Will she give in to temptation with her ex?

Mixing business and pleasure with a former flame,

she’s bound to get burned…

Wealthy widow and business owner Miranda Dupree needs a security expert, and her ex, bad-boy-hacker-turned-security-magnate, Kai Maddox, is perfect for the job. But can they keep their steamy, tumultuous romance in the past when the renegade billionaire is so darned tempting? Miranda can’t help herself, and soon an innocent business proposition leads to a replay of passion beyond their control…

USA TODAY Bestselling Author Joanne Rock

JOANNE ROCK credits her decision to write romance after a book she picked up during a light delay engrossed her so thoroughly that she didn’t mind at all when her light was delayed two more times. Giving her readers the chance to escape into another world has motivated her to write over eighty books for a variety of Mills & Boon series.

Also by Joanne Rock

The Rebel

The Rival

Rule Breaker

Heartbreaker

Discover more at millsandboon.co.uk

Her Texas Renegade

Joanne Rock

www.millsandboon.co.uk

ISBN: 978-0-008-90432-6

HER TEXAS RENEGADE

© 2020 Harlequin Books S.A.

Published in Great Britain 2020

by Mills & Boon, an imprint of HarperCollinsPublishers 1 London Bridge Street, London, SE1 9GF

All rights reserved including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, locations and incidents are purely fictional and bear no relationship to any real life individuals, living or dead, or to any actual places, business establishments, locations, events or incidents. Any resemblance is entirely coincidental.

By payment of the required fees, you are granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right and licence to download and install this e-book on your personal computer, tablet computer, smart phone or other electronic reading device only (each a “Licensed Device”) and to access, display and read the text of this e-book on-screen on your Licensed Device. Except to the extent any of these acts shall be permitted pursuant to any mandatory provision of applicable law but no further, no part of this e-book or its text or images may be reproduced, transmitted, distributed, translated, converted or adapted for use on another file format, communicated to the public, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher.

® and ™ are trademarks owned and used by the trademark owner and/or its licensee. Trademarks marked with ® are registered with the United Kingdom Patent Office and/or the Office for Harmonisation in the Internal Market and in other countries.

www.millsandboon.co.uk

Note to Readers

This ebook contains the following accessibility features which, if supported by your device, can be accessed via your ereader/accessibility settings:

 Change of font size and line height

 Change of background and font colours

 Change of font

 Change justification

 Text to speech

For Marcie Robinson,

whose books I can’t wait to read.

Contents

Cover

Back Cover Text

About the Author

Booklist

Title Page

Copyright

Note to Readers

Dedication

Prologue

One

Two

Three

Four

Five

Six

Seven

Eight

Nine

Ten

Eleven

Twelve

Epilogue

About the Publisher

Prologue
Five months ago

Miranda Dupree Blackwood took deep breaths before the meeting with her ex-stepchildren where they would learn the contents of Buckley Blackwood’s last will and testament. Miranda had flown from her home in New York City to Royal, Texas, because of Buck’s highly unorthodox last wishes. Knowing what her wily ex-husband had planned for today made her ill, but she understood the role he wanted her to play, and she wasn’t going to turn her back on it.

“Are you sure you want to be there for this?” Kace LeBlanc, Buckley’s lawyer, asked her as the hour drew near for the meeting that she imagined would be like facing a firing squad. “You don’t have to attend in person.”

Miranda was upstairs in her former marital home, Blackwood Hollow, where she was trying to make herself comfortable again after a three-year absence. Kace had been kind to stop by early to check in with her. She’d received the attorney in the upstairs den, the space she’d used as her office during her marriage to the wealthy finance mogul. So much had changed since she’d left Royal after her divorce. One thing that remained the same, however, was the animosity of her adult stepchildren, who would soon hate her more than ever once they understood the terms of their father’s will.

“I’m committed,” she assured herself as much as Kace, knowing that behind Buckley’s unconventional strategy, his heart had been in the right place when he set up his terms. “I just wish he didn’t have to be so damned secretive about his motives.”

Kace shook his head, pacing in front of one of the windows overlooking the front gates of the sprawling ranch estate. “I urged him to make peace with his kids before his death, but he insisted this was the only way. You know how tough it was to argue with him.”

How well she remembered. Miranda hugged herself tighter, bracing for the role she would have to play over the next few months until Buck’s real motives made themselves apparent.

She’d had zero interaction with the Blackwood family since leaving Royal. Which, no doubt, was how of all three of Buck’s grown children preferred it. Their combined venom toward Miranda for marrying their wealthy father in the first place hadn’t subsided, not even when she left the marriage behind without taking anything of the Blackwood estate with her. She’d walked away with the same assets that she’d entered into the union, thanks to an ironclad prenup that they’d both wanted. Miranda did just fine for herself, and she preferred it that way.

“It’s going to be a rough few months,” she murmured, seeing a glint through the front window and guessing that the guests were already starting to arrive for the meeting. “I’ll do my best to support Buckley’s wishes, but you know there may be an uprising in the office once you tell them what the will says.”

“I’m aware,” Kace told her grimly, turning away from the window. “Just remember that Buckley believed in you. He saw what you were doing with Goddess and he was impressed. He knew you’d be a good steward for his estate until his kids are ready to take over.”

She nodded, taking some comfort from that, at least. If only the family knew that they would receive their inheritances eventually. That one day, Miranda would hand everything back to the Blackwoods once each of his children was more settled. From the bank to the house, none of it would remain hers, although Buckley had donated an incredibly generous sum to her charity, Girl to the Nth Power, for her time and trouble in overseeing the distribution of his estate. She was humbled by the trust he’d placed in her, even if she hated that he was being so secretive with his true heirs.

Buckley may not have been the best husband, but he’d always supported her efforts to build her own business and their split had been amicable. Without his encouragement, she might not have driven her Goddess line of health and lifestyle centers into the level of nationwide success they now experienced. She’d pushed her way onto the Forbes list last year.

Now that she would be staying in Royal for at least the next several months, she had told her producer she couldn’t be in New York when filming started for a new season of Secret Lives of NYC Ex-Wives, a reality show that had spurred the Goddess brand to huge new heights.

But Nigel had told her not to worry. She had a feeling he was making plans to film the show down here if he could talk her castmates into making the move. Which would bring a whole other level of chaos to an already complicated time in her life.

Still, she was going to forge ahead. First she just needed to get through today. Buckley Blackwood was about to deliver a devastating blow to his offspring, robbing them of everything he’d promised since they were children.

A cold sweat dotted Miranda’s head. Buckley’s children had called her the “step-witch” when she’d joined the family. What would they think of her today when they learned their father had left every shred of their inheritance to her?

One
Present Day

Miranda had hoped today’s brunch could be a girls-only affair for her friends from the Secret Lives of NYC Ex-Wives show, but producer Nigel Townshend had convinced her he needed some footage at a more intimate gathering. Since the show had started filming in Royal, Texas, thanks to Miranda being tied to the town, their schedule had been packed with big, glitzy parties.

Especially engagement parties. Romance seemed to be in the air in Royal. Her stepson Kellan was now married with a baby on the way. Kellan’s sister, Sophie, had married Miranda’s producer, Nigel, just a few weeks ago. Their brother Vaughn had just gotten engaged, as had two of Miranda’s castmates. And Darius Taylor-Pratt, her new business associate, had managed to find love, too—after he’d come to town to learn the stunning news that he was Buck’s illegitimate son. The discovery had been a shock, but the love he’d found—or rather, rediscovered—with his former sweetheart, Audra, had softened the blow.

Weddings were all anyone wanted to discuss anymore. Even now, Miranda’s castmate Lulu Shepard used the time as an opportunity to discuss plans for her nuptials to Kace LeBlanc, Buckley’s lawyer.

“Do you have a venue in mind for the wedding, Lu?” Miranda asked her newly engaged costar.

They were seated at a table under the extended eaves that shaded the outdoor entertaining area near the guesthouse pool at Blackwood Hollow. In the five months that Miranda had spent in Royal since the reading of the will, she’d come to feel even more at home here than she had during her marriage to Buckley. Now that she and Kace had told the siblings about how their father had actually chosen to divide up his estate, her work here was almost done. That was why she was staying in the guesthouse at the ranch—the property belonged to Kellan and his wife now. She’d been surprised and touched when he’d invited her to stay in the guesthouse for as long as she needed while she wrapped things up in Royal. Her real inheritance had been the opportunity to mend her relationships with the Blackwood heirs, something she’d genuinely enjoyed.

Even if it involved enough weddings and engagements to make the most reluctant romantic a little envious.

“You have to marry in New York,” Rafaela Marchesi announced, flipping dark, cascading waves over one shoulder to ensure her good side was visible to the camera. A five-time divorcee on the hunt for husband number six, Rafaela thrived on troublemaking and she played the diva for all it was worth. “Bring the party back where we belong.”

Henry the cameraman lingered on the resident diva while Sam swiveled his second camera for a reaction shot from Lulu.

“No.” Lulu tilted her champagne glass in Rafaela’s direction, pointing it at her and showing off her amazeballs new diamond at the same time. “We’re getting married in Royal, that much I know.”

“Good,” Miranda interjected, not wanting the brunch to turn into a snipe-fest. Audiences might love that kind of thing, but Miranda wouldn’t let popular demand turn Lulu’s wedding preparations into nonstop bickering. “It’s only fitting to celebrate here when it all began in Royal for you two lovebirds.”

Never let it be said Miranda didn’t have a soft side, even if romance hadn’t worked out well for her. She and Buckley had split on friendly enough terms, but the dissolution of her marriage still felt like a failure on her part. And lately, her thoughts were full of the man who’d held her heart before Buck.

Kai Maddox, the cybersecurity expert she needed to review the digital encryption measures at Blackwood Bank. No doubt that’s why her long-ago lover had taken up residence in her brain this week after years of doing her best to forget him. Well, that and the fact that they’d shared a searing kiss the first time she’d asked for his professional help—right before he’d refused her outright. She’d have to swallow her pride and try asking him again. He might have a sketchy past, but no one could argue the man excelled at his job. Besides, his new company, Madtec, was local, based in nearby Deer Springs, where he’d grown up.

“Cheers to being a Texas bride, Lu.” Zooey Kostas, the youngest one of the ex-wives at thirty years old, lifted her glass to toast their friend, her diamond-encrusted bangles sliding down her slender wrist. Her honey-colored hair and green eyes gave her a fresh-faced appeal in spite of her hard-partying ways. “I want you to get married here anyway.”

The five women at the table, including Seraphina “Fee” Martinez, who was also due to marry a local, lifted their glasses automatically to toast the bride. Miranda sipped her mimosa, savoring the fresh-squeezed oranges even more than the champagne, while Rafaela rolled her eyes.

“Zooey, darling, you’ve lost your mind,” Rafaela declared, leaning in and piling on the drama for a good sound bite. “Why should we waste ourselves on cowboys in the Lone Star State when we can have our pick of Wall Street billionaires in Manhattan?”

Miranda slouched in her seat, so done with Rafaela Marchesi. Was this what her life had amounted to, trading barbs with frenemies over cocktails?

Lulu looked ready to fire off a comeback, but Zooey surprised them all with a wicked laugh that bordered on a cackle.

“Waste ourselves? You’re just jealous you haven’t bagged a rich Texan the way Lulu and Fee have.” Zooey tossed her napkin on the table and then stood, her cream-colored halter pantsuit draping beautifully as she moved. “Excuse me, ladies, but I’ve lost my appetite.”

The sudden diva-exit was so un-Zooey-like that Miranda and Lulu turned to one another at the same time, with Lulu looking as shocked as Miranda felt.

“Bitch,” Rafaela muttered, studying her manicure. “Clearly, she’s not getting laid enough if she’s acting like such a shrew.”

Miranda smothered a laugh while Lulu went back to brainstorming good places to exchange vows with Kace. No doubt the production team had filmed all the footage they needed for this week’s episode anyway. And since the show had plenty of juicy moments for viewers, maybe Miranda stood a chance of sneaking away from the camera crew and Blackwood Hollow for the afternoon.

She needed to meet with Kai Maddox sooner rather than later to convince him to take on Blackwood Bank as a client, even though thinking about another confrontation with her former flame tied her in knots. What had she been thinking to allow that damned kiss to happen in the first place? Kai was the only man to ever shred her restraint so thoroughly.

Now that Vaughn knew he’d inherited the bank, it was time to pass everything over to him officially—but first, she needed someone to check into the irregularities she’d noticed while going over the books. She owed it to Buckley’s family to pass over the reins of the company in good standing, especially now that she was only just starting to form real relationships with them. But she had no intention of letting her television audience see her fork up a bite of humble pie with her sexy-as-sin ex-lover to ask for his help.

Again.

He’d practically thrown her out on the street the last time she’d approached him. Right after the kiss that set her on fire every time she remembered it. Things were going to be complicated with Kai.

Assuming she even made it past the front door of Madtec.

This time, she’d simply have to make him an offer he couldn’t refuse.

Kai Maddox strode across the rooftop terrace of Madtec’s recently built headquarters in Deer Springs, lingering near the half wall and glass partition that overlooked the parking area as his afternoon meeting broke up. A light breeze blew from the west, but it did little to cool the afternoon heat. Soon, the days would be too warm for terrace meetings, but Kai planned to take advantage of the outdoor spot for as long as he could, knowing the benefit of fresh air and green space. He’d learned to make his health and mental wellness a priority since his teen years when he’d all but fallen into his computer screen, spending every waking moment honing his skills as a coder, a developer and, yes—occasionally—as a hacker.

Nothing prepared a coder for building the best digital encryption quite as well as breaking down someone else’s.

Madtec had moved into its Deer Springs location shortly after the new year, as soon as work crews had finished the custom-designed, high-tech office building. With five floors and the rooftop terrace, it was more square footage than the Maddox brothers currently needed for their growing tech business, but the cost of real estate here was reasonable and Kai had faith that Madtec would only grow.

Even if he didn’t return Miranda Dupree’s phone calls. He was doing just fine without taking business from a woman who’d dumped him the moment someone richer came along.

“Did you need anything else, Kai?” his personal assistant called to him from the steel-beam pavilion in the middle of the rooftop as he packed up his notes and tablet. Amad was new to the job, but the guy was efficient and eager to learn.

“No, thank you. I’ve got a meeting with Dane soon, but first I’m going to review the data penetration tests again.” Kai and his brother, Dane, had new fraud-protection software almost ready to take to market, but first he’d asked his old hacking buddies to try to crack it.

So far, the issues in the software they’d uncovered had been minor, but he wanted to ask for one more opinion. He refused to rush the product to market without thorough testing.

“Sure thing, boss.” Amad jammed everything in a leather binder and headed for the door leading back into the building, but he paused to look down at his phone before opening it. “The main desk says you have someone here to see you. Miranda Dupree? She’s not on your schedule.”

He cursed silently.

Miranda had cornered him at his hotel in New York last month and things had spiraled out of control fast. How he’d ended up kissing her was still a mystery to him, but that’s just what had happened, even though he’d spent ten years hating her.

As much as he would have preferred to ignore her forever in light of their nasty breakup a decade ago, Kai suspected the knee-jerk reaction would be too damned self-indulgent. Bad enough that he’d been ignoring her calls. Now that she’d shown up in person, sending her away would be too visible, and might reflect badly on the company. She was a respected businesswoman. She’d made the Forbes list. He would at least do her the courtesy of a meeting before he refused whatever the hell she wanted from him.

“I’ll meet her in my office,” he said, deciding the quickest way to end this would be face-to-face—and one-on-one. He sure as hell didn’t want anyone else around to see the chemistry that still sparked between them. “You can send her up in five.”

“Will do.” Amad shoved his phone in his pocket before he left the rooftop.

Kai followed him down to the penthouse office a few moments later. He shared the top floor with Dane, the two copresident suites separated by an executive conference room. Both Maddox brothers had private terraces on opposite sides of the building. On a clear day, Kai could see the roof of the humble house where he’d grown up.

There were a lot of unhappy memories in Deer Springs, but some good ones, too—and the hope for more in the future. Madtec had brought hundreds of jobs to the community that had shaped him, and that gave him a lot of satisfaction. Far more than he was going to get from this meeting with Miranda.

By the time Kai arrived in his office through the private back entrance, Amad was just opening the double doors to admit his guest in the front.

And damn, but she still had a potent effect on him.

Her fiery-red hair was cut just above her shoulders, with her curls tamed so that her hair swooped over one eye. She was dressed in a fitted black suit that showed off her figure—although not quite as much as the strapless red dress he’d seen her in last time. That dress had been… Damn.

Fantasy worthy. He was grateful to today’s suit for covering more of her. She remained toned and athletic thanks to her lifelong commitment to yoga, and she had the lean limbs of a dancer. But her generous curves were more the pinup variety, giving her a silhouette that made men of all ages stop and stare. Including him, damn it.

He forced his gaze to her ice-blue eyes.

“Hello, Kai. Thank you for seeing me on such short notice.” She smiled warmly at Amad before Kai’s assistant left the room.

“You didn’t leave me much choice,” he informed her shortly, gesturing to one of the two wingbacks in front of his desk. “Please, have a seat.”

She disregarded the offer, remaining on her feet as he did. Even in heels she was half a foot shorter than him, but her cool demeanor still commanded attention and exuded authority along with her smoking-hot sexiness.

She’d gained confidence along with over-the-top wealth from her marriage to Buckley Blackwood. Besides a national fitness empire and popular television series, he was certain that Miranda had access to a level of financial support that Kai had to wrestle and scrabble for from investors. The Blackwood name had unlocked a whole world for her. Kai’s courtship, on the other hand, had consisted mostly of diner dates and motorcycle rides whenever he’d had a free moment from the endless stream of work that had claimed most of his time.

“You could have ignored me, the way you’ve snubbed my phone messages.” She peered around the office.

He’d purposely kept it clutter-free and impersonal, a mostly soundproof haven for him to think. The walls were all gray stone except for the windows behind the desk. Lights ringed the tray ceiling, hidden in the molding to mimic the effect of daylight at any hour. His desk was glass-topped with steel underneath. Industrial and functional. He wondered briefly how it looked through her eyes.

If he was being honest, he wondered how he looked through her eyes, too. Ten years ago, he’d been knee-deep with the old hacker crowd, and skirting the law as he unraveled the most complex facets of data encryption. Miranda had been older than him, with a drive and ambition he admired and an ease with her sensuality that he’d found sexy as hell.

But she’d turned her back on him the moment she met Buckley Blackwood and his millions. And he wasn’t about to take a trip down memory lane with her, even if memories of that rogue kiss in New York had put her in his thoughts all too often lately.

“Deer Springs is a small town, Miranda.” He rounded the desk to stand closer to her, noting the way her eyes followed him. “I wasn’t about to feed the local rumor mill with stories about me refusing to see the town’s most illustrious native.”

She laughed but it was a brittle sound. “Please. Deer Springs is practically Silicon Valley compared to Sauder Falls.”

He’d forgotten she was technically from the next town over, a fact never referenced in her bio since Sauder Falls was a dingier town that had never recovered from a mill closing many years prior. When they’d met, Miranda had been working part-time at a diner in Deer Springs while she ran a local yoga studio and gave classes at another fitness center in Royal. Her big dreams and hard work to achieve them had captivated him since he understood that thirst to do something more.

“Nevertheless, your name is well-known around here.” He was close enough to her to catch a hint of her fragrance, the same scent that made him think of night-blooming flowers. The sooner he sent her on her way, the better. There wouldn’t be any surprise kisses this time. “And now that you’ve got your audience, what is it you want from me? I thought I made it clear I wasn’t interested in doing business with you the last time we met.”

Her lips compressed into a thin line at the reminder of their last meeting. After the kiss that had been so damned unexpected, he’d recovered by assuring her he wouldn’t so much as cross the street for her anymore. Harsh? Not considering the way she’d dumped him.

No sense pretending they had much to say to one another anymore.

“I’m temporarily managing Blackwood Bank,” she began, coming straight to the point as she tilted her chin. “And I need to update the security before I pass over the reins to the Blackwood heirs. You wouldn’t be doing business with me so much as with the Blackwoods.”

Surprise registered. He’d thought maybe she wanted help with Goddess, her line of fitness studios. Blackwood Bank was a client of a whole different caliber. Encryption for a financial institution was extremely complex. It might have been tempting, if not for the woman who made the offer.

She was tempting, too. But in all the wrong ways when he needed to focus on his business.

“But as you pointed out, you’re managing the bank right now. You honestly expect me to work for you?” Folding his arms, he leaned against his desk. Waiting. Willing his thoughts to stay on business and his boots to stay firmly planted.

No touching. No thinking about touching.

Even though the pulse at the base of her throat leaped frantically, drawing his eye and making him wonder what would happen if he ran his tongue over that very place. He’d be willing to bet she’d burst into flames. But then, he would too, and he’d be damned if that happened.

“Not for me. For the bank.” Opening her purse, she removed a manila folder and placed it on his desk. The movement put her body in dangerously enticing proximity to his. “I have a contract ready, but if the terms aren’t to your liking—”

“No.” He didn’t need to look at the terms.

“No?” She left the folder on the desk and her blue eyes met his. “Kai, this is a very good offer. The bank deserves the kind of data protection your company specializes in, and since you’re local—”

“Madtec is busy.” He was being abrupt. Borderline unprofessional. But he didn’t like the way she affected him and didn’t intend to tempt fate by spending any more time together than was absolutely necessary.

She gripped the leather of her designer purse tighter, her short nails and simple French manicure oddly reminding him she wasn’t quite as high maintenance as the other women on her reality television show. There was still something more down-to-earth about Miranda.

Not that he’d ever watched more than a two-minute clip.

“I understand,” she told him finally, inclining her head with the grace of a medieval queen. “But I’ll leave the contract here and hope you’ll reconsider. Perhaps Dane would feel differently.”

Dane would kick his ass for turning down a client like Blackwood Bank. But Kai said nothing.

Realizing he was probably staring her down like a street thug, Kai shook off the frustration and straightened.

“Thank you for thinking of us,” he said with too much formality, ready to get back to his work. “My assistant can show you out.”

Not that Miranda Dupree had ever needed help walking away.

“I could assign someone else to be the point person for the bank.” She tossed out the compromise, clearly sensing he wasn’t going to budge. “You’d never have to see me once you agreed to the job.”

He wasn’t about to let her see that the offer had appeal. He managed a cool smile. “Afraid you’d end up in my bed again if we worked together, Miranda?”

“Not at all.” She folded her arms and peered up at him like she knew exactly what he was thinking. “Are you, Kai?”

She let the question hang between them for a long moment before she turned on her heel and walked out of his office with the same quiet confidence that had accompanied her through the doors in the first place. Kai didn’t breathe again until she was out of sight. And hell, he couldn’t help but wonder if she had a point. Because she still tempted him like no woman he’d ever known.

Even if he couldn’t trust her.

Shoving aside the contract she’d left behind, he pulled out his laptop from a hidden drawer in one gray stone wall, and got to work.

Humble pie tasted even worse when choked down with no results.

Miranda fumed on her way out of the Madtec offices, thoroughly irritated with herself for wasting time driving to Deer Springs only to have Kai Maddox reject her offer without even stirring himself to look at it. He’d been more concerned with making sure she knew how easily he could ignite the old attraction between them.

And she couldn’t very well dispute it. The heat rolled off him in waves, melting her defenses like they’d never been there in the first place.

She took the stairs—she preferred stairs whenever possible to up her steps, especially when there was anger to be stomped out—and was surprised to discover the Madtec stairwell seemed to be designed for employee wellness. Motivational phrases were painted on the walls, and the stairs were wide enough to accommodate several people at once. There was even a “runners’ lane” painted in red to one side. With vinyl walls and ventilation fans, the staircase implemented some of the same techniques she used in her fitness centers to keep the space clean and well aired.

And how frustrating was it to find something to admire about Kai when she wanted to stay furious with him?

“Ms. Dupree?” A young woman with a swinging ponytail yanked her earbuds free as she locked eyes with Miranda and halted on her way up the steps. “I love your show so much. Is it true the Secret Lives of NYC Ex-Wives is leaving Royal soon? It’s been so fun seeing sites close to home on TV.”

“Thank you.” Miranda smiled warmly, knowing the importance of connecting positively with viewers who invested their time in the program. “We will be filming in Royal for at least a few more weeks,” assuming Lulu and the show’s production team could pull together a big wedding in time, “but next season we’ll be returning to New York.”

“We’ll really miss you,” the woman said sincerely, digging in her messenger bag and pulling out a pen and paper. “Especially since you grew up around here and have ties to the area. May I have an autograph?”

“Of course.” Miranda signed the back of the woman’s grocery receipt before they went their separate ways, her thoughts snagging on the fan’s words about being native to the region.

Miranda hadn’t visited her mother since she’d been back in Texas. Nor had her mother come to Royal to see her, which was even more surprising in light of how thoroughly Virginia “Ginny” Dupree loved Blackwood Hollow. And how hard she’d once lobbied to have a role on Secret Lives of NYC Ex-Wives. She’d been angry at Miranda for not giving her that chance. Although not as angry as she’d been at Miranda for leaving her marriage in the first place. It had made her furious that Miranda signed a prenup—and walked away with nothing from Buck.

How stupid can you be? she’d shouted at Miranda over the phone, her diction sloppy from a prescription painkiller addiction that ebbed and flowed according to what was going on in her life at the time.

Breathe in. Breathe out.

Yoga, and all the mindful breathing that went with it, had been helping keep Miranda grounded her entire adult life. The teachings of Goddess centers everywhere weren’t just about being physically fit. All that breathing definitely helped her emotional and mental health, too.

By the time she reached the main floor of Madtec, Miranda didn’t feel quite as annoyed with Kai. Looking around at the design touches in the building, from the vintage video game posters that decorated the café walls to the courtyards and green spaces that seemed to give employees plenty of options for working outdoors in mild weather, Miranda had to admire the employee-centered corporate environment he’d given his workforce.

Kai Maddox might be a former hacker who’d skirted the law in the years he’d worked to learn the computer security business from the inside out, but there was no denying he’d turned his knowledge into an incredibly successful undertaking. Moreover, he’d given back to his hometown by building his corporate headquarters here. She’d read an article about a community center he’d built close to the diner where she used to work.

Where they’d met.

She wouldn’t be driving by that on her way out of town, however. Shoving out the front doors of Madtec into the late afternoon sunlight, Miranda had enough thoughts of Kai crowding her head for one day. He’d packed on more muscle since they’d dated a decade ago, but there was no mistaking the always-assessing, smoldering green eyes and the scar on his jaw where he’d collided with the road on one of his motorcycle tours. The tattoos she remembered had been covered up by his custom Italian suit, but she found herself remembering every swirl and shadow of the intricate ink.

Stop.

She told herself not to give the reformed bad boy another thought. Clearly, he’d put her in his past and had no intention of spending more time with her than was absolutely necessary, no matter that she’d been prepared to pay him well.

She’d simply have to find someone else to review the Blackwood Bank digital security since Kai was determined not to help her. She’d been a fool to expect anything else. Maybe while she worked on bringing the cybersecurity of the bank up to snuff, she would have firewalls installed on her heart, too.

Two

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Dane Maddox stormed into Kai’s office the next afternoon, a stainless-steel mug of coffee in one hand, and a sheaf of papers in the other.

Or, it was in the other hand until he slid the packet across Kai’s desk.

The contract with the logo from Blackwood Bank emblazoned on the top pinwheeled across the glass surface before a corner lodged under his laptop.

Recognizing there wasn’t a snowball’s chance in hell of getting any work done until he addressed whatever had his brother fired up, Kai closed his computer and shoved back from the desk to meet Dane’s glare. Dane might be two years younger than Kai, but he had all of Kai’s tech smarts and a level of business savvy worthy of someone who’d been in the corporate world for twice as long. Kai was proud of him, even when he was being a pain in the ass.

“Let’s see,” Kai mused aloud, humoring him. “Depending who you talk to, it could be the chip on my shoulder. Or that I’m too much of a workaholic. And the whole thrill-seeking thing rubs some people the wrong way—”

“I’ll tell you what your problem is,” Dane continued, jabbing a finger on Kai’s desk. “You’re too damned bullheaded to recognize this—” he jabbed the contract twice more “—is everything we’ve been waiting for.”

Tension bunched up the muscles in his shoulders, twisting its way along his neck.

“Madtec is thriving,” Kai reminded him. “There’s no need to affiliate ourselves with—” How to phrase his reservations about Miranda? About himself when he was around Miranda? “—people we don’t care to work with just to make a buck.”

Dane paced around Kai’s office, his dark brown hair overdue for a cut and giving silent testament to how many hours he’d been putting into the new software testing.

“This contract is not with people.” Dane loosened his tie a fraction although it wasn’t even noon yet. “This is a contract to partner with one of the top ten privately held banks in the country, Kai.”

He hardly needed to be reminded. But the knowledge didn’t ease the knot in his throat at the thought of seeing more of Miranda. She might be easy on the eyes, but she’d been hell on his heart. Worse, Kai had been so thoroughly distracted by their affair and the thought of losing her that he’d taken his focus away from a project he’d been working on with his brother. The job had required a large-scale “almost” hack, since the first step toward preventing hackers from gaining access to any system is to learn how hacking is done. Quietly breaching a system—with zero malicious intent—had been a delicate task with devastating consequences if it was mishandled, but Kai had let Dane step up his role, confident his brother had the skills to monitor the program while Kai wooed Miranda.

The fact that Dane had done prison time for Kai’s mistake would weigh on him forever. But bringing that up now would only tick off his agitated brother even more.

“When we started this company,” Kai reminded him instead, “we agreed we would take the work we wanted—”

“I’m going to stop you right there.” Dane charged toward the desk again to retrieve the paperwork. “When we came up with our mission statement, we agreed to work with companies that shared our values wherever possible, and I stand by that. But that doesn’t mean we’re suddenly going to turn down the chance to work with a reputable financial institution because an old flame happened to deliver the offer.”

His brother laid the sheaf on top of his laptop and placed a heavy silver pen nearby.

“Does this mean you want us to take the project, even when we’re already running at full capacity to get the new software to market?”

“We’re only running at capacity because we haven’t filled all the positions the new place can accommodate. We built this space to grow, and the Blackwood Bank account will allow us to do just that,” Dane pointed out reasonably.

Kai blew out a frustrated breath, hating that his brother was right. Hating that he’d thought about Miranda almost nonstop since she’d walked out of his office the day before.

“Kai, you know that a partnership with Blackwood Bank would give Madtec that final stamp of legitimacy we’ve been looking for.” Dane finally dropped into the seat across from Kai’s desk. Dane sat forward in his chair. “CEOs from major corporations across the country would be willing to take a cue from an institution as prestigious as Blackwood to take a chance on a business founded by a couple of ex-hackers.”

“The affiliation would take us mainstream,” Kai admitted, knowing he couldn’t deny Dane this opportunity to cast off the last taint of his jail time.

How ironic that Miranda had been the one to give them that chance.

“You’ll sign?” Dane pressed.

Kai picked up the pen for an answer, seeing no other choice. He’d bring the signed contracts to Miranda personally. Maybe then, he’d figure out a way to broker a peace between them long enough to fulfill Madtec’s obligations to Blackwood Bank.

Dane was right about the need to accept the offer. But the sooner the job was done, the sooner Kai would put Miranda Dupree back in his past, where she belonged.

Miranda clutched a letter from Buckley Blackwood in her hands, eyes moving over the text. This was the third and final missive Buck had written to be delivered to her after his death. The first had explained the true intentions behind his will and the role he’d needed her to play. The second had included instructions on how to find his illegitimate son, Darius, and bring him into contact with the rest of the family. Now this letter included the last of his requests. She reread her ex-husband’s final missive for her.

Dear Miranda,

Thank you for hanging in there with me to take care of these last tasks—the jobs I couldn’t seem to pull off myself when I still had time. I hope this one last request will be a little easier than the others. I’d like you to organize a send-off for me, but not some schmaltzy memorial service—you know I hate things like that. I’m picturing an epic charity event, something like “Royal Gives Back,” and I want you to organize it as only you can. I was thinking the proceeds ought to go to the Stroke Foundation or maybe the Heart Association since they study the underlying causes of strokes. It still weighs on me that my children lost their mother too soon because of a stroke. I wasn’t the husband I should have been to Donna-Leigh before our divorce, but I’d like to do this in her honor. Now that I’ve been exposed for a philanthropist do-gooder, I might as well go all out one last time, right? I know you won’t disappoint me. After this last favor, you can go back to your life in New York, and I’ll rest easier. Yours, Buck.

Miranda returned Buckley’s last letter to the small secretary desk in the guesthouse’s second bedroom that served as her temporary office. She mulled over what it meant as she sat in front her laptop to review her work email for Goddess. Kace LeBlanc had hand delivered the note this morning, assuring her it would be the final note from Buckley.

That had been both good and bad news for her. While she was relieved there would be no more surprises from her ex, she would also miss Royal. She’d grown close to her stepchildren, people who felt more like her family these days than her mother ever had. Her gaze shifted away from her laptop screen to a new framed photo of the Blackwood heirs from Sophie’s wedding—Sophie, Kellan and Vaughn with their half brother, Darius. Buckley would be so proud to have them all together at last.

Miranda felt glad she’d played a part in making that happen. Buckley hadn’t been a great father, but he’d cared. Miranda’s father had died when she was three, too young to be sure she remembered him, although sometimes she imagined she recalled his laugh or a feeling of being hugged by him. At first, her mother had worked two jobs after his death to provide for them, but she’d given up by the time Miranda was ten. The house fell into disrepair. The electricity was shut off more often than not. Miranda had only ever worn other girls’ cast-off clothes. None of which was as troubling as her mother’s decision to spend the little bit of money she brought in on a prescription pill addiction.

Ginny Dupree was a mean addict. She didn’t hit, but she threw things, and she was verbally cruel. Some of her more cutting words had continued to hurt Miranda long afterward, which was why she drew firm boundaries with her now. But as she saw the Blackwood family healing, Miranda couldn’t help a twinge of envy for the kind of companionship and support that came with family relationships.

The love.

She suspected that lack of love in her childhood home had been one of the driving forces behind her strong feelings for Kai Maddox. Being with Kai had opened a whole new world of possibilities for her heart.

Until he’d started to withdraw from her. She’d never understood it, but she’d felt his retreat in the weeks before their split. He might blame her for their breakup, but he’d pulled away long before she’d ended things.

Buckley Blackwood might have been richer and worldlier than Kai. But in many ways, she’d settled for him when she’d married him, telling herself maybe her quieter, steadier feelings for him were what more mature love felt like.

Lesson learned.

Except Kai Maddox was back in her thoughts now, stirring up feelings she’d thought she’d put to rest long ago. And stirring up a hunger for him that she couldn’t possibly deny. She’d dreamed about his hands all over her the night before, bringing her intense pleasure while he whispered wicked, suggestive things in her ear. She’d awoken edgy and breathless, her heart beating fast.

Maybe organizing this charity event for Buckley was just what she needed. Instead of spending her final month in Royal working side by side with an old lover she couldn’t stop thinking about, she would spend it planning something worthwhile.

With a frustrated sigh, she shut her laptop and changed into her workout clothes, knowing she’d never get anything accomplished with her thoughts spinning this way.

Lying on her belly in cobra pose, Miranda arched her spine and pulled her shoulders back while she moved through her afternoon yoga workout in the studio of the Blackwood Hollow guesthouse. She inhaled deeply and slowly, matching her breath to her pose. The cycle of postures in the sun salutation was grounding for her during times of stress, and it took all her effort to focus on her breathing when memories of Kai clung to her thoughts.

With her mat positioned near the studio’s big front window overlooking the grounds, she held the pose for five deep breaths, turning her head to one side and then the other as she tried not to think about how it had felt to stand near him. She would force his smoldering image from her mind by sheer will.

Except, was that him pulling into the driveway of the guesthouse? Parking a sleek silver sports car in front of the double bay detached garage?

She forgot all about her breath in the scramble to her feet as Kai emerged from a Jaguar F-Type coupe. Dressed in a deep blue jacket with a light blue shirt underneath, he looked more casual than the day before and every bit as compelling. Awareness and anticipation tingled over her skin. She had to remind herself that her sexy dream about him hadn’t been real. That she couldn’t afford to indulge those kinds of thoughts around him. She hurried toward the door, dismayed that instead of being dressed to impress, she wore capri-length leggings and a drapey tank shirt for her workout.

Not that there was any help for it now.

Slipping on a pair of beaded sandals by the front mat, Miranda opened the door of the studio attached to the rest of the guesthouse by a covered breezeway. The smooth stone path connected the buildings, outlined by native plants and shrubs. When she stepped outside, Kai’s green gaze swung toward her.

He changed the trajectory of his stride, turning away from the main house toward the studio building. She hadn’t realized until then he carried a small box with an all-too-recognizable logo on it.

One that stirred nostalgia.

“Hello, Miranda. I hope I didn’t interrupt you.” He stopped a few feet from her under the shade of the breezeway, the spring air still fragrant with almond verbena.

Her breath caught to be close to him again, her heart rate picking up speed.

“I’m surprised to see you.” She remembered how curt he’d been the day before, but if he was here to tell her he’d reconsidered, she couldn’t afford to refuse. Still, there was no reason to make it too easy for him. She’d had to scarf down humble pie the day before—it wouldn’t kill him to have a bite or two of his own. “I got the distinct impression you didn’t want to cross paths again when I left your office yesterday.”

“For that, I apologize.” He lifted the white box in his hands. “I brought a peace offering.”

Her gaze shifted to the parcel with the Deer Springs Diner label, a million memories bombarding her all over again. She used to waitress there, depending on the money to finance her first yoga studio. She’d met Kai there. They’d spent time plotting to take over the world from their favorite booth in the corner, and had shared many breakfasts there after long nights of lovemaking. Tentatively, she lifted the lid.

She suspected what would be inside before she even peeked under the top.

“Half lemon meringue, half caramel apple,” she confirmed, the scent of their two favorites stirring nostalgia and longing she couldn’t afford to feel around this man. Part of her wanted to send him away, escape what he made her feel. But she still needed him on a professional level. “Would you like to come in for a slice?”

She peered up at him and realized how close they stood. Close enough for her to touch the short bristles he’d always worn along his jaw. Close enough to breathe in the light spice of soap on his olive-toned skin and remember the taste of him. Hastily, she released the box top and took a step back.

“Thank you. I’d like that very much.” His green eyes missed nothing. “We can celebrate our new venture together since I have a signed contract to give you.”

The surprises continued.

“That’s excellent news.” For the bank, of course. But for her, the prospect of working with him proved equal parts tempting and daunting. “Although I’ll admit I’m curious what made you change your mind after you seemed so adamantly opposed yesterday. Was it the prospect of me stepping aside?”

Turning, she led the way to the front door of the guesthouse, aware of his nearness every step of the way.

“No. That won’t be necessary. I can separate my personal life from my business obligations.” He sounded sincere. And yet both times she’d visited him recently, there had been enough sensual tension simmering to burn them both. Did he plan to ignore it?

Giving herself a few heartbeats to shore up her boundaries, she entered the cool interior of the guesthouse and paused in the entryway as Kai pulled the door closed behind them. The dark wood floor and white walls were simply furnished with rustic elegance. Sturdy leather couches and heavy iron pendant lamps were softened by an abundance of natural light, pale rugs and oversize yellow throw pillows. Drinking in the calming effects, she glanced at him.

“I didn’t expect a warm reception after how we parted ten years ago,” she admitted, pulse skipping erratically as she continued toward the open kitchen to retrieve plates and forks. “And how you reacted to seeing me in New York.”

She hoped discussing it would dismiss the elephant in the room. They needed to put their old relationship behind them, so it didn’t interfere with the bank’s business.

Kai joined her at the kitchen island, setting the pie box on the white quartz countertop.

“That’s all in the past now. I was needlessly abrupt yesterday, especially when you came to discuss a significant opportunity for Madtec.” He reached into an interior pocket of his jacket and retrieved a folded packet of papers. He laid them on the counter, as well. “Dane and I look forward to a thorough review and revamp of the bank’s digital security.”

Miranda retrieved two bottles of sparkling water from the refrigerator and placed them on a bamboo serving tray along with the plates and silverware. While it would be easy to eat indoors at the kitchen counter, she thought sitting under the pergola in the backyard would help her keep boundaries in place. Especially when lemon meringue and caramel apple pie slices had the power to catapult her back in time to that diner with Kai. Feeding each other bites. Sitting so close her thigh pressed against his.

She would not think about his thighs.

“Dane convinced you to give this a chance?” she guessed aloud, her cheeks warm from the vivid thoughts she was trying to stifle.

“He was livid I hadn’t already signed the papers,” Kai acknowledged. As she moved to pick up the tray, he took over the task, his warm hand brushing hers momentarily. “Lead the way.”

She felt that brief touch long afterward. Breathe in. Breathe out. She opened the French doors to the patio where coral honeysuckle hung from the deep pergola. Hummingbirds bobbed around the vibrant trumpet-shaped blooms. Kai set the tray on the wrought iron dining table, then pulled out a cushioned chair for Miranda.

“Thank you.” She tried to recall the thread of the conversation to distract herself from all the ways his nearness affected her. “I hope that Dane’s insistence doesn’t mean you’re conflicted about working with us.”

“I have no trouble opposing my brother when the situation calls for it.” Kai took the seat next to her at the round table. “But in this case, Dane’s instincts were correct. The software we’re developing is tailor-made for a complex financial platform like Blackwood Bank.”

Grounding herself in mundane tasks, Miranda laid out napkins and divvied up the waters while Kai opened the pie box and slid thin slices onto their plates. One of each kind for each of them. But rather than soothing her with routine, the familiarity of that simple act, something they’d done countless times and yet not for so many years, crowded her chest with feelings she wasn’t ready for. Swallowing past the swell of emotion, she took her time smoothing the napkin over her lap.

“I have followed the rise of Madtec with interest. I suspected your company was a good fit for this role, Kai, or I wouldn’t have approached you.” She appreciated how the conversation anchored her in the purpose of the meeting. Because this was just business.

Something they both excelled at. Unlike personal relationships.

“I know that,” he conceded, lifting his water bottle and clinking it lightly to hers. “Thank you.”

Her gaze flicked to his as he held the pale green bottle in midair. She followed suit, clinking hers to his in a friendly toast that felt like a fresh start.

At least, professionally speaking.

“Here’s to a successful partnership.” Kai’s green gaze lingered on hers, and she couldn’t help but think she saw something simmering in their depths.

Old frustration over how things had ended? Or a hint of the lingering attraction that she’d been grappling with all day?

Neither one boded well for their venture. But she licked her lips before raising the bottle to her mouth. One way or another, she would figure out how to work with Kai Maddox for the sake of Blackwood Bank. “To new beginnings.”

Конец ознакомительного фрагмента.

Текст предоставлен ООО «ЛитРес».

Прочитайте эту книгу целиком, купив полную легальную версию на ЛитРес.

Безопасно оплатить книгу можно банковской картой Visa, MasterCard, Maestro, со счета мобильного телефона, с платежного терминала, в салоне МТС или Связной, через PayPal, WebMoney, Яндекс.Деньги, QIWI Кошелек, бонусными картами или другим удобным Вам способом.