An Extraordinary Match (The Match Series Book 3) Read online

  “She might come back,” Elroy offered, his thoughts obviously going to the passengers on the plane.

  “She won’t come back,” said Logan.

  And he didn’t want Sasha Burke to come back. It had been nearly two months since she left, and he was over her. He might have once been infatuated, but he was determined to relegate her to his list of flings.

  Along about the time he’d turned sixteen, he’d discovered the concept of holiday romance. He’d met dozens of female tourists over the years. Sometimes, they merely flirted, kissing and speculating about what might have happened between them in a different time and place. Sometimes, they did more, savoring their short interlude, the impending goodbye making everything sweeter.

  But he’d never wanted any of them to stay, never thought about taking it further, not until Sasha.

  The Dash 8 touched down on the runway, engines roaring in the distance as it slowed to turn at the south end and taxied to the small terminal building.

  “Wonder who’s single on that flight,” said Logan, making reference to a joke that had run between the two men for years now.

  “Now you’re talking,” said Elroy. “I’ll take the redheads this time.”

  “Blondes,” Logan joked in return. “I think I’m in the mood for a blonde.”

  As he said the words, he desperately wanted them to be true. But if Sasha walked off that plane right now, auburn hair flowing in the breeze, smile on her red lips, and a glow in those blue eyes, he wasn’t sure what he’d do.

  Elroy pushed open the door to the Dog Trails Café. The room was toasty warm, flames from the big stone fireplace reflecting off the log walls. The fire was overkill for September, but it was always welcome in January when temperatures dropped to the low teens.

  Through the window, the aircraft came to a halt next to the terminal building. The ground crew descended with luggage trailers, a fueling truck, catering, and a staircase to allow the passengers to disembark.

  “You guys still on duty?” Mavis called from behind the counter. She was in her early forties, with a bright smile, plump rosy cheeks, and long dark hair piled up on her head.

  “We’re on duty,” Logan answered, taking a booth next to the window.

  Mavis gave a wave of acknowledgment and began to dispense two colas from the fountain.

  “Generator came in,” said Elroy as he settled back on the bench seat.

  “Parts all there? Everything? The wiring?”

  “Believe it or not, everything arrived together.”

  “So, we’re good to go?”

  “As soon as the Beaver’s available for transport.”

  Logan couldn’t help but grin. He and Elroy had spent years building a cottage beside a remote, unnamed lake up on Castle Mountain. Every summer, the cottage got a little bit bigger or a little bit better. This year, they’d wired it and installed a fridge and stove in the kitchen in anticipation of their new generator.

  For years now, they’d relied on a hand pump to feed their gravity water system, drawing from the lake. An electric water pump would free up hours of their time, time they could use for hiking, fishing and lounging on the deck telling lies.

  “I’ll check the schedule,” said Logan. “But I don’t think we’re too busy next week.”

  As Mavis set their colas in front of them, Logan’s attention was snagged by a passenger disembarking the Dash 8. As the woman stepped off the stairs, her thick, auburn hair lifted in the breeze. She was in profile as she followed the white lines toward the terminal door, and for a second there…

  “Logan?” Elroy prompted.

  It wasn’t Sasha, Logan told himself, positive that he was right. But he watched a moment longer just to be sure. She was slightly taller, slightly thinner, and her hair was longer and darker in tone. Plus, Sasha would never wear jeans that tight, heels that high, or a cropped, steel-blue leather jacket with zippers at the sides and studs across the shoulders.

  She turned to say something to a security official and confirmed his assessment. But then she smiled, and he felt a punch to the center of his gut.

  “Earth to Logan.”

  Not Sasha, he reminded himself. She was a different sexy, auburn-haired beauty, one he’d probably never even meet. There wasn’t a reason in the world for him to react to her on any level whatsoever.

  Chapter Two

  There was a party at the end of the hallway. And from what Jade could hear, it was a big one. She was curled up in a corner furniture grouping in the Twin Peaks Resort lounge, sipping her way through a martini and writing lies on the Seaboard Development report about how relaxed she was feeling.

  She’d already tried logging into their system to check her projects, but her account had been temporarily suspended. She supposed she should have seen that one coming.

  She thought about hacking into one of her colleagues’ accounts, or even Virgil’s. But she didn’t want to get anyone in trouble. And she really didn’t want to get fired. She’d called Cathy Margolis at the office, but everyone was under orders not to speak to her about work while she was away relaxing.

  Relaxing. Huh! How could a woman relax when she was constantly worried about her clients? And boredom was not the same thing as relaxation. Boredom was frustrating. Frustration led to exasperation. And exasperation was stressful.

  She pulled up her personal e-mail and typed in Virgil’s address, intending to lay out her latest argument for returning to New York. She probably should have made it before she’d left the city. It was a good one. This ridiculous vacation was going to have the opposite of the intended effect.

  “Would you care to order dinner?” the waitress interrupted her typing.

  Jade looked up at the woman dressed neatly in a black skirt and white blouse. She supposed eating would be a good idea, particularly since she intended to have a second martini while she told off her boss.

  She scanned the open menu. “Something light…oh, the avocado bruschetta?”

  “It’s very popular. We serve it traditionally on heirloom sourdough or as a multigrain wrap with cranberries and goat cheese.”

  “The wrap, please. And can I get another vodka martini?”

  “Lemon and olive?”

  “Yes, please.”

  “Make it two.” A woman plunked herself down on the sofa at the next furniture grouping. She smiled at Jade. “You just ordered my favorite drink.”

  “She’s also ordered the bruschetta wrap.”

  “A woman after my own heart.” The woman shifted over, leaning to hold out her hand. “I’m Amy Edwards.”

  Jade set down her tablet and shook the woman’s hand, thinking that the people of Mirror Falls were almost comically open and friendly. “Jade Korrigan.”

  “You’re here on vacation?” Amy was dressed in a sparkling silver cocktail dress, sleeveless with a cowl neckline. The fabric had subtle black lightning bolts running throughout. It was gorgeous, and so was she.

  “I’m on vacation,” Jade confirmed.

  “Camping? Canoeing? Rock climbing?”

  “I haven’t decided yet. I take it you live in Mirror Falls?”

  “Born and raised.” She nodded down the big hallway. “It’s my mother’s fiftieth birthday party in there. Half the town’s out on the dance floor.”

  “It sounds like they’re having fun.” If the vibration of the bass and the stomping of feet were anything to go by, it was a rollicking party.

  “The female dance partners are vastly outnumbered. I’m hiding in here to get a rest. You should come and join us. Believe me, we’d appreciate the reinforcements.”

  Jade found herself grinning at the joke. “Too bad I’m not dressed for a party.”

  She’d gone with blue jeans and a black and white cotton tank top for the trip. And since Mirror Falls had such a laid-back feel to it, she hadn’t seen a reason to change.

  “Are you here with friends? A boyfriend?” Amy’s glance went to Jade’s left hand, obviously checking for a wedding
or engagement ring.

  “Just me.”

  Amy sat up straight. “Bad breakup?”

  “What? No. No, not at all. I’m just getting away from work for a few days.”

  “Where do you work?”

  “New York City.”

  “Ahhh.” Amy nodded. Then her gaze obviously caught on something across the room. “Logan.”

  Jade followed Amy’s line of sight.

  A tall, handsome, surprisingly sexy man walked over to Amy’s table. He was wearing a steel-gray suit with a light gray dress shirt and a black checkerboard tie. His chin was square, his shoulders broad, and his eyes were as blue as the ocean.

  “People are asking about you,” he told Amy.

  “I needed a break.” She gestured to Jade. “Logan, this is Jade. She’s visiting from New York City. Jade, my brother, Logan. He’s apparently on apprehension duty.”

  The man focused on Jade and went still. A moment passed before he blinked and drew a breath. “Hello, Jade.” He gave her a nod, but he didn’t offer to shake hands.

  “Hello, Logan,” she responded, wondering if she could possibly have done something to annoy him. Then she realized he was probably only interested in his sister and the party. She was nothing but an interruption in his evening.

  “Hi, Logan.” The waitress returned to the tables with the martinis.

  Logan raised a brow at Amy. “You ordered a drink? You do know there’s an open bar in there.”

  “I told you”—Amy reached out to take the martini—“I needed a break. I’ve danced every dance. The second I sit down, somebody else is asking.”

  “You want something, Logan?” the waitress asked.

  Logan glanced at Jade again. His look sent a sizzle of awareness along her spine before he looked back at his sister. “Sure. Bring me a…what are you having?”

  “Vodka martini, olive and lemon.”

  Logan grimaced. “Make mine gin, dry, with three olives.” He sat down in the armchair across from Amy. “You know they’re bringing out the cake in twenty minutes.”

  “I know. I won’t miss it.”

  He gave a slightly distracted nod.

  The waitress brought Jade’s wrap, ensuring she had utensils and condiments on the low table. Jade felt a bit self-conscious eating in front of Amy and Logan, so she finished her first martini instead.

  “You came in on the flight this afternoon?” Logan asked.

  “I did.” She couldn’t help glancing down at herself. “Is it obvious?”

  He shifted in his chair. “Just a guess. The five eighty-two out of JFK connects with the flight in Denver.”

  “Logan’s a pilot,” said Amy.

  “You fly into Denver?” Jade asked.

  Had he been on the flight? She pictured him in a uniform, trying to recall if she’d seen him in the airport. She was sure she hadn’t. But the mental image of him in a pilot’s uniform was incredibly sexy.

  “I’m a bush pilot,” said Logan. “I fly hikers, skiers and fishermen into the mountains.”

  “Hey, that’s what you can do while you’re here,” said Amy. “Logan will take you flightseeing.”

  Jade’s glance met Logan’s, and for some reason he looked quite horrified at the suggestion.

  “I think I’ll keep my feet on the ground,” she told Amy.

  “Don’t be silly. It’s very safe. Logan’s a very experienced pilot.”

  “It’s not that—”

  “Are you here to hike?” Logan asked her, his expression dubious. Clearly, she didn’t look like the outdoorsy type.

  “I’m here to relax,” she answered, happy to let the idea of flightseeing drop.

  Not that she had anything against Logan Edwards. He seemed like a perfectly fine human being. And she was sure he was a perfectly competent pilot. But her body was already humming with sexual awareness while he sat six feet away. She couldn’t imagine how she would feel crammed into a small cockpit next to him. She was sexually deprived lately, and Logan was miles away from the lumberjack image she’d had of Colorado men.

  “You should definitely take in the Brookside Spa,” said Amy. “It’s across the skywalk on the second floor. The natural hot springs are to die for. And ask for Andre if you want a massage.”

  “You should stop trying to plan her vacation,” said Logan.

  “She doesn’t know what she wants to do while she’s here,” Amy countered.

  Logan sent Jade a confused look. “Usually people go to Aspen or Denver, or maybe Yellowstone.”

  “Mirror Falls was chosen for me,” Jade admitted. “My employer is paying for a trip. I…well…I guess…sort of won it, an employee reward.”

  “You don’t seem very enthusiastic.” There was an underlying reproach in Logan’s tone.

  “Believe me, it’s nothing against Mirror Falls.” Jade glanced around. “It seems perfectly nice so far.”

  “Why, thank you.” His tone was flat.

  It annoyed her that he was making her feel defensive. “I have a lot of work to do back at the office. I don’t have time for a vacation.”

  “Yet, you came anyway.”

  “I had no choice.”

  “Put you on a plane with a gun to your head, did they?”

  “Logan!” Any exclaimed. “What’s the matter with you?”

  “Sorry,” said Logan, but he didn’t sound sorry.

  The waitress returned, and he took a deep drink of his martini.

  “It’s all right,” said Jade. “I’m not unenthusiastic.” She glanced around again. “I’m just, well, a bit blindsided. Twenty-four hours ago, I was in my cubicle with a dozen files waiting for my attention. I was closing a security loophole for Thompson Toys, and now it’s all come to a screeching halt. It’s unnerving, is all.”

  “Are you a workaholic?” asked Amy.

  “Not in a bad way.”

  That got a half smile from Logan.

  “Logan, take the woman flying. Show her there’s more to life than a stuffy cubicle in New York City.”

  His smile disappeared, but Jade’s libido perked up anyway. She told it to shut up, and then she politely declined Amy’s offer before Logan had to come up with an excuse to say no.

  *

  Finishing his morning coffee at the Dog Trails, Logan told himself he didn’t have the slightest interest in taking Jade Korrigan flightseeing through the Rocky Mountains. For one thing, he had plenty of work on the books. For another, he and Elroy were heading up to the cottage to install the generator just as soon as they had an opportunity. And, finally, the very last thing he needed in his life was an auburn-haired, big-city woman with a passing resemblance to Sasha.

  He was the first to admit, Jade was off-the-charts beautiful. That alone was distracting. But there was also an edge about her, an avant-garde, in-your-face, I-don’t-give-a-damn-about-the-world air that intrigued him.

  She was sexy, but she’d made it plain as day she wasn’t happy to be in town. That was her business, of course. He happened to think Mirror Falls was the best place on the planet.

  Then he glanced out the window and saw her again. She was window-shopping at the Aleta Emporium, checking out the landscapes and wooden carvings on display in the front window. She tried the door, obviously finding it locked, then she peered at the sign where she would discover the place didn’t open until ten.

  She was wearing blue jeans again and that funky leather jacket against the cool morning. Her Western-style, purple suede ankle boots had high heels, and he couldn’t help but wonder how long she planned to walk in them.

  Not that he was objecting to the style. They lengthened her shapely legs, and the cropped cut of the jacket gave him a nice view of her butt, which was equally shapely. He also didn’t object to the silken cascade of hair that fell to the middle of her back.

  He caught a movement in the corner of his eye and took in two men on the opposite side of the street. She’d obviously attracted their attention along with Logan’s. They covertly w
atched her while pretending to review a menu posted in a restaurant window. They looked to be in their mid-forties, dressed in loafers, slacks and bulky sweaters that Logan knew had been bought from Martha Burr at the Yarn Basket.

  They seemed a little old to be checking out Jade Korrigan, but, then, money could be an equalizer. Yarn Basket sweaters were crafted by hand using qiviut muskox wool. They were exclusive and high-end. What the men lacked in youth, they likely made up for with their bank accounts.

  He switched his attention back to Jade. Early twenties, he guessed. He was twenty-six himself, a much better match for her—from a purely chronological perspective, of course. Though, he did own a business. Treeline Aviation had been in the black for several years now, and he was quickly paying off Beaver, Cessna and Otter airplanes. Together, they represented several million dollars’ worth of aircraft.

  Not that he was competing. Not that he was interested in anything but watching the woman from a distance. He’d made that firm decision yesterday.

  She made her way down the street in the general direction of the Dog Trails, passing a clothing store, the tourist information center, and the Bison Club, which wouldn’t be open until five tonight.

  The men kept pace, staying a couple of dozen yards behind so she wouldn’t notice them. But they kept peering at her, vaguely predatory expressions on their faces. Their actions sent an unsettling buzz along Logan’s spine.

  Giving in to instinct, he tossed some bills on the table and waved his thanks to Mavis as he headed out the door. He rounded the building, crossed the street, and paced toward Jade, where she was checking out Gemma’s Gems.

  “Morning, Jade,” he opened, covertly watching for the men’s reactions as he approached her.

  She turned, but her smile was tentative and a bit confused. Not surprising. He hadn’t exactly been friendly last night.

  “Hi, Logan,” she replied as he came to a halt.

  The two men stopped on the other side of the street. They put their heads together, exchanging a few words as they seemed to assess the situation.