Born to Be Wild by Donna Kauffman Page B

home.”
    “Colbourne.”
    “I’ve got five days to become a camping expert. You’re in charge.”
    “Well, hello to you too.” Dane’s tone was serious as usual, but she heard the teasing quality that he reserved just for her. “A camping expert, huh? Who are we trying to impress?”
    Dara really hadn’t been looking forward to this part of the conversation, but knew it was better to just get it out of the way. “Impress isn’t really the right word. More like reduce the chance of humiliation.”
    “Okay, you’ve got me intrigued. But if you know theguy well enough to camp out with him, why haven’t I heard about him?”
    “We’re thirty, Dane. Do you let me check out all your ladies before you spend the night with them?”
    “This from the sister who just last month was telling me that I needed to get a life or get laid?”
    “And have you?” she asked too sweetly.
    “You think I’d tell you if I had? Ten minutes with you and a few childhood stories later, the poor woman would be running for the hills.”
    “Just what I thought,” she replied knowingly. “Really, Dane, you work harder than I do. You really could use—”
    “You’re stonewalling, Colbourne,” he broke in. “Who’s the guy? Is it someone I know?”
    Dara sighed. “Do I have to?”
    “You want my help or not?”
    “Zach Brogan.”
    Dead silence greeted her announcement.
    “Dane?” She’d expected wild laughter or more likely, considering her brother had grown entirely too sober lately, a few well-intended jibes. “You still there? Don’t make me say it again, it was hard enough the first time.”
    “Brogan?” he said finally. “You and Zach? Well, I guess I’ve finally lived to see it all. Talk about your final ironies.”
    “You’re planning on calling Jarrett,” she said. “I can hear the wheels turning. Well, don’t. First off, McCullough will find out soon enough since it was his brilliant idea that got us together in the first place.”
    “Jarrett played matchmaker? Now I know I’ve entered a parallel universe. He’d be the last person on earthto meddle. Maybe this whole marriage thing went to his head.”
    “Dane, stop. It’s not what you think.”
    “You and Brogan alone together on a mountaintop for anything longer than five minutes and it’s exactly what I think. Are you sure about this?” he asked, his strident tone mellowing a bit. “It’s not really like you.”
    She let that last comment pass. “We’re going on business, Dane. Zach is planning a trip for the foundation that requires my approval.”
    “So there will be others with you?”
    She paused, then answered honestly, knowing there was no point in hedging, since he’d just drag it out of her anyway. That was the downside of having a twin who was also an investigator. “No. But,” she hurried to add when he tried to break in, “we’ll have separate tents and everything. We’re simply colleagues. He knows how I feel and—”
    “How
do
you feel? Honestly. I mean, you guys haven’t spoken since you were kids, and there was certainly no great affection between you then. As a matter of fact, isn’t one of his teeth capped because of you?”
    Dara wasn’t ready to explain—even if she could—what her relationship was with Zach. “As for the tooth, he started it, so he deserved what he got. As to your other question, I don’t know. Honestly.” She knew she shouldn’t ask, but she couldn’t help herself. “And what did you mean, about us not being able to be alone without … you know. We’re both adults.”
    “I guess I just know how he is with women. He’s the kind of guy who could walk into the men’s room and still find himself instantly surrounded by women. I just don’twant you to mistake his … attentions for something they’re not.”
    “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.” Dara laughed. “Don’t you think I understand the difference between idle flirtation and … you know, something more