by Carol Caiton
But Nina's progress was lagging behind the norm because the board of directors dictated her schedule. While all the other R-links had been automatically enrolled in Pleasure Points I, then segued right into Pleasure Points II, Nina had had to petition Mason Ingersol for permission to sign up at all.
The attorney had been surprised by her request which, in turn, had surprised her. But when he asked why she hadn't put her request to Simon she realized the confusion arose because Mason had expected her to approach Simon with any questions she had, not schedule an appointment with RUSH's lawyer.
She, however, didn't want to have to go through Simon. So she told Mason her schedule was a legal matter as far as she was concerned because of the addendum she'd signed. Then she asked him to put her request before the board. When he got back in touch with her a few days later, it was to say the board had approved Pleasure Points I, but not Pleasure Points II.
Nina had not been happy. She still wasn't. Now, more than ever, her lack of experience frustrated her. She wanted to work with one of the prototypes. She wanted to see and touch and explore so her ignorance wouldn't embarrass her. Besides, it was a prototype for heaven's sake. Not even human. It wasn't as though she'd asked to work with one of the instructors.
She told herself to be patient. Progress came in stages. At least the board of directors had listened. So she'd wait for another couple of weeks then approach Mason again.
She reached into her purse for a pen, opened her spiral notebook, then focused on the evening's lecture—how to gracefully extricate oneself from an awkward situation. Surprisingly, by the end of the hour she'd taken more than two pages of notes.
Rising from her seat she stretched her neck from side to side, easing the stiffness that was still there, then gathered her things and started for the door.
Several other classes emptied into the corridor at the same time and, as usual, she was surprised by the number of men she saw. Since the opening of the shopping mall she'd expected to see more women, and she did see more women. But the ratio was still far from equal.
Avoiding the crowd at the elevators again, she headed toward the stairs, falling in with the general flow of traffic. Another male hand reached over her head to hold the door for her and she looked over her shoulder to thank him. But the words caught in her throat.
Simon's serious dark eyes stared down into hers, his mouth set in a determined line.
She jerked her eyes forward again and stretched out a hand for the railing. He was still dressed in a business suit, but it was seven o'clock. He might have had to work late. Or he might have planned to intercept her since she wouldn't return his calls.
With a small internal shiver, she continued down the stairs. Ethan wasn't here to rescue her with a bogus phone call this time. And Simon knew she wouldn't do anything that would draw attention to them. She was fully aware of the gossip they generated. Even now, in the stairwell, sidelong glances were aimed in their direction before shifting away.
She drew a shallow breath and stared straight ahead. She had planned to get something to eat but Simon would probably follow her to the food court. He'd sit beside her inside Magnolias, pulling his chair close to hers so they wouldn't be overheard, and he'd probably slide his arm around the back of her chair to give the impression of a relationship that no longer existed. Under normal circumstances, safety in numbers would be the guiding principle to adhere to. But he would use all the stares and whispers to ensure she wouldn't argue with him or stand up and walk away . . . which probably meant he had things to say that would make her want to do exactly that. She might be learning to stand up for herself in the company of these high-powered alpha males, but even tonight's etiquette lecture wouldn't get her out of this one, not with so many eyes watching their exchange.
So dinner was out of the question. She needed to find someplace safe and private for this confrontation. If her palmprint still accessed the R-link complex she'd go there. Simon could say whatever he wanted to say and she, shielded behind the wrought-iron gate, wouldn't be so vulnerable.
He didn't speak as they descended the stairs. Nor did he touch her in any way. But she felt his presence behind her. He wasn't a man one could ignore and she grew more dismayed as she neared the lobby with no solution in mind.
Then an idea flashed across her mind. There was another place on property, another gate behind which Simon could neither touch nor follow her. The Moon Orchid Spa wasn't open for business yet, but the pool and cabana area were accessible. Not that anyone would want to go swimming in this weather, but the Moon Orchid Spa gate only responded to a woman's palmprint. Men had their own counterpart at Sportworld Gym.
A blast of frigid air swept into the lobby through the open outer doors.
"Where's your coat?" Simon asked and began to remove his suit jacket.
"Don't," she told him quickly, then softened her response. "Thank you, but I'm too warm. The cold air will feel good for a few minutes."
It was an outright lie. She was already covered in Goosebumps.
He hesitated, narrowing his gaze as though doubting the truth of her words. But this time the press of people around them played in her favor and with a shrug of his shoulders, the jacket resumed its perfectly tailored fit.
They stepped outside and she refused to shiver. "What brings you here tonight?" she asked, pretending ignorance. "Are you taking a refresher course?"
"No. I've been trying to get in touch with you but you're always out."
She nodded affably. "I try to keep busy so I don't intrude on Ethan's privacy."
"Ethan's house is eight thousand square feet. It has three separate wings. Where are you going?"
Instead of heading toward the food court or Checkpoint 2 as he might have supposed, she turned left toward the entertainment sector. "Don't worry," she assured him. "I'm not going to Threshold."
She wouldn't admit it, but he'd never have to warn her away from Threshold again. According to Libby, her presence alone would send out an announcement: I'm a woman on the prowl, I'm hungry for sex, and I want an adventure. And then she'd better be prepared for the consequences because, unless she was accompanied by a male, a lot of very horny men would be eager to give her that adventure . . . and another one after that . . . and another after that. It was the only place at RUSH where men could find a sexual partner without a link, as long as the female was an E-level 8 client or her partner wanted to share. Without a man at her side, they'd probably take it for granted she was an E-level 8 and ask questions later.
A gust of wind swirled around her as they passed the Carnelian Night Club. Palm fronds waved wildly overhead and she wrapped her arms around herself, trying to hide the shiver she couldn't control.
"You're freezing," Simon muttered, not fooled. "Come here."
Without waiting for a response he stepped closer, slid an arm around her, and anchored her against his body. The soft wool of his jacket heated the left side of her body on contact. His arm around her back and the warmth of his hand on her upper arm eliminated the need for a coat altogether.
But she stepped out of his grasp and, ever aware of their audience, she turned as though looking for something behind them in the distance. No one could guess that the image of his naked body entwined with Kay's resurfaced in her mind whenever he was near.
He hissed in a breath. "Do you loathe me to the extent that you'd rather freeze than accept an offer of warmth?"
"I don't loathe you."
"But you don't want me to touch you."
She waited for a group of men to pass. "No. I don't want you to touch me."
He swore quietly. Then he looked over at the Carnelian Club. "Let me take you down to the tunnels. At least you won't freeze down there."
She considered it. "Do the tunnels lead over to the Moon Orchid Spa?"
"The Moon Orchid Spa isn't open."
"I know. But I left something—" she thought quickly, "—a bracelet—at the cabana.
He nodded once. "Yes, the tu
nnels lead to every venue on property. Come on."
* * *
Ethan hit the light switch with a slap of his palm against the wall, illuminating his office with the brightness of daylight. His eyes snapped to the open drapes and he strode over to his desk, pulled a remote from the middle drawer, and punched the appropriate buttons to close them.
A sense of urgency churned inside him. A mile or so from the house he'd been able to talk himself down. There was always the chance he was jumping to conclusions. Simon could be anywhere. He could even be holed up with the copper-haired bitch who had pitted them all against one another in this god-awful mess.
Yes, Ethan knew who she was. He'd known the moment he saw her face. Not only was she RUSH's star witness in the case against Lonnie Steuben, but she was a high-profile government official. Very high profile. It was no wonder she'd worn a mask through the hours she and Nina had worked together.
Admittedly he had to credit her with a standard of ethics that brought her forward the night Serena Mandek was murdered. But that's as far as his good opinion went. It was clear Kaylene Woodrow's conscience didn't extend to the morals of common decency. She'd admired Nina that night. Laughed with her. Seemed to like her. But her words had been empty and her actions deceptive. She told Michael she'd purposely seduced Simon So she'd stabbed Nina in the back with the ease of an unscrupulous opponent. What was it Simon had said? An offer had been made. A goddamn offer.
Ethan had no doubt the lofty Ms. Woodrow had been aware of Simon's link before she made that offer. All of RUSH knew about it by then. And anyone with eyes could have seen that his connection to Nina eclipsed that of a simple amber link. It may have been early days, but even then his proprietary behavior had been obvious. He'd been attentive, even protective that night in the conference room, positioning himself at Nina's side, perturbed when he knew the rest of them ogled her voluptuous little body while she was too intent on drawing to notice.
And then he'd thrown it all away. Because of a goddamn offer. Did he have any idea what he'd lost? He said he wanted her back, but how could he have risked losing her in the first place? Hell, as badly as Ethan himself needed a woman right now, he'd declined an amber link just that afternoon. A first for him. He hadn't rejected it on sight. He'd thought about it first, bemused by his lack of enthusiasm. He'd stared at the blinking icon wondering why it held so little appeal. But the thought of a substitute for what he wanted, who he wanted, hadn't inspired the usual spark of anticipation. It still didn't. And if he was that obsessed with Nina, how was it that her frigging blue link hadn't turned his back on Kaylene Woodrow and walked away?
Jerking his chair from beneath the desk, he sat down, powered up the main terminal, and watched as each of the wall monitors blinked to life. He logged on, typed his password, then executed a quick scan to check for any other vitals in the admin building. None. He was the only one here.
With a few more keystrokes he called up Nina's schedule, noted the time, then tapped into the camera affixed to the upper front corner of the room. The wide-angle lens gave him a full view of the entire class and he found her dark glossy hair as though he'd known before-hand right where to look.
He took advantage of the opportunity to freely observe her. He took in her thick shiny hair, as dark as his own, then focused on her face as she listened to the lecture. When she bent her head to take notes her hair drifted forward and she lifted her free hand to tuck it behind her ear.
Emotion coursed through him strong and constant. It hadn't occurred to him when he left the house that he was driving to RUSH for any reason other than to watch out for her. But seated behind his desk in a deserted building, watching the young woman who engaged him on every level, he realized there was another reason. Hope.
She may not have told him she'd withdrawn from her link with Simon, but Nina wouldn't make love with one man while bound to another. She wasn't wired that way.
Would you want to continue a relationship with someone after walking in on her having sex with another man?
And that was why he sat behind his desk in a deserted building. He wanted—needed—to watch her and Simon interact. He needed to confirm the instincts that told him she wouldn't repay Simon's duplicity in equal measure, that she wasn't letting him sweat it out before she capitulated and agreed to a reconciliation.
She raised her hand, either to ask a question or to answer one. Her expression changed to bewilderment, her mouth moved with the utterance of words, then her eyes brightened with comprehension.
Those eyes. Honest eyes. Unknowing eyes. The innocence he saw in them mystified him.
Turning back to the keyboard he typed in a string of commands that would give him access to her microchip. Then he put a marker on her. At Security Central he could have followed her movements across an expansive series of monitors. Here, he had only four to work with—five counting his desktop. When she exited the classroom, he'd have to second-guess where she was headed and keep his fingers on the keyboard to tap into whichever camera he thought might intercept her. Fortunately the various circuits were embedded in his mind. So swift fingers and a little luck would provide him with an almost uninterrupted visual.
There was a downside, however, and it was unavoidable. He could access the cameras easily enough, but his presence wouldn't be invisible. And Jeremiah Case being Jeremiah Case, there was a good chance he'd pick up on it.
All four monitors sat in readiness, the first locked on Nina's classroom, the second showing a side view of Simon out in the corridor, proving his suspicions correct. He stood, hands deep in his pockets, and gazed at some unknown point on the wall. The third displayed the deserted gallery in front of the main elevators, and the fourth sat waiting for whatever command he entered. Last, but just as important, the program running on his desktop would monitor the marker he'd attached to Nina's implant. If he should happen to lose her visually, he'd be able to pick her up again by tracing the marker.
He didn't have long to wait. The lecture concluded and she rose from her seat along with the rest of the class. He watched as she closed her eyes, then rotated her neck from one side to the other as though to ease a kink. Then she lifted one hand and massaged an area just beneath her left ear.
Hands positioned on the keyboard, he frowned at those telltale signs of stress. Had Simon already caught up with her before class? Did she know he was standing out in the hall? He thought about it being her first day on the job at Davidson, Davidson & Bligh. He considered as well his own contribution, cursing at her over the telephone.
When she started for the door he switched his gaze to Simon. As soon as she exited, Simon started following but she didn't appear to notice. Adjusting the strap of her purse on her shoulder, she trailed everyone else toward the elevators.
Ethan watched their progress, and he wasn't the only one watching. Heads turned, both male and female, eyes locking onto the couple known throughout RUSH for their blue link. He watched her stroll past the elevators and decided she must be heading for the stairs.
Employing the fourth monitor, he was given a frontal view from the far end of the corridor. He watched as she approached. Then Simon reached forward to hold the door for her and she looked over her shoulder, a ready smile curing her mouth.
"Goddamn it!"
Too focused on watching for her reaction, he hadn't given a thought to her crossing the threshold. Fingers skimming the keyboard, he called up the first monitor again, this time accessing the appropriate camera inside the stairwell. He spotted her as she started down the stairs, jaw clamped shut.
"What did you say to her, Simon?"
Seamlessly switching to the next camera, he watched both of them descend to the landing then followed them through the lobby, moving from camera to camera, monitor to monitor. Simon began to shrug out of his suit jacket for Nina's benefit. But she refused his offer.
"It's cold outside, sweetheart," Ethan mumbled, tapping into the camera that provided a full view of the training center entranc
e. But reception through that lens was hampered by the swaying fronds of a palm tree.
Muttering beneath his breath, he switched to the next camera along the path and waited for Nina to make her way around the curve. When she did the image was crisp and clear, but her face was shadowed by distance and the night.
Cursing the fact that he couldn't zoom in without the guards on duty at Security Central noticing, he studied her body language. He tried to translate her frame of mind by the way she moved, her gestures, the tilt of her head. But he saw nothing, not the smallest sign, to indicate what she was feeling. By the look of things, she was completely unmoved. Aloof. Were they even talking? Where the hell was all that attitude she shoveled out by the truckload?
Fingers tensing above the keyboard, he watched and waited. If he hadn't had to compete with such a powerful link he wouldn't be sweating. And wasn't that just ironic? How many times had Malcolm taken him aside or cast a warning eye in his direction for pushing the envelope over some harmless flirtation? He'd always enjoyed watching a woman's eyes light up with sudden interest, felt a sense of power in that spark of attraction. He'd taken it in stride, lingered for a few minutes while enjoying the exchange, then moved along. All without this goddamned angst.
He hadn't pushed that envelope for a while now. When was the last time he'd wanted to? He didn't remember. Didn't even care.
As she drew closer to the camera he narrowed his eyes and watched for a hint of emotion. Rejection, resentment . . . . Hell, he'd settle for mild annoyance.
"Come on, honey, give me something. Anything."
Then, surprisingly, she did.
Simon stepped in close. He said something then slid an arm around Nina's shoulders, pulling her snug against his body.