Twin Seduction

“I love the way you’re wearing your hair.” As Margo’s eyes narrowed on her for a minute, Jordan felt her nerves dance again.

“It’s a much more professional look than the braid. And it matches the sophisticated and feminine turn your latest designs have been taking. You should wear it that way to the show tomorrow.”

Silently Jordan agreed, and she made a mental note to talk to her sister about a permanent change in her hairstyle.

Then Margo shifted her attention to Cash. “I hope you’re going to introduce me to your friend.”

“This is Cash Landry, my neighbor,” Jordan said. She didn’t like the way Margo was looking at Cash—as if she wanted a good-size taste of him.

“Margo Lawson,” the brunette said as she took Cash’s offered hand.

“Landry.” Daniel sent him a nod, then turned to smile at Jordan. “This is delightful. I didn’t expect to see you until the show tomorrow. You haven’t forgotten that I’m taking you out to dinner afterward?”

Jordan thought fast. “I hope you don’t mind if I bring Cash along. He’s insisting on joining me in my booth at the show.”

Annoyance flashed briefly into Daniel’s eyes as he stepped closer to Jordan. “I’d planned on discussing business. You promised you’d have an answer for me about the ranch as soon as you put this show behind you.”

Not about to let the grass grow under your feet, Jordan thought. As much as she might admire the move on a business level, she didn’t like the fact that he was putting this kind of pressure on her sister.

Cash slipped a protective arm around Jordan’s shoulders. “Someone broke into Maddie’s studio this morning, and I plan on providing her with security until we find out who’s responsible.”

“Your new designs—did they steal them?” Margo’s voice was laced with concern.

“No, thank heavens,” Jordan said. “I keep them in a safe.”

“They seemed more concerned with destroying the place than filling their pockets with jewelry or stones,” Cash added. “I’ll be staying at the ranch tonight and I’ll drive her into Santa Fe for the show tomorrow.”

Daniel was frowning now, but Jordan was pretty sure it wasn’t the vandalism that was bothering him. She could read people well enough to know that he was a man who didn’t like his plans changed. Trying to think how Maddie would handle the situation, she said, “Margo, why don’t you join us for dinner tomorrow after the show and make it a foursome? That way you can amuse Cash while Daniel and I talk business?”

Margo kept her eyes on Cash. “I’d be delighted to amuse Cash. In fact, I’ll look forward to it.”

I’ll just bet. There was no denying that it was jealousy she was feeling. But she could also feel Daniel Pearson relax.

“Great idea. Margo and I will see you tomorrow.”

“Depend on it. I can’t wait to see your latest collection.”

With a brief nod to Cash, Daniel Pearson took Margo’s arm and led her away down the sidewalk.

“I believe she’s what they call a cougar,” Cash murmured.

Jordan glanced at him and didn’t like it a bit that he was still looking at Margo. “Cougar?”

His eyes when they met hers were brimming with laughter. “Isn’t that what they call the older woman who’s on the hunt for a younger man?”

“Cougar.” She had to admit the term suited Margo Lawson. She had a feline grace and beneath it, Jordan sensed, a streak of ruthlessness. Plus, the woman hadn’t done anything to hide the fact that she was interested in Cash. Jordan couldn’t help being annoyed that she was still feeling jealous.

“And you’re familiar with the term because you’ve had a lot of experience being ‘hunted’ by older women?”

He laughed and settled back into his chair. “You can relax. I can handle Margo Lawson. I’m more worried about how you’re going to handle Daniel Pearson.”

With a frown, Jordan sat down. “You can relax on that score. Daniel Pearson’s interest in Maddie isn’t personal. He wants the ranch. And she has his number.”

“Exactly.” Cash’s voice and eyes had turned hard. “But he thinks he’s close to getting it.”

Jordan’s temper flared. “If you think Maddie’s agreed to sell it to him, you’re wrong. I’m positive she doesn’t want to sell the place.”

“It isn’t a matter of what she wants. It may come down to necessity. And he seems pretty confident that he can close the deal.” Cash fisted a hand on the table. “She’s running fewer cattle, she’s let all her hands go except for Mac McAuliffe. He hires on workers on a per diem basis when he needs them. I’ve been helping her out as much as I can. But your sister’s proud. I don’t know how much longer she’ll continue to accept help from me. I know Maddie. She could very well let Pearson talk her into selling the ranch to make it easier on me.”

Though she hadn’t known her sister very long, Jordan found herself leaning toward his theory. “Not yet, she won’t. Not for the next three weeks. Do you think that your prejudice against Daniel Pearson might be why you think he’s behind the vandalism?”

Cash considered for a moment. “No. I believe he’s a prime suspect. He knows she’s in trouble, and a little vandalism here, a poisoned horse there, might be all it takes to have her signing on the dotted line.”

Jordan thought for a minute. “If things are getting worse for Maddie, wouldn’t he think it’s just a matter of time before she agrees to let him sell the ranch? The look on his face when I said you’d be coming with me to dinner told me he had very high expectations for tomorrow night. He thinks his plans are right on track. It doesn’t mesh with hiring someone to kill her. Plus, he didn’t look at all surprised to see me here.”

“Perhaps it’s Pearson’s buyer who’s getting desperate,” Cash said. “He or she could be acting on their own.”

“Why?” The question hung in the air between them for a few beats. Jordan tapped her fingers on the table. “Maddie’s having trouble making ends meet, so why is someone so anxious to get their hands on the ranch?”

“Perhaps Shay’s theory is correct and the attempt on your life is somehow connected to your mother’s will?”

“Maybe. Could be I’m prejudiced against that idea because it would mean that someone in my family could be involved. And I just don’t see it. Maybe I don’t want to see it. In any case, I’m more anxious than ever to take that tour of the ranch you promised me.”

Cash’s brows shot up. “You think you’ll find the answer there?”

“Maybe. Maddie’s an artist. She’s like my mother. I’m a business person. I see things from a very different angle. I wonder if my father were here—if he’d known what was going on—if he’d know what to do.”

His smile was slow and easy. “I know one thing for sure. Mike Farrell would have liked you, Jordan Ware.” Then he took her hand and drew her to her feet. “Why don’t we go turn that expert businessperson’s eye on Maddie’s booth?”

CHAOS. That’s what Jordan saw when she stepped into the hotel’s cavernous exhibition room. Her first impression was that a huge movie set was being constructed. Saws buzzed and screeched through plywood. Carts rattled as they carried display cases, tables and chairs across the space. The smell of paint and woods chips mingled with the scent of flowers that were being placed around pillars and doorways.

Beside her, Cash was taking in the room as carefully as she was. She bet his mind was on the bodyguard thing. But right now, she had to concentrate on her job, which was to represent Maddie as well as she could.From what she could make out, booths would eventually line the walls and run in several rows down the center of the room. That coincided with what she was used to. Thank heavens she’d had some experience with jewelry shows. Her mother had occasionally showcased her designs at the Jacob Javits Center in New York.

“My mother always hated these shows,” she said.

“Maddie doesn’t care for them much, either. She doesn’t like the sales end of the business.”

“It’s an essential part. Without it, the pieces run the risk of spending their lives in display cases. My mother’s jewelry is meant to be worn. Maddie’s is, too. I’m coming to believe that two of them are a lot alike. It’s such a shame that they never got to know each other.”

For a moment Jordan felt a mix of emotions swamp her—regret, anger, frustration. Once again, her mind turned to the question of why her parents had cut themselves off from one of their daughters.

“It is a shame.” Cash reached for her hand and gave it a squeeze. “You should have had the chance to know your father, too. At least, you’ll get to know him a little better once you settle in at the ranch.”

Jordan pushed the flood of feelings away. These were things she’d think about later, deal with later. It helped that Cash was there, and that he held her hand.

Turning, she studied him for a moment, absorbing once more the strong, lean face that her hands had explored so thoroughly before she’d even seen him. And she remembered the pleasure that came from merely touching him. Not just his face, but that long, hard body.