Hard to Hold by Karen Foley

curtly. “I’m going to take you someplace where you can have a shower and a decent meal, and then we’ll talk.” He arched a black eyebrow, as if expecting her to argue.
    But Maddie just nodded. She couldn’t even summon the energy to fight with him. She was completely exhausted. And hungry. She hadn’t eaten anything since the cold ham sandwich she’d shared with Colton the previous night. Right now, a hot shower and a good meal sounded like heaven. After that, there would be time enough to escape.
    * * *
    C OLTON WANTED TO throttle her. It was either that or kiss her. He was furious, both with her and with his own attraction to her. Despite the fact he knew her to be a cheat and a liar, he couldn’t deny that he wanted her.
    Christ.
    He couldn’t get the image of her standing naked and defiant in the motel room out of his head. Her breasts were perfect, round and firm and tipped with the sweetest pink nipples he’d ever seen. Even in his anger, he hadn’t been immune to her. He could still feel her lips moving against his, feel her body, soft and pliant, sprawled over him. She might have had an ulterior motive in kissing him back at the cabin, but even in his drug-induced haze, he’d recognized her desire. She hadn’t faked that.
    Beside him, she was silent and miserable. She stared out the window, chewing her lower lip. They drove in silence until they reached one of the larger chain hotels in downtown Reno. Colton opted to pay the valet to park his truck in a guarded lot. He still intended to go to his cabin, and couldn’t afford to have anyone steal the supplies from the back.
    Throwing Maddie’s backpack over one shoulder, he took her elbow in one hand and grabbed his duffel bag with the other, then led her into the lobby. As he secured a room, he was acutely aware of her standing at his side, tense and unhappy. When they reached the room, Colton locked the door and switched on the table lamps. He’d chosen a suite with a small living room and dining area, and now he dumped their gear on the nearby sofa.
    “Go take a shower,” he said gruffly. “I’ll order room service.”
    Without looking at him, she walked into the bedroom and closed the door decisively behind her. Colton waited until he heard the water running in the bathroom, and then ordered dinner for each of them. He peeled his jacket off and draped it over the back of the sofa. As he did so, his eyes fell on Maddie’s backpack. Without hesitation, he unzipped it and searched through the contents until he found his revolver. Checking the magazine, he was reassured to see all seven bullets still in the chamber. He placed the weapon in his duffel bag and returned his attention to the backpack.
    He rummaged once more through the contents, pushing aside the shoes and clothing until he found a small pocketbook at the bottom. Snooping through Maddie’s personal belongings wasn’t something he enjoyed doing, but he hoped he might find a clue as to her actions.
    Opening her pocketbook, he withdrew her wallet. A lipstick and a hairbrush lay at the bottom of the bag, along with a slim silver holder for business cards. Extracting one, Colton read the words Certified Public Accountant beneath her name. She was an accountant? He found the idea both astonishing and amusing. The role of tomboy and femme fatale suited her better than a bean counter.
    He replaced the card and tipped the pocketbook toward the light, seeing a slip of folded paper at the bottom of the bag. Pulling it out, he quickly scanned the message written there: “Bring the money or bury your brother.”
    Colton didn’t feel surprised or shocked. Instead, he felt relief. Replacing the contents of her purse, he carefully rearranged her backpack the way she had left it, and moved toward the windows to stare unseeingly at the strip below. At least now he knew what Madeleine’s motives were.
    Someone was using her brother to extort money from her.
    That, he could handle. He didn’t know