by Sofia Grey
*
Juli didn’t have long to wait before Jordan returned. It was the first time she’d seen her boss in anything other than work clothes, and she did a double take at this relaxed-looking man clad in jeans and T-shirt.
“Juli.” He clasped her hand. “I heard you had some trouble today. Give me a few minutes to catch up with Jack and Tanner, and then I promise you, we’ll talk. Okay?”
“Thank you. I’d appreciate knowing what’s going on.”
“Absolutely. In the meantime, I’d like to introduce my wife, Kate.” He held out a hand to a pretty brunette. “Kate, would you please look after Juli for the moment?”
“Love to.” Kate glanced over her shoulder at the group of people joining them on the deck. “More introductions, and then we can chat. I’d love to know what you do at TM-Tech.”
There was a flurry of names and handshaking, and Juli tried to keep up with all the details. Jordan had disappeared, to talk to Jack and Tanner. She hoped he wouldn’t keep her waiting long.
Maybe half an hour later, Jordan asked her to join him for a meeting in the house. He ushered her into a bright, pleasantly cool room. Tanner sat in an armchair, and Jack gazed out of the window onto the beach beyond.
“Take a seat,” said Jordan. “We’re just waiting for Alex.”
Another man strolled in. His collar-length dark hair and neat beard were familiar, as was the broad smile and twinkling eyes. Did she know him from work?
“Here he is.” Jordan turned to face him. “Would you like some water? Or a beer?”
“Now you’re talking,” the stranger replied. He took the offered bottle and twisted off the top, before drinking deeply. “Christ, but it was hot on stage this afternoon. I’m just glad we’re on in the evening; it might have cooled down a bit.” He stepped toward Juli and held out a hand. “Alex Hamilton.”
“Hi, I’m Juli Pascal.”
Jordan spoke. “I think you need to sit down, Alex. This could take a while.”
“I’ll take it from here,” said Jack. He looked around the room, and his gaze focused on Juli. His face was serious. The charming man from earlier was gone. “We had a last-minute addition to the bus tour this morning. A person of interest I recognised and didn’t expect to see here. He’s known as Yanni, and I encountered him previously in an undercover operation in Europe. He’s an arms dealer, associated with a radical splinter cell.”
Okay, so that might explain why Jack wanted to keep out of the way, but what did it have to do with her?
“When the tour stopped for a break,” he continued, “Yanni and his companion were heard asking about Julien Pascal, only they were looking for a male passenger.”
What the fuck? She couldn’t stay quiet. “Asking what about me?”
“If you were on the bus. They were hoping to meet you.”
Her mind ran over the details he’d shared. “You called him a person of interest and an arms dealer. Is that a polite way of calling him a terrorist? Looking for me?” Juli’s voice rose to a squeak, and she snapped her mouth shut.
“We don’t know that. We don’t have any evidence.” His tone was grave. “Anyway. Tanner left at the next stop with Daisy and Callum, and arranged a tail, but they lost Yanni when the tour broke for lunch. He didn’t follow Tanner. It seems unlikely he’s interested in Callum.”
“That’s a relief,” said Alex, “but I thought New Zealand was supposed to be one of the safest countries on the planet. Do you think there’s a freaking terrorist cell here? In Wellington?”
Splinter cell. Terrorist. Interested in her.
Juli’s head was spinning, and her heart was beating way too fast.
“I wish I knew,” said Jack. His blue gaze flashed back to Juli. “I’m sorry I couldn’t tell you anything earlier. We needed to figure out a plan first.”
A plan. Yes, that would be good. Preferably looking at getting her the fuck out of here. Juli’s inner snark-demon was in control right now.
“Thanks, Jack.” Jordan took charge. “So what is the plan? Apart from ensuring we keep Juli safe, what do you propose to do?”
“We need someone to act as liaison with the local security services. I’m not too well up on the organisation round here. It’d be helpful to know why he wanted Ms Pascal. Maybe you could elaborate on what she does at TM-Tech?” He paused and looked at Alex. “I’m arranging two more guards for you, and they’ll be here in a couple of days. We won’t put Callum at any risk.”
“I’ll give Aiden Bradley a call,” said Jordan. “He’s a spook that’s worked for me a few times. He’s bound to have contacts down here. He may even fly out to join us.” He smiled briefly at Juli. “Should I tell them what you’re working on?”
She managed to nod. The way she gripped the arms of her chair, they’d have to prise her out of it with a crowbar. It was the only thing anchoring her to reality.
“As well as the marketing conference, I’m touting for new business with a cutting-edge technology outfit, LindenCore. Juli’s developing a prototype power-conversion unit. In essence, it produces immense amounts of energy for its size. What makes it special is the rate of conversion—almost ten times more output than previous units—and the power-to-weight ratio. Juli is here to demonstrate the sample units and to answer the technical questions.”
“What can it be used for?” Jack asked.
Jordan shrugged. “It has multiple uses. Anywhere you want a rapid shot of power for a small footprint. Motive technologies, robotics, and potentially weapon systems, although LindenCore aren’t in the arms game.”
“Yanni is, and he wants something from Ms Pascal. We’ll have to assume it’s her technical expertise,” said Jack. “I suggest she moves in here and stays as part of Alex’s entourage.”
Alex nodded. “That’s fine with me. Are you okay with that, Jordan?”
Her boss frowned. “Wouldn’t it be safer for her to go home?”
The anger that prickled in Juli’s veins was energising after the shock and fear. “Excuse me. I’m still in the room. Would you mind not talking about me as though I’m not here?”
“My apologies, Juli.” Jordan was smoothness itself.
“The answer is no. It’s better for you to stay.” Tanner spoke for the first time. “It’s too easy to track you back to the UK via a passenger manifest. We have a better chance of keeping you safe here.”
“So what happens now? Do I still attend the conference? The meetings with LindenCore?”
“Yep,” answered Jack. “But for the time being, you stay with us, rather than in a hotel. And I’ll accompany you to all meetings. I’ll pretend to be another delegate from TM-Tech, if that’s okay with Jordan.”
Jordan nodded. “That works. At least until we have more intel. If there’s nothing else, I’ll try to get hold of Aiden.”
It looked as though the meeting was over. The group dispersed. Jack and Tanner spoke about collecting Juli’s stuff from the hotel later, but for the moment she wasn’t needed.
Right now, she felt like Alice, after tumbling down the rabbit hole. The world was different, and she didn’t know how she fit in anymore.
Chapter Five
Daisy glanced down at her favourite denim skirt. Casual dress, Charlie said, and she’d selected her outfit accordingly. Casual-pretty. Teamed with flat jewelled sandals and a shiny camisole top. She hoped this was okay.
She lurked in the hallway, close enough to the front door to see Charlie when he emerged from his room. Flicking through the various social media outlets, she scanned the gossip from the recent Auckland concert. The fans loved Event Horizon and were in raptures at the band playing in New Zealand again.
There were pictures from lunchtime today too, of Charlie in a restaurant with Sylvie. The pair were busy, signing menus and napkins, and posing for selfies, while their food went cold on the table. Daisy could never cope with that attention. She was definitely more of a behind-the-scenes girl.
A door opened behind her, and she look
ed up to see Alex, just as Charlie walked up the corridor.
“Hey, babe.” Charlie’s gravelly voice sent a shiver down her spine. “You ready? I’ve got a car outside for us.”
There was a frozen moment, when Alex looked at her, and then narrowed his gaze onto Charlie. “Give us a minute, Daisy. I need to speak to Charlie.”
Uh oh. To say Alex looked pissed off was being polite. He looked more as though he was going to tear his friend’s head off. Daisy nodded and left the house, this time to lurk on the pavement.
This was going to be awkward. She just knew. She tugged her camisole straight and fiddled with the cashmere cardigan she’d brought. Anything to buy some time until Charlie came outside.
His face was like thunder when he joined her, and Daisy’s heart sank. She spoke tentatively, her plans evaporating. “Are we still...?”
He stopped dead, ran a hand through his hair, and took a deep breath. He managed a smile, but it looked artificial. “Yeah, if you still want to.”
Appearing needy would be a complete turn-off. She struck a note of nonchalance instead and gave a shrug. “Why not? I’ve nothing else planned, and it is my night off.”
Charlie glanced at the house. Was he checking if Alex was watching? “Come on, then.” He pressed a key fob, and the lights on a four-door Holden flashed. “That’s ours for tonight.”
He opened the door for her, before moving to his side and sliding behind the wheel. His mood seemed to be lifting, and she risked a question.
“Where are we going? Am I dressed okay?”
Charlie looked at her properly, for the first time today. He swept his gaze down her body, lingering briefly on her chest before his smile increased a few notches. “Yeah.” He spoke softly. “You look very okay.”
When he leaned across and claimed a kiss—a light, fleeting brush across her lips—her spirits soared. “I’m tempted to skip dinner,” he said. “You look good enough to eat. And that’s a fuckin’ awful line, but it’s true.”
Daisy’s cheeks burned, and she wanted to whoop with delight. If they weren’t parked outside Jordan’s rental house, with the distinct possibility of Alex watching them, she’d be tempted to climb into Charlie’s lap and kiss him properly. She had to make do with leaning into him and stealing a slow kiss that made her heart race.
They broke off, and he grinned. “I promised you dinner, and I don’t like to break my promises.” There was that charm again. It went through her defences like a hot knife went through butter.
He rested his hand on her thigh while he drove. She liked it more than she should, and half-expected to see a blazing mark where it had lain. Nobody ever revved her up like Charlie. One touch from him, one rough-edged curse, and she was putty in his hands.
They headed north, away from Wellington. The road ran alongside the ocean for a couple of miles, with mountains looming on the other side, but she tuned out the gorgeous views. She was lost in her memories of their one night together.
She’d expected Charlie to be a master lover. God knew he had plenty of experience. She’d imagined the full seduction, slow and intense, following a series of practised moves and techniques. Instead, he’d been almost nervous. He fumbled with her clothes, snagged the zipper on his jeans, and then dropped the condom packet.
“I wanted this to be special, but you make me feel like a randy teenager.” His words echoed in her memory and made her smile.
“Hey? Daisy?”
Her attention snapped to Charlie squeezing her fingers.
“Do you like fish and chips?” He’d pulled up on the side of a quiet road, but she’d been miles away.
She stared at him and hoped she wasn’t blushing. “I’m from Manchester. I was brought up on fish and chips.”
He laughed and kissed the palm of her hand, his gaze never leaving her face. “I’m told this little shack does the best fish supper in Wellington. Shall we try it?”
Okay. It wasn’t the fancy restaurant dinner she hoped for, but he’d warned her it would be a casual evening. Was this how he saw her? Not good enough for a posh dinner out with him? That would hurt if she let it.
He kept hold of her hand, and they walked in and placed their orders. A short time later, they left with a bundle of paper-wrapped food. Charlie said he had plans for where they’d be eating, and they climbed into the car.
It wasn’t far. A short drive down the hill, and he parked close to the edge of a long, curving beach. Leaning into the back of the car, he produced a picnic blanket and an insulated bag that made a clinking noise. With the bag slung over his shoulder and the blanket under his arm, he picked his way down a steep flight of wooden steps to the sand. Daisy followed, clutching dinner.
He’d planned this, right down to the picnic blanket and the cold beers. She couldn’t be disappointed with the effort he’d put in. Any chick could go to a restaurant with him. She’d bet there weren’t many he gone to this much trouble with.
Settled on the blanket, beers opened, and hot food unwrapped, Charlie leaned across and kissed her again. “I thought we could watch the sun set.”
It was still high in the sky. “What time will that be?”
“Nine-ish.” His eyes were full of mischief. “I might have to cuddle you to keep warm. Once we’ve eaten, of course.”
“I think you might have to.” Funny how just a few words from him made her happy. What could be more perfect than spending the evening fooling around together on a deserted beach?
*
Charlie prided himself on his laid-back attitude. It took a lot to annoy him, but tonight, AJ came close. Even while Charlie sprawled on the beach, Daisy leaning against him, his mind worked furiously, revisiting the angry exchange with his friend earlier tonight.
AJ had looked pissed off to the extreme when he saw Charlie on his way out of the house with Daisy.
“What are you doing, Charlie? That’s my kid’s nanny.”
“We’re just having dinner. No biggie.”
AJ ran a hand across his face. “If you screw around with her, and she gets upset, she’ll walk. And we’ll lose our nanny. I don’t want that to happen.”
“Hey, man. Chill out. It’s not like she’s your sister or anything.”
Maybe that was the wrong thing to say. AJ’s scowl deepened, his lips thinning to a tight line. “I hate to get involved in your love life, but Daisy is off limits to you. Or should be.”
—the fuck? “So what are you going to do? Forbid her to go out with me?” The situation was so ridiculous, it was almost funny.
“Do I need to?”
Was he serious? What was his problem? “Fuck you, AJ.”
Yeah, it was fair to say Charlie was still seething over the exchange.
As though reading his mind, Daisy echoed his thoughts. “Is Alex angry I’ve gone out with you?”
She must have heard them arguing. His conscience pricked at him. He didn’t want to push her into an awkward situation. He wasn’t worth it.
“Yeah.” He drew the word out. “He seems a bit uptight about it.”
When she spoke, her voice was calm. “I think he’s got some crazy idea that I’ll fall in love with you, and be heartbroken when I realise it’s only a fling.”
“Something like that. So what do you think?”
She chuckled. “Oh, Charlie, I know what this is. I don’t have any misconceptions.”
“You don’t?” Bizarre. Did he miss a subtext in this conversation?
“It’s just a bit of fun.” She twisted around to face him and stole a sweet kiss.
“Yeah,” he repeated, “just a bit of fun.” She edged her mouth nearer, and he claimed her lips again. A bit of fun. Perfect. No commitment, exactly as he liked it. So why was his rarely-used conscience still nudging him?
*
Jack glanced at Juli as he drove back from Wellington. She was quiet, staring as intently out of the passenger window as if it was an Olympic sport and she was aiming for the gold medal. She’d been quick and effic
ient at packing her stuff in the hotel, apart from dropping a pile of underwear. Her cheeks burned as bright as the red lacy bra and panties she scooped up and stuffed into her case. Poor Juli. Today must have been tough.
He had a dozen things to do, mostly revolving around finding Yanni. There were leads to follow up and contacts to establish. His IT expert, at their head office in Houston, was running a number of searches, and Tanner was digging through news reports as best he could.
Jack was impatient for news, but he also wanted to put the lovely Juli more at ease. “Have you seen the way some of these houses perch on the edge of the hills? One decent earthquake like Kaikoura or Christchurch, and they’ll be shaken loose, for sure.” She didn’t say anything, and after a pause he continued. “You planning to do some exploring while you’re here?”
She swivelled in her seat, her glare probably intended to reduce him to ash. “Are you for real?”
Laughter bubbled inside him, but he forced it down. She wouldn’t appreciate his humour right now. “What do you mean?” he asked, his tone innocent.
She narrowed her eyes. “You’re enjoying this, aren’t you? I have some crazed maybe-terrorist hunting for me. I’ve trekked down a freaking mountain today and nearly been turned into roadkill. I’m leaving my lovely hotel to stay in a house with a bunch of people I don’t know—including my boss. And you find it funny?”
Her words were precise and icily controlled, but her voice cracked at the end, and she clamped her mouth tight shut. Moisture shone in her eyes, but she blinked, and it disappeared.
Man, Jack was a total sucker for a strong woman. Damsels in distress left him cold, but he liked everything about Juli. He checked their location on the highway and turned onto a side road before the exit for Plimmerton. The road meandered along the side of a quiet inlet, the water sparkling under the early evening sun.
“Where are we going?” She sounded more curious than upset.
“We’re not far from the house. I figured you might like a few minutes to get your head together. You know.”
