For a moment, Moses was too affected to move another step. His narrowed black stare was fixed on the sandy red locks that tumbled to her back in a riot of heavy curls.
Johari cleared her throat, keeping her face averted and praying he’d move away. Slowly, he complied and they strolled the long portrait-lined corridor towards the elevator bay.
“So where are we going?” Johari inquired after a few moments of silence.
“Dinner,” he said.
“Well can’t you give out any details?”
“Sorry.”
“Dammit, do you just expect me to blindly follow you anywhere?” Jo snapped, turning slightly towards him as she began to stomp along the hall.
Moses wasn’t affected by her mood. “If you plan to talk to your friend once I track him down, then that’s exactly what I expect,” he said, pushing the down button for the elevator.
Jo flashed him a one-dimpled smirk. “Tell me something Moses, besides being damn good at what you do what makes you think Ken would be stupid enough to get himself caught if he’d been getting away with swindling hundreds of thousands of dollars all this time?”
Moses shrugged and eased one hand into his black trouser pocket. “Guess we’ll just have to count on him making a mistake,” he decided, then waved his hand toward an opening elevator when it arrived.
Inside the walnut-paneled car, they ventured to separate sides in silence. Neither could control straying eyes which surveyed in intense and longing fashions. Moses delighted himself in appraising the mauve heels that showed off her pedicure and emphasized the shapeliness of her calves. He grunted when his observations up her thighs, stirred the need below his waist and he balled his fists to silently order the stiffening erection to subside.
Johari risked a glance at his face and surveyed his profile when he turned away. She was disgusted by herself for behaving like a boy-crazy little girl swooning over a gorgeous guy. But dammit, the man looked even more incredible than he had in college. She thought about him then, remembering that she was the envy of almost every woman she knew and several more that she didn’t. ‘The tall red-bone who snagged one of those fine-ass Ramseys’ was what they all said. Hmph, she thought, the laughs probably ran high when word got around about how he’d humiliated her.
Issuing her own soft grunt then, Johari turned to look up at the numbers flashing at the top of the elevator car and marking their descent to the lobby. Her sigh filled the air when the doors finally opened. Moses took her upper arm and she flinched when he began to lead her through the lobby. Moses didn’t release her and didn’t act as though he’d noticed her reaction to his touch. Jo felt herself growing progressively weaker and almost screamed her joy when he stopped near a rugged black Dodge 4x4. She was so relieved she had no time to feel on edge about the intimidating statement the huge truck cast upon her. Moses squeezed her hand and helped her into the passenger side. Jo leaned against the head rest and closed her eyes to pray for a speedy end to the evening.
~~~
“Exactly where are we going?” Jo eventually asked, feeling she’d remained silent long enough. Perhaps too long. They’d driven far outside the city. Even though Johari had no qualms about adventure, branching out with Moses Ramsey didn’t instill calm on her part.
“Moses?” she called, suddenly tuning into the fact that he hadn’t answered.
Finally, he lowered the volume on the vintage Prince track that had been crooning in the background. “Right here,” he said.
At last, Jo saw that they were turning down a gravel road. She cleared her throat. “Where are we going?” she inquired once more. The gravel road was doing even less to instill a sense of calm.
Moses chuckled and continued to drive. Soon, sparkling lights practically blinded all vision. Jo was stunned by what appeared to be a tiny city at the end of the grizzly looking road. Moses stopped the truck before a two story brick building with the name PIPERS emblazoned across the roof.
Jo made no argument when he took her wrist and helped her out of the truck. Still, her silence didn’t prevent her from stumbling off the step rail, thus prompting him to draw her close.
“Okay?” he whispered close to her ear when he drew her next to him.
“Mmm,” was as much as Jo could muster. Faintly, she accepted the fact that she was destined to make a fool of herself for the duration of the evening.
Moses kept her close, smoothing his hands across the crisp cotton sleeves of her dress. His intention was to ease her shivers; yes, but also for his own delight. The doorman at Pipers, waved them inside and soon they were being greeted by the maitre’d who seemed to know Moses quite well.
“My Lord,” the short slender man breathed, unable to resist studying Jo’s face and form. “By far the loveliest lady you’ve ever brought past my doors Mr. Ramsey.”
“I agree, Davis,” Moses returned.
Jo swallowed, trying to tamp down the shivers that sped along her spine.
“If you both would follow me,” Davis instructed with a smile and slow wave.
Jo’s silver gaze narrowed with curiosity as she inspected the establishment which appeared deserted. In truth, there were only three other couples who occupied tables in their own corners of the grand dining room.
“So you come here often?” Jo took a stab at issuing the teasing probe when Davis left them to peruse their menus.
Moses kept his eyes on his menu. “Business,” he only said, smiling when he roused a disbelieving chuckle from her lips.
Jo propped a fist beneath her chin. “Come across a lot of bail jumpers in a place like this, eh?”
“You’d be surprised.”
“I’m sure.”
“You really don’t believe me?” Moses whispered, finally looking up at her. “This place is outside the city and pretty well hidden. It’s been a prime spot for lots of the people I go after.” He shrugged and cast a dark intent stare across the candlelit room. “A few times I’ve had to play dirty-have dinner with the love interest of someone I’m trying to smoke out to make a successful collar.”
“Not very fair to the woman,” Jo pointed out.
“You’re right.”
Johari felt her lips part in surprise to his response. “Do you ever get it wrong?” she asked.
Again, Moses shrugged. “Rarely. People rarely run if they’re innocent.”
“Rarely,” Jo muttered, toying with a curl of her hair. “But not always?”
Moses grinned, understanding her meaning. “You’ll have plenty of time to question your friend about his motives when we catch him.”
“This just doesn’t make any sense,” Jo breathed. She was too preoccupied by worry over Ken to call Moses on his overconfidence. “For him to run or even steal…he’s financially secure, he doesn’t need the money.”
“Maybe it’s not about that,” Moses suggested, watching her closely and hoping to read something more than friendly concern into her expression. His subtle probes were interrupted when the band leader requested the couples come to the dance floor.
Johari’s mind was on anything but dancing, until Moses extended his hand.
“No thanks,” she whispered, hiding both her hands under the table.
Moses’ double dimpled grin flashed with mischief. “Sorry love, but it’s the rules,” he said, laughing softly at the glare she flashed him. “They wait for a full house before asking folks to the floor.”
“A full house?” Jo inquired, silently noting that there were only eight people excluding the band in the room.
“The restaurant only accepts reservations for twenty couples per night. They’re in different dining rooms dispersed throughout the house,” he explained. “There’s never more than fifty customers in the place.”
“That is unique.” Jo signed, observing the placed with renewed interest. “I’m assuming they make up for the low number of customers with the expense of a simple dinner.”
“You bet,” Moses confirmed with a firm nod.
“Must be quite a place to draw you out here even when you’re not on a case,” she commented, her head tilting then. “Or are you on a case? Trying to smoke out Ken by using me?”
Moses stroked his jaw. “No, I’ve wanted to come here off the clock for years,” he shared, sobering noticeably then. “I couldn’t come here with just anyone.”
Jo felt her heart lurch, but shushed the voice that warned her not to ask. “So are you saying I’m not just anyone?”
His expression remained firm. “You’ve never been just anyone, Twig,” he said, drawing her up from the table and into his arms.
Reflexively, Johari tensed and tried to tug away. Moses wouldn’t allow it and she let him carry her to the dance floor.
“Why are you doing this?” she asked, swallowing when he kept her tight against him.
“What do you think I’m doing?” he queried, his dark gaze fixated on the adorable freckles sprinkled across her nose.
Jo rolled her eyes. “Don’t bother. I’ve got a damn good idea.”
“Care to share it?” Moses taunted, dipping his head to breathe in a bit more of her delicious fragrance.
Jo tossed back her head. “What Moses? Woo me? Get me to love you again? Get me not to refuse you anything-especially sexually and then take another woman to bed and humiliate me all over again?”
Moses’ bottomless gaze narrowed to the point that a frown marred his handsome features. Lovely and tough, the phrases would always describe her perfectly. She was quick to point out the fact that foolishness would not be tolerated. Men approached her with caution-similar as a moth to a flame. They were eager to be warmed, even if it meant becoming singed by her heat. The cream complexion still glowed and rivaled her hair for the affect. She refused to be cut down by anyone or anything. He thanked God that what he’d put her through hadn’t taken that away.
But it had. Johari was reminding herself of that very thing as she looked away from Moses. She cursed herself for allowing her emotions to get the better of her. She’d come too far to revert back to the hurt, simpering overwrought girl she’d become when Moses betrayed what they’d shared. Bracing against him, she wrenched herself out of his loosened grip and left the dining room without looking back.
CHAPTER THREE
“Almost twenty miles back to Seattle,” Moses called out when he caught up to Johari, who had stopped walking some distance down the road.
Jo uttered another obscenity. She’d realized that very thing soon after she’d stormed past the restaurant’s doors. She was too embarrassed to turn around and ask someone to call her a cab. It was no surprise to discover her cell had no signal out there. Yet, she kept walking feverishly trying to keep her mind off how wickedly the heels were beginning to bother her feet. She heard the powerful truck engine and prayed it be anyone but Moses Tahir Ramsey. Of course, her prayer went unanswered.
“Come with me,” he called, from the driver’s side window.
Jo shook her head and grimaced when she stumbled a bit on her heel. “I lost my appetite and even if I had one, I wouldn’t want to eat in there,” she vowed, casting a scathing glance across her shoulder. “It’s a place for couples in love, not bounty hunters out trying to catch their latest runner. I don’t want to go back in there.”
Moses nodded, accepting that he’d made a huge mistake in bringing her to such an intimate spot. Of course she’d think he was trying to ease his way back in-into her heart, into her bed…
“Understood,” he called. “Come with me?” he asked again.
Eager to acquiesce to defeat to her killing heels, Jo nodded and allowed him to help her back into the truck.
Once more, Prince’s voice was resonating in the low, seductive octave that made his ballads so provocative. Jo closed her eyes and decided not to make an issue of it. She prayed the trip would be brief and conversation-less. This time, her prayers were answered. When she opened her eyes however, a flood of new questions surfaced.
Moses was parking his truck after driving less than ten minutes. Johari surmised that they were in the depths of the lighted city she’d seen upon their arrival at the restaurant.
“I want to go home Moses. Back to my hotel in Seattle,” she added, figuring extreme clarification was highly necessary.
Moses simply shut down the engine and left the truck.
She fixed him with a weary expression when he came to help her from the passenger side.
“I need to talk to you,” he said, before she could begin her argument.
“Our conversations are so draining,” she sighed, leaning back against the headrest. “I just don’t have the strength for another round.”
“I’ll do all the talking,” he promised, cupping his hand beneath her arm and tugging her from the seat.
The warning shivers slammed her body. “Where are we?” she asked in a subdued tone as they headed towards a row of cabins.
Moses pulled an old-fashioned looking brass key from his front pocket and opened the redwood door they stood before. He waved Jo inside and she looked around the cozy suite.
“No,” she decided, turning back towards the front door.
Moses stood before her, his hands rose defensively. “I only want to talk.”
“Of course!” Johari almost burst into laughter. “And you certainly couldn’t do that without a plush, romantic cabin at your disposal.”
“I don’t want us disturbed,” he explained and tossed his keys to the credenza. “Cell phones don’t work well out here, there’re no phones in the rooms and I’ve waited too damn long to tell you this.”
Jo’s unsettling expectations quelled at his words. “Tell me what?” she whispered. “Exactly what is this about?”
“This is about what you walked in on.”
Clarification beamed like a spotlight and Jo began to shake her head in a determined manner. She moved toward the door again and pounded Moses’ chest when he wouldn’t let her pass.
“Damn you,” she groaned, cursing him for bringing her to tears. “You’re a son of a bitch for forcing me to remember that! You have no idea what seeing you now is doing to me! There, I said it! Are you happy Moses? Does it make you happy to know that you hurt me Ram? That I still hurt? I didn’t stick around for you to see that before, did I?” she spat, wiping tears from her cheeks. “Well, take a good look! You hurt me and you did an incredible job!”
Moses took hold of her arms, unmindful of her struggles as he pinned her to the wall. “It was a lie,” his voiced grated. “It was a lie Twig. What you saw was a lie.”
Her struggles losing some of their intensity, Jo eventually focused on his face. “What? What was a lie?”
Moses let his hands fall away from her. “What you saw-in my bed. I didn’t sleep with her. I meant for you to find us.”
“Snake!” Jo breathed, slapping him hard. “Do you still think I’m stupid, Moses?”
He was too busy grimacing just then to answer. Damn, the woman could hit. “It’s true,” he courageously continued.
Jo folded her arms across the single button on her dress. “And it took you all these years to come up with that? Pathetic.”
“Dammit Johari, why would I care about telling you now?” he argued, his temper beginning a slow simmer.
She stepped close. “Because you love to hurt people. You’re as sick as your father.”
Moses seemed to wither then; appearing as though she’d hit him again. Jo looked away, forcing herself not to care.
“Why should I believe you?” she asked, her voice softer then as she shook her head in bewilderment. “Why would you do this? Why would you do this when I loved you so much? We talked about our future,” she said, her voice cracking on the word. “We-we had a-a future.” Her thoughts were wholly centered on the baby.
Moses massaged the pain forming behind his eyes. He commanded his own emotions to quell, but the fresh pain in her eyes was impossible to bear. Still, he had to tell her everything. It was far too late to clam up now. Jo was pr
essing her lips together and trying not to cry when he started rubbing her back with calming strokes.
“Don’t touch me!” she hissed, flinching away.
“You’re right,” he told her then, giving her space. “I was-probably still am just like my father. You and Josephine were so right about that,” he confided, referring to his mother.
Regretting her words then, Jo tamped down her anger. “Moses-“
“No Twig, you were right. I realized how right my mother was the night Marc gave me my twenty-first birthday present. A trip to the Wind Rage.”
Jo stilled. “The boat? Then-then you knew about-”
“I didn’t know what it was-what it really was,” he said, smoothing a hand across his shaved head. “Pop told me to have a ball-he insisted…and I aimed to please at least one of my parents.”
What remained of Jo’s anger and suspicion completely subsided then to be replaced by curiosity. Josephine’s behavior had always struck her as odd. How could a woman who seemed to love her younger sons possess such a dislike for her eldest? She recalled Moses’ stories regarding his unorthodox upbringing in Georgia. She’d known him almost three years before he told her anything about his family-including the way Josephine left his father, taking her three sons away for a year-until something compelled her to return to Savannah. Still, she’d been gone long enough for Moses to begin school a year late, putting him along with his younger brothers and cousins. There were problems settling in that had less to do with school challenges and everything to do with his mother’s coldness.
“Everyday, she was telling me how I was just like Marc,” he reminisced, pacing the room and stroking his jaw as he spoke. “I survived because I told myself she was wrong. It wasn’t until Marc took me on that ship, that I realized she was right all along.”
Jo closed her eyes, regretting the pain she’d caused him to remember. “Moses-”
“There I was cheating on the only woman I loved.”
The Ramseys Boxed Set Page 90
