded.

He looked at the boys again. There was a feeling deep in his gut that was saying they could be his. Even if that might not be the case, he had to have the chance to get to know them better. They were one half a woman he still cared for very much.

He crouched down one more time. “Do you boys like horses?”

Colin, the quieter of the two, jumped right off the bench, nearly knocking Cole back onto his butt. “I do.”

Cameron nodded eagerly. “I do, too. Do you have horses?”

“I do. I have longhorns, too. I even have chickens and goats.”

“Do you have a real farm, Mr. Cole?” Cameron asked. It was incredibly adorable how polite these two boys were. Dani had done a good job.

“It’s a ranch. A big one. Would you like to come see it some time? Maybe tomorrow?”

Dani stepped forward and placed her hand on Cole’s shoulder, digging her fingertips into his skin. If she thought it would dissuade him, she was sorely mistaken. Her touch made his pulse quicken and filled his head with ideas of taking off the dress she was wearing today. “Surely you’re busy, Mr. Cole.”

He shook his head. “Nope. Not at all. I always have time for some aspiring young ranchers.”

“Can we, Mommy? Can we?” Colin was jumping up and down, tugging on Dani’s hand.

Cameron got off the bench and joined in. “We never got to see horses in New York.”

“We did when we went to Central Park,” Dani countered. She was so good at digging in her heels.

“That’s not the same. We couldn’t ride those horses.” Cameron turned to Cole. “Can we ride your horses?”

“A few of them you can.” Cole had to disguise his smile. The boys were doing his arguing for him.

Dani dropped her shoulders and sighed. “It’ll have to be Thursday. I need to be at the restaurant tomorrow, and I have plans with Megan on Wednesday.”

Cameron and Colin began jumping up and down again, squealing with delight.

“What time do you want us?” Dani asked.

I want you any time I can get you. Again, Cole’s mind flashed to the other night and how amazing it felt to touch her velvety bare skin. “Nine? Before it gets too hot? We can have lunch. Hungry cowboys need their food.”

She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

“What?” Cole asked.

“I’m just trying to figure out how you’re so good at talking me into things I don’t want to do.”

“You don’t want your boys to have a fun morning enjoying some of the finest things Royal, Texas, has to offer?”

The smile that spread across her face held a familiar edge. It was as if she was whispering, Damn you, Cole Sullivan. Good God, how he’d missed that sight. “No. You’re right. It’ll be fun.”

He reached out and grasped her elbow, trailing his fingers down the underside of her arm. “I promise I’ll make it worth your while.”

She cocked both eyebrows. “I have two young boys to keep an eye on, Mr. Cole. May I present a prime example of how much supervision they need?” Dani pointed down the sidewalk. The boys had found an older man with a dog several storefronts away. They were gleefully petting it, oblivious to how far they’d wandered.

“I was talking about ice cream. I was thinking we could go out for some after lunch.”

Dani pressed a finger, hard, right in the center of his chest. “Don’t push your luck.”

Cole put his sunglasses back on, feeling as happy as he’d felt in a long time. “I won’t need luck. The minute I mention ice cream to those two boys, it’ll be all over.”

Dani just shook her head and hitched her purse onto her shoulder. “Boys, we should go now,” she called.

“Oh, and bring your swimsuits Thursday. I have a slide at my pool.”

Dani cast him an incredibly hot look of disapproval. “You’re terrible.”

“I try.”

Four

The day after Labor Day, Cole pulled up outside the Texas Cattleman’s Club. This visit was no social call, nor was he here to talk ranching or catch up on the latest gossip in Royal. Cole was here to propose a plan to his team, involving going undercover and hopefully catching Billy Orson, the crooked sheriff who had helped Richard Lowell by falsifying death records and saying that Rich had died in the plane crash that claimed Jason Phillips’s life. Orson had received several large influxes of cash since then, which they were certain had come from Rich. It was a bit crazy, but Cole was prepared to do anything to catch Sheriff Orson.

After speaking with Aaron Phillips the other day and then receiving the results of the DNA testing of the ashes in the urn that were once believed to belong to Will Sanders, they knew for certain that it was Aaron and Megan’s brother, Jason, who had died in that plane crash. This was a murder investigation. There was a lot on the line, and time was not on their side. Rich was on the run, and it was only a matter of time before he fled the country with the money he’d siphoned off from Will’s personal and business accounts, as well as the TCC. They had to catch him. And fast.

But as he strode into the TCC, Cole’s run-in with Dani and the revelation that she had twin sons wouldn’t stop running laps in his mind. Had his eyes played tricks on him? His gut was telling him no. His gut was telling him that those boys might look like Taylor Blake, but they looked even more like him. And the timeline—especially if Dani was lying—worked. Had she gone to New York and discovered she was pregnant? Was that what the letter she’d sent six months after she’d left was really about? Had it been a call for help?

If any of this was true, he and Dani had a holy mess between them, one that would demand untangling. But for the next hour or so, Cole needed to focus on work. He had to set aside one potential headache for an entirely different one.

He entered a small meeting room down one of the long halls at the back of the building. They were keeping a tight lid on the investigation, but this was the best central meeting place. Too many flapping mouths at the sheriff’s office.

Will Sanders was speaking to Sheriff Battle and his deputy, Jeff Baker. Several other deputies were on hand as well, in addition to new full-time members of the task force, courtesy of the FBI—Special Agents Thomas Bird and Marjorie Stanton. Cole had pulled some strings to bring these two on board, but the new DNA evidence had helped convinced the bureau that he needed the extra hands. Bird and Stanton were a crucial part of cracking this case.

Thomas Bird, a reedy man with a thick mustache, was an expert in money laundering, having made his name working on cases involving organized crime. He fully understood the intricacies of the money trail Rich had left behind, especially everything uncovered by Luke Weston’s financial tracking software. Marjorie Stanton, a poker-faced redhead, was a tactical expert specializing in sting operations and undercover work. She was also expecting her first child in three months. Her pregnancy had left her doing investigative work and less of the hands-on work she loved. She wasn’t happy about it, or so she had mentioned to Cole several times when they’d talked.

Sheriff Battle gave Cole the high sign and informally called the meeting to order. “Now that we have Cole Sullivan on hand, we can get down to business. Cole, why don’t you brief everyone on where we stand?”

Cole stood at the front of the room while everyone took a seat. “Sure thing. I believe Deputy Baker has given out the latest brief, but DNA tests have confirmed that Jason Phillips was killed in the plane crash in Durango City, California. We believe Richard Lowell was on that plane and managed to escape. We also believe that he bribed Sheriff Billy Orson to have Phillips’s body cremated before it could be identified. Orson identified the body as Will Sanders. Of course, we all know that Will Sanders is alive and well. Shortly before the plane crash, we got an eyewitness report from Abigail Stewart of an argument between Jason Phillips and Richard Lowell posing as Will Sanders. That was the last time Jason Phillips was seen alive. We believe now that Jason was confronting Rich, and that’s what got him killed. Although we don’t have direct evidence linking Sheriff Orson to the cover-up, it seems pretty clear that he did it. The information given to us by his deputy was invaluable and all pointed to him.”

Stanton raised her hand. “This deputy. Is she a credible source? How do we know she isn’t trying to lead us on a wild goose chase?”

“Her father was the sheriff before Orson. He was a good man, and she hates seeing her father’s legacy ruined like this. She actually put herself in great danger by going to Aaron in the first place. Orson has eyes and ears all over that county.”

Stanton nodded and scribbled down a few notes while her partner, Bird, raised his hand. “We’re still tracing the payoffs from Lowell to Orson. There’s a chance that some of it was cash, but I have to think for this big of a cover-up, it would’ve been too much money to go that route.”

“Orson is a greedy man,” Cole said. “He has a massive house up in the hills. He’s got his fingers in everything within his jurisdiction. The more I dig, the more dirt I find. All kinds of shady dealings and a lot of evidence of bribes and kickbacks. I’m sure Rich had to make a substantial payoff.”

“Everything hinges on Orson right now,” Sheriff Battle said. “If we can find a way to get him to talk and admit that Rich bribed him to have Jason’s body cremated and falsely identify the body as Will, we could blow the case wide-open.”

“And find the money,” Bird added. “We still have to find where Lowell has stashed the small fortune he stole. That’s crucial to our case against him. A big part of his apparent motive for impersonating Will Sanders was to siphon cash from his personal and business accounts. My search for offshore and shell accounts has turned up nothing. I think we’re looking for a physical stash, and my gut is telling me we’re looking for gold.”

“Really?” Deputy Baker asked. “Isn’t that a little impractical? How do you skip the country with gold?”

“It’s not about the how. It’s about the why. It’s the one currency that works anywhere. The disclosure laws are easy to work around, especially if you know what you’re doing, and gold is untraceable by electronic means.”

This really got Cole’s mind going. Did Rich have a stash somewhere in or around Royal? That might explain why they were still sporadic Rich sightings, most recently when Aaron thought he saw Will at the Glass House, when the real Will was miles away at the Ace in the Hole. Was Rich still trying to hide in plain sight, waiting for the perfect time to get to his money? If so, they had to act quickly.

Cole cleared his throat. Time to make his pitch. “Orson is hosting a cocktail party in a few days for potential investors in a pipeline project he’s trying to get in his county. It just reeks of more kickbacks and skimming. What if I posed as a bigwig money guy and wore a wire and tried to get him to say something stupid?”

“Yes. That’s an amazing idea. I could go with you,” Bird offered.

Stanton cast him a doubtful glance. “At a cocktail party for rich people? You’re too socially awkward. You’ll stick out like a sore thumb.”

Bird pressed his lips into a thin line. “Thanks for that.”

“Hey. I call ’em like I see ’em.” Stanton tapped her pen against her pad of paper. “You need bait. You need a lure. You’re a handsome guy, but something tells me you aren’t Sheriff Orson’s idea of a good time.”

Cole leaned back against the wall and crossed his legs at the ankle. “What’d you have in mind?”

“If you do an internet image search for the guy, you get a lot of pictures of him with women, and they are never the same. We’re talking a real revolving cast of characters. I think we need to send you with a female. A damn good-looking one.” Stanton rubbed her round belly. “I’d do it myself if I wasn’t carrying around a baby disguised as a bowling ball.”

For a split second, Cole had an idea, but it was crazy. Maybe it was the mention of a “damn good-looking” woman that had him thinking of Dani. But she was a mom with two small kids. That was too crazy to make any sense. He couldn’t put her in that kind of danger.

“Sheriff, you have any female deputies right now?”

Sheriff Battle shook his head. “Unfortunately, no. We had one last year but she moved away.”

Stanton eyed Cole, but he could see that the gears in her head were churning. “I doubt the bureau will let me steal an extra agent right now. But I can look into it. Otherwise, you might have to find someone, Sullivan.”

“You really think it’s necessary?” Cole was truly drawing a blank on who he should ask. His brain just wanted to circle back to Dani.

“Honestly? I think it’s essential. I don’t see you catching this guy without a beautiful woman on your arm.”

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