Ashes, Ashes, They All Fall Dead Read Online Free PDF Page A

Austin?”
    “Yes, but why are you . . .” His mouth curved into an amused grin. “Let me guess: You saw him with his latest girlfriend and thought he was me?”
    “Don’t laugh. You two look exactly alike. And the last time I saw Austin, he was in a wheelchair. I thought his neurological disorder had gotten so bad that he’d never be able to walk again.”
    Matt jogged up the steps and stopped in front of her. “His condition is so rare the doctors aren’t sure about his prognosis. But the latest neurological study has obviously helped tremendously. He’s been out of the wheelchair for a couple of months now. But he’s gone a bit wild with his new mobility because he’s not sure if the improvement is permanent. He hangs out here a lot, avoiding more lectures from Dad about his sinful, wicked ways.”
    He surprised her by brushing a curl out of her face. His warm fingers lingered against her skin before he dropped his hand to his side. “And you were leaving because, what, you were jealous? Is that why you’re blushing?”
    She snorted, desperately trying to cover how flustered she was and hoping he didn’t notice the goose bumps his touch had raised.
    “Don’t flatter yourself. If I’m flushed it’s because I’m aggravated that I drove all the way out here and thought you’d forgotten our appointment.”
    “Uh-huh.” He didn’t sound convinced. He pulled the screen door open and waited, arching a brow expectantly.
    Hating that he could read her so easily, Tessa tried to present a calm, unaffected demeanor as she stepped inside. The golden squeezed into the doorway beside her. Tessa was only able to run her fingers through its soft fur for a moment before the eager dog raced past her, its claws clacking on the wooden floor as it slip-slid into the kitchen. The sound of loud slurping followed.
    Matt shut the door, just as the sound of laughter reached them from one of the rooms off the hallway. This time it was his turn to look chagrined. “Maybe we should give Austin and his guest some privacy. I’ve got a studio behind the house. We can go there.”
    “Good idea.” Tessa was more than happy to get out of the cabin. She didn’t want to hear any other sounds that might drift from that bedroom—especially with Matt beside her.
    He grabbed a laptop from the desk next to a tan couch and stepped onto the porch, leaving the dog inside. Without asking, he took Tessa’s briefcase. It certainly wasn’t heavy. She didn’t need him to hold it for her. And she’d never allow someone to do that back at the office, but she didn’t see the point in arguing when there was no one else around. Although she’d never admit it to her co-workers, she kind of liked having a man open the occasional door and hold things for her. It was old-fashioned, but . . . nice.
    “Is this Pierce’s old cabin?” Today she’d chosen sensible flats and a pair of slacks, so she was able to keep up with Matt’s long strides without worrying about her heels digging into the ground.
    “No. I built this myself last summer. With the help of Buchanan and Buchanan Construction, of course.”
    “It’s beautiful.”
    His brow rose. “I didn’t think you’d like it.”
    “Why not?”
    “I thought you were more the urban type, like Madison. I never figured you’d like anything remotely country.”
    Great, she had something in common with Madison. And from the teasing way Matt was looking at her, she had a feeling he knew just how much that irritated her. Rather than rise to the bait, she changed the subject. “Was that your golden or Austin’s?”
    His eyes lit with pleasure and his sensual mouth curved in a sexy grin. “Ginger. She’s mine, and the main reason I bought this land, so she’d have room to run. I rescued her from a kill shelter.” His mouth tightened, as if the idea of a kill shelter was an unpardonable sin.
    Tessa almost groaned out loud. He bought this land for a dog? A dog he’d rescued from a shelter?