by Raye Morgan
“No matter what Joe thinks, you and I both know you were searching for information in his files.”
She shrugged, putting on her huge dark sunglasses. “Like he said, you misunderstood.”
“No. I heard you on the phone, talking about some sort of evidence of a connection you were looking for. If you want to know something about Joe, why can’t you just ask him to his face?”
“My dear, once again, you’ve misunderstood.”
“Have I?”
“Yes. Don’t you worry your little head about all this. Just take good care of that baby.” And she slipped into the car and drove off.
Kelly drew a deep breath. This wasn’t good. She was sure of what she’d heard when she’d entered into that room. If Sonja wasn’t after Joe because she thought he was Ambrian, she was after him for something else. At any rate, he had to be prepared for whatever was going to be coming down the pike.
Kelly went back into the house and slipped into Mei’s room to check on her. The precious child was sound asleep, and Kelly watched her for a moment, wondering what her life would be like. Surely she would warm to Joe soon. He would hire a good nanny and their life together would develop over time. Something inside Kelly yearned to know the outcome, but she knew she probably never would. That was all in the future, however. She was more concerned with keeping them both—Joe and Mei—safe right now. And that was really beginning to worry her.
She had to convince Joe that his friend Sonja was not on the up and up. Slipping back out of Mei’s room, Kelly searched for Joe and finally found him just finishing up.
Not giving him time to distract her with jokes, she quickly told him about what she’d heard Sonja say on the phone, and when she’d confronted her a few minutes later. He listened, nodding and looking interested, but he didn’t act like a man ready to jump in the car and head for higher ground.
“She was sent here for a reason. I’m sure of it, Joe. She suspects something. She was hunting for evidence of an Ambrian connection.”
He was picking up his tools and looking rather proud of the new wooden measuring chart he’d affixed to the wall. Instead of being concerned about what she was saying, he stood back and admired it.
“Well, since I don’t have any evidence of an Ambrian connection,” he said casually, making a tiny adjustment to the way the chart was hanging, “she’s out of luck, isn’t she?”
“But don’t you see? Just the fact that there are suspicions shows the danger you’re in.”
He raised one dark eyebrow as he gazed at her cynically. “As a matter of fact, Kelly, the only evidence of an Ambrian connection around here is you.”
She opened her mouth but no words came out. What could she say to that? In a way, he was right.
“I hope you were discreet,” he added with a hint of laughter in his blue eyes.
“Yes, Joe. I was very discreet.” She shook her head as she thought of the last person who had warned her of that. “So discreet, Jim would have been proud of me.”
He frowned. “Who’s Jim?”
She sighed. “My boss. The one who told me not to come looking for you.”
His flash of a grin was electric. “I’m glad you’re such a disobedient worker.”
She looked up in surprise and her gaze met his and held. That electricity was still there and it sparked between them for just a second, making her nerves tingle and her heart beat a little faster.
She turned away. She didn’t want to feel this sort of spicy provocation. This wasn’t why she was here.
But she needed to make some things clear to him, and she wasn’t sure how she was going to do it. She had to explain more firmly to Joe what this was all about—that he might just have that elusive Ambrian connection, and if he did, he had to face the consequences of that fact. Because those consequences could be lethal.
Turning back, she steeled herself and looked at him sternly. “Joe, you need to listen to me, and you need to take what I say seriously. No kidding around.”
The humor drained from his eyes and he waited, poised. She blinked at him in wonder. He was actually receptive to what she had to say. She felt a rush of affection for him and that only made it all so much harder.
Kelly sucked in a deep breath. “I think you have to get out of here. I think you have to go.”
His face hardened. “What are you talking about?”
“They’ve found you,” she said earnestly, trying to convince him. “These people—Sonja and whoever she was talking to on the phone—must be either representatives of the Granvilli clan or someone in sympathy with them. Joe, you can’t stay here. You can’t risk it.”
He was frowning. “Risk what? Kelly, I’m not your prince. I’m not their prince, either.”
“But you see…” She stopped, tortured and not sure how she was going to convince him. “It doesn’t even matter if you are or you aren’t. If the Granvillis think you’re one of the princes, it’s the same as if you are. And they’ll probably try to kill you.”
There. The words were out. She gazed at him, hardly believing she’d actually said it. He stared back, his eyes cold as ice. She couldn’t tell what he was thinking, but he took his time giving her an answer, so she knew he had to be considering what she’d said.
“Listen, Kelly,” he replied at last, “I’ve got a few skills in the hopper. I think I can take care of any threat of that kind.” He smiled, but there was no humor in it. “I’m not exactly a sitting duck.”
She shook her head. She had no doubt he could hold his own in a fair fight. She knew he was a trained warrior. But that didn’t mean he could guard against everything. Why did he refuse to understand?
“You can’t fight off the secret service of a whole country on your own,” she told him ardently.
He looked pained. “Now you’re being melodramatic. Slow down. Take it easy. I’m not going anywhere.”
“You can’t just think of yourself now, you know,” she added, trying to drive her fears home to him. “You have Mei to consider.”
“Of course.” A slight frown wrinkled the skin between his brows. “I’m very aware of that.”
“Are you?” She felt tears prickling her eyelids. Why wasn’t she better at expressing just how serious this was?
Joe took her by the shoulders and looked down into her face. “You want me to run off and hide somewhere because a woman I hired to decorate my baby’s room looks at me and thinks of Ambria.” He shook his head as though he just couldn’t buy it. “How do you know she isn’t one of the good guys? Why are you so sure she didn’t emigrate as a refugee, just like your parents and you? How do you know she doesn’t want to recruit me into fighting the Granvillis just like you do?”
He had her there. Kelly had no idea, no evidence at all. But she had a very strong feeling. Still, held here in his grip, she could only look up at his beautiful face and wonder why he wouldn’t let her save him.
“I’m not getting into anyone else’s wars,” he told her, searching her eyes as though he thought he might find something to reassure him there. “I’ve had enough of that. Enough for a lifetime.”
“Joe, I…I understand…I…” She was babbling. What else could she do? He was so close Kelly could feel the heat from his body. Her head was full of his clean, masculine scent and her heart was beating like a drum. She couldn’t think straight, couldn’t manage a coherent sentence. All she could do was stare at the beautiful smooth and tanned skin revealed by the opening in his shirt. Her head felt light and she was afraid she was going to pass out.
Suddenly, as though he’d realized he was holding her shoulders and wasn’t sure why, he pulled his hands away and she swayed before him, blinking rapidly and trying to catch her breath.
“Are you okay?” he asked.
She nodded, embarrassed beyond belief. “Yes,” she managed to say. “I’m okay. Really.”
“I’m sorry to be so adamant about this, Kelly,” he told her, his brow still furrowed. “I’ve got my own prob
lems, and I’m not in the mood for more.”
“Of course not,” she murmured, but he was already turning away. She watched him go, and slowly began to regain equilibrium, glad he had been too wrapped up in their argument to notice what a fool she was making of herself. She’d never realized she could be such an easy mark for a sexy man. She was going to have to be more careful.
Inhaling another deep breath, she got back with the program. Something had to be done to convince Joe to take the threat of harm more seriously. Kelly thought for a moment, then nodded and went straight for her cell phone. Time to call in the cavalry on this one.
When her boss answered, she smiled, glad to hear his voice again.
“So, Kelly, how’s it going, anyway? Found any more princes out there in sunny California?” He chuckled.
She had to bite her lip to keep from reacting sharply. She was so tired of being the focus of all their joking at the agency. “Princes, princesses, earls, dukes. They’re a dime a dozen out here, Jim. You ought to come out and find one for yourself.”
“Hey, I thought you were going to San Diego. Not Hollywood.”
“Cute.” She sighed. “Actually, I think Joe is the real deal. I just haven’t been able to convince him of it yet.”
There was a pause, then Jim said, “You mean he doesn’t know if he is or isn’t?”
“Nope.”
“Wow. That’s a new one.”
“Yes, it is. And pretty frustrating.”
“Hmm.” Jim seemed to agree. “But tell me this. If he doesn’t know the truth, who does?”
“I do. And apparently someone else suspects as well. Jim, can you do a little research for me? I need some background on a woman calling herself Sonja Smith.”
She heard him choke on his cup of coffee, and sighed. “Yes, I know. It’s not likely to be her real name. But she’s affiliated with a baby boutique here in San Diego.” She gave him the rest of what she knew, and he agreed, reluctantly, to look into it for her.
“Don’t expect too much,” he said in his droll way. “In my experience, every Madame Smith tends to evaporate as soon as you shine a light on her.”
“I know. But she’s been prodding Joe about Ambria. Now how many people without ulterior motives are likely to be doing that?”
“Not many,” he agreed. “Of course, there’s you.”
She groaned. “Spare me the lecture. I’ve already heard it.”
He snickered and Kelly felt her face go hot. How she would love to prove all the naysayers she worked with wrong!
“Okay, now here’s a question for you,” Jim said. “When are you coming back?”
“Back?” Her hand tightened on her phone. “I’ll be in on Monday. Why?”
“Because it turns out half the office will be going to the funeral in Piasa. We’re going to need you here to cover.”
Kelly frowned. “What’s going on?”
“It looks like one of your lost princes really has shown up.”
“What?” Her heart leaped.
“There are rumors that Prince Darius has been seen.”
“No!”
“Seems he was living with a family in Holland for many years, then he was a businessman in London.”
This was fantastic news. All these months, ever since she’d presented the people she worked for with an outline of her theory on what might have happened to the lost princes, she’d had nothing but doubt and ridicule thrown her way. If they began to show up, her vindication would be sweet.
“And all the time, no one knew.”
“That seems to be the case.” Jim cleared his throat. “And now he’s on his way to Piasa, as is just about everyone in the Ambrian universe.”
“Except me.” She knew she had no hope of getting the assignment. She was the lowest level employee there, and would be left behind to cover for everyone else. That went without saying. But she could dream, couldn’t she?
“I’m not going, either. We’ll be here analyzing the dispatches. You know the drill.”
“Indeed.”
“So, when can you get back?”
“Saturday is the very soonest I can manage.”
“Make it early on Saturday. This isn’t a joke, Kelly. We’re really going to need you.”
This news was so exciting, Kelly wanted to dance all the way back to Mei’s room. She wanted to tell Joe, but she stopped herself. Not yet. First, she had to show him that there was really a reason he should care.
Mei was still asleep, so Kelly went out to the entryway to pick up some of the packages she’d brought. First she changed out of the clothes she’d worn for two days now, and put on a pair of snug jeans and a cropped seersucker top that showed off a bit of belly button. She spent a few minutes putting baby food into a cupboard, then went out on the deck, where Joe was reading a newspaper.
“What have you heard about the nanny?” Kelly asked him.
He turned and smiled in a way that let her know he liked how she looked out here in the late afternoon sun.
“She’ll be here tomorrow afternoon.”
“Oh. Good. I hope I’ll have time to train her on what Mei likes.”
He gave her a lopsided grin. “You’ve already become an expert on that, have you?”
She answered with a jaunty tilt of her chin. “Sort of.”
The truth was, she was falling in love with the child. But since doing so was crazy and would only lead to more heartbreak, she kept quiet about it. Why tell him, anyway?
“Mrs. Gomez is her name. A good friend of mine runs this agency. She’ll make sure she’s completely vetted. I trust her judgment.”
Kelly nodded, biting her lower lip. If she was really honest, she would admit that she didn’t relish the prospect of someone else taking over Mei’s care.
“The first thing to notice is if she starts asking any questions about Ambria,” she pointed out as she made her way to the railing and leaned against it, looking toward the ocean.
“You got it. We don’t trust those Ambria-asking people.”
She turned her head to glare at him. “This is serious, Joe. Your friend Sonja might just use her influence to stick a ringer in, someone who would spy for the regime. You never know.”
“Ah, come on,” he said, rising to join her at the railing. The sun was low in the sky and a beautiful sunset was promising to develop. “Even Sonja has her good points.”
From the thread of amusement in his voice, Kelly knew he was goading her just for the fun of it. She could either challenge him or play along. She gave him a sideways look and impulsively decided on the latter.
“Wow, you were bowled over by her beauty, weren’t you?” she said accusingly.
He shrugged, his eyelids heavy as he looked at her. “You’ve got to admit she’s pretty nice to look at.”
“Right.” Kelly made a face. “No wonder the Mata Hari types succeed so well with the dopey gender. Men are totally blinded by beauty. To the point where they ignore danger.”
He managed to look innocent as the driven snow. “Well, yes. What’s wrong with that?”
If only he was as innocent as he looked. She forced back a smile. “Men are just clueless. Babes in the woods. Easy prey for the machinations of the fairer sex.”
“Is that how you see me?”
She threw out her hands. “If the shoe fits…”
His eyes narrowed cynically. “Well, Kelly, my dear, look who’s talking. I mean, you’ve clearly got a crush on me.”
Her mouth dropped at that outrageous statement. “I do not!”
“Really? Why not?”
His expression was endearingly surprised and woebegone, and she had to laugh, knowing he was teasing her.
“You’re crazy,” she told him. “I’m just trying to warn you to beware of Sonja.”
“Sure. That comes through loud and clear.” He moved a little closer so that their shoulders were touching. “Are you sure you’re not jealous?” he asked softly, as though it was a secret he was sharing
with her.
“Jealous?” she practically squealed. “Why would I be jealous?”
He looked at her for a long moment, smiling, then shrugged. “You got me there.”
She cleared her throat, a bit relieved. “Exactly.”
They stayed there for a few minutes, side by side, neither speaking. The sun touched to the ocean, turning the water red and painting the sky in peaches and crimson. Kelly had a wild fantasy of turning to look into Joe’s eyes and curling into his arms. The thought almost stopped her heart cold. She bit her lip and wished it away.
Whether he believed it or not, he was a prince of the Ambrian realm. He wasn’t for the taking. She had to keep her thoughts away from such things.
Finding out the truth about his heritage and making sure he knew how to make the most of it—that was what she was really here for. The fact that he was about the handsomest man she’d ever seen beyond the silver screen had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all.
She sighed and turned to go in and check on Mei, but he stopped her with a hand on her upper arm.
“Kelly, tell me why,” he said, and as she looked into his eyes, it seemed to her they were haunted by some lingering emotion she couldn’t quite identify.
“Why what?” she asked, though she knew.
He swept his arm in a wide arch. “Why all this? Why you’re here. Why you want to do this.” He shook his head, his gaze searching hers. “But most of all, why you’re so intent on putting me up as royalty on a tiny little godforsaken island no one goes to.”
She licked her dry lips and searched for the words to explain, words that would convince him what he had to do.
“I told you I’m an analyst for the Ambrian News Agency. I’m the newest, youngest employee, even though I’ve been there almost two years now. Everybody treats me like a kid.”
He pulled back his hand and she returned to leaning on the rail next to him.
“Everything interesting goes to one of the men. Every time a juicy assignment comes up, it’s the usual, ‘Sorry, dear, we need someone with experience for this one.’ And when I ask how I’m supposed to get experience if no one lets me try, all I get are blank stares.”
