“Oh, that’s no problem at all. As you’ve seen, we’ve got the room. We’re happy to have you.”

“I’m glad. I really appreciate all you guys are doing for me.”

“Any friend of Marjorie’s is a friend of ours.”

“Yeah… Well, I’ll see you around. I’ll let you get back to your work.” I turned.

“Jade, wait a minute.”

I turned back. “Yeah?”

Jonah walked toward me, his spurs clacking on the floor. “There’s something I want to ask you, if you don’t mind.”

“Not at all.”

“I understand you’re helping Ryan over at the winery.”

“Yeah. I’m really excited about it.” Was that what he wanted to know about?

“So…” He hedged a bit. “What do you think of my brother?”

Ryan? That was who were just talking about, right? “He’s great.”

“Great. Hmm.”

“Yeah. I mean, he didn’t have to give me a job at the winery.”

Jonah shook his head. “Oh, no, I’m not talking about Ryan. I’m talking about Talon.”

Talon… What could I say about Talon? Oh, he’s the best kisser in the world, but other than that he hardly speaks to me, and when he does, he’s usually rude. “Well… He… I don’t really know what to say. Talon keeps to himself.”

“Have you and he…”

What in the hell was he talking about? And then it dawned on me. Talon might have told Jonah about our kisses. Did brothers talk about things like that? I had no idea.

“Have he and I what?”

“Never mind.”

But suddenly I wanted to know exactly what he meant. Talon was such an enigma. “I’d really like to know what you’re going to ask. In fact, I’d really like to know more about Talon.”

“Why is that?”

“Well, he’s so…closed up, you know?”

Jonah nodded. “He’s been through a lot.”

“Yeah, I know. Overseas. The Marines.”

“Yeah…overseas…” Jonah’s dark eyes held a faraway look. A hint of sadness.

“I asked Marj about him, and she said that’s just the way he is. Ryan didn’t say much more, except that it wasn’t his story to tell. What story is he talking about, Jonah?”

Jonah looked above me, his gaze seemingly fixed on a spot on the wall. “Whatever story he’s talking about, it’s not mine to tell either.”

That was no help. Why was I not surprised?

“But could you do me a favor?” Jonah asked.

“Sure. What do you need?”

“Don’t give up on Talon. There’s something about you… He’s responding to you in a way I’ve never seen him respond to anyone.”

“How could you think that? You’ve never seen us interact.”

He smiled, handsome as anything, just like Ryan, but lacking the heat I felt when Talon looked at me.

“Call it a hunch.”

Hunch? I was supposed to “not give up” because of Jonah’s hunch? “I’m afraid I don’t understand what you’re asking.”

“Try to spend some time with him. Get him talking.”

“He barely says two words to me, Jonah.”

Jonah let out a laugh. “That’s probably two more words than he says to anyone else.”

I couldn’t help it. I laughed too. “Does he ever smile?”

Jonah sighed. “Not a lot, I’m afraid. But that’s part of my hunch. I have a sneaking suspicion that you might be able to get some smiles out of him.”

“Did he tell you about—” I clamped my hand over my mouth. What was I saying? I hadn’t even told Marj about the kisses. I certainly wasn’t going to tell Jonah.

“Tell me what?”

“Never mind.” I turned around and ran out the door.

God, sometimes I was such a complete moron.

But I had made up my mind about one thing. I was going to learn more about Talon Steel. One way or another, I would find out what made him tick.

Those walls were coming down.

 

* * *

 

I’d been sleeping better, but I purposely set my phone to buzz at one in the morning. Maybe I could learn more about Talon during one of his midnight kitchen raids. I walked out to the kitchen, but he wasn’t there.

The next night, even though I was exhausted from my first day working with Ryan at the winery, I did the same thing.

My phone buzzed for me at one in the morning. I rose, took a quick bathroom break, combed my hair, and pinched my cheeks. I purposely didn’t put on my robe. I was wearing my trademark cotton/spandex white tank and old boxers.

I crept out into the kitchen. When I turned on the light, there sat Talon, at the same place at the table, staring a full glass of water, his dog at his feet.

“Where were you last night?” He looked up.

“I actually do try to sleep most nights.” Which was a lie, of course. He hadn’t been there last night, at least not at the same time. Was he messing with me?

I gave Roger a quick pet and then walked to the counter to begin my ritual. “Do you want some tea?” I asked over my shoulder.

“No,” he said without looking up.

Okay. Evidently, things were going to continue as usual. What was I doing? I had work in the morning, and here I was setting my damned alarm to go off in the night. This was ridiculous.

When my tea was ready, I walked to the table and sat down in my usual spot next to Talon.

“So do you ever actually drink that water you pour for yourself?”

He pursed his lips and then brought the glass to his mouth and took a drink. “Satisfied?”

Satisfied? Seriously? “Do you really think I care if you drink your water?”

“Well, you appear to, since you asked.”

“Unbelievable.” I rolled my eyes and dipped my tea bag in and out of my water.

“What’s unbelievable?”

“How you can be so rude about something so insignificant.”

“Rude? Me? You’re the one who asked me about my water.”

Touché. He was right. While the content of my question was innocuous, my tone had been a little snide. “Okay. I’ll admit I might’ve used a slightly rude tone when I asked. But I truly am interested. You’re here nearly every night, you pour yourself a glass of water, and then you sit and stare at it. What is that about?”