My Deadly Valentine - By Valerie Hansen & Lynette Eason Page 0,17

paper that they could send to a lab this time. The letters had been scrawled directly on the wall.

It said,

Hot as where I’m going to send you soon, sweetheart.

Get ready.

Rachel could tell Jace was upset as soon as he returned to her and she looked into his eyes. “What is it? Was there a bomb?”

“No.” He took her arm and guided her away from the small crowd that had gathered in front of the shop and on the courthouse lawn across the street. “But there was another warning.”

“What—what did it say?”

“Pretty much the same as before,” he told her.

“Where is it? I want to see.”

“Later. There’s no hurry. Let the others get their pictures and pick up their gear first. The message isn’t going anywhere.”

“Why not? Isn’t Harlan going to give it to Pastor Logan?”

“He can’t this time. It’s written right on the wall.”

“How awful.” Studying him so she wouldn’t miss any clues to his mood, she asked, “Do you still think I had something to do with all this?” Because he didn’t answer immediately, she went on. “Because if you do, I can sort of understand why. I’ve been thinking about it and I can see that the shop is getting a lot of free publicity. The problem is, it’s not the kind of image Eloise and I want for our store.”

“I know. And I apologize for doubting you. It just seems incredible that you have no idea who is so mad at you.” He smiled slightly. “Harlan thinks you may be doing this to get my attention.”

“Oh, really?” Her hands fisted on her hips and she stared at him. “Does he honestly believe I can’t get a date without raising a ruckus? He must have been talking to my dad after all.”

“I don’t think so. I imagine somebody will soon, though. The way the gossip is flying there’s no way your father isn’t going to find out sooner or later.”

“Most likely sooner,” Rachel said. “I can hardly wait for the lecture.”

“He cares about you.”

She sighed loudly. “I know. It’s just that he refuses to let me live my own life. He’s tried to fix me up with half the men in town.”

“Including the electrician?” Jace’s eyes narrowed as he looked past her to scan the milling crowd.

“No. Not that I recall.”

He had already been standing close to her side. When he moved even nearer, his presence caused her to notice a lack of oxygen in the crisp air.

“This is becoming more than a job to me,” Jace said softly. “You do know that, don’t you?”

“It shouldn’t be,” Rachel countered, determined to keep her emotional distance even if she did crave the protectiveness of his physical presence. “I told you. I don’t date cops.”

“Never?”

“Never ever. Not in a million years.” She shook her head theatrically, hoping to soften her statements and still make a point. “Nope. No way. Uh-uh.”

“I think I get the idea.” To her relief, he was smiling.

“Good. As long as we understand each other.”

His eyes began to twinkle with mirth and his grin spread. “I take it that also means I should forget the fact that you kissed me.”

“Hey! You started it.”

“Yes,” he said, chuckling softly, “but you certainly surprised me when you finished it so well.”

Blushing, Rachel lowered her gaze and refused to continue to look at him. He was right, of course. She had returned his kiss as instinctively as if they had known each other for ages. He hadn’t been the only one surprised. She’d been totally flabbergasted. And ashamed. What must he think of her? That she made a habit of kissing strange men? Probably. Only nothing could be further from the truth.

In all memory, recent and otherwise, she had never been kissed so perfectly, so thoroughly. And she had never, ever, returned the affection with such sureness and ease. Her reaction to Jace’s simple kiss had not only knocked her socks off, it had left her wondering how such a wonderful experience had escaped her all these years.

She would never let on that she’d been deeply affected, of course. The man was already so sure of himself that he was practically impossible. More flattery was the last thing he needed, especially coming from her. Next thing she knew, he’d start to believe the sheriff’s ridiculous theory that she was causing trouble just to get the new deputy’s attention.

There was, however, one thing she wanted him to know, so she decided to speak her mind. “I’m terribly thankful that you were with