Round-the-Clock Temptation Read Free Page B

“I’ll show you to your room.”
    He hooked his bag over his shoulder and followed her up the stairs. Her boots echoed against the bare wood steps and her backside swayed temptingly in front of him. She may not have the overly accentuated curves and feminine sweetness some men liked, but something about her stirred a yearning in Connor, a deep longing he hadn’t felt for a very long time. A recklessness thattempted him to throw common sense aside and act on his feelings.
    As he always did in these cases, he shoved those feelings deep down and kept them under lock and key. He’d learned long ago not to let his emotions get away from him. When he did, bad things happened. People got hurt.
    And pretty as she was, she could still be a murderer.
    Nita led him down the hall to his room. “Jane will change your linens once a week and you’ll find fresh towels in the bathroom closet,” she said from the bedroom doorway. “There’s only one bathroom upstairs so I hope you don’t mind sharing.”
    â€œI don’t mind.” Connor set his bag on the hand-stitched quilt draped over the full-size bed. The room was decorated in creams and beiges with dark blue and green accents and the pine furniture looked to be antique. It was a small room, but he didn’t need much space.
    â€œIf you leave your dirty clothes in the bathroom hamper Jane will wash them for you.”
    â€œI can do my own laundry.”
    Nita laughed—a husky, rich laugh. “You’ll have to get through Jane first, and I’ll warn you, she’s temperamental as a rattlesnake when it comes to other people using her fancy new washer and dryer. Ever since I plugged up the drain and flooded the laundry room trying to do a load.”
    â€œLong as she doesn’t mind,” Connor said.
    â€œBelieve me, she doesn’t. She takes a lot of pride in keeping the household running smoothly. Normally she would be here to greet you and show you around, but she’s at the hospital with Daddy.”
    â€œShe’s been with you a long time?”
    â€œEver since Momma got sick. Jane practically raised me and my sister.”
    Which meant she would be unlikely as a suspect, but he had to consider every angle. Every possibility.
    She nodded toward his bag. “Would you like some time to unpack and settle in?”
    â€œNo, ma’am, I can do that later. I’d like to get started. I’ll need a tour of the house and the property.”
    â€œWe’ll have to be careful. The boys haven’t gotten all the holes filled yet, and I don’t want any more horses or people hurt. I’m assuming you can ride.”
    He hadn’t ridden since he was a kid, but he was sure once he was in the saddle it would come back to him. “I’ll manage.”
    â€œWell, then, why don’t we head out to the stable?”
    They started down the stairs, side by side, and Nita’s scent drifted his way. She smelled like fresh air and dust and faintly of sweat. And something else, something sweet, and a little flowery. Since he couldn’t imagine her wearing perfume, he decided it was probably her soap or shampoo. And it was distracting him.
    Now he understood what his brother, Logan and Gavin had been alluding to when they asked Connor if he would mind working with a woman like Nita. They weren’t worried that he wouldn’t like her. They thought he might like her too much. But he wouldn’t let this attraction he was feeling cloud his judgment.
    â€œTell me about this feud,” he said to get his mind back on track. “I’ve heard a lot of rumors. What’s it really all about?”
    â€œIt’s been going on for over a hundred years. Mygreat-great-grandfather, Richard Windcroft, lost half his land to Nicholas Devlin in a poker game. The Windcrofts swore that he cheated, but the courts ruled in Devlin’s favor. A few weeks later Nicholas was shot dead