The Millionaire Cowboy's Secret by Karen Whiddon Page B

search.
    What exactly she hoped to find, she didn’t know. Something—anything—that might give her a clue as to where he kept the ammo stored or his reason for purchasing such large quantities.
    Part of her—a tiny, really idiotic part—hoped to find something that would exonerate him.
    She made quick work out of checking the kitchen and moved on to the den. This room also had few hiding places and she didn’t really expect to find anything there.
    Matt’s study or office or bedroom—now, that was another matter. She guessed he probably had a safe and would keep any important papers there. If she found a safe, she’d be out of luck; she lacked the necessary skills to crack it. Plus, she hated to do anything without a warrant, as any evidence she found would be inadmissible in court.
    In reality, she knew this search was probably a pointless waste of time, but she had to make the attempt. If she found something, she’d get the necessary warrant then.
    After all, she had to have something proactive to put in her report.
    Finished with the downstairs part of the house, she moved quietly to the stairs. Outside, the sun was still strong and she knew she’d need to stay away from windows, as she’d present a clear figure to anyone outside.
    Upstairs there were several bedrooms. She did a cursory search of all three before moving on to what had to be Matt’s personal office.
    A desk, empty of clutter, revealed nothing. As she suspected, she located a small wall safe behind a Western landscape painting, but the lock wasn’t engaged and the door sat open a half inch. The inside of the safe was empty.
    The rest of the office turned up nothing. Glancing at her watch, she realized she’d burned through an hour. She still had Matt’s bedroom to search, so she’d better get a move on.
    Crossing the hall, she hesitated in front of the only room she hadn’t visited. Strangely reluctant—this felt like a violation of the worst kind—she took a deep breath and stepped inside.
    Immediately, his scent assaulted her. She found it odd that she could smell him so intensely—the scent wasn’t cologne or aftershave, but rather a personal mixture of spearmint and the grassy fields.
    Shaking off her nervousness, she crossed to his nightstand and pulled open the door.
    “Looking for something?” Matt drawled from less than a foot away.

Chapter 6
    S kylar nearly jumped out of her skin. She even, to her complete and utter embarrassment, let a little scream escape, totally involuntary and completely unbefitting a seasoned law-enforcement officer.
    Crap. Busted. This was not good. Not good at all.
    “What are you doing here?” she asked lamely, her heart pounding. She felt flushed due to all the blood rushing to her head.
    “Actually, I think that’s my line,” he said, unsmiling. Arms crossed, a grim expression turned his features to stone. “This is my bedroom, after all.”
    Mouth dry, she stared at him, searching for a plausible explanation, and came up empty. Instead, she finally nodded. “I...er...was curious?”
    A muscle worked in his jaw. He didn’t respond. She hadn’t really expected him to.
    Any moment now, in fact, she anticipated an explosion. And she really didn’t want to be around when it came. In fact, she wouldn’t blame him if he evicted her from the ranch.
    With that thought in mind, she began backing away from him and the nightstand, hoping for a clear shot to the door. Maybe she could get out of here, hide out in her camper until he calmed down. If she had some time, she thought she could come up with a somewhat plausible explanation.
    Instead, he moved with her. His hand shot out and gripped her wrist tightly.
    “You’re not going anywhere,” he growled.
    Alarmed, at first, she froze again. He was breathing harshly, his eyes glittering in the dim light. A slow heat began low in her belly, and she realized—holy hell—she was actually incredibly, unbelievably, turned on.
    What the