His Until Dawn Excerpt

The meeting between Jade and Vince at his hotel. Their first meeting takes place at in her office at the college, where she teaches art history.

Chapter 2

Jade eased into an empty parking space outside the Palace and switched off her engine. A groan escaped her when she caught a glimpse of the time. Ten minutes late and counting.

Oh, let him wait. So what if she’d taken a little extra time to deck her body and paint herself like a geisha. She had a party to go to after their meeting. But to make Vince Knight choke on his words would be an added bonus. I haven’t changed my butt.

She tucked a stray strand of raven hair behind her ear and studied her face in the rear view mirror. The make-up and pinned-up hair with a few tendrils framing her face couldn’t be labeled overkill. She tilted the mirror to check the enticing valley created by the black bustier she’d worn under her matching spaghetti-strapped dress. Now that could be classified as a look-and-drool display.

Jade picked up her black purse, sheer shawl, and stepped out of her car, locking it. She smoothed the silk dress down over her hips. A chuckle escaped her. Her butt had its own agenda and continued to resist any attempts to slim it down, but she was learning to live with it. The rest of her she owed to a rigorous workout regiment and rigid discipline. Any man, Vince Knight included, should be worshipping at her feet.

Jade took several steps, glanced down, and grimaced. Six-inches of pure hell. She was a sucker for beautiful shoes. The look on Vince’s face when he saw her in them would be worth it, though. If she didn’t fall flat on her face first. Positive thoughts, please.

Two men exited the hotel as she approached the entrance and froze at seeing her. Their drawn out ‘damn’ brought a quick smile to her lips. Thank you. That was all the encouragement she needed to work the black drop-waist dress with asymmetrical hem.

Her senses thrummed with anticipation as she glided through the hotel doors. Jade gave the busy foyer a sweeping glance. When her gaze locked on Vince, her heart started a rickety shuffle and her stomach tilted.

This was bad. She wasn’t within sniffing distance of the man and her body was already betraying her. Even in plain jeans and a T-shirt, the man stood out. She studied his tall, built frame as he leaned nonchalantly against the front desk. His tanned skin contrasted attractively with his white T-shirt, his teeth flashing as he spoke with one of the managers.

It wasn’t fair. The man wasn’t even her type. No sir, she avoided the silent, brooding, emotionally unavailable types like the plague. Too difficult to understand. Too complicated.

On the other hand, where had an outgoing man gotten her? A bad marriage and doubts about her sensuality. Stop it, Jade. Your ex should not be on your mind. It was better to concentrate on the pending meeting with Vince.

As though he felt her gaze, Vince turned. She stopped breathing. A stupid thing to do. He gave her a slow appraisal, his gaze lingering on her chest before colliding with hers.

Expression on his face? Cool. Unimpressed.

The air left her lungs in an unsteady rush. A derisive smile touched her lips as she started across the room. All that time spent putting her war paint on wasted. How the hell could he maintain that stone-cold soberness all the time? The man had to be made of ice. Served her right for trying to get a rise out of him.

Maybe that was the problem. His rigid control and aloofness rubbed her the wrong way. Made her want to do or say something to rattle his cage. His lack of interest in her was a definite challenge. Maybe there was some truth to the lure of the unattainable. Vince Knight, without trying, fascinated her.

Vince approached with the loose-hipped predatory stride of a jungle cat, sending a whoosh of anticipation through her. Feeling a little light-headed, Jade hoped she didn’t totter on her ridiculously high stilettos. “Sorry, I’m late,” she said, hating the breathlessness in her voice.

“No problem. You’re here now.” He gave her another cool once-over without making a comment and lifted a duffel bag she hadn’t noticed he was carrying. “There’s something I need to show you.”

Her gaze moved from the bag to his face. “What is it?

“Let’s find a place to sit first.” His dark gaze swept the foyer as though mentally cataloguing faces. She wasn’t sure whether it was caution or paranoia.

She trailed his gaze. “Is everything okay?”

“No.”

The calm way he said it sent a chill up her spine. She opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, decided against it, and closed it. Maybe it was best she got the meeting over with and left.

Jade allowed Vince to take her arm and direct her toward the Feng Shui restaurant and lobby. His hand played havoc with her senses. She felt warmth all the way to her bones. A group of women coming toward them caused him to pull her closer until only a few inches separated them. The heat from his body seeped into her skin, making her shiver. His scent, musk and spearmint, slammed into her. Her mind went foggy.

“Do you live here in L.A.?” she asked to stop herself from doing something totally stupid like burying her nose in the hollow of his neck.

“No, Orcas Island. I’m only here to find the statue, then I’m heading right back.”

He was so sure he would find it. Such confidence was daunting, and she had to admit, a turn-on. They walked past a poster with ‘ISWS-International Society of Women Scientists’ printed on it. “How long have you been in town?”

“Two days. Why?”

“Just wondering.” Keep him talking. Think up more questions. Maybe then she’d turn off the faucet on the raw sexual longing sneaking in on her. “Who have you spoken with? Where have you looked? Stolen artifacts are moved so fast that….”

Her voice trailed off when he stopped abruptly. He looked down at her and she blinked. The man had penetrating eyes that seemed to see right through her outer trappings and straight to the real her—a women building her life from a humiliating marriage. She swallowed and copped an irritation. “What?”

“Can we sit down first before you start questioning me?”

“You only have thirty minutes, remember?” Not that she had any intention of leaving until all her questions were answered. “Make the most of it.”

His gaze slid across her face and dropped to her breasts. “A lot can be accomplished in thirty minutes.”

Heat spread up her neck, cheeks, and ears. Oh, the rotten scoundrel. If she were bold enough, she would have given him a thorough meat-market perusal and deliberately linger on his fly. Rule Number Two in Kick-ass Attitude—when you can't show it, voice it. “Especially when a person knows what she wants,” she answered provocatively and his gaze swung back to hers. “Much better. I wasn’t sure whether you were talking to me or my you-know-whats.” She pointed at her chest.

No reaction. Not even a flicker of irritation or amusement. Okay, she was impressed. Stumped. In high school, he’d been volatile, a charmer. His smile alone had coaxed girls into the backseat of his car. What happened? Who stole his smile, damn it?

She shook her head at her foolishness. “Come on, Vince. Let’s find those seats.”

They entered the Chinese-inspired restaurant with its red leather banquettes and corset-laced wood chairs. Women of various ages and ethnicities in expensive business suits occupied most of the tables. Vince indicated the only empty table at the other end of the room.

Conversation stopped as they crossed the room, and it didn’t take a genius to tell who was holding the women’s interest. As if choreographed, conversation resumed as soon as they sat down. Jade hid a smile. Good to know she wasn’t the only one whom Vince had that effect on. The fascinating thing was that the beefcake seemed totally oblivious.

“Can I get you something to drink?” Vince asked, interrupting her thoughts.

“Sure. I’ll have club soda with lime, please.”

He signaled a waitress, ordered her drink, and brandy for himself. “Could you bring the bill with the order?” The woman nodded and left.

He leaned back, draped his arm on the back of his chair, and locked his gaze on her. When the silence stretched, she pursed her lips. “You know it’s considered rude to stare.”

He shrugged. “Just trying to decide what made you change your mind about meeting me.”

“You made accusations and I want to know why.”

“You’re worried about your mother,” he stated calmly, his gaze watchful. “Why?”

“No, I’m not.” What was he? A mind reader? His piercing gaze didn’t waver, making her feel guilty for lying. “Why should I? She’s probably drinking margaritas and doing the cha-cha bare foot on some private beach.” Oops, now he knew her mother was out of town. She shot him a baleful stare. “You’re supposed to tell me about your investigation, not interrogate me.”

His brow shot up. “One question hardly qualifies as an interrogation.”

“Oh, yeah? Try being pinned down with that,” she waved her hands toward his face, “gaze. Give it to me, plain and simple, Vince. What, when, why, and how?” She leaned forward, inadvertently drawing attention to her breasts.

His gaze strayed to her cleavage before connecting with hers. Heat shimmered in the depth of his dark eyes, holding her captive, then the mask he wore so well slid into place.

She was still, trying to catch her breath when he said, “You only want facts, if I recall correctly.” His voice was cool.

How could he look at her as though she were his favorite dish and dessert after months without food, then switch to his old cold self? “No, I’ve changed my mind. You are an investigative reporter. I heard reporters use their gut instinct to follow—”

The appearance of the waitress with their drinks interrupted her. Vince scribbled his name and room number on the bill. “Put it on my account.”

Jade pulled out her wallet from her purse. “How much do I owe you for my drink?” she asked Vince once the woman left.

His gaze shifted from her hands to her face. “Put that away. You’re my guest.”

“No, I’m not. I stopped here for information, hardly the same thing.” She snapped open her wallet, reached inside a zippered compartment for a ten-dollar bill, and yanked it out.

“Satchel.” She looked up. His voice had been mild, yet the glint in his eyes indicated irritation. “Put it away before you piss me off.”

“Oh? Is that a bad thing? You know, like waving a red flag in front of a bull?” She waved the bill.

The corners of his mouth curled and his dimples flashed. Oh, my, the smile was beautiful, like a ray of sunlight after a stormy day. Why hadn’t she noticed that his lower lip was fuller than the top? She shook her head and swallowed. “I, um, tell me about your missing statue.”

He nodded briefly. “Last weekend, my father gave a private party at his home. Sometime during the evening, he brought out his collection of antiques to share with his guests. One of them was a statue that’s been in the family for generations.”

She slipped her wallet back in her purse and focused on his words. She thought she knew most of her mother’s friends, yet the name Knight didn’t ring a bell.

Vince sipped his drink and set it down. “Soon after that, the guests moved back to the living room. When my father went back to put his collection away, he discovered the statue was missing.”

Jade raised her eyebrows. “Why is my mother your suspect?”

“She went back to into the den before the statue disappeared.” He took another sip of his drink and cradled his glass, a frown between his brows. “I know this may come as a shock to you but her behavior the entire evening was suspicious.”

“So you say. Were you there?” The challenge in her voice was unmistakable.

“No.”

“Ever met my mother?”

“No, but—”

“Then you can’t say with certainty how differently she’d acted. Who saw her go back into the den?” She didn’t care what Vince’s father or the other guests had said. Her mother wasn’t a thief. “Who told you about her behavior?”

“The other guests. She announced to the entire room that she’d misplaced a diamond bracelet in the den and left the room.”

“A blue diamond bracelet?”

“Yes. How did you know?”

She shrugged. “It has a faulty catch. My father bought her that bracelet the year he died and she loathes parting with it. She should have had it fixed years ago but she keeps putting it off.” She shot him a defiant look. “If she said she’d lost it, that’s exactly what happened.”

“Not when no one saw her wear it in the first place or after she came back from the den.”

He deftly knocked the wind out of her sail with that one. Jade reached for her drink and took a long sip as she raked her brain for something plausible to say. There had to be an explanation. “You said you’ve spoken with everyone who was at the party. Don’t you find it strange that they’re all saying the same thing?” She was grasping at straws but she didn’t care. Her mother was innocent. As for Vince, his poker face didn’t give his thoughts away. “They’re obviously fingering her because she isn’t here to defend herself.” Amusement flickered in Vince’s eyes, causing her to bristle. “Oh, you find this amusing?”

He drained his drink and set his glass aside. “No, I don’t. I find your loyalty admirable.”

She waved his comment away. “Bullshit. What do you expect me to do? Agree with everything you say? She’s my mother, for chrissake. I know her. Stealing is something she’d never do.” Yet her behavior before she left on the cruise had been so strange, a voice mocked in her head. “Do you know how ridiculous this all sounds? My mother carries delicate, tiny purses when she’s about town. Where could she have hidden this statue? How could she have gotten it out of the house?” Why was she even bothering to question him? He appeared to have made up his mind. “Who was on the guest list? I would like to talk to them.”

His eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“To verify what you’ve told me.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

She started to laugh, but stopped when their gazes connected. Was the smoldering heat in the depth of his eyes real or was she imagining it? Air lodged in her throat and her stomach started high-energy aerobics. “I, uh.” She cleared her throat and covered it with laugher. “Hell no. Not when you’re convinced my mother is guilty of something she hasn’t done. Of course, you could be feeding me a line for all I know but….” Vince had reached inside his duffel bag and pulled out a beautiful black figurine. “Oh, wow. That’s beautiful.”

“Tell me if you’ve ever seen this before.”

She reached for it just as he was passing it to her. His finger slid between hers and nestled at the sensitive base between her two fingers. Both of them froze. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but he didn’t pull away either. The connection was erotic, stimulating. It unleashed a storm of emotions inside her. She wanted to say something witty, but her mind drew blank.

When he gently pulled back his hands and pushed the statue closer to her, Jade snapped into focus. The statue came to her rescue. A royal couple and a lion-headed person stood on a rectangular block base with ancient text. Both the king and queen wore broad diadem with a frontal uraeus over their braided hairs. Their facial features were well-carved, eyes outlined, and detail paid to clothing and jewelry. The large, lion-headed deity loomed behind them, his arms stretched out. She recognized him right away. Apedemak, an ancient Nubian god. In one hand, he carried a crook and the other, an ankh, the symbol of life.

When was the last time she saw such a well preserved ancient Nubian artifact? Not since the year she spent in Europe touring museums. Even the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston with its extensive collection of ancient Egyptian and Nubian relics couldn’t lay claim to such a find.

Jade ran a finger over the surface and studied the grime on the surface. Too smooth, the patina unusually thick. Maybe not too well preserved. She slanted Vince a look. What was going on behind his calm exterior? He looked like he could wait forever without getting bored or losing his patience.

She pushed the statue toward him and shook her head. “No, I’ve never seen such a statue before.”

“But?”

She chewed on her lower lip, her gaze on the statue. Should she tell him the truth? It didn’t matter that given time, she could do stylistic and historical analyses on the figurine and have one of her physical chemist colleagues support her conclusion with chemical analysis. But, he hadn’t sought her professional opinion. “It’s nothing. It's a beautiful piece.”

“What is it?” Vince leaned forward, drawing her gaze to his face.

“Well, uh, I hope it isn’t one of your father’s treasured antiques.”

“Why?”

“It is a forgery. A damn good one, but still a forgery.”