The girls looked at each other, and then turned around, in tandem, and looked toward their mother. Her eyes brimmed with tears, but she smiled hugely, too, and they turned back to Ezra.

  “What you two did, following my clues when I threw the rocks, and then following my signals and running so fast without stopping...that makes you both the bravest, strongest six-year-olds ever, and I don’t ever want you to forget that. That’s why, when I get out of here, I’m going to bring you your medals.”

  He’d get to see them all one more time. Which was great, too.

  But... “That way, whenever you remember what happened, and some of the kind of scary stuff, you can always look at your medals and remember what you did and how great that was. You can remember that you’re strong and brave and that’s why you don’t have any reason to be afraid. Deal?”

  They nodded. Neve nudged Claire, and Theresa’s so-serious daughter took one step forward, handing him the envelope she held.

  The envelope she’d insisted that Neve give her.

  “It’s from both of us.” Neve stepped up next to her sister. “We made it.”

  “Shhh, Neve, don’t give it away,” Claire told her.

  “Open it, Mr. Giant!” Neve said then, shifting from one little tennis-shoed foot to the other. “We were at your ranch today and rode the horses again because Mrs. Isa took us and that’s why we had to wear jeans,” the girl said.

  “And that’s where we made the card,” Claire added.

  He was taking his time with opening the envelope. Making a production out it for their sake, but also because he didn’t want to rip it. Didn’t matter to him what was inside. The twins had made it for him, so it would be sacred. Would travel with him from land to land, a memento to hang next to his bunk. A lot of guys had them: pictures of families or girlfriends, mostly, sometimes a card.

  The twins’ card would be his first.

  He pulled it out slowly. Also for production. Sort of. Mostly because when he caught sight of the display inside, the hearts and stars, all traced and colored, surrounding four slightly crooked handwritten words, he had to choke back his own tears.

  “It’s the Best Second Daddy Award!” Neve blurted, as though he couldn’t read what she’d written.

  “Because you were like our daddy, coming to save us,” Claire said then. And Ezra had no choice but to hold out his arms and catch the kids who hurled themselves against his stitched midsection.

  The pain didn’t faze him.

  The idea of leaving those two girls, of not being some part of their lives, hurt worse than the bullet that had seared his gut.

  * * *

  Theresa needed a hug, too. Ezra knew from the look he glimpsed over her daughters’ shoulders. Grabbing the bag of handheld video games Naomi had brought him earlier that day, he gave them to Neve and Claire. And they were soon huddled in a corner of the room, consumed by the sack’s contents.

  He heard their voices. Heard Neve exclaiming and then asking questions, which Claire patiently answered. But his focus was on Theresa. She’d come to pick up the card her daughters had made. Was studying it with tears in her eyes.

  “I take it you hadn’t seen it?” he asked as she settled back to the side of his bed.

  She shook her head, was still looking at the paper, not at him, and he had to say, “I’ll always be there for you and the girls.” Even as he heard the words, he knew they weren’t right. And weren’t enough. “I’ll always have their backs,” he added. “All you have to do is call.” He’d take leave, do whatever he had to, to help. “I know I’m not the man you all want most, but I’ve come to realize that being second best is still a win. And it’s far better than not placing at all.”

  Instead of Theresa smiling, thanking him, her chin trembled, and tears dripped down her cheeks. “I loved Mark,” she told. “I still love his memory. But I’m no longer the woman he married. I’m no longer his wife. That part of me died with him, and...his illness, his death, raising the girls alone...this past year... It’s all made me a new woman. A changed woman. And...” She drew a shuddering breath. Let it out and said, “I know you have to go, Ezra, but please know that, with me, with the woman I am now, you will never come second. Not ever.”

  He couldn’t be sure he was understanding her right. And couldn’t blame his confusion on pain meds, because he hadn’t had any since early morning. He stared up into her gaze and remembered the way she’d said his name right before she’d shown him that sex was far, far more than mere physical pleasure.

  “I might be out of line here, but...what if I didn’t have to go?”

  He wasn’t sure what he was saying. And yet when he voiced the words, they weren’t a shock to him.

  “Of course you have to go. There’s no battle here, no army, no...” She stopped talking. Stared at him.

  “I’m thinking that I’ve been running long enough. Frankly, that I’ve been running from what I most wanted—the family life I’d believed I had until I was sixteen. A life that’s probably always been here. I just cut out when times got tough. But I think I’m done cutting out...”

  Dropping to her knees at his feet, taking his hands, Theresa looked up at him, eyes wide open and serious. “Don’t do this for me, Ezra,” she said. “Seriously, I’ll be here. I’ll wait. I’ll marry you or not. I’ll deal with the fear of you being gone if it means that, when you can, you’ll be back. Like you, I don’t want to spend my life running from the fear of being hurt.”

  Ezra knew how to defeat enemies. But he had no idea how to deal with the intense emotions love caused in him, how to let himself just experience or express them.

  “I might need a place to stay while I recover.” He blurted the best version he could communicate of what he was feeling. “I can always go to Mom’s, but...”

  He was unprepared for the face that launched up at him, but when his lips were overtaken by Theresa’s, he knew exactly what to do.

  There were things that had to be worked out. Details to handle. Conversations to have. And adjustments to make.

  But he didn’t have a single doubt that, with him and Theresa working together as a team, they’d get it all done.

  And maybe even, someday, add a set of triplets or two to their own branch of the Colton family.

  * * *

  Don’t miss the previous installments in the

  Coltons of Colorado miniseries:

  Colton’s Pursuit of Justice by Marie Ferrarella

  Snowed In With a Colton by Lisa Childs

  Colton’s Dangerous Reunion by Justine Davis

  Stalking Colton’s Family by Geri Krotow

  Undercover Colton by Addison Fox

  Available now from Harlequin Romantic Suspense!

  And keep an eye out for Book Seven,

  Colton’s Secret Sabotage by Deborah Fletcher Mello,

  available next month.

  Keep reading for an excerpt from The Spy Switch by Karen Whiddon.

  WE HOPE YOU ENJOYED THIS BOOK FROM

  Danger. Passion. Drama.

  These heart-racing page-turners will keep you guessing to the very end. Experience the thrill of unexpected plot twists and irresistible chemistry.

  4 NEW BOOKS AVAILABLE EVERY MONTH!

  The Spy Switch

  by Karen Whiddon

  Chapter 1

  Situational awareness. When Jennifer Glass had taken a basic self-defense class for women, those two words had been her single biggest takeaway. The instructor had drummed that into the entire group: the best defense is prevention and being attuned to what’s going on around you can help you prevent trouble before it even begins.

  If Jennifer, along with several hundred other eager shoppers, hadn’t been so enthralled by the amazing sale going on at Mountain Rocks Sporting Goods Company, she might have noticed the big man with dark sunglasses staring at her. She might have also been aware of another man hovering right behind her, almost as if he was trying to protect her.

  Instead, she’d been so intent on finding her size in an insanely good, sale-priced pair of the hiking boots she’d been coveting for months, that she jumped when the man behind her grabbed her arm. She tried to jostle into position to elbow him or knee him or something, but he’d pressed her up against the display and held her tightly enough that she couldn’t move.

  “Whatever you do, just play along,” he murmured, his mouth right against her ear. “I’ll explain later, Jennifer Glass.”

  How did he know her name? Jennifer stiffened. Though her first instinct was to twist out of his grip and move away, she’d just gotten her hands on the last remaining box of size-seven boots in the color she wanted. They were in a crowded space as well, which meant whatever nefarious plans he might have wouldn’t go down easily.

  Turning, she forced herself to relax, letting her body go limp. It would be much easier to get away if her assailant wasn’t expecting her to flee.

  She looked up, into the bluest pair of eyes she’d ever seen, bright enough to make her blink in surprise. “Please,” he said, his deep voice pleasant. “Just follow my lead.”

  “Let me go,” she insisted. “Right now, before I—”

  “Lania!” A huge, hulking brute of a man stepped in front of her, smiling. He wore mirrored sunglasses and skinny jeans. “And Mike, of course.” A quick nod at the blond man still holding her arm. “Great to see you two here. I think half of Denver is shopping today.” He pointed to Jennifer’s hiking boots. “Of course, these deals are phenomenal, aren’t they?”

  Jennifer stared, trying to figure out why this man thought he knew her. And Mike, who clearly must be the blond man.

  “You know it,” Mike said cheerfully. “Lania’s been waiting for this sale all week, haven’t you, honey?” A syrupy, fake smile accompanied the questions.

  Play along, he’d said. Curious now, and still not feeling any real danger, she decided to do exactly that.

  “I have,” she agreed, her voice equally bright. “These hiking boots are almost sixty percent off.”

  “Hiking boots?” Removing his sunglasses to reveal cold brown eyes, he eyed her with a quizzical expression. “I can’t picture you, with your high-fashion designer clothes and high heels, wanting to climb around rocks in the wilderness.”

  “She’s considering taking up a new hobby,” Mike interjected before she could respond. “We both are. Together.”

  Sliding his sunglasses back on, the stranger laughed, a hard, cold sound without a trace of humor. “Let me know how that goes. I’ll be seeing you two tomorrow night, correct?”

  “Tomorrow night?” she started to ask. Mike squeezed her arm, a clear warning.

  “Of course,” he responded. “Lania and I wouldn’t miss it for the world.”

  “Perfect.” With a quick dip of his chin, the other man turned and walked away, the crowd of people appearing to magically part for him. Struck dumb, Jennifer could only stare after him, trying to figure out what the heck had just happened.

  Finally, the man named Mike let go of her arm. Glaring at him, she rubbed the red spots where his fingers had gripped her.

  “Mind telling me what all that was about?” she asked, stepping away from him with her boxed boots held close to her chest. “Or do I need to call for store security?”

  He shook his head, dragging one hand through his short blond hair. “Please don’t. It’s a long story. How about we go for coffee so I can explain?”

  “I’m not going anywhere with you.” Staring at him with mounting disbelief, Jennifer started backing away carefully.

  “Wait.” He held up one hand. “You have an identical twin sister,” he said. “You and she were adopted separately, and the records were sealed. I know your sister very well. That man who called you Lania? He thinks you are her.”

  This stopped her in her tracks, as no doubt Mike intended. First, he was correct in that Jennifer had been adopted and knew absolutely nothing about her past. For all her life she’d had dreams of a sister, though she’d never known for sure she had one. But a twin? That would explain the sense she had sometimes of experiencing someone else’s emotions.

  But how did she know he was telling the truth? He was a total stranger, so why think she’d believe him? Then again, how would he know she’d been adopted? No way she could chalk that up to a lucky guess.

  “Please.” He must have noticed her prevaricating. He flashed her what under any other circumstances would have been a devastatingly charming smile. “We need to go somewhere else and talk. I can’t risk being overheard.”

  Somewhere else. Torn, she almost put the boots back, but common sense prevailed. “Let me pay for these.” Glancing around, belatedly using her situational awareness, she noticed the other man, the one who’d called her Lania, lingering over by the kayaks. Reaching a quick decision, she nodded. “There’s a coffee shop two blocks west of here. Java Jones. I’ll meet you there.”

  “Okay.” He, too, glanced at the other man. “Please don’t stand me up. This is too important. Your sister’s life could be at risk.”

  Now he definitely had her attention, as he’d no doubt intended. “I’ll be there,” she finally said, in shock but deciding to believe him for now. A sister? Not just any sister, but an identical twin? All this was news to her. “But first, tell me my sister’s name.”

  “Laney,” he answered promptly. “I’ll explain the Lania part later.”

  “Sounds good.” Turning to make her way toward the cash register, she frowned when he went along with her. “What are you doing?”

  “I can’t leave you alone as long as he’s here,” he explained. “He’s not only dangerous, but it’s important that he believe we’re a couple.”

  “Are you?” she asked, stepping into line while still trying to process that he’d used the word dangerous. “Are you and my sister together?”

  “Not in the way you think.”

  Since she didn’t want to ask too many questions and risk being overheard, she simply nodded. Once she’d made her purchase and headed toward the door, with him still right there by her side, she panicked. “I’m not comfortable with you walking outside with me.”

  “The parking lot is just as crowded as the store,” he said, gesturing. “I promise you have nothing to worry about from me.”

  Even though he was right about the crowds, she still didn’t like it. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more tempted she was to get in her car and drive away, washing her hands of this entire thing.

  Except...what if he was telling the truth? What if she really did have a twin sister?

  “You go in front of me,” she said. “Stay at least six feet away and I’ll follow you. Don’t look back. I’ll get in my car and drive to the coffee shop, and you can do the same.”

  “That will work, as long as he doesn’t follow us outside. If he does, we’ve got to go in the same car.”

  Ignoring the certainty in his bright blue eyes, she shook her head. “Then you’d better hope he doesn’t come out. Because there’s no way you’re getting in my car with me.”

  Outside, the parking lot teemed with cars and shoppers, all eager to check out the huge semiannual sale. Mike stayed close to her as she wove her way toward her car. She couldn’t help but glance over her shoulder toward the exit, just to see if they’d been followed.

  “I don’t see him,” she said, reaching her Mazda and hesitating before using her key fob to unlock her doors. “I’ll see you at the coffee shop.” She slid into her car, quickly locking the doors after her. Though she started the engine, she didn’t back out until he’d walked away.

  Then, heart pounding, she took a deep breath and drove to Java Jones.

  At this time of the day, the popular coffee shop had a few open parking spots. Jennifer pulled into one and sat for a moment, trying to calm herself down. She vacillated between feeling foolish, a bit worried and also a sort of eager anticipation. Did she truly have a twin sister? How did this man Mike even know about this while Jennifer knew absolutely nothing? She’d been told her adoption records had been sealed, and despite numerous attempts, she hadn’t been able to unearth anything about her past.

  Taking a deep breath, she got out of her car. Looking around, she kept her keys in one hand as a potential weapon in case she needed it. She walked inside the coffee shop, the blast of cold air a welcome respite from the summer heat. She found an empty table near the front window and took it, watching the door.

  When Mike strode in, the instant his blue eyes found hers, a shiver snaked down her spine. Every female eye in the place was on him—tall and broad shouldered, with his short blond hair and chiseled features. Jennifer couldn’t blame them. She might as well admit to herself that she found him attractive. Far more than she actually should, considering.

  Smiling, he walked over to her table. Her traitorous body sizzled at the power of that smile. “What would you like to drink?” he asked. “My treat.”

  “Just a coffee,” she replied, some of her tension easing at the utter normalcy of the conversation. They weren’t alone, just a couple among many in a busy coffee shop. “Two creams and one sweetener.”

  He nodded and went to the counter to place the order, returning a few minutes later with both their drinks, which he placed on the table. “Here you go.”

  Dropping into the chair across from her, he cocked his head and studied her. “It’s amazing how much you two look alike,” he said. “Uncanny, even.”

  Nodding, she sipped her coffee and watched him. “I’m still trying to decide if I can trust you.”

  The sounds of the busy coffee shop were all around them, effectively keeping the atmosphere both private and impersonal.