“Yeah…well the spa I was at had the mud bath package down to a science.” When the meal arrived, Tori cut up his steak and handed him the fork.
“You know I’ve never been glad to be injured before. I could get used to someone taking care of me.” Jacob leveled his gaze on her as he tried to gauge her reaction to his words.
Tori took a sip of wine and lifted both eyebrows in shock. “Someone?”
Jacob’s good hand lifted hers from the table. “You.”
Tori blushed and took another drink of wine before she spoke. “I never considered myself as a caretaker. I’m not sure I would be good in the Florence Nightingale role…but, for you, I might be willing to try.” While he listened, she looked at him through her lashes. “Would I be required to wear one of those sexy nurse uniforms?” She fluttered her eyelashes with a comedic flare.
Jacob’s mind almost short-circuited. He knew the wicked mental pictures that seared his mind showed as pure lust in his eyes. He kissed the back of her hand not even attempting to conceal his fully-enflamed desire. “I’m sure I could find one for you. You could rock a tight, white blouse and skimpy, starched, white skirt.”
Tori seemed to relax and sat back in her chair. She licked her lips and smiled. Her eyes danced with mischief. “I do look good in white. Very good.”
She sampled the meal and then swirled the glass of exceptional Beckstoffer and patently ignored his low growl. He watched her study the dribbles of wine as they meandered down the crystal globe of the wine glass.
Tori’s eyes flicked to his. “Does your family know what you do for a living?”
Jacob shook his head. “Changing the subject?” Her quick, bright smile and wink were playful. He decided to let her lead the conversation. “Three of my brothers and all of my sisters work with me. Justin is the anomaly.”
“What about your parents?”
“It’s just my mother. My father is dead. And to answer your question, she is unaware of my actual responsibilities.”
“I figured. My dad has no idea what I did. He thinks I worked computer security for an international accounting firm. Mom died when I was young.”
She took another sip of the wine and chuckled, then leaned towards him. “If they knew what we really did. I wonder who would have a coronary first, your mom or my dad.”
Jacob’s eyebrows shot up in mock terror. “Oh, shit…definitely my mom. If she had a clue what I did for a living, I would be grounded for life.”
Tori laughed as the absurdity of his comments registered. “You’re probably right. My dad would just shake his head and go back to work.”
Jacob’s eyes traveled over the beautiful woman beside him. “How are you, really, Victoria?”
He topped off their glasses again and she examined her wine glass. “I’m alright, nerve damage to my left arm from the dislocated shoulder. It aches when I’m physical. I lost most of the sensation in the bottom of my feet—that took some major adjustment. The nightmares are less frequent. Sometimes I can go two or three days without one.” Her eyes lifted to his and she continued after a sad little smile. “I haven’t had a genuine panic attack in about a month. That’s a key milestone. I’m still jumpy, and I have issues with not feeling safe. Those feelings are the hardest to manage. So, I guess in answer to your question, I’ve changed, sometimes to the point where I don’t recognize who I’ve become. I’m not who I once was, but I’m trying to become more like her again. To be less afraid.” Her hand shook as it rose to her hair and pushed the mass back. She licked her lips and drew a breath as her voice grew in strength. “I had a really hard time at first. I had a…a difficult time when I tried to extract myself from what I used to do. The firm wasn’t pleased with my decision to leave. The medical assistance afterwards…it wasn’t…well, anyway, I’m getting better.”
“Are the injuries and residual issues what stopped you from going back to work?”
She shook her head. “No, the physical and mental trauma wouldn’t have stopped me.”
“Meaning?”
She sighed and dropped her eyes to the tablecloth, “Meaning there were reasons for me to leave the organization.”
He leaned forward. “Tori, are you okay?”
She looked up, her large blue eyes showing him the bare truth of every emotion she felt. “I’m never going to be the same person I was before. But I’m better. I went home when I was released from the agency. I’m hiding from reality for a while.”
“Where is home?”
“Oh, somewhere way out in the middle of America, you know, Small Town, U.S.A.”
He crooked his finger at her and whispered as she leaned in. “You know I could find out if I wanted to.”
She wrinkled her nose at him and smiled. “Oh, you think so, do you?”
Jacob’s eyes narrowed and he cocked his head as he regarded her. “I happen to run a large, powerful security company I believe could track one woman, particularly one as beautiful as you. It would be easy to do.”
“Hmmm…that would mean that you would want to track me for some reason.”
Jacob put his hand behind her neck and pulled her close to him, his breath caressing the lips he yearned to devour. “Tell me you don’t feel it. Tell me you don’t understand the reasons I would track you.” He brushed a feather-light kiss across her lips and felt her shiver. Tori’s face blushed a deep rose hue. She opened her eyes and stared into his.
“Oh, I feel it alright, but I’m right here. There’s no need to track me.” She drew away as the waiter approached to refill their water glasses.
The waiter somehow broke the mood and miraculously Jacob was able to force himself away from her. Jacob watched her while they ate and visited. He had heard some of his men complain about women they had dated who would pick at their food. Victoria did not have that issue.
“This is so good! I’m impressed that you own part of this place.”
Jacob reached for his wine glass. “I can’t take any credit for this. Justin is the mastermind behind the businesses. My brothers and I gave him some startup money and he has bankrolled it into four extremely profitable businesses. He has a way with people and money.”
Tori took the last bite of her steak and measured him carefully as she chewed. Lifting her finger she pointed at him. “You know, you have quite a way with people, too.”
Jacob chuffed air out of his lungs and shook his head. “Not true. I’m close to my family and my team. I almost never associate with anyone outside that realm.”
“Am I an exception?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“It is simple and complicated. When you should’ve been comatose or out of you mind with pain, you were cracking jokes and carrying a conversation. I don’t usually mix my business endeavors and my personal life, but you were unique and interesting. I thought I would enjoy knowing you as a friend.”
Tori cocked her head. “A friend? Really? That’s…interesting.”
“Why did you come back for the date? You must have had to travel to get here if home is Small Town, U.S.A.”
She picked up the wine glass and once again swirled the deep red liquid before she responded. “Oh, I guess I had several reasons.”
She up-ended the glass and drained the last of the vintage. After placing the crystal on the table with excessive care, she rested her chin on her hands. “I came back because you saved my life; because you were the only thing that kept me from going insane from the pain that night; because I thought I would enjoy knowing you, and…”
“And?”
Tori looked through her lashes at him for a moment before lowering her eyes to the table. The glance radiated sexual innuendo. “And, I think sex with you could be phenomenal.”
Jacob sucked in a sharp breath. His gut tightened like he had been sucker punched. Rational thought all but ceased as he battled his inner caveman. He reached his hand under her chin and lifted, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Are you finished with your meal?”
“Yes, but I really want desert.”
Jacob’s eyes followed her wet, pink tongue as she licked her lips—those beautiful, lush, sexy-as-hell, red lips. His eyes narrowed as he stroked her cheek with his thumb. She was going to pay for that tease. Jacob leaned closer and whispered, “Honey, if it wouldn’t get us arrested, I’d take you on this table right now.”
Her lips brushed his ear as she responded, “Then you probably would enjoy what I’ve been imagining doing to you under this table.”
Tori stood smoothing her flaming red dress down her hips before seductively arching her eyebrow at him. She smiled, winked, and excused herself to the ladies' room. As he watched her perfect body work her way through the tables, he couldn’t help notice every man’s head turn to follow her progress. A gruff voice beside him pulled his attention away from her, but his eyes followed her until she was out of view.
“Damn it little man, you’ve got it bad. And holy shit, she is one hell of a woman. When did you have time to find her? I mean, hell, I’ve seen you with some beautiful ladies, but that one? She’s quality where you generally go for…quantity.”
Jacob turned his gaze to his brother. “Fuck you. But yeah, she’s something special. I met her about a year ago and I have to agree with you, she’s quality. What about you dude? Anyone you’ll be taking home to mom?”
“Yeah…no. I work twenty-four-seven.” Justin turned to his brother with a curious look on his face. “But so do you. So exactly where did you meet Tori?”
“She’s in the business.”
“As in she does what you do? No fucking way.”
“No, moron, she doesn’t do what I do. As a matter of fact, I’m not one hundred percent sure what she does, but she is within the community.”
“Huh. It’d be cool if she could kick your ass. But I think she has already landed you on your butt without throwing a punch. Am I right, little man?” Justin’s laughter pulled a few eyes their direction.
Jacob started to respond but stopped when Tori reappeared in the dining room. Both men stood and watched as she maneuvered through the crowd and made her way to where Jacob stood talking to his brother. “God Almighty, Jacob, she’s as tall as Mom.”
“Yeah, good thing that is the only thing she has in common with her.” Both men gave a hearty laugh as Jacob grasped Tori’s ice-cold hand. A tenseness that hadn’t been there before radiated from her.
Tori smiled, but emotion never hit her eyes. “Please thank the chef for a fabulous dinner. I don’t know when I’ve had such an excellent meal.” Jacob scanned the room as she spoke to his brother looking for the cause of her well-disguised distress.
Jacob had noticed Tori had bumped into a small man returning from the ladies’ room and exchanged a few words. He continued to stare their way. He could be the source of her unease. Jacob joined the conversation, chiding Justin. “Yeah dude, keep up the good work. Someday you might make something of yourself.”
Justin gave a huge laugh and slapped Jacob twice on the back. Pain blasted through his shoulder bringing brilliant bursts of light to his vision. He forced himself to stay upright and breathe through the nausea his brother’s sharp blows had caused.
Justin hugged Tori and kissed her cheek. “Nice meeting you, Victoria. If you ever decide he is not the brother you want to date, forget about the other three. You know where to find me.”
Tori blushed and Jacob felt her arm snake around his waist. “It was nice to meet you, too, Justin, but I think I'll stay with the one who brought me.” She turned and her eyes examined him. Jacob tried to hide his discomfort. A thin film of perspiration popped out on his brow and his knees felt weak. Justin left them with a smile and a wave.
“Are you ready to leave?”
Jacob nodded, but his attention focused on the slight-statured blond man walking up to them—the one Tori had encountered returning from the ladies’ room.
“Victoria, perhaps we got off on the wrong foot just now.” The man’s eyes traveled up and down Tori’s body.
Jacob used every ounce of will power he possessed not to drop the bastard where he stood.
Tori tensed and moved even closer snuggling in his arms. The action triggered his recently unearthed protective instincts and forced any thought of pain from his mind.
“Jacob King, this is Doctor Carter Amiri.”
The man’s eyebrow lifted at her introduction. “How are you doing, Victoria? You do look well. Very well indeed.”
“Jacob King? Oh, so this is your savior?” The man looked from Jacob to Victoria. A glimmer of some emotion passed over his features before his face became passive. Tori didn’t answer the man’s question. Jacob was good with that.
Jacob tried to keep the immediate hatred he felt for the man out of his voice. “And what kind of medicine do you practice, Dr. Amiri?”
“I’m a Doctor of Psychology. I assisted Victoria with…how should I phrase this tactfully?” Amiri gave her an assessing look that was anything but clinical. “She fell under my care after that unfortunate incident. We spent a lot of time together, didn’t we, dear?”
Jacob felt Victoria’s arms tighten around him and a shudder ran through her body. The throb of pain radiating from his shoulder became the least of his concerns as he considered the slimy ass-hat standing in front of him. Jacob straightened. The congenial facade Jacob maintained among civilians threatened to crack. His gut never failed him and his gut screamed this man was evil. Pure evil. “Oh?”
Tori lifted her eyes to his without any trace of emotion as the doctor spoke. “Indeed, it was almost a year ago now. Wasn’t it Victoria? I’ve so missed our intimate time together.”
Her gaze shifted towards the small man. “Exactly a year ago. Our time was never intimate, Doctor Amiri, and the only one to receive anything out of our interaction was our employer. What I do now is none of your concern.”
The candid conversation was obviously not what the blond man expected. Jacob saw the flash of aggravation ghost over his face before he smiled and fixed a neutral gaze on Tori. “Well then, we must get together while you are in town so I can make amends for your apparent belief our time wasn’t…delightful. I do so want to know what you have been up to, Victoria.”
“Her schedule is full. If you need to contact her for any reason, you will have to go through me.” The threatening growl of his voice was caged and low so only the three of them could hear it. “Oh, and she was right by the way.”
“Excuse me?” The doctor’s quizzical look bounced from Victoria to Jacob.
“What she does is none of your business. You should leave now—before management needs to call an ambulance for you.”
Carter’s eyebrows lifted and his face colored. “Well then…yes, alright. Victoria our mutual acquaintances will be delighted to know you’re back. Believe me, I’ll be sure to let them know. They may even contact you again.”
Jacob and Tori stood together and watched him leave. “Are you alright?”
Tori nodded and whispered. “He just brought back a portion of the nightmare I would rather forget.”
Jacob led her through the crowd to the front exit. He stopped at the hostess podium and with a whispered comment ensured Amiri would never find a reservation in any of the King’s restaurants again.
Jacob turned to say good night to one of the waiters he recognized when the other side of the double door he held open for Tori closed, jarring his shoulder. Pain sliced through his chest and the accompanying muscle spasm earned a muffled string of profanity as they walked out of the restaurant.
Chapter Five
Son of a Bitch! Her hands shook from her unexpected confrontation, but she couldn’t focus on that now. Something was wrong with Jacob. The ashen pallor of his face and his short panting breaths, coupled with the string of foul words that he let loose when the door hit his shoulder, provided all the evidence she needed.
“Where are you parked, or did you have the valet park your car?”
Tight-lip
ped, Jacob nodded towards the back of the building. Tori walked with him around the corner and stopped. This so wasn’t the way she wanted this night to go.
Taking a deep breath, she swallowed the anger, confusion, and distress of seeing her alleged ‘doctor’ again and focused on her immediate concern. “Alright, give them to me.”
Jacob looked back towards the restaurant and then down at her with evident confusion. “Give what to you?”
“The car keys. You’re not driving. I can tell you’re in pain, and if I had not been there to hold you up you might have passed out from the slaps on the back your brother gave you.”
Jacob took a deep breath and flinched against the pain. “That’s an exaggeration don’t you think? Besides, you won’t be able to drive it. It’s a standard shift.”
Tori chuckled. “Yeah, okay, Mr. Billy Bad Ass. I am Small Town, U.S.A. Remember? You put wheels on it and I’ll drive it. Give me the flipping keys or I’ll pop you on the back, make you pass out, and drag you to the damn car.”
“You were the one with the traumatic run in just now. Did you ever think maybe you shouldn’t be driving?” His gaze challenged her. She put both hands on her hips, cocked her head, and gave him her best ‘do you really want to go there’ look. “Feisty little thing, aren’t you? Black Hummer, first row, reserved parking.”
“I’ve never been called little by anyone. Feisty—you bet your last dollar—but little? Never. Now give me the keys or you will see a whole new side of feisty, mister.” She waited for him to surrender the ring of keys and put his arm around her again before they walked slowly to the vehicle.
The Hummer was not one of the civilian clones. It was the original military configuration retrofitted, modified, and it indeed boasted a standard H shift. The modification was atypical for a military grade High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle, or Humvee, because most were manufactured as automatics. He held the door for her and closed her in the driver’s side. Tori waited until Jacob got in the passenger seat. His injury slowed his movements and his grimace came with a low groan or maybe a growl when he got in the vehicle.
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