“Noted.” He returned his attention to his food. Sage fumed in silence, but the smell of the delicious pasta was nearly irresistible and pretty soon she was eating with the same gusto as before. She nearly cleaned her plate, and ate at least two pieces of toasted garlic bread. Jake enjoyed food, lots of it. He liked that she wasn’t a priss about eating.

They carried on with their work, and he was impressed that she seemed to know more than he’d thought. When the meal came to an end, he paid the bill, which would go on his expense account, and they rose from the table.

“We’ll need to brief your people,” he said. “And you have to get those Saudi names. I’ll be in at nine in the morning. That’ll give you a little time.”

She nodded, but he could tell she wasn’t looking forward to seeing him.

“We got a lot done tonight,” he said as they drove back to the office. “More than I thought we would. Your research really helped. Now you need to go home and get some sleep.”

She shook her head. “I’ve still got a few things to do here at work.”

Jake reached over and caught her hand, saw the surprise on her face. “I’m beginning to understand how important this deal is to you, Sage. You’ll need to be at your best when the Saudis arrive. Get some sleep. We’ll start again tomorrow.”

She nodded, and he let go of her hand. He didn’t say any more as he dropped her off in the executive parking lot, but couldn’t help wondering if Phillip Stanton would show up at her apartment and spend the night in her bed.

The thought didn’t sit well.

Jake had taken an instant dislike to the man, who was a little too much the way Annie had described him. Soft and self-indulgent, more worried about himself than what might happen to the woman who was going to be his wife.

The Jeep engine purred as Jake waited for Sage to slide behind the wheel of her silver Mercedes S550, start the engine and drive out of the lot. He’d been right about her being rich. Everything about her spoke of money and class. She was a little cantankerous at times, but not as bad as he had expected. He wasn’t sure yet about the spoiled part. He’d get around to deciding on that.

In the meantime, he needed to take his own advice and get some sleep. He’d already canceled the plans he had made for the evening. Funny thing was, even the thought of a night of hot, raunchy sex wasn’t enough to stir his interest in Deanna Leblanc.

Four

Jake awakened at his usual early hour, five-thirty, and rolled out of bed. His apartment off Buffalo Speedway was a small oasis in the middle of the huge metropolitan area, a two-story rectangular complex with fountains and lakes in the center, and trees and grass all around.

He’d been born in Iowa, raised on a farm. After his father died, during Jake’s senior year in high school, he’d felt compelled to stay and help his mom, but as soon as he’d finished junior college he had joined the marines. He had worked outdoors ever since. The lush foliage and grassy landscape outside the windows made his apartment a respite from the hustle and bustle, the closed-in spaces of the city he worked in, at least for the time being.

Over the years, Jake had never stayed in one place too long. Instead, he’d enjoyed the challenge and excitement, the financial rewards, of taking jobs all over the globe. Though lately he’d been thinking that might change.

He was beginning to feel as if Houston was home, beginning to build a network of people he cared about. Thanks to a friend named Abraham Lincoln Jones, a man Jake had worked with off and on, he had even gotten involved in the Big Brothers Big Sisters program. It felt good to be part of a community for the first time in his life.

Still, he wasn’t sure it was possible for a man like him to settle in one place for long.

Jake yawned as he walked into the kitchen and went about making a pot of coffee. He felt refreshed today, almost glad he hadn’t been up half the night getting laid.

Almost.

The problem was, he didn’t want Deanna. His dumb-ass libido had begun to fixate on Sage Dumont. Last night he’d dreamed about her, a lusty dream that had left him covered in sweat with a raging hard-on. The bad news was he couldn’t even remember what they had done together.

Not enough, that was for sure. As he climbed into the shower, he turned down the temperature until the water was just above chilly. He would be spending another day with Sage—hell, he’d be with her at least another week. He almost laughed. If he took a cold shower every day, it wouldn’t be enough.

He turned off the water, towel-dried his hair, shaved, then dressed in a yellow oxford cloth shirt and another of the tailored suits he kept for protection details, this one dark brown. In the kitchen, he poured a cup of the freshly brewed coffee and took a sip.

Heading for the front door, he collected the copy of the Chronicle that waited for him every morning. As he started back to the kitchen, he read the headlines and jerked to a halt.

Saudi Sheik to Arrive in Houston

Potential Oil Rig Deal with Marine Drilling International

Jake’s jaw tightened. Ian Dumont had assured him the story was being kept out of the papers. He continued reading only long enough to see Sage’s named mentioned as the vice president in charge of the transaction.

Son of a bitch. Downing his coffee in a couple of gulps, Jake grabbed his Heckler-Koch .45 and shoved it into its leather holster. Then he clipped the holster on his belt, grip forward on his left side, where it was easy to reach with his right hand. Plucking his suit coat off the back of a kitchen chair, he headed for the door.

He knew where Sage lived, a high-rise in the Galleria District. Her grandfather had already arranged clearance for Jake to access the building whenever he needed.

He fired up his Jeep.

His job had just kicked into high gear.

* * *

It was still early, just after six, but Sage was dressed and ready for work. She had her bag slung over her shoulder and car keys in hand when a hard knock sounded at the door. She frowned. Why hadn’t the guard in the lobby phoned before sending someone up?

She peered through the peephole and recognized the massive chest blocking her view. When she opened the door, Jake Cantrell strode past her into her condo.

“I thought we were meeting at the office,” she said, a little annoyed.

“Have you seen the paper?”

“I saw it. Someone leaked the story. So what? The press would have gotten wind of it sooner or later.”

“Helluva lot better if it had been later.” Those beautiful blue eyes ran over her, making her stomach flutter. “I see you’re ready to go.”

“I was just leaving. I’ve got a lot to do.”

“Fine, then, let’s head out.”

Irritation filtered through her. “Look, you didn’t need to come here. I’ve been driving myself to the office every day for the last six years.”

“Maybe so, but from now on you’ll be going with me. I’ll arrange for a car, so you won’t have to ride in the Jeep.”

“It isn’t the Jeep I mind, it’s you.”

He grinned, that sexy mouth curving upward. “I’m sorry to hear that.” Oh, dear God, that grin… It was devastating.

“How did you get past security downstairs?” But suddenly she knew. “Ian, right?”

“Your grandfather’s a very efficient man.”

She cast Jake a look, then followed him out the door. They rode in the Jeep to the office, stopping at a bakery along the way so he could buy something to eat.

“Didn’t have time for breakfast,” he said, and she thought that a man his size definitely needed plenty of fuel to get started.

Jake insisted she come with him into the bake shop. She nearly swooned at the delicious smells inside.

“Two ham-and-cheese croissants,” he ordered, “two chocolate doughnuts, coffee, and whatever the lady wants.”

At least he wasn’t one of those guys who always had to order for a woman. Well, except for the wine last night, and she had to thank him for that. After the delicious meal, she had slept like a baby for the first time in weeks.

“I’ll have a glazed doughnut, please, and coffee.”

He flicked her a glance. “You sure that’s enough?”

“I’m not hungry in the mornings. I usually skip breakfast altogether.”

He cast her a long, sensual glance. “Maybe you need to work up an appetite.”

Her breath caught. He was giving her that look again, the one that said he could make her ravenous, and not just for food. Then it was gone, as if she’d imagined it.

“I’ve got to get to the office,” she said.

“Ten minutes and we’re out of here.”

They sat at a small round table, Jake barely fitting in the little, wrought-iron chair. They finished eating quickly and were on the road again.

It was a little past seven when he pulled into the executive lot and turned off the engine. It wasn’t until they rounded the building, heading toward the front door, that Sage understood why he had come to pick her up.

* * *

“I had a hunch this might happen when I read this morning’s paper.” Jake surveyed the crowd that had begun to gather in front of the mirrored-glass building. “I didn’t figure they’d get here so early. Is there a back way in?”

“No. Just the emergency fire exits. They let you out but not in.”

He moved a little in front of Sage, putting himself between her and what appeared to be students from the MSA—the Muslim Student Association who had been demonstrating at the university a few days before. Some young men wore traditional Muslim garb: white, flowing robes called thobes and headdresses secured by an agal, the black rope that held them in place. Caftan-style dresses in various colors and patterns were worn by a number of the women, who had their heads and necks hidden by colorful scarves.

There were other young people there, kids in Western dress who sympathized with the cause, some of them carrying signs. One read Students for Middle East Democracy. Another, Free Libya. A third said Stop the Bloodshed. The group was relatively small, not more than thirty people, and fairly well behaved.

So far.

Another group milled around to one side. Jake couldn’t tell exactly who they were. But there were always radicals drawn to protests like these, people just itching to cause trouble, he knew. As the crowd spotted them climbing the wide concrete steps toward the front door, a soft rumble of recognition turned into a muffled roar, and he went into high alert.

Someone shouted, “Friends of the Saudi royal oppressors!”

Someone else shouted, “Freedom from tyranny!” and hurled something in their direction. A tomato splattered against the wall next to Sage’s head. She made a little sound in her throat as Jake pushed open the door and shoved her into the lobby.

“Oh, my God,” she said, pressing her back against the wall there. “Oh, my God.”

The security guard came out from behind his desk and started hurrying toward them. Jake waved him away.

He caught hold of Sage’s shoulders, felt her trembling. “It’s all right, Sage. The people out there are mostly just kids, trying to be supportive of a cause they believe in, or at least think they do. They’re harmless, for the most part.”

Her trembling eased a little. She steadied herself, straightened, and Jake released her. “It’s…it’s not like the sheik is in line for the throne or anything. He’s just a businessman.”

“As I said, they’re mostly trying to make a point. Unfortunately, there are radicals in every group. They’re the ones we need to watch out for.”

“Oh, God.”

“Look, we’ll work out a better way to come and go. Put a man on the back door, and develop a strategy to keep things running smoothly. We need more security people in here to make sure none of the protestors try to come inside. And we’ll need men outside, too, to ensure your employees’ safety.”

“Can you handle that?”

“Trace can. I’ll call him, have Atlas provide the extra men we need.”

Sage looked up at Jake, her eyes bigger and more golden than usual. “I had no idea something like this would happen. Now I see why Ian hired you. I’m glad you’re here.”

Jake thought of how protests like this had a way of swelling, how there was a good chance things could get worse in the next few day. He thought of the danger Sage might actually be facing. “So am I,” he said, and realized he meant it.

* * *

Sage led Jake into the conference room. “I hope this will do. There’s a phone in here and a computer. Is there anything else you’ll need?”

“I just have to make a few calls, get things rolling. I was hoping we’d have another day or two before things got stirred up. Looks like that’s not going to happen.”

She tried to smile. She still felt shaky inside, a little off-kilter. “Marie just got here. I’ll have her bring you some coffee. Let me know if there’s anything you need.” Sage closed the conference room door and for a moment leaned against it.

She had scoffed at her grandfather, thinking it ridiculous to hire a professional bodyguard. It was beginning to look as if he was right.

Which was usually the way it worked. She’d been twelve years old when her grandfather’s detective had found them—Ian’s son’s runaway wife and daughter hiding in a Chicago tenement. When Louis, Sage’s father, had died, Ian had come for them. He had convinced her mother to return with him to Houston.

From that day forward, Ian Dumont had raised her. Sage had just turned fifteen when her mother died of breast cancer, and after that her grandfather became her whole world. Over the years, she had learned to trust him as she never did another man.

Sage wasn’t convinced she was in any serious danger now, but she didn’t want to be assaulted or harassed just for coming to work. Jake would make sure that didn’t happen.

Jake. Besides being dangerously attractive, he was an interesting man. Smarter than she’d given him credit for. And from the moment he had spotted the threat in front of the building and taken charge, she had known with complete certainty that he was capable of protecting her from whatever might come.

A thought that eased some of the tension inside her.

Sitting down in the cream leather Eames chair behind her desk, she went to work. She started making calls, digging up the information Jake had asked for, and some she needed, as well. She had the name and contact information of the aide who was handling the Saudi end of preparations for the visit, Caseem Al Dossari. She made a list of questions, then phoned the man in Saudi Arabia.

Did the sheik or his family have any special needs? Did anyone require or prefer any special foods? Was there anything in particular the family wanted to see or do while in Houston? Most importantly, how did the sheik and his family wish to be addressed?

The man patiently answered each of her questions and added a few more details he thought might be useful.

Sage finished the cell and spent the next few hours going over her notes and making other calls.

It was almost noon when she finished the call and her assistant buzzed her on the intercom.

“Yes, Will?”

“Mr. Cantrell has a few things he needs to go over.”

“Of course. Send him in.” She sat up a little straighter, tossed her hair back over her shoulder as Jake walked through the door.

“I just wanted to let you know we’ve got security coming in this afternoon. They’ll be round-the-clock in the building until the negotiations are finished.”

“That’s a relief.” Not wanting to be at even more of a height disadvantage, she stood up and walked toward him.

“You come up with those names?” he asked.

Sage couldn’t stop a smile. “The sheik’s full name is His Highness Sheik Khalid bin Abd al-Kahtani bin Abd Al Kahzaz.”

“There’s a mouthful.”

“Formally, we’re to call him His Highness Sheik Khalid Al Kahzaz. Being a little less formal, we can leave off the His Highness and go with Sheik Khalid.”

“That’s better.”

“I have the son and daughter’s names, as well. Roshan’s twenty-six and A’lia’s twenty-two. I’ve got a list of all their personal likes and dislikes, which I’ll be discussing with the hotel, and some things they’d like to do while they’re here.”

“Such as?”

“The daughter loves to ride. I thought we’d take them out to Ian’s ranch for a couple of days. Give them a real taste of Texas.”

“Where is it?”

“Out along the Brazos less than two hours away. We’ve got twenty-five hundred acres out there. There’s a main house and a separate guesthouse. It should be perfect.”

“I’ll need to see the place ahead of time, check the security.”

A soft knock sounded. Phillip’s knock. He didn’t feel he should have to go through her assistant to speak to her. It irritated her a little.

Her fiancé smiled as he stepped through the door and kept the smile in place when he spotted Cantrell. “Just wanted to check in, make sure our evening was going forward as planned.”

It was Friday, Phillip’s last night in Houston. He wouldn’t be back in the country for at least two months. Fridays were one of the nights he stayed at her apartment when he was in town. Tuesdays and Fridays they went out to dinner, came home and made love. It fit into both of their schedules.

Sage had never given that fact much thought until she glanced at Jake. She couldn’t imagine Jake Cantrell planning his calendar around the two days a week he intended to have sex.

The thought made her feel uneasy, and somehow restless. She didn’t know why.

She shoved the thought away, looked up at Phillip and smiled. “It’s Friday, and your last day in the city. Of course we’re going out as planned.”

Cantrell’s blue eyes fixed on Phillip. They seemed darker, somehow more intense. “If you don’t want company, I’d advise you to change your plans.”

Sage’s mouth thinned. “What are you talking about? What Phillip and I are planning has nothing to do with you.”

“Have you looked outside lately?”

“No, why?”

“Because that little scene you caught this morning has grown, the crowd already more than doubled. My job is to protect you. You’re stuck with me until the Saudis are gone.”

Her shoulders stiffened. She wanted to tell him to take his protection and shove it. That he was overbearing and domineering, and she didn’t like it.

She looked at Phillip, who was waiting for her to do exactly that—tell Cantrell to stay out of her personal affairs. She thought of the night ahead, of Phillip in her bed, of another round of unimaginative lovemaking and very little passion. Suddenly, it was the last thing she wanted.

“I think Mr. Cantrell is right. Ian wouldn’t have hired him if he didn’t trust his judgment.”

“Nonsense. Most of those people are students from the university. They’re hardly a threat.”

“Until this is over, what I say goes,” Jake said. “And if she goes out with you, I’m coming along.”

Phillip bristled. But he wasn’t a fool and he was certainly no match for Cantrell. Not that he would consider behaving as anything less than a gentleman.

“Why don’t we go get some lunch?” Sage suggested, ignoring the guilt slipping through her, the feeling that she was somehow betraying Phillip. “We can say our goodbyes in the dining room.”

“I planned to have dinner at the club.” River Oaks, the most exclusive country club in Houston. “That’s hardly the same as lunch in the executive dining room.”

Jake didn’t say a word, just stood there with his legs splayed and his hands crossed, staring straight ahead, looking like an employee—for once.

Sage almost rolled her eyes. He could be as irritating as Phillip.

“Fine, let’s go.” Phillip waited while she grabbed her bag, then took her arm and walked her out the door. She wondered why he hadn’t suggested staying home tonight, having dinner in her apartment. But their relationship had never been one of grand passion. It was comfortable, the kind both of them felt could stand the test of time.

“I’ll be in the conference room when you’re done,” Jake said, following them out of her office.

Phillip’s jaw looked tight as he watched Cantrell’s tall frame disappear inside the room. Turning, he led Sage toward the elevator and the small but first-class restaurant on the fourteenth floor.

She tried to convince herself she was furious at Jake. That what she was feeling wasn’t relief.

Five

The weekend arrived. Both days, Jake escorted Sage to the office, where only a few people were working in the building. There were just a few protestors out in front, and none of the chaos that had greeted them coming and going on Friday. These were kids. Most of them wanted their weekends off.

While Sage caught up on things at the office, Jake began the work he needed to do before the Saudis arrived. As the protests had grown, his job had expanded. Fortunately, Ian had given him the authority to arrange whatever additional security was needed during the visit.

Jake made a trip to the Four Seasons, walked the twentieth floor, checked the exits, checked the lobby, dining rooms and kitchen. The hotel was well run, and nothing unusual caught his eye. He spoke to hotel security, alerting them to the Saudis’ visit, advising them to treat the matter as a celebrity stay and keep the information quiet.

The staff assured him that wouldn’t be a problem. Oil-rich Texas was used to visitors from the Middle East. It was only the recent unrest that complicated the situation.

On Sunday afternoon, after Sage finished work, she and Jake drove out in the Jeep to the Dumont family ranch, south and a little west of Houston. The weather had turned slightly cooler. Jake hoped it stayed that way. The Saudis were certainly used to heat, but the humidity was something else.

He glanced over at Sage. She was dressed in jeans, sneakers and a white cotton blouse. The shirt was tied up in front, giving him a glimpse of bare skin. Though perfectly modest, it was driving him crazy. Her dark hair fell around her shoulders, the way she usually wore it, making him want to run his fingers through it.

His heart rate went up and yet again his groin tightened.

He thought of the brief exchange he’d had with Phillip Stanton in her office on Friday, recalled the evil little demon that had driven him to ruin Sage’s last night with her fiancé.

The protests in front of the building weren’t enough to keep her from dining out with the man she was going to marry. Jake could have escorted her home and checked things out, made sure everything was okay. They had planned to have dinner at River Oaks, and getting inside the exclusive country club was next to impossible.

Jake just couldn’t stand the thought of the guy in her bed.

Sage was staring out the window now, her mind somewhere else. Probably on business. “Why’d you do it?” he asked.

She glanced up at him. “Why’d I do what?”

“Let me push you into canceling your date with Phillip. You knew the protest wasn’t enough of a threat that I needed to be with you all evening. You also knew if you gave me any kind of resistance, I would have backed down.”

She didn’t deny it.

“So why didn’t you fight me?” he pressed.

A slow breath whispered out. “I don’t know.”

“I think you do.”

Sage shifted in her seat, to see him better. “What are you saying, Jake?”

“I don’t think you wanted to be with Phillip that night. I think you were glad I gave you an excuse. What I don’t get is why you’re marrying him.”

He figured she would launch into him, tell him it was none of his business—which it wasn’t.

<1 2 3 4 5 6 >

На страницу:

Перейти

3 из 6