by Katie Reus
After taking care of her client, she made a serious dent in the quarterlies, though images of grenades and guns hovered at the back of her mind. She’d tried buzzing Ronald three more times, but he hadn’t been in his office and no one had been able to find him. Just as she stood, ready to hunt him down, her assistant buzzed her office. “Sophie, Mr. Weller wants to see you in his office. There’s a man from Keane Flight here. He’s yummy.” Mandy whispered the last part before clicking off.
Sophie’s knees weakened for a moment. Someone from Keane Flight? Oh God, what if it was one of those scary men from last night? Maybe they’d figured out she’d been the one to break in. There hadn’t been any video cameras—she’d noticed that Paul had taken them down when she’d been there for her last surprise visit—but maybe they’d seen her car. Sophie swallowed hard and shoved the folder containing the pictures she’d taken into her desk. She’d wanted to bring them to Ronald, but she wouldn’t risk it with someone from Keane Flight in there.
She swallowed hard but found her voice. “Thank you, Mandy.” Mandy had been her intern last year and, when she graduated, had applied for a job. She definitely didn’t have the experience Sophie had been looking for, but the woman was a fast learner.
After straightening her pencil skirt and smoothing on lip gloss, Sophie grabbed a notepad and pen. She had to appear normal when going to Ronald’s office. Plus, holding something felt a bit like having armor. She shut her office door behind her and stopped at Mandy’s desk. “I sent some stuff to the printer. Would you organize everything and put it in a binder for me?”
“No problem.”
“One more thing.” Sophie glanced behind her. Two other administrative assistants shared the open space with Mandy, and she didn’t want them overhearing. “Don’t let anyone into my office while I’m gone. I’ve locked it and you have the only other key.”
A slight frown marred her pretty face. “Is there a problem? Did I do something wrong?”
“No. I’m just working on some stuff right now that Mr. Weller wants to keep private.”
Immediately Mandy’s mouth relaxed into a smile. “Oh, okay.”
Sophie clutched her notebook to her side as she headed down the long hallway toward her boss’s office. In addition to what she’d discovered last night, lately she suspected that things in her own office had been out of place. A paperweight and paper clip holder had been moved on more than one occasion. It was small stuff and maybe she was being paranoid, but she’d learned long ago to trust her gut. Considering what she’d found last night, she was never ignoring her instinct again.
She half knocked as she entered Ronald’s office. She was officially his assistant, but not in the sense that Mandy was her assistant. He didn’t like to deal with anyone but her, which was why Sophie was surprised he’d told Mandy he needed to see her instead of coming to her directly. Maybe he really was ignoring her calls.
“Good morning, Sophie.” Ronald gave her a tired smile as he looked up from his desk. Deep lines etched the grooves around his mouth.
There was no one in his office, so whoever they were meeting with must have stepped out. Which gave her the perfect opportunity to talk to her boss in private. “Ronald, we need to talk. Didn’t you get my calls last night?”
He shook his head, but the guilty flush spreading up his cheeks gave him away. Sophie reeled back as if slapped. He had been ignoring her. What the hell? She gritted her teeth, quickly moving past the hurt. “I discovered something . . . important.” She nearly snorted at that understatement.
His face paled. “Can it wait?”
“No, it can’t.” As she stared at the man in front of her, she tried to find the right words to just come out and say what she’d found. Something about his expression was just off. He looked almost haggard, so unlike the man she’d come to love and trust. She’d been twenty-two and right out of college when he’d given her a job. Not to mention that the company had paid for her master’s degree. She didn’t have any family and he’d always been a father figure to her. Anyone would have been better than the asshole foster fathers she’d endured over the years, but Ronald was truly kind. Even with the panic humming through her, seeing him this way pulled at her heartstrings.
Ronald sighed and his eyes flashed with something she couldn’t define. Pain? “We’ll talk, but not here. Just wait—”
He abruptly stopped talking and his gaze trailed over her shoulder at the sound of the door opening. Sophie shifted in her seat and glanced behind her.
She blinked once as she made eye contact with the stranger entering the room. Staring into those eyes made her feel as if she’d been punched in the stomach. A raw sort of awareness stirred inside her, making her throat tighten and somewhere a lot lower heat up completely against her will. Mandy’s description of “yummy” was so very incorrect. A cupcake was yummy. This man was like a decadent triple-chocolate truffle cake with chocolate shavings sprinkled on top. Considering the crap she needed to deal with, noticing someone in such a sexual way—someone she clearly couldn’t trust—was beyond stupid. And definitely not like her. Only one man had ever had this raw effect on her. Though he hadn’t been quite a man. He’d been growing into a very handsome one and—damn it. She shook herself, trying to quash this strange sexual awareness that had erupted inside her.
Almost against her will, Sophie’s eyes trailed over him. The man seemed to make the room shrink just by stepping inside. It wasn’t that he was overly tall. He was maybe six feet, but he had a strong, domineering . . . presence. His shoulders almost appeared to strain against his suit, as if he’d be more comfortable chopping lumber or something else equally and ridiculously masculine. When the sudden—unexpected and definitely absurd—thought of what it might feel like to have those strong arms around her popped into her head, she felt herself blushing furiously. This visceral reaction was too weird and brought up too many unwanted memories. When she focused on his face once again, her heart skipped a beat. “Holy shit.”
The man jerked to a halt and she realized she’d said the words out loud. She cringed and ordered herself to get it together.
“Ah . . . sorry.” What else could she say, that she’d suddenly developed a mild case of Tourette’s?
“Sophie, this is Jack Baldwin. He’s been a silent partner with Keane Flight until recently.” Ronald’s words blew right past her as she continued to watch the stranger.
He had pale bluish gray eyes she’d never seen on anyone before except . . . Sam. Eyes with the seemingly endless depth of the unforgiving ocean. So deep she could drown in them. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t even pretend not to stare. And he was definitely looking back. Watching her with a mix of curiosity and something she couldn’t begin to define.
The harsh lines and angles of his face gave him a unique, almost statuesque quality. As if he’d been carved out of stone. He wasn’t handsome in the typical Hollywood sense, but any woman with a pulse would certainly do a double take. Maybe even a triple take. He even had the same dark hair as Sam. For a brief moment she could feel herself drowning as memories attacked her.
Sam carrying her books home from school. Protecting her from neighborhood bullies. Staying up late with her when she needed help studying. Sam kissing her, making love to her, going with her to the beach even though he hated it, holding her when she’d had a bad day.
Sam is dead. The jarring thought was the only thing that gave her the power to tear away from this stranger’s far-too-intimate gaze. Feeling an ache deep inside, she absently rubbed the middle of her chest until she realized what she was doing. She nervously cleared her throat and hoped her blush had started to recede as she found her voice. Right now Keane was at the top of her shit list. She wasn’t going to let a handsome face distract her. “Recently?”
“Yes . . . Please, have a seat.” Ronald half stood and motioned to the other man to sit. Sophie noticed his voice shook a little. Maybe he was intimidated by this man.
Not that she blame
d him.
In a few long strides, Jack Baldwin was sitting on a burgundy high-backed chair identical to the one she sat on a mere foot away. The briefest whisper of a familiar scent tickled her nose. Something spicy, masculine, and earthy that made her toes curl in her sling-backs. Clearly it had been too long since she’d had sex if even the intoxicating scent of a possible arms dealer was affecting her. It was the only thing that explained her raw reaction.
The corners of his lips pulled up slightly as he nodded at her—as if he knew what she was thinking. The very thought was horrifying. “Pleased to meet you.”
Against her will, she found herself staring at his mouth. Instinctively she moistened her own dry lips. When she did, his jaw muscle flicked, drawing her attention back to those intoxicating eyes. Oh, crap. The blush was back. She could feel heat creeping up her neck and cheeks, and for a brief moment she thanked God for her Cuban heritage. She vainly hoped her darker skin would cover her embarrassment, but knew it was unlikely.
“Likewise, Mr. Baldwin.” She shifted in her seat, turning slightly away from him. God, she needed to get whatever this feeling was under control. Maybe if she didn’t look at him she could tune out all that raw, unwanted sexuality.
“Call me Jack.” His voice was low and sensual. It rolled over her with the subtlety of a tidal wave, sending unexpected shivers to all her nerve endings. Why was it so familiar? It reminded her slightly of Sam, but it was deeper, more masculine. Like what Sam would have sounded like if he’d been allowed to grow up fully. She shook herself at the depressing, and insane, thought.
Why did she have the urge to say Jack’s name out loud? Just to feel it on her tongue. Her nipples tightened at the thought of saying that name under very different circumstances. Right then and there, Sophie felt like a crazy person. This was so unlike her, this . . . sexual hunger. And there was no other word for what she was feeling.
Ronald’s voice grounded her, forcing her to look away again. “Like I was saying, Jack here will be filling in for Paul.”
She frowned at her boss, wishing she could tell him everything she’d found last night. “Why?”
The other man answered before Ronald could speak. “He was in a terrible car accident and is unable to handle the day-to-day dealings, so you’re stuck with me.” His lips pulled up again, this time self-deprecatingly.
Or she was under the impression that was what he was going for. The action was a little too practiced. Sophie chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to gauge his expression. There was something else underneath that charming and sexy veneer that didn’t sit right. This was the first she’d heard about a car accident. It was also the first she’d heard of a silent partner and they’d been working with Keane for about eight years. Since the year she’d started at SBMS, in fact.
“Paul was in an accident? Is he going to be okay?”
“The doctors aren’t sure yet. He’s in a coma and it’s touch-and-go right now,” the newcomer said quietly.
She glanced back at her boss for confirmation. Ronald just nodded. Even if Paul was hurt she was still unsure why Jack Baldwin was even here. It wasn’t as though they worked for Keane. No, it was the other way around. So why was his partner here now? And why was this the first she’d heard of him? And why the hell were there freaking weapons in the plane she’d broken into last night?
As if the other man read her mind, he said, “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here. Ronald has agreed to let me borrow you for the day as my personal tour guide of the company.”
“Why?” she asked bluntly, not caring how rude she sounded.
His eyebrows lifted as if she’d taken him off guard. The movement was slight, but she couldn’t help feeling as if she were under a microscope.
Oh, crap, did he know she was the one who’d broken into Keane Flight last night? She fought the urge to squirm in her chair. The way this man was studying her was unnerving. “Uh, why do you need a tour guide?” she asked, this time more politely.
“Mr. Baldwin is thinking of investing in SBMS and wants to see the day-to-day operations,” Ronald said smoothly.
“I see.” Though she didn’t. Not at all. “When would you like to start? I can schedule something tomorrow—”
“How about I take you to lunch and then we get started?” Somehow the man’s question sounded more like an order.
“Uh, sure.” Now she definitely sounded rude.
“Is La Marea okay?” There was a slight touch of amusement in his voice.
“That sounds wonderful.” Okay, that was a much politer response. Good for her. La Marea was an expensive restaurant for a work lunch, but it was also her favorite place. For some reason, it annoyed her that he’d picked it. As if he knew more about her than he should.
Jack followed suit as she stood. She looked at her boss. “You coming?” Please say yes. She tried to will him to respond. All she needed was a few minutes of his time.
Ronald shook his head and grabbed his briefcase. “You two go ahead. I’ve got a meeting to head to.”
A strange panic settled in her gut at the thought of being alone with Jack Baldwin before she’d spoken to Ronald. Ignoring the newcomer, she looked pointedly at her boss. “I need to talk to you in private before I leave.”
“It’ll have to wait, Sophie.” His voice was tired, strained.
“But—”
“I have a meeting,” he snapped, taking her completely off guard.
She recoiled at the abrupt tone. Ronald had never spoken to her like that, and even though it was childish, she felt stung. Fighting the sudden onslaught of emotions, she turned and found Jack staring at her as if he could see straight through to her innermost thoughts. How the hell did he do that? It was so damn jarring, but she couldn’t tear her gaze from those pale eyes.
He was definitely good-looking in that rugged, muscular Marlboro man sort of way. And something told her he didn’t get those muscles from a gym. Which made her wonder exactly what kind of exercise he did to warrant that clearly fit body.
There was something about him that triggered her feminine awareness. He wasn’t doing anything outwardly offensive. It was something primal he exuded. Something akin to death clung to him, and it put all of her senses on red alert. Yeah, she definitely needed to get away from him. Maybe she could call Ronald on the walk to her office and make him listen. Short of tackling him and forcing her boss to sit and listen to a few words, she had no other choice but to play it cool and act normal. At least until she knew what was going on and especially in front of this particular stranger. “I need to grab my purse if you don’t mind wait—”
“I’ll walk you to your office.” There he went with that deep voice again, sending tingles straight to her toes.
It rankled her that when he spoke it sounded like a command. He was quiet the entire walk to her office. Sure, it was only at the other end of the hall, but it dragged on for an eternity. Unable to help herself, she snuck a quick glance at him. Even his profile was intimidating.
Well, except for his mouth. It looked absolutely kissable. Which was plain wrong. A man with such a hard exterior shouldn’t have inviting lips.
His square jaw clenched as if he was aware of her scrutiny. Swallowing, she glanced away, horrified that she was having these thoughts about a possibly dangerous stranger. She blamed her response on his eyes. They looked so much like her first love’s it was beyond startling.
As soon as they stepped into the receptionist’s area, Mandy smiled and handed her a white binder. “This is the information you requested on K—”
“Thank you, Mandy. I’ll go over it later.” Sophie quickly grabbed the binder and tucked it under her arm, hoping the man next to her didn’t notice the Keane cover Mandy had thoughtfully put on it. He definitely didn’t need to know she’d been looking into his company before he arrived. Not until she knew what his deal was or why he was really here.
Thankfully Jack didn’t follow Sophie into her office. She unlocked her drawer an
d pulled out her purse. She started to put the binder in her drawer, but slipped it into her purse instead. She also shoved the pictures she’d planned to show Ronald into her purse, then tucked the flash drive she’d saved them on into her bra. She might have e-mailed herself the pictures and have them saved in her online mobile album, but she wanted another backup and she was taking it with her.
Ronald might be acting like a jackass right now, but after this stupid lunch she was hunting him down and making him listen to her. If she had to spend a little time with the sexy, intimidating, and probably criminal Jack, so be it.
Chapter 3
Contract killer: a person hired to kill a selected target or targets for money.
From the doorway of Sophie’s office, Jack watched her walk around her desk. Her slim-fitting skirt hugged her in all the right places. Even though she had on a jacket, her small breasts were outlined perfectly. Nothing about her outfit was overtly sexual, but simply watching her move around her office got him hotter than anything any other woman had ever done. She didn’t just move. The woman flowed with a grace that made staring at her an addiction. Something about the sleek tailored outfit made him wonder what she had on underneath. Plain cotton, or silk and lace? Or maybe nothing at all. When they were seventeen she’d usually worn Brazilian-style bottoms that showed the bottom half of her butt. Those things had driven him crazy, so of course she’d loved to walk around wearing only that when they’d been alone.
At that thought, his entire body tensed. When they were teenagers he’d wanted her so badly he couldn’t think straight most of the time, but this reaction was different. It was . . . more. Intense. Like thirteen years of pent-up need clawing its way to the surface and just begging to be set free. He’d known coming on this mission so soon after that last op was a mistake, but hadn’t been able to force himself to tell his boss no. Not when he’d been dying to see Sophie.