seriously that he did. He knows how to cheat at cards when it suits him.”
Jake considered her words. They were spoken like someone who evidently knew Sterling extremely well. Suddenly and expectedly, he felt a tinge of jealously at the thought of just how well that might be. He was tempted to ask, but decided it was none of his business. Sterling had told him on numerous occasions that he and Diamond Swain were friends and nothing more. He knew that although his friend might have a tendency to cheat at cards every once in a while, he was fairly honest otherwise. Besides, Sterling had no reason to lie to him.
Jake pulled the Jeep to a stop in front of the cabin. “Here we are.”
Diamond took a good look at the structure they were parked in front of and became speechless. Before them was the most luxurious log cabin she had ever seen. A deck surrounded the house on three sides that provided a beautiful view of a half-acre lake.
She turned toward Jake. “Oh, Jacob, it’s beautiful. I know that you really didn’t invite me here, and a part of me feels I should do the noble thing and leave. But now, after seeing this, I don’t want to leave. Please let me stay. I promise not to be a bother.”
Jake didn’t think it would be possible for her not to be a bother, when her very presence was bothering him already. But for some reason, the thought of her leaving bothered him as well.
“Of course you’ll stay. Sterling may have cheated an invitation out of me, but I’d really like you to stay.”
What Jake thought was Diamond’s most heart-stopping smile appeared on her face. “Thank you, Jacob.”
Jake felt his heart trip against his ribs with that smile and the sultry sound of his name from Diamond’s lips. He stared at her mouth and his nostrils flared as he felt total awareness in the lower part of his stomach. He couldn’t recall the last time a woman had gotten hold of his attention this much. He decided to get out of the vehicle before he did something really stupid like haul her into his arms and kiss her.
Chapter 2
Diamond leaned against the doorway with arms crossed as she surveyed the room. If you were looking for a nice private hideaway, you couldn’t do any better than this, she thought. The cabin was located approximately four to five miles from the main house in a very secluded section of Whispering Pines. It featured a master bedroom with a king-size bed and a full bath and two other bedrooms. It also had a full kitchen, a mudroom with a washer and dryer, a spacious living room with a vaulted ceiling and a large stone fireplace.
While showing her around, Jacob had told her that he had built the house himself years ago but had not spent a night in it. She had found that surprising as well as intriguing but hadn’t questioned him about it. And he hadn’t felt compelled to share any explanations.
Diamond walked out on the deck. The sky was still clouded, and in the distance she could hear the distinct sound of thunder. After Jacob had brought in her bags, he had given her a quick tour of the cabin. He’d also given her instructions on how to reach the main house if she needed something. The phones, he had informed her, had direct lines to his ranch and in order to place a call somewhere off the ranch, she would have to come to the main house to do so. Then he had left.
She frowned. No doubt Sterling had known about the absence of an outside phone line at the cabin. He had made her promise that she would not be calling her agent or anyone else regarding work. He had wanted her to spend the next three weeks resting.
Diamond walked back inside. Jacob had told her that the kitchen had been stocked for her visit, but if she ever got tired of cooking to just pick up the phone and call the ranch, and he would have his cook prepare something and that he’d bring it out to her.
Although she knew he was doing certain things to assure her privacy, Diamond couldn’t help but feel that he was also doing everything within his power to keep her at a distance. It appeared the ranch was his domain. He didn’t mind sharing his land as long as she stayed in the space he had decided to give her.
Diamond tried to laugh at the thought of any man keeping her at a distance. She’d never had that sort of problem before and found the thought interesting. She had always become irritated with men who became obsessed with the way she looked. If her theory was true and Jacob was keeping her at a distance, it would be a first. But then, Jacob Madaris had started off being a first in a number of ways already. He was the first man, other than Sterling and her other childhood friend Kyle Garwood, who could elicit a genuine smile from her. And he’d been the first she had actually noticed as a man in a long time. A very long time. His masculinity was something any sane woman just couldn’t miss…or ignore.
Opening the refrigerator door, she began pulling out the items needed to make a salad. The sound of thunder was getting closer. After dinner she would take a shower and curl up in bed with a good book. For the first time in years, she would spend her evening doing practically nothing.
“And you’re sure she’s okay?”
Jake stared out of his kitchen window. From the brightly lit patio he could see at least half a dozen roses already in full bloom. He could easily remember the day his ex-wife had planted a number of them in various places on his land.
“Jake, did you hear what I asked?”
Sterling’s sharp words startled Jake out of his study of the flowering plants. Just as well, he thought. The last person he wanted to think about was his ex-wife, Jessie. He would have destroyed all of the rosebushes after she’d left if the darn things hadn’t bloomed so beautifully that year and every year since.
“Yes, Sterling, I heard,” he barked back into the telephone as he moved away from the window. “I’ve already told you at least twice that she’s fine. A thunderstorm came up after dinner so chances are she’s already retired for the night.”
Jake’s brow pulled tight over his forehead. “What’s with you and Diamond Swain anyway? I thought you told me there was nothing going on between you two.”
“There’s not. Diamond and I are just good friends. I’m worried about her, that’s all. She’s been pushing herself a lot lately and needs plenty of rest.”
“Well, she has no reason not to get it here. I put her up in the cabin like you asked, so she has all the seclusion she’ll ever need.”
“If she’ll stay secluded. You don’t know Diamond. She actually likes being around people. Unfortunately in our line of business you can’t afford to be too friendly. You never know whether or not the person you’re befriending has a part-time job with the tabloids.”
Sterling paused before continuing. “I have a feeling she’ll love Whispering Pines so much that she’ll eventually come out of her shell.”
Jake frowned. “What shell?”
“The one she’s been in since her divorce. Professionally she’s doing fine, but personally I’m still worried about her. Her divorce last year was a nasty affair. I’m sure you probably remember reading about it.”
Jake shook his head. “No, I’m not into reading that sort of stuff. I have enough to do around here without worrying about what goes on in someone else’s life. I don’t have time to concern myself with other people’s problems.”
“Hmm, I’ll see how long that lasts.”
Jake frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
“Nothing. Hey, look, I need to get off the phone and study my script. I’ll check in again at the end of the week.”
“Yeah, you do that.”
Jake hung up the phone, wondering if Diamond had indeed retired for the night like he’d told Sterling. When the storm had hit earlier that afternoon, he couldn’t help but think about her and wonder how she was making out. She hadn’t called, so he could only assume she was doing okay. But maybe he should check on her anyway. Sterling seemed awfully antsy about her welfare.
Convincing