He felt a spark of irritation. “Careful, honey, or I might just think you’re jealous.”
She shot him a glare. “Don’t flatter yourself. I wanted you when I thought you were something better than epitome of every bad stereotype about men. Now I know the kind of value you place on women, and I don’t mind telling you that I don’t like it.”
“You don’t like it in me, you mean. But apparently, you don’t have a problem with it in Garret. Or are you too desperate to see the truth about him?”
He regretted his words the moment they were out of his mouth. He saw the pain flash in her eyes and then the anger that followed it. She dropped her napkin on her plate as she glared at him over the table.
“Garret might be a dog, but at least he made no effort to hide it behind false sincerity.” She pushed away from the table and stood up. “He may be shallow, but I know where I stand with him, and that’s far better than having my emotions toyed with.”
She walked away, ignoring Colin when he asked her to wait. She felt like crying, and she had no intention of doing it in front of anyone, especially him. Why was it that every time she looked into his eyes she wanted things she knew she shouldn’t? Why did he inspire a shocking array of erotic images, when Garret made her feel nothing at all? She hated Colin for holding that power over her, and despised herself for being so foolish. She’d changed her appearance and was slowly changing her attitude and bearing as well, but every time she looked at Colin she still felt like the same old pathetic shadow she’d always been. He made her feel weak-kneed and tongue-tied. It was infuriating.
Colin was getting up to go after her when the waiter arrived with the food he didn’t even want. After a moment of indecision, he finally dropped back into his chair and glared at the plate of food. Damn the woman, couldn’t she see that he wasn’t toying with her? He called himself an idiot for even asking. Of course she couldn’t see it. He was too good at lying. He’d made a career of it. The performance he was putting on for Garret’s benefit had been so good that she believed it completely. And he couldn’t tell her the truth. She’d never be able to hide it, especially since Garret was going all out in his effort to seduce her. Telling Claire the truth now could destroy everything he’d worked for. He cursed beneath his breath. This was one of the reasons he’d come to hate his job. There was always some innocent who got caught up in the middle of things, and he wound up feeling like a cold-blooded bastard when he had to let them get hurt. He had a feeling that this time was going to be the worst, though. He didn’t know who he hated more at that moment; Garret for making it necessary for him to be there, or himself for not getting out of the business a long time ago. The one thing he did know was that however angry or hurt Claire was now, she’d wind up hating him before it was over.
CHAPTER EIGHT
Claire spent the rest of the day in her room. She felt a little ill, probably from getting too much sun the day before. Add to that the fact that she was still struggling to understand her response to Colin Montgomery, and she was in no mood for company. Garret had called her twice to invite her out, once to lunch and again to take a swim in the ship’s massive pool. She’d declined both offers. She was still debating whether or not she wanted to go down to dinner or have something brought to her room when someone knocked on her door. This time she checked the peephole before she opened it. She couldn’t say she was particularly surprised to find Garret waiting on the other side.
“I’ve come to take you to dinner.”
He was holding a single flower in his hand. It was a large tropical lily that he offered to her like one of the kids in her class. She couldn’t help smiling at the sweet gesture.
“Thank you.”
She started to take the flower, but he pulled it away from her reach.
“May I?”
She frowned at him. “May you what?”
He snapped most of the stem off the flower, then reached up to tuck it into her hair just over her ear. He stepped back and studied her for a moment, then smiled. “Perfect.”
She had to resist the urge to reach up and pluck the flower out of her hair. It felt odd there, mostly because she could see the edges of the petals in her peripheral vision. He offered her his arm. “Shall we?”
She slipped her hand into the crook of his elbow and stepped out of the room. She closed the door behind herself, then let him lead her down the hall. He asked how she was feeling. She said better, since she’d rested all day. She’d told him that she wasn’t feeling well when he asked her out to swim. She frowned as he turned a corner to the left, instead of the right.
“Wait a minute, where are we going?”
He smiled down at her. “It’s a surprise.”
Five minutes later he led her onto a small upper deck. There was a table set up with two chairs. A waiter stood nearby, and a three-piece ensemble played softly a few feet away. Claire stopped to stare at the elaborate setting, then lifted her gaze to Garret when he spoke. “I thought you might enjoy something a little more private since you haven’t felt well today.”
Warning bells started going off in her head. This wasn’t a good idea. She’d explained to Garret that she only wanted to be friends, but this wasn’t a friendly setting. It was romantic. “I don’t think this is a good idea, Garret.”
He frowned at her for a moment, then arched his brows. “Oh, Claire, I’m sorry.” He looked a little sheepish. “I know how you feel about us, but I swear I’m not trying to do anything sneaky here. I just wanted to do something nice for you. If you’re not comfortable with it, we can go on to the dining room with the others.”
He looked so sincere that Claire felt herself blush. Was it possible that she was making too much of this? She turned to look at the table once more. It was a beautiful setting. The night was perfectly clear: the breeze was warm. It would be lovely to enjoy the music and the stars. She focused on Garret again. He didn’t look like a man who was in danger of having his well-thought out plan of seduction thwarted. He was just watching her expectantly, waiting for her to make a decision. She finally shook her head.
“You’ve gone to all this trouble. It would be a shame to waste it.”
His smile was enough to knock any woman’s socks off. He lifted his hand to cover hers where it rested in the crook of his arm. “Great!”
He escorted her to her chair, then took his. Claire found the food superb and Garret as charming a companion as ever. They talked about a lot of things over their dinner, things that eventually went much deeper than their typical small talk. She found herself telling him about some of what had motivated her to make such a drastic change in her style, and he said all the right things. He was understanding and sympathetic without being condescending. By the time they’d finished their desert, Claire was more relaxed than she’d been in days. She knew it had as much to do with the two glasses of wine she’d drunk as with Garret’s compassion. But she was glad that he seemed to be willing to accept her terms for their relationship. He wasn’t pushing her, and she appreciated the space he was giving her. She hadn’t believed he was capable of behaving so well.
He walked her back to her room, then stopped to face her at her door. “I really had a great time tonight. If you’re feeling up to it, I thought we might go ashore tomorrow. There’s something I’d like to show you.”
Claire felt an instinctive inclination to tell him no. She and Garret had spent an awful lot of time together over the past three days, and she knew that it wasn’t fair to keep going out with him. He’d behaved impeccably, never making her feel like he was trying to pressure her into anything, but she couldn’t believe he was truly content to be her friend. It just wasn’t in his nature. She started to shake her head, then stopped when he gave her a pleading look.
“Please, Claire. This island is one of my favorite places in the world. And there’s something really special that I’d like to show you.”
She sighed. He looked like a little kid begging for a puppy. She finally nodded
. “Okay.”
He gave her one of the endearing smiles she’d grown accustomed to.
“Good. I’ll see you in the morning, and wear some jeans and boots if you have them. We’re going to do some hiking.”
Colin watched Garret place a quick kiss on Claire’s cheek, before turning to walk away. It was getting harder and harder to just stand by and watch the two of them together. Garret was going all out in his effort to seduce Claire and though Colin knew she hadn’t fallen for it yet, he was afraid she would. Sooner or later, Garret was going to say the right thing, and she was going to give in and let him kiss her. Colin closed his eyes as his hands curled into fists. God help him if she let it go any further than that. He opened his eyes when he heard her door close, then left the closet. Garret would be heading for the casino. He went there every night after he left Claire. Colin would have to hurry if he wanted to get there first.
Colin was parked at the Blackjack table when Garret walked up. He gave him a smile. “Finally got her to give it up?”
Garret shook his head. “Hell, no. She’s as prickly as a cactus.”
“Maybe she’s frigid.”
Garret gave him a twisted smile. “Oh, no. Claire may be skittish, but she’s not frigid. She’s got all kinds of fire banked inside her, and I’m not going to stop until I taste it.”
Colin tightened his grip on the beer he was holding until he was surprised the bottle didn’t break. “Yeah, well you better hurry up. You know you’ve only got a few days left.”
“I’ve got a plan. Tomorrow I’m going to go all out with the romance. It’s all taken care of. We’ll start out with a hike to a nice, secluded little spot I know where we’ll have a picnic, and I’ll tell her how wonderful she is, how stupid I was to not see her for the precious jewel she really was. By the time I’m through with her, she’ll be begging me to fuck her brains out.”
“I don’t know, she strikes me as a pretty sharp woman. What if she doesn’t buy your charm?”
“She’ll buy it. She’s desperate to feel wanted and appreciated. I’m going to give her everything she ever wanted in a man, then she’ll give me whatever I want.”
“This is a hell of a lot of work for a piece of ass. It doesn’t seem worth it, somehow.”
“It will be. She’s as innocent as the driven snow. I’d lay odds that she’s never even touched a man’s cock before. That’s going to make it all the sweeter when I stick mine in her mouth.”
The anticipation in Garret’s voice had Colin seeing red. He knew he had to get away from Garret before he lost control and killed him. Garret had it all worked out. Colin didn’t want to believe Claire would fall for it. But he couldn’t stop worrying that she would, and he knew he’d never be able to live with himself if he allowed Garret to use her like that. He’d seduce her and screw her in every way imaginable, then he’d drop her hard. Knowing Garret’s penchant for sadism, he’d probably take great pleasure in making sure she knew he’d manipulated her from the very beginning. He might even hurt her physically. Colin knew he liked it rough. Somehow, he had to protect her. He shot Garret a bored look.
“I’d wish you good luck, but frankly, I hope you’re dead wrong about her.”
Garret frowned at him. “What?”
“Hell, yeah, if you strike out with her, that means I can go after her myself.”
Garret’s frown eased. “You want her?”
“Christ, a man would have to be dead not to want a piece of her. I mean, who knew she had those looks buried beneath the baggy clothes?” He shook his head. “I’d love to see you nail her. I bet she’ll be a screamer. Like you said, she’s been repressed for a long time. Once you open her up, she’ll go hard and fast.”
Garret gave him a thoughtful look, then shrugged. “Why not?”
“Why not what?”
“I’ll tell you where we’re going and you can follow, at a distance, of course. It wouldn’t do for her to realize she had an audience.”
Colin pretended to think it over. Garret was clearly warming up to the idea, and he pressed Colin further. “You could always come along and pick up the pieces once I’m finished with her. Who knows, maybe she’ll be open for a little rebound sex. And even if she isn’t, I know you don’t mind taking what you want.”
Colin shot the dealer a quick look, but the man wasn’t paying attention to anything they were saying. Either he’d learned to tune everything out, or he was smart enough to know it would be a bad idea to let on that he’d heard anything. Colin pushed away from the table anyway, and Garret followed him.
“That little Mexican bitch was one thing. I doubt Claire is the sort to keep quiet about something like that.”
Garret shook his head. “She’d keep quiet. She’d be the kind to blame herself for it. She’d think she deserved it for leading you on or some such shit.”
“Maybe, but I’m not sure I want to take that risk.”
Garret’s shrug was a little too casual, and Colin realized he’d been pushing for Colin to rape Claire because he was excited by the idea of it. “Suit yourself.”
Colin was doing everything he could to keep himself from reacting to the fury raging inside him. He knew Garret Palmer was a sick bastard. He knew the man was capable of just about anything. But he hadn’t realized just how twisted he really was until that moment. He believed Colin had raped one woman already, and now he wanted it to happen again. This time, though, Colin knew Garret would want to watch. He’d want to see Claire’s tears as she was violated. Colin couldn’t meet Garret’s gaze as he told him he’d see him the next morning to get the directions to the spot Garret had chosen to carry out his little seduction. He knew there was no way he could keep the hatred he felt out of his eyes. So he kept his gaze averted as he left, then went straight to his room and picked up the satellite phone that was his connection with his superiors. The minute the phone was answered he spoke.
“We’ve got a problem.”
The man on the other end didn’t beat around the bush. “What’s that?”
“There’s a woman on the ship who’s caught Palmer’s attention.”
“Yeah, and what’s new about that?”
“This one isn’t some bimbo. It’s Claire Abernathy, the school teacher who shares our dinner table.”
He could hear the shuffle of papers on the other end. “Wait a minute, isn’t she the one…yeah, that’s what I thought. What the hell is Palmer doing going after her?”
There was no doubt about the implication. Claire wasn’t attractive enough to garner Palmer’s attention. Colin tightened his grip on the phone. “She had a makeover. Think supermodel and you’ll be close to imagining the difference. Anyway, he’s going after her hard but she isn’t making it easy.”
“So why is this a problem?”
“Because he’s going to wind up hurting her. Tonight he suggested that maybe I’d like to rape her after he’s finished with her.”
“You’re the one who gave him that idea.”
“He’ll hurt her.”
“Hey, if she’s stupid enough to fall for him, then she’s got no one to blame but herself.”
“Damn it, this isn’t a game. She has no idea what he is, what he’s capable of. If she’s half as smart as I think she is, she won’t give him what he wants, and that’s going to tick him off royally. He’ll rape her.”
“You don’t know what he’ll do. Maybe he’ll just console himself with someone more willing.”
“I’m telling you that he won’t take no for an answer.”
“Look, Colin, we’re way too close to risk screwing everything up now, especially to prevent a crime we can’t even be sure will happen.”
“So you want me to just stand by and let him rape her?”
“No, I want you to do the job you’re there to do. There are only six days left before you’re back on American soil. Sometime between now and then, Palmer will meet his contact. We’re coming down to the wire here, and if we don’t get him now, you know as
well as I do that we won’t get another chance.”
Colin closed his eyes. “She’s an innocent woman.”
“Do what you can to keep her safe, but don’t lose sight of the big picture, here. She’s one woman. Palmer’s operation could easily affect thousands of people.”
Colin hung up the phone, then spat out a curse. Claire was expendable, that’s what they were saying. If she got hurt, then it was a shame, but acceptable as long as Colin brought Garret Palmer down. He tossed the phone onto the bed as he started pacing the floor. He couldn’t just sacrifice Claire like that. He wanted Garret Palmer as badly as anyone else involved in this operation, maybe even more, but he wasn’t going to trade Claire to get him. He’d just have to come up with a way to keep her safe until Palmer made his rendezvous with his contact. Then he’d take the bastard down and make sure Claire never had to worry about him again.
Claire stood at the top of the small rise and stared down at the postcard view below her. Water cascaded from the top of a cliff, splashing across several large rocks to finally pour into a large pool that was so clear she could see straight to the bottom. She turned to smile up at Garret.
“It’s beautiful.”
He nodded. “I knew you’d like it. I try to come here every chance I get. It’s one of my favorite places in the world.” He reached out and took her hand. “Come on.”
He led her down the narrow trail, then spread out the blanket he’d brought along on a grassy spot between two rocks at the edge of the pool. He gave her a wide smile as he slipped the backpack off his shoulders. “I don’t know about you, but I’ve worked up a real appetite getting here.”
He’d told her that he’d arranged to bring some food along with them. Claire assumed he meant sandwiches. When he started unpacking cold chicken with all the trimmings, including dessert, Claire could only shake her head in amazement. “When you said we were going on a picnic I must admit I was expecting something a little less glamorous. You know, ham sandwiches and potato chips. Bottled water. This is practically a feast!”
Her First Vacation Page 10