Chapter 1
Karma hadn’t just caught up with Veronica Kwon. It had gotten behind the wheel of a massive SUV, mowed her down, paused for half a breath then slid into reverse and run her over again.
She had no clue what she’d done in a past life to end up at Antoine Felix Antiquities right in time to bump–literally–into her ex-fiance, Jax Taylor, but it must have been awful. Her father had always told her she was as stubborn as Ghengis Kahn. Maybe there was something to that.
Five brief minutes ago, she’d strolled into Antoine’s store, texting her assistant about the latest treasure hunt request sent to Kwon Limited. She’d cut her professional teeth in this store so had navigated around the display of dwarf-sized pickaxes without even glancing up from the glowing screen in her hand. That’s how she’d ended up walking right into a man’s hard chest. Before they could both topple over onto a miniature pumpkin coach, he’d enveloped her in his strong arms and pulled her close. One whiff of Jax’s distinctive spicy cologne, and the lusty feelings she’d buried with her engagement ring roared to life.
Time to get the hell out of here. As much as she loved Antoine, she’d catch up with him another time about his latest discovery, magic beans.
Inhaling one last sniff of Southern Sex God, or whatever cologne Jax had on, Veronica pushed out of his embrace and took a long step back, separating her now tingling breasts from his hard bod. The space should have helped, but it only gave her a better view of the well-defined chest and strong arms his crisp white shirt couldn’t hide.
Damn, he didn’t even have the common courtesy to look like shit. He’d grown out his hair since they’d been together. Gone was the close-cropped buzz, replaced with tight black curls that complemented his warm brown skin. The kissable mouth remained with its touch of pink on the center of the bottom lip.
On cue, the butterflies in her stomach careened in spirals and her pleasure sensors hummed to life.
However, judging by the way Jax’s full lips had flattened into a hard line, his body was having a totally different reaction. “I never thought I’d see you again.”
Of course not. He’d broken up with her during a static-filled cell phone conversation, leaving her crying in the dressing room of Madame Cecile’s Dressmakers surrounded by piles of white lace and silk three months before their wedding.
The butterflies dropped dead in her stomach and a red haze bled into her peripheral vision. He’d left her practically at the altar. At the time she’d been crying too hard to tell him off, but now was the perfect opportunity. Maybe running into Jax wasn’t complete bad luck.
His gaze locked on her mouth and his pupils dilated.
Her breath caught. The kamikaze butterflies jolted awake.
The air crackled around them, strong enough to blow an electricity transformer.
A moment ago she’d had the perfect scathing remark. Now she barely remembered her own name.
Jax took half a step toward her and every rebellious nerve in her began singing the Hallelujah Chorus in three-part harmony. A year was a long time to go without the man she used to need even more than her twice daily caramel iced-coffee fix. Even if he did take up the first five spots on her shit list. Okay, the entire top ten.
Electricity sizzled in the half foot of open air between their bodies. Needing to touch him, Veronica smoothed his shirt collar. Her pale fingers brushed his neck, which was the same color as the single cup of dark French roast coffee he had every morning. The slight touch of skin to skin sent shivers of awareness up her arm.
“Why now?” He groaned and tilted his head lower.
Not the most romantic of words, but the need rushing through her overwhelmed any SOS because Jax was about to kiss her. The last thing she needed and the one thing she wanted most in the world. Heat rushed over her skin as he leaned in closer and she parted her lips.
The shop door’s shrill bell shattered the moment’s magic.
Jax’s eyes went wide. He straightened and took two steps back.
Embarrassment flushed her cheeks with heat. What had she been thinking? She hadn’t, which tended to happen around Jax. So what if he was sex on a stick? Once the good times between the sheets were over, she’d be the one to end up sobbing while her father issued a curt I-told-you-so lecture. She’d rather stick a spoon in her left eye than have to go through that again.
“Oh good, you two found each other.” Antoine shuffled toward them. “And no one’s been beaten senseless. I have to say, I was worried about that. Fabulous, just fabulous.” He clapped his gnarled hands and his gaze flicked between them. “Everything is alright, isn’t it?”
She squared her shoulders and raised her chin, ready to tell Antoine to find someone else besides her
to round out his little trio. She loved the man who’d been her first mentor, but she’d walk before working with her ex-fiance ever again.
Jax cleared his throat. “Look, I’m sorry, Antoine, but if she’s going to be involved I can’t work with you on this one. She has to go.”
His brown-eyed gaze met hers, unflinching.
Steam blasted from her toes to her perfectly arched eyebrows so hard and fast, her hair should have stood on end.
Oh no, he did not just try to kick her off this job. That she had been about to walk away of her own volition didn’t matter. No one pushed Veronica Kwon around–not anymore. “What’s wrong, Jax? Afraid you can’t keep up with a spoiled little rich girl? If you can’t do the job, just admit it.”
“My abilities are not in question. I’m the trained archeologist.” His slight smile matched his condescending tone.
“A lot’s changed. I’ve gone on more than twenty treasure hunts, ninety percent of which paid off. I heard you burned out. Rumor has it you’re living at home with mommy in North Carolina.”
His square jaw hardened.
“Oh, did I touch a nerve?” When it came to dealing emotional body blows, she’d learned from the master. Her father tossed out insults with a circus knife thrower’s precision.