was alone in this. She’d chosen this route. No secret ally would sweep in to help her, there were no shortcuts. She had to keep quiet, dig for information, look for her opportunity—and keep her wits about her.
Raising her head high and straightening her shoulders, she smiled calmly. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I’ll leave you to your work.”
And turned away, feeling more alone than when she’d opened the door.
Chapter Six
Late afternoon shadows drifted across her bed. A knock sounded on her door, and Jillian stirred.
The knock came again, harder.
She sat up, muzzy from her nap. “Who is it?”
“It’s Fred. Get up. Boss wants you.”
Jillian shoved her hair back out of her face. Rising slowly, muscles protesting, she scrubbed at her face with her hands, grabbing her robe from the end of the pale peach bedspread. “Just a minute...I’m coming.”
Opening the door, she could see the signs of his disapproval, the smirk. Jillian straightened. “Yes?”
“Boss wants to go for a Sunday drive. Be ready in ten minutes.” He held out her weapon. “Cullinane says you don’t have to feel naked anymore.” Fred’s brown eyes glinted, and she fought the urge to hold her robe closer.
But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She took her weapon, meeting his gaze with chin lifted. “Fine.” She started to close the door.
He shot out an arm to block it. For one instant, she felt a frisson of fear.
The beefy blond man looked uneasy. Finally, he blurted out, “You’re...different.”
She cocked her head, waiting. “And...?”
He studied her, shook his head. “I don’t know. You made me look bad,” he said, glancing at his foot. “You shouldn’t have been able to do that.”
Jillian didn’t know how to handle him, what to say. These men could make her life even harder if they wouldn’t accept her. She didn’t need any more obstacles.
“Nobody’s taken Cullinane down in a long time.” He shifted uneasily on his feet, then glanced up, a slight grin curving his lips. “You might be all right.”
Jillian grinned back, sighing inwardly with relief. “Thanks...Fred, right?” She glanced down at his foot. “I—I’m sorry about your foot. I’d been asleep, and I...”
He waved off her words. “Forget it. It was the other guys laughing at me that hurt worse than anything. But after today, well...Cullinane beat you good, but that fall took the heat off me.” With another grin, he stepped away, drawing the door closed. “Uh, the boss is waiting.”
Her spirits a little lighter, she flew into action. No way was she giving Cullinane a chance to chew her out for being late. When she got downstairs, though, Cullinane was nowhere in sight, and neither was the limo she’d ridden in the night they went to Chez Nous. In its place was an SUV, Hafner waiting at the passenger door.
“Would you do the honors and drive?”
Startled, Jillian hesitated. “I don’t know the area.” And I don’t want to be alone with you. No, that was wrong. That’s exactly what she needed. Yes. She could get this over with and leave.
Though she might spend the rest of her life running.
He waved a hand toward the driver’s seat. “No matter. I do.”
She shrugged. “You’re the boss.” But no time to plan, no strategy. Resolving to be vigilant for her opening, Jillian climbed into the seat, adjusting it to fit her.
Hafner settled into the seat beside her, then she heard the left rear door open and glanced in the mirror.
Cullinane. Of course.
Jillian ground her teeth in frustration. She should have known he’d never let her do this alone. Glaring into the mirror, she challenged him. “Perhaps Cullinane would rather drive? You do prefer to be in control, isn’t that right, watchdog?”
Mr. Granite was back, full-force. Black mane forbidding, the silver streak a warning. The man whose eyes had darkened with desire could have been a figment of her imagination. This man didn’t
Raising her head high and straightening her shoulders, she smiled calmly. “Yes. Yes, I’m fine. I’ll leave you to your work.”
And turned away, feeling more alone than when she’d opened the door.
Chapter Six
Late afternoon shadows drifted across her bed. A knock sounded on her door, and Jillian stirred.
The knock came again, harder.
She sat up, muzzy from her nap. “Who is it?”
“It’s Fred. Get up. Boss wants you.”
Jillian shoved her hair back out of her face. Rising slowly, muscles protesting, she scrubbed at her face with her hands, grabbing her robe from the end of the pale peach bedspread. “Just a minute...I’m coming.”
Opening the door, she could see the signs of his disapproval, the smirk. Jillian straightened. “Yes?”
“Boss wants to go for a Sunday drive. Be ready in ten minutes.” He held out her weapon. “Cullinane says you don’t have to feel naked anymore.” Fred’s brown eyes glinted, and she fought the urge to hold her robe closer.
But she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. She took her weapon, meeting his gaze with chin lifted. “Fine.” She started to close the door.
He shot out an arm to block it. For one instant, she felt a frisson of fear.
The beefy blond man looked uneasy. Finally, he blurted out, “You’re...different.”
She cocked her head, waiting. “And...?”
He studied her, shook his head. “I don’t know. You made me look bad,” he said, glancing at his foot. “You shouldn’t have been able to do that.”
Jillian didn’t know how to handle him, what to say. These men could make her life even harder if they wouldn’t accept her. She didn’t need any more obstacles.
“Nobody’s taken Cullinane down in a long time.” He shifted uneasily on his feet, then glanced up, a slight grin curving his lips. “You might be all right.”
Jillian grinned back, sighing inwardly with relief. “Thanks...Fred, right?” She glanced down at his foot. “I—I’m sorry about your foot. I’d been asleep, and I...”
He waved off her words. “Forget it. It was the other guys laughing at me that hurt worse than anything. But after today, well...Cullinane beat you good, but that fall took the heat off me.” With another grin, he stepped away, drawing the door closed. “Uh, the boss is waiting.”
Her spirits a little lighter, she flew into action. No way was she giving Cullinane a chance to chew her out for being late. When she got downstairs, though, Cullinane was nowhere in sight, and neither was the limo she’d ridden in the night they went to Chez Nous. In its place was an SUV, Hafner waiting at the passenger door.
“Would you do the honors and drive?”
Startled, Jillian hesitated. “I don’t know the area.” And I don’t want to be alone with you. No, that was wrong. That’s exactly what she needed. Yes. She could get this over with and leave.
Though she might spend the rest of her life running.
He waved a hand toward the driver’s seat. “No matter. I do.”
She shrugged. “You’re the boss.” But no time to plan, no strategy. Resolving to be vigilant for her opening, Jillian climbed into the seat, adjusting it to fit her.
Hafner settled into the seat beside her, then she heard the left rear door open and glanced in the mirror.
Cullinane. Of course.
Jillian ground her teeth in frustration. She should have known he’d never let her do this alone. Glaring into the mirror, she challenged him. “Perhaps Cullinane would rather drive? You do prefer to be in control, isn’t that right, watchdog?”
Mr. Granite was back, full-force. Black mane forbidding, the silver streak a warning. The man whose eyes had darkened with desire could have been a figment of her imagination. This man didn’t
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