Dangerous Disguise (10 page)

He warmed to the end of his story. “When I brought Maren home, I did the right thing. I tried to find her mother’s family, even hired a P.I. Six months and a hell of a lot of money later, the P.I. told me he couldn’t find any trace of her. Maren’s mother was a runaway no one apparently noticed was missing. So I gave Maren a family. Me.”

Because his whole family was involved in either law enforcement or some branch of the law, Jared couldn’t help thinking about the repercussions. “What about all the legal ramifications?”

Joe took another sip of his wine as he studied the man sitting beside him. “You really are a straight arrow, aren’t you? I like that.” And because he did, he gave Jared an honest answer. “Ramifications can be gotten around if you know the right people. Or the wrong people, depending on your take on the matter. But as far as Maren is concerned, she’s my daughter and I’m her father.” His smile brightened. “Having her in my life turned it around. I got a job, went to school nights, got a better job. And raised one hell of a great kid while I was at it.” He reflected on his last words. “In a way, I guess we kind of raised each other.”

Finished with stacking the dishes in the dishwasher, Maren picked that time to reenter the dining room. She gave Joe a reproving look.

“Papa, you’re not boring him with that ‘dark and stormy night’ story, are you?”

“Did I mention it was raining that night?” Joe asked Jared, not bothering to hide his grin.

“You did now.”

Jared sat back in his chair as Maren swept away the wineglasses after pausing to drain hers.

He’d enjoyed himself tonight, Jared thought. Really enjoyed himself. What’s more, he felt pretty confident in thinking that neither Joe nor Maren had anything to do with any possible money laundering that might be going on at Rainbow’s End. Over the course of the evening, he’d woven in enough leading questions so as to feel certain of their innocence.

According to Glassel, the background check on both hadn’t turned up so much as a parking ticket between them. He was going to have to look elsewhere for evidence.

The thought heartened rather than annoyed him. Exploring why was best left for another time.

As Maren slipped back into her seat, Joe glanced at his watch. “Damn, how did it get to be so late already?” Genuine disappointment outlined his features. “Shepherd wants me to come in early to the downtown branch tomorrow.” He rose from the table, looking at Jared and Maren. “The two of you are welcome to hang around, talk to Tucker.” He scratched the German shepherd’s head.

“No.” Rising to her feet, Maren said, “We might as well get going, too.” Realizing she’d usurped him, she glanced at Jared for any contradiction. He nodded good-naturedly in response. The man was agreeable in all the right places, which wasn’t good. He was causing her guard to slip, and she had to watch this. “I’ll get your roasting pan and pots,” she offered, beginning to walk back into the kitchen. “Just give me a minute to wash them out.”

But Joe moved to block her exit. “I’ll take care of that, Maren.” He nodded toward Jared. “Jared here won’t mind if I bring the cookware into the restaurant the next time I come into the office, right, Jared?” He thought a moment, although Jared got the impression the older man had already worked out all the details before he’d ever opened his mouth. “I could swing by tomorrow afternoon.”

He knew his uncle wouldn’t mind. The man had five of everything. “Fine with me.”

“It’s settled then,” Joe said to Maren. “No washing pots and pans.”

He escorted them both to the door, with Tucker prancing in front of all three, doing his best to act as a furry roadblock.

At the door, Maren sank down to her knees beside the animal, taking his face in her hands. “Sorry, Tuck, but I’ll be back sooner this time, I promise. And the next time I come, we’ll go to the park. How’s that?”

As if in response, the dog licked her face and she laughed, rubbing his fur affectionately.

Jared looked on and marveled. Since he’d never had a pet himself, the firsthand connection between master and animal was untrod territory for him.

“He understands.” The mild surprise he felt was evident in his voice.

“Sure he does,” Joe told him. “Tucker knows he’s a member of the family. He thinks he’s human.” And then he grinned as he looked at Maren. “That, and there might be a drop of sauce on her face. Don’t know who enjoyed the duck more, us or Tucker.”

About to get up, Maren became aware that Jared was offering her his hand. After a moment she took it. The fingers closed around hers, bringing her to her feet in a quick, sweeping motion. His hands were strong, reminding her of how safe she’d felt as a child. Back then she’d been confident that nothing could hurt her as long as she was in the magic circle of her father’s arms.

Funny how things came back to you when you least expected them, she mused.

Jared saw the faraway look in her eyes as she rose to her feet. “Something wrong?”

“Just thinking.” Shaking off her mood, she turned and kissed Joe on the cheek. “See you tomorrow maybe.”

“Hope so.” Joe accompanied them to the curb where the car was parked. He shook hands with his young visitor. “Thanks again, Jared, for a great meal. And anytime you want to go off on your own, open your own place, let me know.”

The offer, coming out of left field, surprised him. “You’re offering to be my accountant?” Jared asked.

“That, and maybe do a little investing. Be your silent partner. Be nice finally being involved with someone I liked…” Joe’s voice trailed off. Then, as if he realized what he was saying, he shrugged away the moment. “Don’t get me wrong, Jared. Shepherd’s decent enough to work for.”

“What about Rineholdt?” Jared pressed. They hadn’t mentioned the other partner the entire evening. No one really mentioned him at the restaurant. And nothing had turned up on Glassel’s end, either. It was as if the man was pure vapor. “I’ve never met the man,” he said casually, then looked from Maren to Joe. “Have you?”

“Once,” Joe admitted after a moment’s reflection. “But he prefers being a silent partner. Likes leaving the business up to Shepherd and just counting the profits. Shepherd likes the limelight.”

“That’s the feeling I got,” Jared admitted. Especially after what Maren had told him about the man.

Maren said nothing. Instead she got into the car. Taking his cue, Jared moved around the rear of the vehicle and got in on the driver’s side.

Joe backed away from the car, pulling Tucker with him. “Get going, you two, before we manage to talk away another hour out here.”

Starting his car, Jared waved to the man as he pulled away from the curb.

Maren twisted against her seat belt, watching until both man and dog disappeared from view before she sat facing forward again. When she settled back against the seat, Jared had the impression she was tense again.

Why?

Chapter 10

H
e stood it as long as he could.

Eyes fixed on the road, Jared switched on the radio. A Rolling Stones’s tune filled the interior of the vehicle, its lyrics largely indistinguishable. At least it chased away the silence that had been riding with them for the past five minutes.

He glanced at Maren for her reaction. Her expression gave nothing away. He gestured toward the radio. “Want to hear anything in particular?”

It took her a second to respond. “What?” She looked at the radio in the dashboard as if it had asked her the question, then belatedly shook her head. “No, anything’s fine.”

But everything was
not
fine. He was going through his own turbulence, but it helped somewhat to ask about hers. “Something wrong, Maren? You’re a million miles away.”

“Just lost in thought,” she said, shrugging her shoulders. She wasn’t lost, she was going around in circles, and he was right there in the center.

Was she thinking about the same thing he was? he wondered. About what was brewing between them? About the pull he’d felt, the pull that kept growing stronger?

“You should always leave markers,” he said flippantly.

Maren turned toward him, confusion in her eyes. “What?”

“Markers,” he repeated. “So you don’t lose your way.”

Inwardly she shook her head.
Too late for that.
She should have never agreed to come to dinner, not if Jared was going to be there. It was far too personal an experience, being in the home where she’d grown up. Being around the only man she’d ever thought of as family. Being there with a man who caused tidal waves in her soul.

“What if I lose the markers?” she asked.

He could certainly identify with that, Jared thought wryly. His own had somehow gotten covered in dust during the course of the evening. All he could think of was making love with her. He really needed to take a cold shower. Hell, maybe he’d just sit in his freezer for a while.

“Then I’d say you had a problem.”

“Amen to that.” It was an apt summation. She did have a problem, and the only way she knew how to handle it was with silence. Because the moment there was a dialogue going on between them, she found herself opening up to him. Found herself wanting to talk to him, to share.

Found herself just wanting to be with him.

And none of the flimsy excuses she kept feeding herself worked. She knew exactly what was going on. She was standing on quicksand and any second, it was going to swallow her up.

“Anything I can do to help?” he offered.

Other than disappearing off the face of the earth? Nope, ’fraid not.
She tried very hard not to react to the kindly note in his voice. Why was he holding on to the steering wheel so tightly that his knuckles bulged?

“Thanks, but I’ll work this out on my own.”

He told himself to focus on the fact that he was still searching for evidence, that sometimes the most innocent of statements led to an eventual bust. But what he was feeling right now had nothing to do with money laundering, or evidence, and everything to do with the woman sitting here beside him in the dark.

“Sometimes it helps to have a sounding board,” he heard himself say as he took another corner.

She knotted her hands in her lap, staring straight ahead. “And sometimes it doesn’t.”

“Ouch.” Making another sharp right, he pulled into her complex. Slowly he made his way toward her block of apartments, searching for an empty space in guest parking. Finding one, he guided his vehicle into it. “I guess that puts me in my place.”

Hardly
. She unbuckled her seat belt then became aware that he was doing the same. Maren opened her door quickly. “You don’t have to walk me to my door.”

He got out on his side. “My mother taught me never to just drop a woman off in her front walk as if she were the morning newspaper.”

She looked at him pointedly over the roof of the car. “Your mother’s not here.”

“No, but she left a lasting impression.” Rounding the hood, he was at her side before she could take the next step.

She laughed shortly. “You know, in your own way, you’re very pushy.”

Taking her elbow, he began to walk her to her apartment. “I prefer the word determined. Gallant’s not so bad, either.”

About to shrug him off, she let it go instead. He’d be gone in a minute. No harm in the brief contact. “Is that what you’re being? Gallant?”

He flashed a smile at her and she felt two salvos to either one of her knees. “See, there’s so little of it these days you can’t even recognize it when you come across it.”

She started hunting for her key even before they reached her door. “Like chivalry, right?”

They walked past an apartment ablaze with lights and noise. Someone was having a party, and he caught himself thinking about having a party of his own. A party with only two people in attendance.

Mentally he began turning the faucet on for that cold shower he sorely needed. “Exactly.”

After rounding a well-manicured corner populated with sleeping ice plants, Jared brought her closer to her door. With each step he took, he was acutely aware of the warring factions within him. On the one hand, he knew he should press his advantage, coax her to invite him in, perhaps even spend the night. Lovers told each other things that strangers didn’t. He wasn’t about to talk, but maybe she would. It wasn’t that he suspected her of being involved in the crime, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t privy to knowledge that might help his investigation. Sometimes people didn’t know what it was they knew.

On the other hand, because he felt things for her—deep, nebulous things he didn’t want to examine too closely—a nobler part of him thought it would be best just to withdraw after making sure she was safely inside her apartment. A nobler part and a more private part. Making love with her would only complicate things, not facilitate them. In his heart, he knew that.

But it was his damn heart that kept getting in the way.

He felt torn, doomed no matter which way he turned.

Nervous anticipation licked at her from all sides. She needed to slip into her apartment before something happened. Before she kissed him the way she’d been aching to all evening. There, she’d finally admitted it to herself. Her growing desire had been nagging at her the entire time she’d been at Papa Joe’s. Every word she and Jared had exchanged, every look that had gone between them, had that urge behind it.

She wanted to make love with him. Wanted to feel him touching her. Wanting her. One would think after being all but bounced on her head by Kirk, she’d know better than to let herself be drawn to someone like Jared.
But,
a small voice inside her insisted,
Jared isn’t anything like Kirk.
Except for his looks. But even there, he excelled.

“You’re thinking again,” he observed. “I can hear the wheels turning from here.”

Facing him, the key still clutched tightly in her hand, Maren shrugged. “Sorry, occupational habit.”

“You’re thinking about the restaurant.” The look in his eyes told her he knew better.

She held on to the lie as if it was her only lifeline in the middle of shark-infested waters. Even though it was quickly dissolving.

“Yes.”

The smile spread slowly, starting in his eyes and finding its way to his lips. “You’re not much of a liar, Maren Minnesota.”

About to protest, she gave it up before the words saw the light of day. “I don’t get much practice.”

“That’s good.” The softly whispered words hung between them in the night air. “Honesty is a very sexy quality in a woman.”

“Just in a woman?” she breathed.

“Especially in a woman,” he qualified.

Giving in, yet still struggling to hold a tight rein on himself, Jared brushed a soft kiss against her hair. He had no way of knowing that it was the fastest way of melting the icy reserve she was attempting to surround herself with.

“Lying leaves a bad taste in your mouth,” he told her.

She tilted her head up to look into his eyes. She felt as if her entire being vibrated with anticipation. “Speaking from experience?”

He moved his head from side to side slowly, his eyes never leaving hers. “From hearsay.”

She wanted to believe him, believe in the moment, believe in the purity of what was happening here between them. But she was afraid. Afraid of getting burned again.

Yet she couldn’t make herself retreat. “And is that a lie, too?”

“You make me want to do things, Maren.” He framed her face in his hands, his heart speeding up and beating wildly in his chest. “Wild, insane things.”

She could feel her breath backing up in her lungs. Every sane bone in her body begged her to run for cover. But she wasn’t listening to sanity, she was listening to the rush of desire as it overtook her veins.

“Such as?”

He didn’t want words any longer. He wanted her.

Jared lowered his mouth to hers and kissed her. Kissed her long and hard. The restraint he’d been holding on to so tightly splintered completely, falling through his fingers like so many tiny toothpicks.

He enveloped her in his arms and deepened the kiss. Deepened so that it dragged him down into its center, threatening to never release him. He didn’t care. As long as he could go down with Maren.

Jared held her closer, tighter, trying to satisfy his growing hunger with the feel of her body pressed against his. He told himself it was enough, but this was just as much of a lie as the ones he’d told her.

The attempt to sate himself backfired, only making him hungrier. Noble thoughts fled like so many leaves in the autumn wind, to be replaced with desire that thundered through his entire being.

A rush swept through her so quickly, it snatched her breath away. The promises she’d made to herself, even seconds ago, shattered, not one by one, but in unison, sending a tidal wave of demands and urges through her. Ever since Kirk had walked out on her, she’d been completely celibate. She hadn’t even been tempted so much as once.

Until Jared had walked into her office.

Now she couldn’t think of anything else, of anyone else. Only of being with him in every way. She could barely breathe when he pulled away. Her heart hammered so hard, it felt as if it was going to fly out of her throat at any second.

“Oh,” she finally managed to murmur, remembering that he’d said something about wanting to do insane things an eternity ago. “You mean those kinds of things.”

He had one chance. One chance to be noble, before he begged her to let him stay. But even as he tried to take it, he was still holding her. Still feeling the current that had swept through him.

“I’d better go.”

“No.”

Maren had whispered the word so softly, he was sure it was his own imagination that had given voice to the entreaty.

Until she added, “Don’t.”

He took hold of her hands, bringing each to his lips and kissing them one at a time. Everything inside him wanted to agree. But he knew she was vulnerable, knew he’d be taking advantage of that. Knew, too, that he was just as needy in his own way as she was.

For the first time in his life, he wanted someone. Wanted a woman not just with his body, but with something else. With a need that made him suddenly aware of the large gaping hole in his soul. A hole he’d never been aware of before.

The war within him upped the stakes. “You don’t know what you’re asking, Maren.”

Her eyes never left his. Beyond the need, he saw a strength there and it surprised him. And yet, it was what he liked about her. She was her own woman. Problem was, he wanted her to be
his
woman.

“I’m not some wide-eyed innocent, Jared. I know what I’m asking.”

He framed her face again and brought his mouth down to hers once more. He meant only to brush his lips against hers. Meant to kiss her goodbye, not kiss his own strength goodbye.

But it was inevitable. The more he kissed her, the more he wanted to kiss her. The more he wanted to be with her. His need grew bigger than his resolve.

“Maren?” he murmured against her lips.

“Hmm?”

“Maybe you’d better unlock your door before the neighbors call the police.”

He felt her mouth curve into a smile against his mouth. Saw both the anticipation and promise of pleasure in her eyes just before she turned to insert the key she’d been clutching into the lock. A quick twist and they were inside.

Alone with the shadows of their pasts.

Jared pushed the door closed behind him and the darkness swallowed them up. As did the passion that was raging within both of them. He kissed her over and over again. Kissed her as his hands jerked off first her coat then the pullover blouse she’d worn. His fingers searched for the snap at her waist to loosen the little navy skirt she’d put on mere hours ago. The one that had been driving him crazy with each and every step she’d taken.

As he pushed the fabric down the tantalizing swell of her hips, his fingers brushed against a small scrap of material. He heard her sharp intake of breath as he followed the outline along her buttocks and then toward the very core of her. Her belly quivered against his fingers. He was versed enough to know that she wore a thong.

The image that conjured up in his mind was enough to put him in danger of swallowing his own tongue.

She’d followed his lead, frantic movement for frantic movement. Divesting him of his jacket, his shirt, his pants. The hunger she discovered burning within her had changed her. She’d never felt this level of anticipation, this level of eagerness before. It was as if she was going to explode if she didn’t make love with him. She couldn’t hope to control what she was experiencing. She could only let herself be swept away by it.

The feel of his hands along her body heated her so that she was certain she was going to ignite right here right at the door inside her small apartment. Her body moistened as he plundered its secrets with his hands, his mouth, his tongue.

Drawing the very essence of her soul from her. Replacing it with heat, with lights, with a rush so overwhelming and overpowering she didn’t have a prayer of surviving.