Cherokee Marriage Dare. Sheri WhiteFeather

his partner’s funeral. He had seemed enraged at the time, barely in control of his pain.

      “You’re emotional, too,” she said.

      “Not like you. I’m not playful one minute and pissy the next.”

      No, she thought. He was never playful.

      “Come on.” He motioned to the courtyard, his demeanor stern and strong and businesslike. “Let’s sit down, and I’ll fill you in on the case.”

      Ten minutes later, they occupied a glass-topped table, each with a hot drink in front of them.

      Maggie’s mocha cappuccino tasted rich and sweet, flavored with a splash of raspberry syrup. Luke drank his coffee strong and black. Which suited him, she thought.

      He lifted his gaze and looked directly into her eyes. For an instant she held her breath. Lucas Starwind never failed to accelerate her heartbeat.

      “We’re dealing with the possibility of a biological weapon,” he said.

      The air in her lungs rushed out. “That’s what’s on the CD I discovered? Some sort of scientific formula that could kill people?”

      He gave a tight nod. “We’ve recovered six CDs in all, including the one you have, but there’s more out there. The files they contain were pirated from the Rosemere Institute.”

      “That doesn’t make sense.” Maggie’s grandfather, King Thomas, had founded the Rosemere Institute in hopes of discovering a cure for cancer. “How could the Institute have anything dangerous in their files?”

      “Because they’ve been focusing on viral genetic research,” he explained. “The idea is to tailor a virus that will destroy cancer cells without debilitating the patient the way radiation and chemotherapy do.”

      Waiting for Luke to continue, Maggie placed her hands around her coffee cup, drawing warmth from the porcelain.

      “Last year the Institute made a breakthrough in their research,” he said. “But they also explored a number of dead ends. And one of those dead ends led to the accidental creation of a virus that stimulates a fast-growing cancer. A virus that’s vectored through the air.”

      Momentarily stunned, Maggie stared at him. “They created a cancer? Did King Thomas know?”

      “Yes. He made sure the original virus was destroyed, along with the final codes needed to fabricate it. But if a top-quality lab had all of the Institute’s data, they could figure out the final codes and re-create it.”

      “How many of the CDs are still missing?”

      “Enough to worry about. Whoever has them intends to sell them on the black market. That’s what this whole scheme is about.”

      Her pulse pounded in her throat. Biological warfare wasn’t what she had expected. “So this is why King Thomas and Prince Marc were killed?”

      Luke paused, gauging Maggie’s expression. She looked pale, sad and worried. He decided now wasn’t the time to tell her that Prince Marc had most likely been involved in stealing the files. In a roundabout way, her uncle’s treachery had cost him his life.

      “Rafe and I aren’t clear on all the details,” he said. “We know the Kelly crime family is responsible, and even though they’re in prison now, they still have ties in Altaria.”

      She lifted her coffee with both hands. “So solving this case means recovering the rest of the CDs and putting the Altarian traitors behind bars?”

      “That’s exactly what it means.”

      A moment of silence stretched between them, but Luke assumed she needed to absorb the harsh reality of what she’d just learned.

      The courtyard didn’t provide much of a wind block. Maggie’s hair blew wildly around her shoulders, each light-brown strand tipped with gold. She wore a camel-colored coat, the collar lined with a faux-print fur. The effect was stunning. And distracting, Luke thought.

      She seemed vulnerable, and that made him want to touch her.

      She replaced her cup with an unsteady hand. “This is so awful. King Thomas founded the Institute because his wife died from cancer. He was trying to do something good for mankind, not destroy it. He loved his queen very much. It broke his heart to watch her suffer.”

      Luke nodded. He had seen firsthand how terribly cancer patients suffered, how the disease ravaged. He had lost his father to colorectal cancer. But Luke wasn’t going to tell Maggie about his past or the ache that came with it. The burden was his, and his alone. And so was the broken promise he’d made to his dad.

      He stared at his coffee, into the void of nothingness. He wanted to drop his head in his hands and mourn the mistakes he’d made.

      But he couldn’t. There was no turning back. He had to live with what he’d done, face himself in the mirror every day and despise the reflection.

      “Are you all right?” Maggie asked.

      Instantly, he locked away the pain. “Of course I am.”

      Their eyes met and held. Hers were a pale wash of blue, flecked with tiny sparks of green. Her incredible, ever-changing eyes.

      “Are you sure?” she pressed. “You seem troubled.”

      “It’s a troubling case,” he responded.

      “Yes, it is,” she agreed, her gaze never wavering from his.

      Once again he longed to touch her. They sat side by side, their shoulders nearly brushing. He resisted the urge to lift his hand, to stroke her cheek, to feel the warmth radiating from her skin.

      Luke reached for his coffee and sipped the bitter brew. This investigation was too critical to get sidetracked by a beautiful woman. Especially since she was the lady he had vowed to protect.

      Rey-Star Investigations was located in a dramatic tower overlooking the city. Maggie took the elevator to the ninth floor and entered Luke’s office through double-glass doors.

      A blue-eyed blonde sat behind a mahogany reception desk. Focusing on a computer screen, she pursed her racy red lips, forming a provocative pout.

      She was stunning—in a bombshell kind of way. A sweater, the same notice-me shade as her lipstick, stretched across her ample bosom.

      Maggie frowned, irked that Luke had a blow-up doll working for him. She cleared her throat and waited for the receptionist to acknowledge her.

      The blonde looked up and flashed a thousand-watt smile. That, too, managed to irritate Maggie. Apparently the other woman, who probably shared Luke’s bed whenever he beckoned, didn’t see her as a threat.

      Clearly Luke wasn’t as lonely as he appeared.

      “May I help you, Ms. Connelly?” the receptionist asked.

      “Yes, thank you.” She wasn’t surprised the other woman had recognized her. Maggie’s celebrity rarely went unnoticed. “Is Mr. Starwind available?”

      “I’ll let him know you’re here.”

      Within minutes Maggie was escorted into Luke’s office. He stood beside a window, gazing out at the city. The room was furnished with an ebony desk, leather chairs and a lacquered bar. A slim marble table held a bronze eagle, its enormous wings poised in flight. Stone and metal, she thought, with a blend of masculine elegance.

      Luke turned and met Maggie’s gaze. Dressed entirely in black, he looked as striking as the decor.

      He shifted his gaze to his receptionist. “Thank you, Carol.”

      The blonde nodded and closed the door behind her.

      Luke and Maggie stared at each other for what seemed like an endless amount of time.

      “She’s quite the bombshell,” Maggie said finally.

      He