Chapter One

The Ghost of Christmas Past had just walked her sexy self into his office.

Jake Hale blinked—then blinked again—because he was pretty sure that he might be hallucinating. Or dreaming. Yeah, this could be a dream. A really hot fantasy because surely there was no way that True Blakely had just walked her gorgeous ass into his bounty hunting office.

A soft glow came and went behind her body, and Christmas music seemed to drift in the air around her. She wore a form-fitting, red dress, one that displayed all of her glorious curves to true perfection. Her dark, nearly black hair tumbled over her shoulders, and he could see a few white snowflakes in the thick mass. Her blue eyes—the most unforgettable, brightest shade of blue imaginable—locked on him.

Now, if this was truly one of his fantasies, she’d open those lush, red lips of hers and say something like… “Jake, I need you.”

Then they would spend the night doing all sorts of incredibly unspeakable things to each other. The kind of things that would have her clawing her nails down his back and screaming his name while she came for him.

In the doorway, the Ghost of Christmas Past parted her lush, red lips and murmured, “Jake? Jake Hale?” Her husky voice seemed to wrap around him.

He’d been reclining in his desk chair, with his scuffed sneakers propped on the edge of his desk.

“Jake, I need you,” she said.

Holy hell. This holiday season had just gotten way brighter. He swung his sneakers to the floor and jumped to his feet. His chair rolled behind him with a screech of its wheels.

Jake stared at True. Best dream ever. And then he⁠—

“Hey, boss!” His assistant Perry Cornwell poked his head beside True’s. “The lady insisted on seeing you. I told her that we were closing up for the night, but she said you two were old friends.”

Perry would never be in any dream he had. Jake glowered at the kid. Perry was twenty-two, as of last week. The kid had been hounding Jake forever for a job, and he’d given in—reluctantly—about two months ago. And now he had an assistant who’d insisted on putting up a damn tree in their small lobby. A lop-sided, Charlie Brown look-alike Christmas tree.

That was where the glow came from. The faint flicker of lights that he could see behind True? That was coming from the sad Christmas tree. And Perry was playing his annoying, holly jolly music again. How many times had Jake asked him to kill the holiday songs?

But he pulled his glare from Perry and focused on what mattered. A most unlikely Ghost of Christmas Past. One who should not be in his office.

True stared straight at Jake with her big, gorgeous eyes. She wet her lips. Sweet heaven. “We…are friends, right, Jake?”

Uh, no. They were not. But, wow, that voice of hers was sexy. It seemed to stroke right over him.

“You remember me?” she asked, with a faint hitch in her breathing.

Not like he could forget her. She’d pretty much starred in every single teenage dream that he’d had. Not that the upright and uptight True had ever known that fact. She’d been the homecoming queen. He’d been the one voted most likely to cause extreme havoc.

Jake had been thrilled with that particular award.

If True only knew all of the things he’d always wanted to do with her…

“I need you,” she told him again.

No dream. But also no sex-fueled declaration from her. The woman actually sounded desperate. Maybe even a little afraid.

And Jake realized he hadn’t spoken a word to her. Old habits died hard. Back in the day, he’d always gotten tongue-tied around her. So he’d stared and glowered and probably scared her to death. He definitely could not have left a positive impression on her.

So why is True here, asking for my help?

“Uh, boss?” Perry edged closer. The Santa hat on his head bobbed.

Seriously, a Santa hat? They ran a bounty hunting office. They weren’t supposed to be cute. They were supposed to be scary.

“You, ah, you gonna help your old friend?” Perry’s expression clearly said they should help the woman in distress.

“Got her,” Jake growled.

True flinched.

Hell. Jake cleared his throat. He could do way better than this. He wasn’t some punk kid any longer. He’d traveled the whole world. He’d fought for his country. Seen and done things that would give most people nightmares.

A five-foot-five woman with bedroom eyes should not have him quivering in his sneakers.

I’m not quivering. I am turned on. Just like in the old days. He’d seen True, and, bam, instant arousal. “I’ll talk to my…friend.” Interesting word. Not one that he’d ever associated with her. “You go on home, Perry.”

But Perry lingered. “You sure, boss? I’m happy to help.” His brown eyes swept toward True and lingered a little too long.

“I’m sure.”

Perry jumped.

So maybe Jake’s words had held a bit of bite. That was just who he was. Jake waved toward his assistant. A wave—maybe a shooing motion. Whatever. “Turn off the Christmas lights on your way out, would you? And kill the damn music.”

Perry pouted.

Really? A pout? Assistants did not pout.

“Kill. It.” An order.

“Consider it killed.” Perry glanced adoringly at True. “Very nice to meet you.”

“You, too.” A weak smile. One that never reached her eyes. Now, that was odd. Because in the past, True had always been quick to flash a megawatt smile. Her bright smile had been the first thing he noticed about her. And why in the hell was he obsessing over her smile?

Get your shit together, man. You are not some idiot with a crush. Those days are long gone.

Perry exited.

True stepped fully into Jake’s office, she shut the door behind her, and the music died. Thankfully. Jake was so not in the mood for hearing about people dashing through the snow. He personally hated the white, fluffy crap, and unfortunately, the town of Rosewood, Georgia—about eighty miles north of Atlanta—had just gotten hit with a batch of snow.

Most people were thrilled. Chatting about having a white Christmas.

Jake just thought the snow was a pain in the ass.

True stood there, twisting her hands in front of her body, and biting her delectable lower lip. He waited for her to say something. To explain exactly why she was in his office. But the moments just ticked by in silence. Curious now, he moved to the front of his desk. He propped a hip on the wooden edge and motioned to the chair near him. “Why don’t you have a seat?”

Her black boots slid across the floor before she tentatively lowered into the chair. Her eyes never left his face.

Automatically, he rubbed a hand over his jaw and felt the scrape of stubble. Great. He probably looked like hell. He’d chased down two bounties that day—rough catches. His clothes were battered, his hair disheveled, and he might have still been sporting the remains of a black eye. Clearly, he was no Prince Charming. But she’d been the one to seek him out. Curiosity was about to kill him. “Why are you here?” he asked her.

“I…need to hire you.”

Jake laughed.

She didn’t. “You…do remember me? I mean, I know we didn’t exactly run in the same circles back in school.”

He snorted.

Her eyes narrowed. “Sorry I wasn’t cool enough for you.”

Wait. Hold up. The homecoming queen had just said that she wasn’t cool enough for him?

“But we had two classes together,” she continued determinedly. “You sat behind me in both of them.”

He’d picked those seats deliberately. True had always smelled like strawberries. By sitting behind her, he’d been able to savor that sweet scent.

“You must remember me⁠—”

“I remember you.”

Her shoulders sagged. “I’m desperate.”

The people who came to him usually were. Thoroughly intrigued now, he studied her with a more assessing gaze. “You want me to hunt someone for you.” That was his bread and butter, after all. Bounty hunting. While working special ops, he’d become one fine hunter. These days, he stayed stateside, but he still hunted down the perps who thought they were going to escape justice.

No one escaped on his watch.

“Yes.” A sigh. “That’s exactly what I want you to do.”

Now they were working in his wheelhouse. Jake nodded. “Well, tell me the perp’s name, and I’ll start to dig. If he’s jumped bail, then I should be able to⁠—”

She was shaking her head. No.

“No…what?” Jake asked. His nostrils flared. He thought he’d just caught the scent of strawberries. Still as mouth-watering as ever. Do not drool on the potential client. That would be bad form.

“I…don’t have a name.” Halting.

His eyes narrowed on her. “That will make things more challenging.”

She glanced away from him. “Please don’t think I’m crazy.”

“Uh, okay.”

Her stare flickered back to him and lingered. “Someone is trying to kill me.”

Jake leapt away from the desk. “What?” He grabbed the arms of her chair and leaned in toward her. “Who the hell is doing that?”

“I don’t know, exactly.”

His hands tightened on the chair arms. “Have you gone to the police?”

“Yes, but they didn’t believe me.”

And why not?

“They think I’m imagining things. I’m not.” She was adamant. “Someone shoved me off the sidewalk a few days ago. I was almost hit by a car, but, luckily, the driver swerved at the last moment. I got away with some scrapes and bruises.”

He caught her hands in his. Electricity seemed to pulse through him as he touched her. Damn. Gritting his teeth, Jake turned over her hands. He immediately noticed two things. First, her skin was insanely soft. But, second, he could see the healing scrapes on her palms.

She must have slammed down her hands to try and break her fall.

“I came back to town last year. After my divorce.”

Right. He knew that she’d been married to a lawyer in Atlanta.

“I’ve been working at the museum in town, and two nights ago, part of our Egyptian exhibit came tumbling down toward me. That exhibit piece was secure, I swear it was, and I barely jumped out of the way in time. If I hadn’t looked up when I did, if I hadn’t heard a faint scratch of sound that alerted me, I could have been knocked out. Or worse.”

Damn.

“And…there’s more.”

He maintained his position. And, yes, indeed, he did smell strawberries. And maybe his thumbs were lightly rubbing along the inside of her palms.

“I could swear someone has been in my house. Things have been moved around in my den and bedroom. I can feel someone watching me. I-I don’t think I’m safe in my own home.” Tears gleamed in her eyes.

He whipped back and dropped her hands, as if he’d been burned.

Jake had never understood how to handle a woman’s tears. Truth be told, a woman’s tears horrified him. He took two quick steps away from her.

She blinked quickly and only a single teardrop slid down her cheek. True immediately wiped it away. “The cops said…they were just accidents. Accidents happen. That I was jumping to conclusions.”

“And what about your house?” Jake sawed a hand over his jaw again.

One shoulder rolled in a shrug. “They didn’t come look at my house. I was told they are short staffed and only come out for real crimes.” She peered directly into his eyes. “This is real. I know it. Someone is trying to hurt me.”

The hell someone would hurt her. Not on my watch. Except, he wasn’t on watch. But⁠—

“That’s why I want to hire you.” She gave a determined nod. Her hair slid over her shoulders. “You can find him.”

“Uh…” There seemed to be some confusion. “I hunt criminals after they’ve been arrested. Typically, that would be when they are trying to jump bail and escape town.” And he tracked them down with absolute determination.

She rose. Edged closer to him.

He stiffened.

She was just inches away from him. Touchably close.

“Everyone talks about you in this town,” True admitted.

People needed to mind their own business.

“They say that you came home with a fistful of medals.”

He’d also come home with plenty of bullet wounds and a few scars from knife attacks. Did people talk about his injuries as much as they talked about his medals? Probably not.

“You fought and you served your country, and then you opened this business. And since opening it, you have a one-hundred-percent success rate.”

He did. Not that he was one to brag, but no one got away from him. As far as opening the business, he’d technically taken over from a friend who’d retired down to the sandy beaches of Florida.

“You’re a hunter. You can hunt him. You can help me find out who is so determined to hurt me.” Intensity vibrated in every word True spoke.

“You aren’t going to be hurt.” Gruff.

Hope lit her eyes. “You’ll help me with my case then? You’ll really take the job?”

He wasn’t even sure what the job was. What he was sure of…True Blakely was staring at him like he was some kind of freaking hero. Growing up, no one had looked at him that way. Despite everything that had happened in the years since he’d left high school, Jake still didn’t think he was a hero. He was a bastard who knew how to fight dirty and rough.

But…

What the hell? Why not try something new?

It was the holiday season, after all. And he could do this one nice act. Not like it would kill him. And, despite the two perps he’d hunted and tossed back to the cops that day, business was always a little slow before Christmas. Even criminals tried to get off the naughty list occasionally. “I’ll look into things for you.”

She threw her body against his. “Thank you!” Her breasts crushed to his chest. Her scent wrapped around him. The lush awesomeness that was True pressed against him as she gripped him tightly. “Thank you, thank you! I will pay any price!” True spoke quickly. “I will do anything you want.”

Oh, sweets. Do not make promises that I will get you to keep.

“I’ve been so scared. No one would believe me.” She drew back and beamed up at him. “But you do. You believe me.”

He wasn’t sure what he believed. “I’ll investigate and see what I turn up.” Maybe the incidents were just accidents. Maybe she was overly nervous. He’d figure out the truth. And he’d also get some up close and personal time with True along the way.

Yeah, that would be why I’m always on the naughty list.

She thought she was looking at a hero.

And there he was, imagining how to get her in his bed at the earliest opportunity.

I am such a bastard.

“I…” Her gaze dropped to his mouth. Red immediately stained her cheeks. She seemed to realize that she was gripping his shoulders, and she let him go as she whipped back. “I am grateful.”

He didn’t move.

“I’ll pay whatever your normal hourly rate is.”

He didn’t have a normal hourly rate. “We’ll figure things out.” He glanced at his watch. “It’s getting close to 8 p.m. Why don’t we plan to start investigating first thing tomorrow?” Tomorrow would be Saturday morning.

“You…you said we.”

He had. Very clearly. Very deliberately.

“You want me to help?”

“Well, it’s always easier if you have a witness at the ready. You can walk me through the scene at the museum. You can take me in your house and show me around. So, yep, it’s a we situation.” Working together would also give him more time to spend with the delectable True.

Once more, she beamed at him.

Sonofa—that smile of hers was downright dangerous. It made a man want to do all kinds of things. Like…pretend to be a hero.

“You are fantastic,” she praised. “I’m so glad I got up the courage to come and see you!”

She’d needed courage to see him?

“Should I plan to be back here tomorrow morning in order to meet with you?” Eagerness spilled from her. “I can be here anytime you want. I’ll…um, I’ll just be staying at the motel down the street, so I can⁠—”

He held up his hand. “Say again?”

She licked her lips. “I’ll be staying at the motel down the street.” She rattled off the name.

A name he was familiar with because the motel was such a notorious piece of crap. The joint should have been condemned long ago.

“I haven’t checked in yet, but it’s my next stop. I don’t feel safe at my house.” Hushed. “Someone has been inside. I’m sure of it. And I just can’t stay there again tonight.” She straightened her shoulders. Smiled again. Only this smile seemed forced. “I’ll sleep there tonight and be back to meet you at…say seven in the morning?”

“No.” He crossed his arms over his chest.

“Oh. Will eight work?”

“No.”

She blinked. “What time will work?”

“You’re not staying at that no-tell motel, True.”

Her cheeks went rosy again. “But it’s super close to your office.”

“Fuck that.” And then he said something he had not intended but had definitely fantasized about… “You’re coming home with me.”

Her eyes went wide. Her lips parted.

“You’re staying with me.” Hell, yes, she was. “You’re getting the full-service protection plan.” Total bullshit. He had no full-service plan. In fact, he had no protection plan. Jake simply hunted the scum of the earth and tossed them back into cells. Case closed. But he could make up things as he went along. Why not? “You can crash at my place, and I can keep an eye on you until we figure out what’s happening in your life.”

Her long lashes fluttered. “That’s so kind of you.”

He grunted. Kind was not a word normally associated with him. Heartless. Brutal. Savage. Sure, those fit.

But this was different. She was different.

And he was going to take True home with him. “Don’t worry,” he assured her as he snagged his jacket. Huh. Wait. She didn’t have a coat. He slid his battered leather jacket over her shoulders. It absolutely swallowed her.

Her hands flew up to hold it in place. Their fingers brushed. Jake pretended he didn’t feel the surge of white-hot electricity that zipped through him. That intensity had always been there when they touched, and he’d long since gotten used to acting as if he didn’t feel anything.

When I feel everything with True.

“Don’t worry,” he said again, voice rumbling. “I’ll be a perfect gentleman.”

“Oh.” A nod. She turned away and headed for the door. “That’s disappointing.”

What? “True?” Her name came out as a ragged growl.

But she’d already opened the door and headed into the small lobby. “I think your Christmas tree is dying. We should water it before we leave.”

Screw the tree. He wanted to know…

If True doesn’t want me to be a gentleman, then what does she want?