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Just like that, depression swamped her. She closed her eyes, bent to pick it up, running her fingertips
over it even as she enclosed it in her fist. Plain, smooth gold. Simple, clean and masculine. So very Kyle.
Damn it.
I do not know this man, she said out loud again, not caring how crazy she must sound. Banishing
the concept that she knew anything about him took priority.
But she did know him and her senses reminded her. She knew his scent, his taste. She knew his smile,
the way it lopsided and made her stomach roll over in excitement. She knew the way he moved his body or
his hands when he talked. The way his eyes danced when he said one thing and meant something special
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just for her. She knew the way his hand felt, when he held hers just to offer support. She knew the way his
eyes looked when they were filled with love.
She gasped, the ache in her chest flashing with breath-stealing pain, her eyes opening wide while she
dropped the cufflink with a clatter to the surface of her desk. She stared at it, wanting to be angry at the
piece of metal too. But all it did was reflect her face back at her.
She wasn t sure how long she sat there, running her mind in circles before she gave up. The only one
thing to do with it was get it out of her sight as quickly as possible. She didn t need any reminders of Kyle
and she didn t want any excuses to see him again later.
Just before she threw it out her window, she realized it was gold, which meant it was valuable.
Throwing it away would be like stealing. Plus, he d come looking for it.
Well, she wasn t calling him, that was for sure. She didn t know where he lived another reason why
this was not a relationship which meant she d have to go to the only physical link she had with him:
Lucas.
You look horrible, Jessica said in shock when Lucas finally opened his front door.
He only blinked at her. Impeccable, permanently-pressed Lucas Lonnigan stood before her a changed
man, and not for the better. His hair spiked in every direction, not with style but because it looked like he d
been pulling it that way. His jaw was darkly shadowed with a couple of days stubble, at least. Judging
from the bloodshot eyes, an unbuttoned, barely-hanging-from-his-shoulders shirt and the slightly swollen
look to his cheeks, he was fresh from his bed. She fought the urge to check the time on her watch. It
couldn t be any later than six, too early for even Lucas to be in bed.
Did you want something?
It took effort, but she managed to pull her jaw up and grappled around for her bearings. No, actually,
I have something for you.
Now isn t a good time for any new contracts
No, not that. Her impossible-to-bury maternal instincts kicked in, reminding her stingingly of her
childhood and Kyle but she couldn t help it. The man was in a bad way. Are you sick?
He snorted, shifting his weight impatiently to his back leg. You have no idea.
She frowned at him.
He frowned back.
You re not going to tell me what s wrong, are you? she finally asked, guessing after his glare turned
glacial that his patience was running thin.
You had something for me?
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Fine. He wanted to look like his best friend had died and didn t want to talk about it. No problem. She
dug into the side pocket of her purse for the cufflink.
The small piece of metal kept evading her grasp, adding to her irritation. If you didn t want to be
bothered, you shouldn t have opened the door.
You ve been knocking for eight minutes, he said pointedly. It was either open the door or call
someone to come shoot you.
She finally got her fingers around the damn thing, pulled it free and all but threw it at him. Here.
Give it to your brother.
The annoying schmuck managed to catch it, bobbling it against his bare chest for a few seconds. He
pinched the cufflink between thumb and forefinger, staring at it before raising enraged eyes to hers. I
haven t slept in two days and you got me out of bed for a damned piece of jewelry?
For just a second, she considered that this was a bad idea.
Then she remembered the alternative: taking it to Kyle herself. Lucas could rant and rave for all she
cared, he was still the better of two evils. So she raised her chin and stared him down.
It was a short battle.
While she was intent on standing her ground, he simply reached out, grabbed her hand and shoved the
cufflink into it. Deal with it yourself, Jessica. I m not getting involved.
Then he backed up and slammed the door in her face.
Lucas! She pounded on the door until her hand hurt, yelling his name in indignation. Not that he
would be fazed in the slightest. The only ones affected by this point were his neighbors. Lucas Lonnigan,
so help me, if you don t open this door I ll& I ll&
She d what? Stand here and yell at a door? Give up and go home where her conscience would berate
her, using this tiny piece of gold as a megaphone to tell her that she d made the biggest mistake of her life?
The pressure behind her temples throbbed painfully. She quit knocking and laid her forehead on the
wood, her hand splayed flat alongside. Tears burned her closed eyes and she sighed, hoping not to sob.
Please, Lucas& I can t& I can t do this. She doubted her voice was getting through the door. The
words weren t easy to say, she wasn t even sure exactly what she meant. Was this dealing with Kyle& or
managing without him? She squeezed her eyes tighter against the question.
Without a reply from Lucas, there was just her and the silence, which enjoyed its advantage by
continuing to whisper regrets. Distantly, a phone rang inside, but only for a second before it was picked up.
He d never listen to her now. At least it was likely he was yelling at someone else.
She finally lifted her head and peeled herself away from the door. It had been stupid to come here.
She d just package the cufflink and mail it. It was what she should have done to begin with.
She tried to put her composure back together, ignoring the shaking of her hands, and turned away. She
was already halfway down the stairs when Lucas barked her name.
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He stood at the top of the steps, a jacket over his arm while he attempted to button his shirt. To her
surprise, he looked worse. What little color he d had was gone. The one button he d managed was in the
wrong hole. He gave up on the buttons and began shuffling down at full speed. Come with me.
What? Where? Watching him tromp down the steps was like watching a locomotive bearing down
and not being able to move. Something was wrong.
Lucas took her arm when he hit the landing, pulling her along with him. He didn t so much as miss a
step. He wrenched open the building door and swept them both through it.
Lucas! What s going on? She was fine demanding things, but she couldn t quite make herself
wrench away. Who was on the phone?
He finally let her go once they were next to a dark old-model SUV, then crossed around the front,
unlocking the power locks as he did. She opened the passenger-side door with fingers that felt frozen. He d
already turned over the engine by the time she got the door closed behind herself.
Talk to me, damn it. You re scaring me.
It s Kyle. Two words and she didn t want to hear any more. Not because she didn t want to talk
about him or think about him. Because she was terrified.
Is he hurt? she whispered, her throat tight.
I don t know. He pulled into traffic, the truck hitting bumps as he recklessly off-roaded the
potholes.
So where is he?
Death Valley.
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