Besides that, he’d painted and generally helped out, doing anything that needed doing.

“That deal was made before I was sharing your bed.” He stood with his hands on his hips, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

His glib answer made her see red and she took a deep breath to calm her temper before she replied. “One has nothing to do with the other. I don’t trade sex for work. I contracted you to do a job and I’ll pay the bill.” She might feel differently if they were an actual couple, but they were having an affair, not building a lasting relationship. Jonah had made it more than clear from the beginning that this was just about sex. Not to pay him for the work would cheapen their lovemaking and turn it into something else entirely.

“Damn it, Amanda. I didn’t say anything about trading sex for work.” He raked his hand through his hair. She tried not to notice how rugged and handsome he looked wearing work boots, jeans and a long-sleeved cotton T-shirt in a rich green that matched his eye color to perfection.

She crossed her arms over her chest to keep from reaching out to touch him. “Then there is no reason for you not to take the money, is there?” She had to remember that their relationship was purely a physical one and not a deep emotional connection. If she didn’t she was going to be hurt when it came to an end. She swallowed hard. Who was she kidding? It was going to break her heart when he finally left. All her life, she’d been the one to leave first. Since she already knew she wanted to be with him for as long as possible, she knew he’d be the one to call an end to this affair. This time, she would be the one left behind. Although she supposed it didn’t matter. The results were the same—

she’d be alone once again.

“You are one stubborn woman, you know that?” He put his hands on his hips and glared at her, his frustration palpable.

“Yeah, I know.” She tightened her arms around herself. Is this where he called it quits and decided he’d had enough of her? She wouldn’t beg him to stay. She had too much pride for that. But, oh, how she wanted their relationship to continue, even if it was just for a while longer.

And how sad was that? She straightened her spine. She was an independent woman and didn’t need a man to be happy. She didn’t need anyone. She had her business and a few good friends. Her life was full, with or without Jonah in it.

Huffing out a breath, he reached out and clamped his hands over her shoulders, pulling her close to him. “Come here.” His voice was gruff, but his touch was gentle as he pressed her head against his chest. “I’ll send you the damn bill.”

“Promise?”

“Yeah.” He pressed his lips against the top of her head and Amanda let out a sigh.

“Listen, I’ve got to go. I got a call about another job.” He pulled away and glanced down at his watch. “I should be back in time for supper.”

“You’re coming back?” He’d stayed with her all week, but there had been no new threats and the job here was done. She’d expected him to pack up the few belongings he had here and leave. Had been preparing herself for it.

His lips formed a thin line. “Of course I’m coming back.” He dropped his arms back by his sides and took a step away. “Unless you don’t want me to.”

Frustration filled her. She was no good at relationships. She couldn’t tell what Jonah wanted. Was he glad she was giving him an out or did he want to stay? Part of her wanted to push him away before she fell even more deeply in love with him than she already was. Another part of her wanted to hold on tight and hope he’d eventually come to love her back. Confusion filled her and she couldn’t think straight, so she threw his own words back at him. “You said this was just an affair. I thought you’d want to get back to your own life.”

“Yeah. Sure.” He turned and walked away. “I’ll be out of your way in a few minutes.”

Her chest ached and her stomach lurched. Had she hurt his feelings? Did he want to stay? Hope rose from a deep dark place inside her as she hurried after him. “You’re not in the way, Jonah. If anything, I’ve disrupted your life totally. You have a family. Friends.

Yet you spend all your time with me.”

He stopped and turned so abruptly, she plowed right into him. He caught her before she fell onto her butt. “You haven’t disrupted anything. I want to be here with you.”

Amanda didn’t even stop to question why her heart leapt with joy at his words. This relationship could only end in heartbreak, but she didn’t care. She wanted to be with Jonah for as long as it lasted. “I’m glad you’ve been here. And not just because of the break-in.” She stared at his chest until he caught her chin in his hand and raised it until she was looking at him.

“Supper?”

She knew that if he came back for supper, he’d stay the night. Maybe it was weak of her, but she wanted him. She loved spending time with him, making love with him and having his big body curl around hers late at night. The more she got to know Jonah, the more she found to love about him. “Somewhere between six and six-thirty. Just let me know if you’re going to be late.”

He leaned down and kissed her. There was an almost desperate edge to the kiss. She couldn’t tell if it was coming from her, from him, or from both of them.

He broke away and went back to the basement and gathered his tools. Amanda was still waiting in the hallway when he returned.

“I’ll see you in a few hours. Be sure and keep the doors locked and your cell phone with you at all times.”

“I’ll be fine, Jonah. It’s daytime and nothing else has happened since the first breakin. It was an isolated incident. Bad luck and nothing more.”

“Promise me.” He looked so fierce and protective she found herself nodding. He pressed a quick, hard kiss on her lips and headed for the front door. “I’ll see you at supper.”

Amanda stood in the hallway and listened as his truck pulled away. She touched her fingers to her lips and sighed. Giving herself a shake, she headed to the kitchen. She’d make herself a cup of tea and then she’d start to unpack boxes.


Two hours later, she stood back and admired the progress she’d made. One entire wall was filled with books and seven more boxes were waiting to be unpacked and displayed. She was pleased with her progress.

Her cell phone rang and she retrieved it from her back pocket. She glanced at the caller ID, but it came up as caller unknown. “Hello.”

There was dead silence on the other end, even though she could tell the line was open.

Cold chills raced down Amanda’s spine. “Who is this?”

“He won’t stay forever. I know you’re alone.”

The loud click in her ear made her flinch. What did the caller mean? Was it just a wrong number or was it her assailant? Amanda nervously glanced out the window. “Get a grip. It’s just a phone call. He can’t hurt you through the phone.” He might not be able to hurt her physically, but he could certainly disrupt her mental state.

She started to close her phone, but changed her mind. She dialed the sheriff’s office instead.

A well-modulated female voice answered her call. “Jamesville Sheriff’s Department, how may I help you?”

“May I please speak with Sheriff O’Rourke?”

“May I ask who’s calling?”

“Amanda Barrington.”

“One moment, Ms. Barrington. I’ll check and see if he’s available.”

She tapped her foot against the oak flooring and stared out the window. The room, which had seemed so cozy just moments before, now felt cold.

“Hey there, Amanda, what can I do for you?” Patrick’s deep voice came across the line and she breathed a sigh of relief. Actually, now that she had the sheriff on the line it seemed kind of foolish to even bother him with this.

“I’m not sure.” She gave a small, self-deprecating laugh. “I had a phone call and it spooked me.”

“What happened?” His voice was all business now.

She strolled away from the window and double-checked the lock on the door. “I was just working when my phone rang. It was a male voice, sort of muffled.”

“What did he say?” She heard a distinct rattling sound on the other end of the line. It sounded like he was shifting through papers on his desk. “Was the voice familiar at all?

Why would the caller muffle their voice unless they were afraid you might recognize them?”

Amanda left her shop and went to the front door to check the lock there as well. “I didn’t recognize it, but as I said, it was muffled. He said that he knew I was alone and that he wouldn’t stay forever.”

Patrick paused. “He wouldn’t stay forever?”

Amanda leaned against the front door and sighed. “Jonah’s been staying with me since the night of the attack.”

“I see.” Nothing in his tone gave away what Patrick thought of that arrangement.

“What about your caller ID?”

She shook her head. “Nothing.”

“It could be just a crank call, but I don’t believe in coincidences. Did the caller say anything about a book?”

“No. That was the only thing he said. Then he hung up.”

“Okay. I’m going to send out a deputy to take a look around. In the meantime, we can contact your provider and look into your cell phone records and see if we can’t find out where the call came from.” She heard him call out to someone in the office and then he was back on the line with her.

Amanda breathed a sigh of relief. She felt like such a coward, but for the first time in her life, she was nervous about being alone. “That would be great.”

“You hang tight. I’ve got a man on the way out there.”

“Thanks, Patrick.”

“We’ll find out who it is.”

“I hope so,” she muttered under her breath.

“What was that?”

She saw the familiar vehicle pulling up in front of her house. “The deputy is here.”

“Good.”

She sensed his hesitation. “Is there anything else?”

“Are you going to be alone tonight?”

Amanda felt like sinking into the floor. She was a grown woman, but she’d never openly had an affair with a man before. She and Jonah were practically living together.

“No.” She cleared her throat and continued. “Jonah will be back around supper time. He went out on a job.”

“That’s fine. My deputy can stay until then.”

“Thanks, but there’s no need. I have my phone and all the doors are locked.”

“He’ll wait outside until Jonah shows up.” She sensed the finality in Patrick’s words and couldn’t deny the relief she felt.

“Okay.” A single loud knock came on the door. “I’ve got to go and let the deputy in.

I’ll talk to you later.” She ended the call and opened the door to the uniformed man.

“Please come in.”


Work had always been a balm for Amanda during the bad times and now was no different. The shelves of her shop were filled and the boxes had been broken down. She planned to store them down in the basement for now.

The cedar trunks were now empty and the books had been stored in either the safe or the glass cases behind her desk. The ones in the cases belonged to the store and were not on consignment for clients. They were books she’d personally picked up at yard sales and estate sales. They were listed with her online store, but she didn’t mind displaying them in her shop. The idea was to sell them, and Jamesville did a brisk tourist trade in the summer and well into the fall when they held their apple harvest festival.

The trunks themselves had been placed strategically in front of the shelves to be used as seats. All she had to do was buy some cushions to go on top of them.

Her store was ready for business even if she wasn’t. Her nerves were still on edge, waiting for the phone to ring again.

The deputy had taken her statement earlier and returned to his car out front. She thought another car had arrived a few hours ago and replaced the original one, but she wasn’t one hundred percent certain. She felt sorry for them. It couldn’t have been very exciting for them to have to sit and watch her house all day.

She glanced at her watch. It was just past six. “Damn.” She’d forgotten all about supper and had no idea what was in her refrigerator that she could cook for her and Jonah to eat.

She was just about to head to the kitchen to rummage through the cupboards when she heard a vehicle pulling up outside. Walking to the window, she looked out. Her heart gave a little jump. Jonah was home.

He climbed out of his truck and went straight to the deputy’s car. He leaned down and talked with him for several minutes before straightening. The deputy started his vehicle and pulled away, giving a little wave as he went.