Simon Says Die

he’d seen Madison again. He nearly groaned out loud when that realization struck him. “Things are . . . complicated right now.”
    â€œNo more complicated than they were before.” She held up her hand to stop his next words. “It’s okay. I’m the one who pursued you, even though it was obvious you were still hung up on someone else. I don’t have to look too far to figure out who that is. She’s watching us out the back window.”
    The urge to grin at Madison’s outrageous behavior didn’t seem appropriate, so he was careful to keep his face blank. “She’s my best friend’s sister. I owe it to him to keep her safe. Later, maybe you and I can try again.”
    â€œI think we both know that’s not going to happen.” She tapped her fingernails against the tree. “It’s probably for the best. Office romances have a way of turning out badly. This way neither of us has to transfer to Alaska when it all falls apart.” She held out her hand. “I guess this is our official good-bye, at least, on a personal level.”
    Knowing Madison was watching, and that she was already acting like a jealous shrew when it came to Tessa, he hesitated. But when Tessa started to lower her hand, he realized it wasn’t fair to her to end things this way—even though nothing had really quite begun between the two of them.
    He reached for her hand, and instead of shaking it, he pulled her close to give her a kiss on the cheek. She turned her head at the last second, and her lips met his. Pierce was too surprised by her bold action to immediately pull back.
    The only time they had ever kissed was for that picture inside the house, and that had been the day they’d met. The kiss had been awkward and uncomfortable for both of them since they were strangers.
    He’d always expected that if he and Tessa ever really kissed, once they got to know each other better, he’d feel something, anything. But instead, all he could think about was the kiss he’d shared with Madison on the sidewalk, how his heart had slammed in his chest, and how he’d ached to make slow, sweet love to her again.
    With Tessa, he felt . . . nothing.
    He reluctantly pulled away, cursing the fact that the woman who set his blood on fire was a little hellion who was just as likely to shoot him as to kiss him.

 
    Chapter Eight
    M ADISON LET OUT a pent-up breath when Pierce stopped his car in the driveway of her brightly colored colonial so that she could pack a suitcase. Her stomach was still churning, after witnessing that tender kiss Pierce had given Tessa. Thank goodness he didn’t realize she’d seen it.
    She jumped out of the car and hurried up the brick path. He caught up to her in the foyer as she was disabling the alarm. He wrinkled his brow and gave her one of those what-are-you-thinking looks as he locked the door behind her.
    â€œWait here.” He drew his gun and headed into the family room.
    She crossed her arms and leaned against the wall, impatiently waiting while he methodically searched every possible hiding place on the ground floor, including the kitchen and the hallway that led to the mother-in-law suite. When he came back into the family room, he headed up the stairs with his gun still drawn.
    Madison shoved away from the wall and plopped down on one of the couches. A few minutes later, when Pierce came back down, his gun was tucked away.
    â€œDidn’t find any bad guys up there, huh?” she asked, not bothering to hide her sarcasm.
    â€œJust one. I tossed him out the window.”
    She reluctantly laughed and was rewarded by one of his sexy grins. Regardless of all the hurts and secrets between them, he could always make her laugh. “I’m surprised you didn’t search the basement too.” She chuckled and stood to go upstairs.
    â€œBasement? Where’s the entrance?”
    She groaned. “I was being sarcastic.”
    â€œI know. I’m still going to search the basement.”
    She shook her head and pointed toward the back hallway. “There’s an inside entrance in the hall closet. I’m guessing the former owner put it there so he didn’t have to go outside to do the laundry. I’m going to have the staircase moved one of these days.”
    â€œStay here,” he ordered again, as he headed toward the basement stairs.
    When he came back, she hopped off the couch.