been a disconcerting and thoroughly devastating masculine arrogance about the way Josh had
sprawled on the big bed in the turret room. His dark hair had been disturbingly tousled. The crisp, curling thicket on
his broad chest had fascinated her. It had been all she could do to keep from staring. She had wanted to run her fingers
through that black mat in the worst way. And she had ached with a desire to soothe the massive bruise on his rib cage.
The brooding speculation in his eyes had ruffled her senses as nothing else had ever done. When he had talked of
his bitter disillusionment with his chosen work, she had sensed the fundamental integrity of the man. Only a man who
had a strong sense of integrity would have become disillusioned. Obviously, Josh hadn't gotten into the business for
the money.
Maggie acknowledged with an uneasy little shock that she would never forget that scene in the room next door. It
would haunt her for the rest of her life.
And even though she knew there must be no repetitions, a part of her would always wonder what it would have
been like to go to bed with Josh January. She had never in her life experienced such a powerful, deeply feminine
curiosity, and she felt ill-equipped to deal with it. Her quiet, uneventful past had not prepared her for even a casual
approach from a man like Joshua January.
And casual was all it had been, Maggie's mouth tightened as she finished surveying herself in the dressing-table
mirror. She would have been shaken to the core to discover that Josh was even mildly interested in her, but it was a
certainty that he hadn't been half as affected by her presence as she had been by his. She'd been well aware of his
half-aroused body, of course, but that meant very little. Men were very physical creatures, very easily aroused. She
was old enough to know that. Josh must consider her an amusing challenge – no doubt because he had been warned
off her by the Colonel. But that was all there was to it.
She certainly was not going to call the number on that sheet of yellow paper, Maggie told herself firmly.
She wondered if he started all his relationships with a mutual background check. Very likely. The man clearly had
no romance in his soul. Maybe his profession had destroyed his sense of passion and discovery even as it had
destroyed his faith in human nature.
Nevertheless, Maggie couldn't bring herself to throw away the piece of paper. She picked it up and scanned the
boldly scrawled figures. There was a lot of male bravado in those numbers. Josh must have been sure she would make
the call.
Disgusted, she opened a drawer in the dresser and shoved the crumpled sheet inside. She slammed the drawer shut
and left the room.
Halfway down the stairs the aroma of freshly brewed coffee floated up to greet her. Odessa had apparently risen
early. Maggie inhaled deeply and smiled with pleasure. The smile was still on her face when she swung the kitchen
door open.
“Good morning, Odessa,” Maggie said before she realized who was inside. “That coffee smells wonderful.”
“Thanks,” Josh drawled from the far side of the large room. “I make good coffee, even if I do say so, myself. Here,
have a cup.”
Maggie stopped short at the sight of him. He was leaning against the tiled counter, sipping coffee from a mug. His
crutches were propped beside him. He looked very sexy in a denim shirt that was open at the throat. And there was no
getting around the fact that the man looked good in a pair of jeans. His dark hair gleamed in the wintry sunlight that
streamed in through the window.
Maggie forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath as she stepped forward. She was going to be dealing with
Josh for the rest of the month, so she had to get used to seeing him in the mornings.
The thing to do this morning, she decided, was to establish the ground rules. It was clear that Rule Number One
was to act as if nothing at all had happened last night. After all,
sprawled on the big bed in the turret room. His dark hair had been disturbingly tousled. The crisp, curling thicket on
his broad chest had fascinated her. It had been all she could do to keep from staring. She had wanted to run her fingers
through that black mat in the worst way. And she had ached with a desire to soothe the massive bruise on his rib cage.
The brooding speculation in his eyes had ruffled her senses as nothing else had ever done. When he had talked of
his bitter disillusionment with his chosen work, she had sensed the fundamental integrity of the man. Only a man who
had a strong sense of integrity would have become disillusioned. Obviously, Josh hadn't gotten into the business for
the money.
Maggie acknowledged with an uneasy little shock that she would never forget that scene in the room next door. It
would haunt her for the rest of her life.
And even though she knew there must be no repetitions, a part of her would always wonder what it would have
been like to go to bed with Josh January. She had never in her life experienced such a powerful, deeply feminine
curiosity, and she felt ill-equipped to deal with it. Her quiet, uneventful past had not prepared her for even a casual
approach from a man like Joshua January.
And casual was all it had been, Maggie's mouth tightened as she finished surveying herself in the dressing-table
mirror. She would have been shaken to the core to discover that Josh was even mildly interested in her, but it was a
certainty that he hadn't been half as affected by her presence as she had been by his. She'd been well aware of his
half-aroused body, of course, but that meant very little. Men were very physical creatures, very easily aroused. She
was old enough to know that. Josh must consider her an amusing challenge – no doubt because he had been warned
off her by the Colonel. But that was all there was to it.
She certainly was not going to call the number on that sheet of yellow paper, Maggie told herself firmly.
She wondered if he started all his relationships with a mutual background check. Very likely. The man clearly had
no romance in his soul. Maybe his profession had destroyed his sense of passion and discovery even as it had
destroyed his faith in human nature.
Nevertheless, Maggie couldn't bring herself to throw away the piece of paper. She picked it up and scanned the
boldly scrawled figures. There was a lot of male bravado in those numbers. Josh must have been sure she would make
the call.
Disgusted, she opened a drawer in the dresser and shoved the crumpled sheet inside. She slammed the drawer shut
and left the room.
Halfway down the stairs the aroma of freshly brewed coffee floated up to greet her. Odessa had apparently risen
early. Maggie inhaled deeply and smiled with pleasure. The smile was still on her face when she swung the kitchen
door open.
“Good morning, Odessa,” Maggie said before she realized who was inside. “That coffee smells wonderful.”
“Thanks,” Josh drawled from the far side of the large room. “I make good coffee, even if I do say so, myself. Here,
have a cup.”
Maggie stopped short at the sight of him. He was leaning against the tiled counter, sipping coffee from a mug. His
crutches were propped beside him. He looked very sexy in a denim shirt that was open at the throat. And there was no
getting around the fact that the man looked good in a pair of jeans. His dark hair gleamed in the wintry sunlight that
streamed in through the window.
Maggie forced herself to take a deep, steadying breath as she stepped forward. She was going to be dealing with
Josh for the rest of the month, so she had to get used to seeing him in the mornings.
The thing to do this morning, she decided, was to establish the ground rules. It was clear that Rule Number One
was to act as if nothing at all had happened last night. After all,
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