#1 New York Times, #1 USA Today, and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author Helen Hardt’s passion for the written word began with the books her mother read to her at bedtime. She wrote her first story at age six and hasn’t stopped since. In addition to being an award-winning author of romantic fiction, she’s a mother, an attorney, a black belt in Taekwondo, a grammar geek, an appreciator of fine red wine, and a lover of Ben and Jerry’s ice cream. She writes from her home in Colorado, where she lives with her family. Helen loves to hear from readers.
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CHAPTER 1 : JADE

Talon was the brother I'd never met.

When Marjorie and I were in college, her older brothers, Jonah and Ryan, often visited. They were tall, muscular ranchers from Colorado, complete with cowboy boots and Stetsons. All the Steel siblings, Marj included, had dark hair that was nearly black. I admit I swooned a little when I first saw her brothers. Who wouldn't want to meet a couple of ruggedly handsome cowboys who were also billionaires from their ranch and wine business? They were too old for me, of course, and neither gave me a second look. And that was okay, because I was in love with Colin.

Still, my heart always beat just a little bit faster every time Jonah and Ryan Steel came around. Marj laughed at me. They were her brothers, after all, and she had spent most of her youth the target of their merciless teasing. But even she admitted they were nice to look at. Of course they were. Marj looked just like a female version of the two of them. The Steels had definitely been gifted in the area of physical beauty.

I felt like the ugly stepsister around Marj. Though I'd always liked my thick brown hair, it seemed juvenile next to Marj's nearly ebony tresses. My eyes were more gray than blue, without the depth of Marj's dark-brown ones that seemed to look straight into a person's soul. Like her brothers, Marj was tall, a few inches taller than I, and I was no slouch at five-feet-seven-and-a half. Even her body was perfect. She was long and lean like her brothers, while I was busty to the point that I had given up button-down shirts.

I smiled. Marjused to envy my boobs-even after I'd educated her on the evils of boob sweat and never being able to find a sports bra that fit. I would've gladly traded my boobs for her perfect-sized body.

The plane landed with a jolt.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please remain seated as we taxi to our gate. Thank you for flying with us today, and we welcome you to Grand Junction, Colorado." I reached in my purse for my cell phone and clicked it on. A text from Marj.

Welcome! Can't wait to see you. Unfortunately something came up, and I won't be able to pick you up. Talon will be there. I've shown him your picture, and he'll be waiting at baggage claim.

I let out a sigh.

The brother I'd never met.

Talon had been deployed in Iraq during the years Marj and I were in college together. That was why he had never come to visit. He was the middle brother, between Jonah, the oldest, and Ryan, the youngest. Marjorie was the baby of the family.

Marj never talked much about Talon. He was a mystery to me, though if he was as good-looking as his brothers, I wouldn't have any trouble looking at him for the hour ride from the airport to the Steel ranch.

The plane finally halted, and people began to rise, pulling their luggage out of the overhead compartments. I was trapped in a window seat, and the elderly couple sitting with me didn't seem in any hurry to get moving.

So I waited.

And I sighed again.

My life had certainly taken a detour. Colin and I were supposed to be on our honeymoon right now, but him leaving me at the altar had changed those plans. Oddly, I wasn't as upset as I should've been. In truth, I'd known for some time that Colin and I had grown apart. I just hadn't wanted to admit it to myself. When I finally realized that the agony coursing through me was actually laced with relief, I needed a change. Marj, who had been in Denver for my wedding as my maid of honor, convinced me to come to the western slope of Colorado and live at her ranch. I could find a job as an attorney in the small town of Snow Creek, and if not there, I could commute to Grand Junction.

So what the hell? I had left Denver, the only home I'd ever known, and here I was, having just landed in Grand Junction.

The elderly couple finally moved, though at tortoise speed, and I stood and stretched my legs. I grabbed my carry-on out of the overhead bin and walked off the plane and into my new life.

I followed the signs to baggage claim and strode toward carousel number five.

I knew him before he even turned around.

So tall. Taller than either of his brothers, with that signature Steel black hair curling over his collar. The white shirt stretched over broad shoulders and then tapered down to a trim waistline and a gorgeous ass in dark jeans.

I gulped.

Well, what had I expected? For him to be waving a sign that said Jade Roberts on it? Why hadn't I gone to the bathroom to check myself out? I no doubt looked like I had been run over by a truck.

I walked up behind him and cleared my throat.

He turned, and two nearly black eyes scorched into me. His skin was nicely tanned and his nose almost perfectly formed except for a barely noticeable crook. He must have broken it once. His strong jawline was covered in black stubble about a day's worth, maybe more. His lips were full and dark pink. And that corded neck... What might that bronze skin feel like against my fingertips? The first two buttons of his stark-white shirt were open, and a few black chest hairs peeked out. My nipples poked against my bra, and my skin tightened, as if I'd been shrink-wrapped.

"You Jade?" he said in a husky voice.

I nodded, unable to speak. Talon Steel was a god come to life. My heart hammered. How could I be so attracted to a man when, in a parallel world, I was supposed to be married to another right now? Colin and I might not have been in love anymore, but we still had feelings for each other. But being left at the altar... It screwed with a girl's head.

"Just point out your bag to me, and I'll grab it for you."

I nodded again and walked to the carousel. No worries. My bag was always the last one off. I was usually left standing with only one or two other people, convinced my bag was on its way to Timbuktu. Right now, I relished the wait. I could stand here and enjoy the hypnotizing effect of the revolving bags as I got myself together.

No way. My bag inched down a little ramp and onto the carousel. So much for my time-out. I grabbed the purple suitcase and lugged it off the carousel when a warm hand brushed against mine.

"I said I'd get it for you." Talon seized the bag from me. "Come on. I'm parked on this level."

I followed him. What else could I do? Clearly, he wasn't much of a conversationalist, and truth be told, neither was I. I hated small talk, but I'd be trapped with him in a car for an hour. Without talking, that hour would be damned long.

The man even walked sexily. He had to be six-three at least, maybe six-four. I had to power walk to keep up with his long strides and was huffing and puffing before long. Of course, the view of his ass wasn't torture. His black cowboy boots clomped heavily along the tile floor. Once we reached the door, it opened automatically, and he went through first.

Not much of a gentleman, but what did I care? I just wished he'd walk a little slower. I needed a little more time before the dreaded car ride.

I followed him to a shiny burgundy Mercedes. The Steels had money. A lot of it. While I went home from college during the summers and did secretarial work for my father's construction company, Marj took whirlwind tours to Europe and cruises to the Greek Isles. One time, during spring break of our junior year, she invited me on a Caribbean cruise with her, all-expenses-paid. I'd had the time of my life despite being separated from Colin.

Talon deposited my suitcase in the trunk and then eyed my carry-on. "You want to put that in?"

I nodded and handed it to him. Then I walked to the passenger door and let myself in.

Talon opened his door and took the driver's seat. He turned to me. "You don't talk much, do you?"

I couldn't help letting out a laugh. I hadn't said a word yet, had I? He must've thought I was some kind of mute. "Thanks for picking me up. I got a text from Marj saying she couldn't make it."

"Yeah, she had to go on a job interview."

"Really? I thought she was going to be working on the ranch."

"We thought so too. But then it turned out that the local paper in Snow Creek just lost its star reporter, and Marjorie is gunning for the job." "Good for her."

Marj enjoyed journalism. She'd minored in it at school. Her major had been agriculture, as she figured she was destined for ranch work. Her real love, though, was cooking. I'd tried to talk her into culinary school scads of times, but something kept her from taking that leap.

"So Marjorie tells me you're a lawyer?"

"Yeah. I actually won't get my bar results for a few weeks yet, but I'm optimistic." Talon nodded, keeping his eyes on the road as he pulled out of the airport parking lot.

A few minutes passed with no talking. I looked at my fingernails, picked at a piece of dry cuticle. I eyed my purse on the floor of the car and grabbed it, pulling out my cell phone. Normally I hated when people hid behind their cell phones, but right now, I needed something to occupy myself. The awkwardness in this car was so thick I could've cut it with scissors.

Say something, Jade. Anything. This silence is deafening.

But to say something, I had to actually have something to say. For some reason, Talon Steel paralyzed me. He was perfectly cordial but not friendly. Impenetrable. Like a suit of invisible armor covered him from head to toe. He had been in the Marines. Most likely he had seen some pretty nasty shit there, stuff I couldn't even begin to comprehend. He'd been back now for several years. Marj said he had been honorably discharged the summer after we graduated college. Still, who knew what he had experienced?

I cleared my throat. "Are there any positions open for attorneys in your little town?"

Talon shook his head. "I sure wouldn't know."

"Marj said there might be."

He let out a chuckle. "I sure don't know how she would know either."

Okay. That line of questioning hadn't led to anything. "How is Marj doing? I've really missed her."

"I think you'd know how she's doing better than I would. Didn't you just see her last week at your...wedding?"

Yes, yes. I did just see her at my wedding that didn't happen. Thank you so much for bringing that up. So much for trying to make conversation. "I didn't actually get married."

"I know the whole story. And even if I didn't, you're coming out here without a husband and without a wedding ring, so I could figure it out."

Had he actually looked closely enough at me to notice I wasn't wearing a wedding ring? Didn't seem possible. All the Steel brothers would know of my humiliation by now. I fidgeted with my phone a little more, but the battery was about to die. I checked the clock on the dashboard. Damn, we had only been driving for about five minutes. How was I going to get through this?

"Are you hungry? I can take you through a drive-through or something."

Had he just spoken? Come to think of it, I was little hungry. I'd refused to pay for the crappy overpriced airplane food. Eating would give me something to do with my mouth so I didn't have to talk. "Yeah, if you don't mind. Anything's fine. A burger, whatever."

He pulled into a Wendy's and, without asking me, ordered two number one combos with Cokes. I nudged his arm a little.

Without looking at me, he said into the speaker, "Sorry, make one a Diet Coke."

A little presumptuous. Truth was, I didn't drink soda. Never had. The carbonation bothered me. I nudged him again. "Iced tea for me, please."

He let out a huff. "Sorry, nix the Diet. Make it an iced tea." He turned to me. "Does that satisfy you?"

I shook my head. Was this guy for real? "As a matter of fact, no, it doesn't satisfy me. You ordered me a burger, not asking me what I wanted on it or anything. I could be a vegetarian for all you know."

A partial smile curved the left side of his lips upward. "You just said anything was fine. 'A burger, whatever,' I believe were your exact words."

My cheeks heated. Yeah, I had said that. Now I looked like a moron. Great. I played with my fingers until the employee handed Talon the bag of food and the two drinks through the window. He handed the drinks to me, and I checked to see which one was the iced tea. I set his in the cupholder next to the driver's seat and inserted the straw into mine.

He tossed the bag on my lap. "Unwrap mine for me so I can eat it while I'm driving."

No "please." No "would you mind?" Just an order. Well, he had been in the military. Maybe he was used to giving commands. Or maybe he was just rude as hell. I didn't know Marj's other brothers that well, but when I'd met them, they had been perfectly friendly. So what was up with this guy?

Since I was still embarrassed about my burger blunder, I did as he asked-or rather told me to do. The burgers were identical, so I didn't need to worry about which one was his. I unwrapped it, folded the paper over, and wrapped it back up so half of it was out and he could eat it easily while he drove. I handed it to him. He grunted.

Apparently, that was what passed for "thank you" in the vocabulary of Talon Steel.

I opened my burger and took a bite. Christ, mayonnaise. Not that I had anything against mayonnaise, but I tried to avoid excess fat when I could. No point in voicing this. What was done was done. The burger tasted so good-or maybe I was just that hungry. Now if only I could make it last for another forty-five minutes. I took small bites and chewed them until I had masticated the food into a pulp.

Still, the clock showed thirty minutes to go when I had finished the burger and the accompanying fries.

I stared straight ahead, ignoring the magnetic pull to turn and look at him. The man was obviously an asshole, so why was my libido so interested? My nipples were still tightening against my bra, aching for lips.

His lips.

Damn, this was going to be a long half hour.

Copyright: Helen Hardt