grabbed Wallace’s wrist in a viselike grip. His right arm was now free of the sling, so he had the use of both hands. In one quick, clean motion, he pulled Kelly free. His grip tightened on Wallace’s wrist until he saw the pain register in the other man’s eyes. “Get your suitcase, Kelly,” he rasped, never taking his eyes off Wallace. “I’ll meet you at the car in a minute.”
Kelly glanced wildly at the men, who were frozen in a silent struggle with one another. The harshness of Sam’s voice spurred her into action and she left the room, shutting the door behind her. Hurriedly, she walked down the hall to her secretary, giving last-minute orders. Kelly went to her manager’s office and alerted Jake. He took the suitcase she had packed for the occasion and carried it out to the white Cadillac waiting outside.
“Be carefully, Kelly,” he warned, patting her arm. “And don’t worry, I’ll hold down the fort here for you,” Jake assured her.
Her heart was pounding with…what? Fear? Anger? No, fear for Sam. The hatred between the two men had been almost tangible to her. Were they fighting in there? She saw Tyler coming quickly out the doors. His face was ashen, inscrutable.
“Get in,” he ordered.
Kelly gave Jake a quick hug and did as she was told. In no time, they were on their way to the Houston International airport. The traffic was heavy, adding to the tension in the car. She felt Sam’s anger and was unsure of what to do or say.
Finally, she could no longer stand the brittle atmosphere. “Where are we going?”
Sam’s eyes never left the road as he expertly wove his way through the traffic. “Saudi Arabia. The Rub of Khali Desert. It’s a big one, Kelly. An H2S gas well.” He shot her a cutting glance. “I didn’t want you along on this one.”
Her eyes widened. “Why not?”
“You’ve been around the block,” came the clipped reply. “H2S gas is poisonous as hell. They’ve got a flame shooting four hundred feet in the air. That means letting the fire continue to burn so it consumes the noxious gas. The gas will kill everything within a fifty-mile radius if the fire goes out.” His blue eyes darkened. “You have no damn business coming on this one.”
Anger replaced her nervousness. “I’ve been around H2S before, Sam Tyler! And quit yelling at me just because you’re angry over something else! Just make damn sure I’ve got oxygen apparatus and I’ll be a good girl and stay out of the way. Does that make you feel any better?” Damn! She shouldn’t respond to his anger. When she had first seen him at the door, she’d wanted to throw herself into his arms. He had looked so handsome. So capable. And she had missed him terribly during the past week.
His nostrils flared but he kept his eyes on the traffic. “You’re so bullheaded, Kelly. That well’s already killed five people! It was blown up by a bunch of border terrorists from the Emirates. We’re going into some rough territory and frankly, you should stay home. The Rub of Khali Desert is one of the most desolate places in the world. It’s a living hell. You should catch the next fire.”
She clenched her hands in her lap. “You can’t scare me off, Tyler! Blanchard Pipe will be on the job. And I’ve got to be there too, to prove that I stand behind my father’s product one hundred percent. It’s a question of honor. I’m going, even if it kills me.”
He gave her a grim look. “Has it ever occurred to you, you redheaded witch, that maybe, just maybe, some people would like to see you alive?” He cursed beneath his breath. “No, I suppose it hasn’t. You’re so damn quick to don your battle armor and prepare for the next skirmish.” His hands tightened on the wheel. “Sometimes you haven’t got a brain in your head!”
She sat there, ready to explode. If she had been eighteen, she would have slapped his face without a second thought. But she wasn’t eighteen. And she heard the concern for her
Kelly glanced wildly at the men, who were frozen in a silent struggle with one another. The harshness of Sam’s voice spurred her into action and she left the room, shutting the door behind her. Hurriedly, she walked down the hall to her secretary, giving last-minute orders. Kelly went to her manager’s office and alerted Jake. He took the suitcase she had packed for the occasion and carried it out to the white Cadillac waiting outside.
“Be carefully, Kelly,” he warned, patting her arm. “And don’t worry, I’ll hold down the fort here for you,” Jake assured her.
Her heart was pounding with…what? Fear? Anger? No, fear for Sam. The hatred between the two men had been almost tangible to her. Were they fighting in there? She saw Tyler coming quickly out the doors. His face was ashen, inscrutable.
“Get in,” he ordered.
Kelly gave Jake a quick hug and did as she was told. In no time, they were on their way to the Houston International airport. The traffic was heavy, adding to the tension in the car. She felt Sam’s anger and was unsure of what to do or say.
Finally, she could no longer stand the brittle atmosphere. “Where are we going?”
Sam’s eyes never left the road as he expertly wove his way through the traffic. “Saudi Arabia. The Rub of Khali Desert. It’s a big one, Kelly. An H2S gas well.” He shot her a cutting glance. “I didn’t want you along on this one.”
Her eyes widened. “Why not?”
“You’ve been around the block,” came the clipped reply. “H2S gas is poisonous as hell. They’ve got a flame shooting four hundred feet in the air. That means letting the fire continue to burn so it consumes the noxious gas. The gas will kill everything within a fifty-mile radius if the fire goes out.” His blue eyes darkened. “You have no damn business coming on this one.”
Anger replaced her nervousness. “I’ve been around H2S before, Sam Tyler! And quit yelling at me just because you’re angry over something else! Just make damn sure I’ve got oxygen apparatus and I’ll be a good girl and stay out of the way. Does that make you feel any better?” Damn! She shouldn’t respond to his anger. When she had first seen him at the door, she’d wanted to throw herself into his arms. He had looked so handsome. So capable. And she had missed him terribly during the past week.
His nostrils flared but he kept his eyes on the traffic. “You’re so bullheaded, Kelly. That well’s already killed five people! It was blown up by a bunch of border terrorists from the Emirates. We’re going into some rough territory and frankly, you should stay home. The Rub of Khali Desert is one of the most desolate places in the world. It’s a living hell. You should catch the next fire.”
She clenched her hands in her lap. “You can’t scare me off, Tyler! Blanchard Pipe will be on the job. And I’ve got to be there too, to prove that I stand behind my father’s product one hundred percent. It’s a question of honor. I’m going, even if it kills me.”
He gave her a grim look. “Has it ever occurred to you, you redheaded witch, that maybe, just maybe, some people would like to see you alive?” He cursed beneath his breath. “No, I suppose it hasn’t. You’re so damn quick to don your battle armor and prepare for the next skirmish.” His hands tightened on the wheel. “Sometimes you haven’t got a brain in your head!”
She sat there, ready to explode. If she had been eighteen, she would have slapped his face without a second thought. But she wasn’t eighteen. And she heard the concern for her
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