Page 25 of Deadly Peril

Chapter 7

On the trip home, Thaddeus tried not to think about Jana—about the skiing, the lunch, or the way she’d looked at him. But he was doing a lousy job of putting it out of his mind, especially with her right beside him gazing at the snowy landscape. His skill at blocking emotion seemed to be crumbling.

He could be himself around Jana. She didn’t seem to expect him to charm her. He shouldn’t anyway, since he was with her in a professional role. He sensed that she accepted him for himself, although he couldn’t have explained what that was.

Jana was emotionally strong, so Thaddeus didn’t need to be so careful around her. In the past, he’d been trepidatious when on a date. What he’d faced in the service and what he knew of life was some intense stuff.

He’d always wondered on a date if his dark side would leak out and ruin everything. He’d taken great effort to be social, behavior that was painful for him. With Jana, he relaxed for no apparent reason. He had a hunch that she wouldn’t require him to change to suit her.

Thaddeus supposed that his ability to perceive emotions made him aware of things that he’d rather not know about. In this case, he understood Jana on a visceral level. And that could be a dangerous thing. He found himself enjoying her company—more than he should have.

He desired her touch, welcomed perceived affection. Even though she hadn’t done anything to give him the idea that she wanted a relationship. It was crazy. There was something special about her. No other woman had made him feel the way she did.

Jana was honest about her feelings. She didn’t try to hide them, to be nice when she was angry or act composed when she was anxious. That was something Thaddeus appreciated. He’d found that, despite his intuitiveness, what went on in a woman’s mind was often difficult to figure out.

That was one of the reasons Thaddeus had been compelled to let go of the idea of marriage. It occurred to him that he’d envisioned getting married at some period in his past. But it had been so long ago that he’d forgotten. Jana had renewed his interest, ignited a spark of hope. She was an alluring woman…sexy, strong, and resilient.

Thaddeus had been convinced that a woman fell in love faster than a man. Yet that theory might not hold up. He’d known Jana for a brief period but couldn’t deny that he felt something for her. Falling in love might be a bit strong, but it was more than friendship.

He would have said that his perfect woman was quiet and undemanding, which would suit him because he was a private type of guy. Yet Jana’s outgoing, vibrant approach to life drew him to her. He’d been fairly quiet around her, since that was his inclination.

Yet her verve and knack for talking had put a chink in his armor. If he didn’t watch it, he’d be in big trouble. Jana wasn’t a woman to hang with for a night or two. She was the real deal. It would be a stupid move to let her know how he felt.

Hell, he didn’t even know how he felt. He’d better back it off, and fast. He knew better. It wouldn’t pay to lose his concentration, not now. It could get someone killed. His top priority was to keep Jana safe. Then he would move on and the infatuation would fade.

Jana turned to look at him. “You’re awfully quiet…more than usual. What are you thinking about?”

“Stuff…I mean, nothing in particular.” Thaddeus cranked up the radio a notch, hoping to forgo the need to talk.

“It’s too bad we couldn’t stay longer,” Jana said. “But I have to get back. I have a company to manage.” She sighed. “I can’t run away from my life.”

“Is that what you’d like to do?”

“Not really.” Jana looked at the road ahead. “I just want all of this…weirdness to be over.”

“Is that what you call an attempt on your life?”

“What would you call it…normal?”

For Thaddeus, there had been times when it had been normal. But that was in the past. He was a civilian now, and those kinds of things weren’t supposed to happen. “It’s not normal at all,” he said.

Near home, Jana said, “I want to stop for coffee. I’ll show you my favorite shop. The barista makes good cappuccino with lots of foam.”

Thaddeus followed her directions and found the shop. Maggie’s Espresso was just around a bend off the main road. The lot was mostly empty, so it was no problem finding a place to park. It was late afternoon, so coffee drinks didn’t appear to be in demand. That was just as well, since it made it easier to protect Jana.

*****

Coffee sounded good, and it would delay Jana’s return, if only by an hour. It was worth it. The pastries and cappuccino at Maggie’s were delicious. She frequented the café a couple of times a week and had done so for years.

Thaddeus opened the Jeep’s door, and Jana hopped out. She could get used to such chivalry. Her ex-husband could have learned a thing or two. Speaking of whom…she couldn’t believe her eyes.

“Oh God…let me handle this,” Jana said, after spotting Rakel standing by his car closer to the entrance. Her ex was the last person she expected to see.

Thaddeus stuck close. He glanced at Rakel once he noticed that he was staring at Jana. “Who the hell is he?”

Jana waved a hand. “My ex-husband, of all people. How totally inappropriate. He’s waiting for me.”

Rakel had thick brown hair, a scruff of a beard, and hazel eyes. Jana tried to remember how she’d fallen for him. She felt empty when she looked at him. And she might have harbored some feeling of friendship, had it not been for his intrusion into her day.

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