Page 5 of The Jade Stone Sleuth

“I’m Brexten Cabella,” he said. “Not a stranger any longer. My friends call me Brex.” He winked and put out his hand for her to shake.

Clara swallowed and moistened her lips, then ran her fingers against his until their palms aligned. Her stomach flip-flopped as unfamiliar sparks and tingles lit the pre-dawn air around them. He curled his fingers around her hand, and she knew she had found the safe space and the excitement she’d been looking for her entire adult life. This man, and the way it felt to touch him and be looked at by him, were unique. She felt like he’d stepped down from Mt. Olympus, yet the way he regarded her and flirted with her made her feel special.

Surprised and confused by her own thoughts, she stared at Brex in awe and concern. She couldn’t fall for some supermodel. She couldn’t fall for any man.

He looked a little unsteady as well, but his megawatt smile was still in place. “Your name?” he asked in a soft, husky voice. “I don’t want to be strangers any longer.”

Strangers no longer. She was fond of that idea.

He studied her, and Clara realized she was supposed to say something.

She pulled her hand back and clasped her hands together. It was impossible to think straight when he was touching her. Who was this guy? What was he doing to her?

“Your name?” he prompted again, smirking at her now.

“Clara,” she rushed out. “Clara Gem.”

“I like that. Your jade eyes sparkle like the most exquisite gem I’ve ever seen.”

Clara flushed from his compliment. He had a silver tongue to go with his refined looks. She should be leery. She wasn’t.

“Thank you,” was all she could manage, no teasing or sarcasm anywhere to be found. Lincoln would be so disappointed.

She should walk away. She’d told herself moments earlier she wasn’t going to date seriously or get involved again. She couldn’t risk another man she cared about being killed because she grew close to him.

But she wasn’t dating Brex or caring about him. They were only meeting. There was little harm in speaking to a handsome man.

Rationalizing always worked.

“Where are you from, Brex?” she asked.

“How do you know I’m not from Jade Valley?” He shook his wrist and glanced at his watch.

“Seeing as I am the native and know all ten thousand residents by at least sight if not name, I’m hazarding a guess that you’re a visitor or an implant.”

He chuckled. “Guilty.”

“Where are you from?”

“Originally Durango, Colorado.” He cocked his head to the side and folded his arms across his chest. “But my current home is San Diego.”

“Oh.” Her mouth went dry as she studied the well-formed muscles in his shoulders and arms. He’d put them on display with that move. “Are you here … visiting?”

Jade Valley wasn’t much of a tourist spot. They were an hour and a half south of Zion National Park and forty-five minutes west of the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Occasionally a tourist would stop for a weekend, do some of the fabulous hikes or mountain bike rides, but Jade Valley, Arizona was only a suggestion on any travel blog, an add-on to the famous national parks nearby, the antithesis of Las Vegas, three hours away. Rarely a spot to stay. Unless a health enthusiast or person needing health reform was staying at her brother’s fitness retreat. Vance had put Jade Valley on the map with his beautiful and incredible spa. Her cousin Jude and sister Melody made their family somewhat famous with Jude’s extreme sports career and Melody’s silly social media posts that made her more money than she knew what to do with. Luckily for Clara she donated generously to her mission trips.

“I’m staying for at least a few months,” Brex said.

“Why?” she demanded.

He flashed her a grin. “Do you always grill the outsider?”

“As a rule.”

“Hmm. And if I don’t answer your questions?”

“The Jade Valley welcoming committee will haul you to the nearest highway and make you hitchhike home.”

“Interesting.” He smirked. “And if I do answer your questions?”

---