were you looking for?“
The unanswered question took on a new significance.
Beams of the noon sun glowed through the windows as Samantha moved around the kitchen, still wrapped in Matt’s love. Silent, she felt the afterglow of their lovemaking envelop her, and she knew it affected Matt as well. She saw it in the way he glanced at her surreptitiously, as if to reassure himself that she was there. She felt it in the way his brief glances adored her, just as she adored him, and in the way he turned to her again and again, drawing her close as if the thought of being separated from her was unbearable.
She knew, because she felt the same way. The wonder of him was fresh in her senses, and she—
Samantha gasped aloud when the ranch house door snapped open abruptly to reveal a man standing in the doorway—a man so similar to Matt in appearance that she could see no physical differences between them!
Samantha went rigid with disbelief as she glanced between them. The same dark hair and light eyes, the same severely handsome features and full lips,the same powerful body that Samantha remembered only too clearly lying atop hers.
She gasped again.
Matt’s double said heatedly, “So she’s still here, you bastard!”
The stranger’s harsh tones were so similar to Matt’s that Samantha’s arms fell limply to her sides. Stepping back from Matt, she could do no more than stare. She was unable to speak when Matt responded, “Yes, I’m a bastard…just like you are.”
Samantha’s eyes widened farther when the other Matt laughed harshly with a smile that she had believed was Matt’s own and replied, “Somehow that admission doesn’t give me the satisfaction that I thought it would.” His expression hardened. “But I want you to know you’re responsible for the only two noble moments I’ve ever had in my life, and that I see now they were both mistakes. Thanks for setting me straight, brother, and for proving to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was right all along. You are no better than I am.”
He turned abruptly and walked back out through the doorway through which he had entered only a few minutes previously.
Twins!
Stunned, Samantha mumbled incredulously, “So that’s how he robbed those banks and got away with it.”
Realizing abruptly that it was too late to take back those words, Samantha looked at Matt to seehis eyes widen. He spoke in a tone of dawning realization.
“So you know my secret. It was my brother who no one knew existed that robbed them, while I was an easy alibi. Are you ready to tell me your secret now, Samantha? Why were you looking through my desk? What did you expect to find—something that explained my part in the bank robberies, maybe?”
“Maybe.”
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“You know what I want.”
“No, I don’t.”
Samantha said defensively, “You had your secret and I had mine, but now I understand how you and your brother were able to get away with everything.”
Not bothering to confirm or deny her statement, Matt said flatly, “So it’s time for you to tell me what you’re hiding.”
Samantha hesitated, and then said, “I’m not what you thought I was. I’m not a dance hall girl.”
“That’s not really news to me.”
“I came here looking for you…hoping to get evidence about the bank robberies that other detectives had failed to get.”
“Why? Was it for the reward?”
“Money had nothing to do with it!”
“What was your reason, then?”
“I wanted to prove I could work efficiently as a Pinkerton detective despite my sex.”
“A Pinkerton detective?” Matt was incredulous.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t.” Matt took a backward step. “Or maybe I just wouldn’t care. I thought I knew who you were and how you felt, but it looks to me now that everything between us was just a calculated act on your part. I suppose you’d go to any length to get what you came for.”
“That’s not true,
The unanswered question took on a new significance.
Beams of the noon sun glowed through the windows as Samantha moved around the kitchen, still wrapped in Matt’s love. Silent, she felt the afterglow of their lovemaking envelop her, and she knew it affected Matt as well. She saw it in the way he glanced at her surreptitiously, as if to reassure himself that she was there. She felt it in the way his brief glances adored her, just as she adored him, and in the way he turned to her again and again, drawing her close as if the thought of being separated from her was unbearable.
She knew, because she felt the same way. The wonder of him was fresh in her senses, and she—
Samantha gasped aloud when the ranch house door snapped open abruptly to reveal a man standing in the doorway—a man so similar to Matt in appearance that she could see no physical differences between them!
Samantha went rigid with disbelief as she glanced between them. The same dark hair and light eyes, the same severely handsome features and full lips,the same powerful body that Samantha remembered only too clearly lying atop hers.
She gasped again.
Matt’s double said heatedly, “So she’s still here, you bastard!”
The stranger’s harsh tones were so similar to Matt’s that Samantha’s arms fell limply to her sides. Stepping back from Matt, she could do no more than stare. She was unable to speak when Matt responded, “Yes, I’m a bastard…just like you are.”
Samantha’s eyes widened farther when the other Matt laughed harshly with a smile that she had believed was Matt’s own and replied, “Somehow that admission doesn’t give me the satisfaction that I thought it would.” His expression hardened. “But I want you to know you’re responsible for the only two noble moments I’ve ever had in my life, and that I see now they were both mistakes. Thanks for setting me straight, brother, and for proving to me beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was right all along. You are no better than I am.”
He turned abruptly and walked back out through the doorway through which he had entered only a few minutes previously.
Twins!
Stunned, Samantha mumbled incredulously, “So that’s how he robbed those banks and got away with it.”
Realizing abruptly that it was too late to take back those words, Samantha looked at Matt to seehis eyes widen. He spoke in a tone of dawning realization.
“So you know my secret. It was my brother who no one knew existed that robbed them, while I was an easy alibi. Are you ready to tell me your secret now, Samantha? Why were you looking through my desk? What did you expect to find—something that explained my part in the bank robberies, maybe?”
“Maybe.”
“Who are you? What do you want?”
“You know what I want.”
“No, I don’t.”
Samantha said defensively, “You had your secret and I had mine, but now I understand how you and your brother were able to get away with everything.”
Not bothering to confirm or deny her statement, Matt said flatly, “So it’s time for you to tell me what you’re hiding.”
Samantha hesitated, and then said, “I’m not what you thought I was. I’m not a dance hall girl.”
“That’s not really news to me.”
“I came here looking for you…hoping to get evidence about the bank robberies that other detectives had failed to get.”
“Why? Was it for the reward?”
“Money had nothing to do with it!”
“What was your reason, then?”
“I wanted to prove I could work efficiently as a Pinkerton detective despite my sex.”
“A Pinkerton detective?” Matt was incredulous.
“You wouldn’t understand.”
“Maybe I wouldn’t.” Matt took a backward step. “Or maybe I just wouldn’t care. I thought I knew who you were and how you felt, but it looks to me now that everything between us was just a calculated act on your part. I suppose you’d go to any length to get what you came for.”
“That’s not true,
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