by Sarah Barrie
“Whatever works.”
“I have to say I’m becoming more and more curious as to why you try so hard to portray the chip off the old block.”
“I assume you’re referring to my grandfather? Simple. It works.” She shrugged. “If people see a weakness, they exploit it. Human nature.”
“Simple cynicism, Ella?” he enquired thoughtfully, “or is there something more to this?”
“Ryan, if you don’t mind, we have work to do.”
“I don’t mind at all, but you’ve got to stop assuming you can shut me down with that tone of yours and a scary look.”
“How about a simple ‘mind your own business’ then?”
He sighed heavily. “I can see why people find you difficult.”
“But you don’t class yourself as one of them, do you?” she deduced, tilting her head and studying him.
His answer was a lazy grin. “No. I can handle you.”
“Handle me?” she asked in exasperation, “Are you looking for an argument?”
“Sure. It makes your skin flush and your eyes flash. You’re easy to look at no matter what you’re doing, but temper really suits you. Besides, it’s fun to crack that famous composure of yours.”
It took Ella few seconds to process that, to gather every last scrap of that composure and casually raise an amused eyebrow. “You think you can ‘handle’ me, Ryan?”
“Want to find out?” The steamy look he sent her stopped her breathing. It just stopped, while the hunger in his eyes sparked an instant fire inside her. Of course she wanted to find out. And she’d been crazy to think she could hold her own flirting with him. He was simply way too much for her. “Seems there’s another way to make your skin flush,” he murmured.
Playing it safe, Ella turned her attention to the menu. “We should probably order this food if we’re going to start this segment right? I’m sure Lexi and Marco would like to eat at some stage and it’s pretty busy in here, it could take a while for the food to come out. Are we doing entrees or skipping straight to mains?”
“Do you realise you run off at the mouth when you get nervous?”
“Excuse me?”
“In all the time I’ve known you I’ve only ever heard you say so many words at once when you were nervous.”
“Yes, well, that’s not very long – and not very well.”
Marco appeared at their table, sent Ella a wary glance. “Ryan, Ms Jameson are you ready?”
Ella nodded with relief. “Yes, we’ll order. Let’s get started.”
On the surface, this assignment was just too easy, she thought to herself. The food was mouth-wateringly delicious, the wine choice first class. The service, Ella decided, topped the whole experience off perfectly. If it wasn’t for those damn looks Ryan kept sending her she would have been completely relaxed and at ease – even with the intrusion of the camera.
Instead, her skin vibrated with an awareness that was uncomfortable to say the least, the tension she felt was like a coiled spring gradually tightening inside her to snapping point. She barely touched the Riesling – she wasn’t at all sure that with a glass or two inside her she wouldn’t open her mouth and take Ryan up on his offer then and there.
“We’re done,” Marco said, lowering the camera. “We’ll take off and see you in the lounge later,” he told Ryan.
Ryan nodded and lifted his glass, gestured for her to do the same.
“What are we toasting?”
“You. For a lovely evening and a successful day,” he replied, touching his glass to hers.
“It was work,” she argued, cross with herself for the unsteadiness in her voice. An eruption of laughter had her turning in her seat, and she saw that the group of men she’d noticed on her way in were getting rowdier. Before she could turn back around, a uniformed member of staff was addressing them. “Anyway, it’s been a long day so I’m calling it a night.”
Ryan rolled the handle of his wine glass between his fingers and studied it. “You’re forever running away.”
Ella stilled and levelled him a steady glare. “I don’t run away from anything.”
“I’ll just bet you don’t…generally.”
They considered each other in silence until eventually Ella murmured, “You’ve got a pretty high opinion of yourself, don’t you?”
“Yeah, but just keep chipping away at it.” He picked up her hand, turned it and placed his lips on her palm. The touch of the light caress against her skin was akin to a high-voltage electric shock and she immediately attempted to jerk her hand away. He held on until she stopped pulling against his hold and looked at him again. “There’s something between us, Ella. A charge, a spark, whatever you want to call it, but it’s not going away on its own.”
“Let me go,” she whispered breathlessly. Her mobile phone beeped and she ripped her hand away, picking it up to read the text. “Um…Hannah wants to see us in the lounge,” she said, relieved by the distraction.
“Saved by the bell…or should I say beep. After you.” He stood and indicated for her to go ahead.
She stood immediately and headed down the carriage. Another low whistle of appreciation sounded as she walked past the group of rowdy men, along with a rather disgusting offer. She’d made it to the carriage door before she noted Ryan wasn’t following her.
Ryan had stopped, hands planted on the table, his face inches from a rather terrified-looking blonde man. She didn’t know what he said, but the guy’s hands were in the air and his head was shaking from side to side furiously. As Ryan’s gaze moved around the table, the other men literally shrank back in their seats. He nodded curtly, backed off.
He was defending her? The idea sat uncomfortably with her, yet at the same time it was just a little bit thrilling. “Was that really necessary?” she asked when he caught up.
“Damn straight,” he muttered. He gestured to the door, placed his hand on the small of her back and sent one last threatening look over his shoulder.
They went into the lounge, sat with Hannah and Jill and discussed the format for the next day’s filming. Ella found her thoughts wandering, her gaze lifting to study Ryan covertly while they worked. She’d never thought much of the whole knight in shining armour thing. She was perfectly capable of taking care of herself – she’d made sure of it. But her heart had missed a couple of beats when he’d faced those idiots in the dining carriage. She admired courage and he’d stood up to a table full of men without batting an eyelid. She guessed she’d have to add that to the long list of traits she was pretending she didn’t find so attractive about him. As though sensing her gaze, his eyes met hers, held, his brow rose questioningly. She shook her head almost imperceptibly, then jolted when her phone rang. “Excuse me a moment,” she apologised, seeing the caller ID.
She walked a few steps away and answered it. “Grandfather.”
“Ella, where are you?”
“You mean you don’t know?”
“I know you’re on that train, I mean, are you in the company of those people?”
“They’re…nearby.” She glanced around, knowing they could probably hear snatches of her conversation.
“I’ve gotten you out of that contract and spoken to Global. They’re still prepared to give you a very generous contract.”
“You’ve what?” Ella’s voice rose quickly enough and loudly enough to have heads turning and she noted Ryan was now watching intently. “Grandfather,” she grated at a much more appropriate level, “I have no intention of getting out of my contract. I told you that.”
“You don’t really want to be jet-setting all over the world again, Ella. That chapter of your life is over. If you work for Global you’ll be closer to home, have more time for social engagements.”
Ella placed her free hand on her forehead, closed her eyes closed and counted to ten. “You just don’t give up, do you?”
“I’m doing this for you.” She heard Ryan’s phone ring, saw him take his eyes off her to answer it as her grandfather
continued. “I’m having the Airleys over at the end of the week. They’re bringing their son with them. I’d appreciate your help with the entertaining.”
“I’m sure you would, but it’s not going to happen. I’m sorry.” She heard Ryan’s seriously annoyed voice and looked around to see him charging towards her. “Grandfather, I have to…” Ryan snatched the phone from her hand and put it to his ear. “Jameson, back off. Don’t I just? Are you just? Sorry, got bored, wasn’t listening, what was that? You cause me as much trouble as you like you old bastard, I wouldn’t care if you controlled the free world, you’re not getting Ella out of this.”
Feeling helpless, Ella turned on her heel, left Ryan with her phone, with her grandfather and sat back down at the table with Hannah and Jill.
“Is it true?” Hannah asked quietly.
“What?”
“Ben just rang Ryan saying you’re stepping out of your contract and going to Global.”
Ella shook her head. “I’m doing no such thing. It’s just a…mix up.”
Hannah’s sigh of relief was audible. “Good, because I’d have had to murder you before allowing you to step off this train. That is, if I got a chance before Ryan did.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“Then I think while Vincent Jameson and Ryan continue to get to know each other I’ll call Ben. He was…” she looked at Ryan, grimaced, “…almost as furious as Ryan.”
“All right, and I think I’ll call it a night,” she replied suddenly weary and getting back to her feet.
“Breakfast meeting, six-thirty,” Hannah reminded her.
Ella wandered back through the dining carriage, hoping Ryan wouldn’t come pounding on her door again. She needed to close her eyes, figure out what to do about grandfather.
“Come on baby, don’t be coy,” a male voice crooned. Startled, she looked up and noticed the car wasn’t as deserted as she’d first thought. At the far end she could just make out the tops of a few heads over the back of one of the booths. Where had she heard that voice before? There was teasing in the tone, but Ella picked up something else, something a little bit threatening.
“Please just let me go.” Lexi? Was that Lexi’s voice?
“We just want to show you a good time. Let’s have some fun.”
Ok, Ella processed; two of the guys Ryan had baled up, both obviously drunk, and Lexi.
“No.” She could hear the tension in Lexi’s voice, the near panic.
Ella swore silently, thought, Why not? What’s one more drama? With a resigned sigh, she strode down the aisle and faced the trio who glanced up, surprised. “I believe she said no.”
The two men stared hard at her and the blonde one smiled slowly, kept his arm around Lexi, who was visibly shaken. “She’s just a little bit confused. We’re taking her back to her room.”
Ella stood her ground. “No, you’re not.”
“Honest, we’re just a couple of boy scouts doing a community service.” Both men laughed at themselves, high-fived.
“What you are, are a couple of drunken idiots who need to go and sleep it off. Now take your hands off her before I have you thrown off the train.”
The blonde one looked at her with just a touch of meanness and a whole lot of interest. “How about I take my hands off her and put them on you, Princess?”
Adrenaline coursed through Ella’s body as she prepared herself for whatever was about to happen, but her smile was calm and threatening, her tone cold. “How about you just try that?”
He looked at his mate, shrugged and smirked. “Hear that? She’s asking for it.” As soon as he stood up, Lexi pushed past him to stand behind Ella.
“Lexi, Explorer Lounge. Go.”
“But…”
The blonde man made a grab for Ella and she sent him a fast-flying elbow to the jaw, sending him stumbling back into his chair. “Go,” she repeated and heard Lexi take off, knew it would take no time at all for someone to get there.
Blonde idiot was stunned enough to eye her warily for a few seconds, before coming in again. “Oh seriously?” Ella asked in disbelief, “You’re almost too drunk to stand up as it is. I could blow you over.”
“What about both of us?” the shorter of the pair piped up, looking less confident than he made out as he got to his feet.
Ella just smiled. “Sure, what would you like broken?” Damn these high heels, she thought, as he took a chance and advanced with his friend. She push-kicked blonde idiot back and back-fisted smaller and dumber. Blonde idiot got up and she sighed. “You know…I will hurt you.”
“As if.” This time he threw a punch. It was slow; there was very little weight behind it and even less balance. Ella grabbed hold of his wrist, pulled and twisted, then raised her elbow, considering bringing it down on the back of his arm. Hard.
Before she could decide, smaller and dumber staggered to his feet and she swept his legs out from underneath him with a sweeping kick to the back of the knees.
“Ella!” Ryan and three uniformed men burst through the door. Ryan’s face changed from panic, to disbelief, to humour, as he watched one man hit the floor while the other doubled over, begging her not to break his arm. Ella looked from Ryan, to security, to Hannah and Jill, and reluctantly let him go with a shove. Two of the uniformed men rushed forward and escorted them out of the carriage. The third spoke to Ella.
“Are you alright Ms Jameson?”
She wiped her hands on her dress with a look of disgust. “Perfectly fine, thank you.”
“I’m terribly sorry to bother you after your ordeal, but I’ll need to complete an incident report…”
Half an hour later Ryan escorted Ella back to her cabin. She opened the door, not surprised when he came in after her. “You sure you’re ok?”
“Oh, please.” Ella scoffed.
There was a knock on the door, a steward appeared with two whiskeys. Ryan took them, thanked him and handed one to Ella. “You took on two grown men.”
“They were very, very drunk.”
“For Lexi, who you don’t even like.”
“I liked them less.”
He grinned at that. “There was technique in what you were doing.”
“Why, thank you.”
This time he laughed. “Come on, out with it.”
Ella considered not telling him, then decided it didn’t matter. “Kickboxing.”
“Kickboxing?”
“Black-belt.”
“Good grief,” he said as though struggling to believe it.
“Martial arts are good for the mind and the body.”
“Every time I think I’ve got you figured out. Really?”
“Want a go?” she responded, slightly annoyed by the look of sheer disbelief on his face.
“No!” he held up his hands defensively and laughed. “I love it. You’re terrified of adventure holidays and kick the crap out of people for fun.”
“That’s not what it is.”
“That’s what I saw.”
“It was necessary and honestly, don’t be too impressed, I’ve sparred with ten-year-old girls tougher than those two.”
“Your grandfather allowed you to learn kickboxing?”
“My grandfather – and we need to talk about that – had nothing to do with it. I took it up while I was at uni, got through my belts, kept it up whenever I was in one place long enough to join a dojo. You spoke to my grandfather as though you know him.”
Ryan leant against the wall. “I do know him – not well, but we’ve met on a couple of occasions. I know what he’s like. Everyone knows what he’s like. Just like everyone knows he has a granddaughter that he raised to follow in his footsteps.”
“I see.”
“Only you don’t, because you’ve never worked in one of his businesses, didn’t take the job at Global he pretty much had sorted for you.”
“I like this one,” she replied. “And I didn’t have anything to do with that. I wouldn’t be here unless I intended on seeing it th
rough.”
He nodded, pulled her phone from his pocket and handed it to her. “I know, hence the little chat with him, rather than you. Hell, what a day.”
“Yes.” She swallowed her drink in one mouthful, ignored his amused grin as he copied her.
“How come you didn’t use some of that kickboxing stuff on me when I hauled you into the lift at your office?”
“You almost sound disappointed. I was trying not to cause a scene. Besides, I don’t want my employees seeing me that way.”
“They’re scared enough already?”
“Funny.”
He touched her cheek, his eyes softened. “Not many people amaze me. You do.”
Ella stepped quickly back. “That’s nice. I need to get some sleep.”
“In a minute.” His arms went around her and when she lifted her head to object his mouth lowered and covered hers. Ella put her hands against his chest to push him back, but he caught her bottom lip, tugged and her body responded with a shudder she felt down to her toes. The kiss was gentle but insistent, just a touch possessive. Slowly, her hands slid up around his neck and, completely absorbed in how he made her feel, she pressed herself against him, allowing the kiss to take her over.
When a knock on the door sounded, she leapt from his arms as though burned. She dragged in a couple of deep breaths, looked at Ryan who was still watching her with way too much heat in his expression and opened the door. “Lexi. Ah, come in.”
Lexi walked into the cabin, saw Ryan leaning comfortably against the window. “Oh, sorry I didn’t realise you had company.”
“It’s ok, how are you?” Ella asked.
“I’m good, I just, I didn’t get to thank you properly.”
“No need.”
“I was just talking to them,” she blurted out. “Everyone else had gone to bed early and I was a bit wound up after…well, our run in and they just got drunker and suddenly I couldn’t get away, they wouldn’t let me leave. Ella, I’m sorry.”
“Lexi, that wasn’t your fault.”
“No, I mean, for what I said.”
Ella studied the pale features, the genuine apology in the expression. “Alright, why don’t you sit down?”
Lexi did and pulled out a tissue. “I really am sorry. I didn’t mean it. You’re just so beautiful and smart and scary because well…you do seem so perfect.”