Joel gave her a keen glance. “You know something about this, Sabrina?”
“I may,” she answered grimly, her fists clenching involuntarily. “What did they want?”
Craigen took out a cigar and lit it before leaning back again in his chair. He quoted briefly, “Sabrina Courtney is not to perform in any capacity. She is to be terminated immediately, or any required action will be taken against Noveltygrams.”
“That’s ridiculous,” Sabrina said furiously, “What could they possibly do to you?”
“Plenty,” Joel said tersely. “For starters, Alex Ben Raschid sits on the board of the bank that’s considering my expansion loan. I’m strictly small potatoes, Sabrina. Sedikhan Petroleum could force me out of business in two months’ time if they decided to exert a little muscle.”
“There must be laws to prevent a company from doing that,” Sabrina protested hotly. “Who is Alex Ben Raschid, some kind of dictator? I just can’t believe you’re giving in to him!”
“Do you think I like having them lean on me?” he asked harshly. “I’d like to tell them to go to hell, but this business means a lot to me. I’ve worked damn hard and invested every cent I could lay my hands on. There’s no way I’m going to let it go down the drain. It may not be fair, but you’re expendable, Sabrina,” he finished bluntly.
The surge of rage that shook her prevented her from speaking for a moment. How dare Alex do this to her! The supreme arrogance of the action took her breath away. How vicious to take away a person’s livelihood just to avenge a blow to his self-esteem. Somehow she hadn’t believed him capable of such pettiness, and her disillusionment added fuel to her anger.
Mistaking her silence for despondency, Joel said with gruff sympathy, “I know you need the job, kid, and I’ll give you a damn good reference.” He began to toy with the pencil again, obviously wishing this interview were over. “Maybe if you can smooth over your differences with Ben Raschid we could work something out.”
She leaped to her feet, her eyes blazing. “You expect me to go to him on my knees, begging for my job back?” she gritted her teeth, leaning forward and putting both hands on the desk. “I may be naïve, but I still believe that no one should give up his self-respect for money. I don’t want to work for you any more, Joel.” She drew a deep breath, trying to control herself. “I’m going to see Alex Ben Raschid all right but only to tell him what a grade-A bastard he is!”
She turned and stormed out of the office, past the startled receptionist, to the ancient red Volkswagen parked at the curb.
FIVE
THE SEDIKHAN PETROLEUM Building was known to everyone in Houston. A towering skyscraper, it seemed to be composed entirely of reflecting glass and was a miracle of modern architecture. When it had officially opened a year before, the Sunday Supplement had carried a four-page pictorial story on it. Sabrina, however, didn’t even notice the much-touted exterior as she pulled into the parking lot. She walked determinedly into the lobby, and after locating the executive offices in the directory, entered the elevator and pushed the button for the top floor. Ordinarily the plush luxury of the building would have intimidated her, but now the affluent surroundings only reminded her of the arrogance of the man she was going to see. That someone with such wealth could be so ruthless, so callous, only added fuel to her anger.
When the elevator door opened, she strode into the lushly carpeted foyer like a young Amazon going into battle. The outer office was occupied by a sleek brunette at a mahogany desk. She looked up with a dazzling smile that rapidly faded as she took in the sight of Sabrina in her faded Levi’s and white oxford cloth shirt. “May I help you, please?” she asked.
“I’d like to see Alex Ben Raschid. I’m Sabrina Courtney.”
The brunette smiled tolerantly. “I’m afraid Mr. Ben Raschid is a very busy man. He never sees anyone without an appointment. Do you have an appointment?”
“I do not have an appointment, but I’m going to see Alex Ben Raschid now.” The last word was said with such intensity that it caused even the confident receptionist to waver.
“I’ll ring his private secretary, Miss Courtney,” she said coolly, picking up the receiver, “but I don’t think it will do any good. Mr. Ben Raschid never sees anyone unless they’re expected.”
“Oh, I’m expected,” Sabrina said grimly. “I’ll lay odds that Alex is expecting me.”
The brunette looked puzzled as she spoke into the phone. She listened for a moment, her expression changing to one of shock, then she said briskly, “Right away, Miss Johnson,” and replaced the telephone. “You’re to go right in, Miss Courtney,” she said to Sabrina. “Mr. Ben Raschid left orders that he would be available to you at any time.”
“How kind of him,” Sabrina said bitterly, only the surface meaning of the double entendre reaching the receptionist, to judge by the look on her face.
“It’s the door on the left and straight to the end of the hall,” she said, her glossy smile once more in place.
The door at the end of the hall opened to a luxurious office done in beige and orange, and the desk this time was occupied by a dark-haired woman in her middle thirties with an air of computerlike efficiency.
The secretary didn’t even raise an eyebrow at Sabrina’s appearance but said coolly, “I’m Velma Johnson, Miss Courtney. I’m sorry you were kept waiting.” She waved a perfectly manicured hand at a brown tweed couch. “Won’t you sit down, and I’ll order you some coffee. Mr. Ben Raschid is in conference with two department heads, but he should be through shortly.”
Sabrina strode past her to the single door on the wall behind her desk. Turning the knob, she said emphatically, “Miss Johnson, I don’t care if he’s in conference with the King of Siam. I’m seeing him!”
The two older men seated in front of the large, teak executive desk looked up, startled at the intrusion. Sabrina ignored them as she walked across the wide expanse of plush, hunter green carpet, her whole attention fixed on the man behind the desk.
Alex Ben Raschid was dressed for business in a charcoal gray suit and vest, his white shirt contrasting sharply with his dark hair and golden tan. He was studying some papers in front of him as she walked in but looked up abruptly when one of the men broke off in the middle of a sentence. His ebony glance raked over her boldly, and a slow, mocking smile lit his face.
Velma Johnson, hurrying in behind her, broke in apologetically, “I’m sorry, Mr. Ben Raschid, I told her you were busy.”
He rose to his feet in one lithe movement and came around the desk. “It’s all right, Velma,” he said coolly. “Sabrina is sometimes a little impatient, aren’t you, darling?” He put an arm around her waist affectionately, but Sabrina could detect the steely strength beneath the casual embrace. “I suppose I should be flattered.”
Flattered! “Alex, you are—”
“Yes, darling, I know,” he interrupted smoothly. He turned to the two men. “If you’ll excuse me, we’ll continue this meeting at another time.” As they began putting their papers into their briefcases, he turned to Velma Johnson. “See that I’m not disturbed until Miss Courtney leaves.”
Sabrina caught a knowing exchange of glances between the two department heads and bit her lip in frustration. When the door finally closed behind them, she was positively seething. “I don’t know what you think you accomplished by that little charade,” she exploded, breaking away from Alex.
He seemed content to let her go, now that there was no longer an audience. He seated himself on the corner of the desk and crossed his arms, watching with all evidence of enjoyment the rage that illuminated her face. “I merely wanted to put a good façade on the situation,” he drawled smoothly. “I wouldn’t want you to be embarrassed the next time you meet the gentlemen.”
“As I don’t intend to see either man again, I don’t see that your argument is valid,” she said icily.
“You didn’t like them?” he asked, raising a brow. “They’re quite nice, but of course we’ll avoid them i
f you’ve taken a dislike to them.”
Sabrina mentally counted to ten before answering. “I don’t even know them. But if they have anything to do with you, I wouldn’t touch them with a ten-foot pole!”
“That’s good, Sabrina, I wouldn’t want any other man closer than that to you,” he said softly.
“Will you stop talking inanities?” she asked furiously. “You know why I’m here. How could you do such an unspeakable thing? No, don’t tell me. I’m sure it comes quite easily to such an insufferable egotist.” She was pacing up and down the room as she spoke but stopped in front of him. “Did it ever occur to you here in your ivory tower that some people need to work for their living?”
There was a flicker of anger in the dark eyes that watched her, and a muscle jerked in his cheek. “I think when you get to know me better, Sabrina, you’ll find I work quite hard. What’s more, I provide jobs for thousands of employees.”
“Is that what makes you think you can play God?” she asked scornfully, tossing her head.
He muttered a low oath. “Believe me, I’m leaning closer to Mephistopheles at the moment. You’d try the patience of a saint. Don’t go too far, Sabrina.” His tone was soft, but ominous. “You’re no doubt ranting about the action I was forced into taking this morning.”
“Forced?” she spat, her green eyes darkening to almost emerald with anger. “Who could have forced the great Alex Ben Raschid to get me fired?”
“Why, you did, Sabrina,” he said mockingly. “If you’d agreed to come and live with me, none of this would have been necessary. If you’d come to the party yesterday, I would have offered you a job at Sedikhan Petroleum then.”
“And just what would my duties have been?” she grated.
“Anything you like. Secretarial, sales, whatever suits you. I told you I’d let you set the pace”—he paused—“at least for a while.” He stood up and moved slowly toward her and she backed away involuntarily. “The offer is still open, Sabrina,” he said caressingly. “I wouldn’t take away one job without providing another in its place—at double your present salary.”
“And that’s supposed to make it all right?” she asked incredulously. “How would you know I’d like your job? For your information, I was quite happy with the one I had. I don’t want your darn, stuffy job!”
The flicker in his dark eyes leaped into flame as Alex’s hands clamped on her upper arms. “You may enjoy flaunting that luscious body before strange men, but you’ll have to give up your teasing little games. I find I’m curiously possessive of you, Sabrina.” He pulled her closer so that the last words were muttered into her hair.
The magic of his sexual magnetism was pulling at her even as the words repelled. She could feel the erratic pounding of his heart and the heat of his body through his clothing. She reached up to push him away, but his hands slid down her arms to her wrists, pulling them behind her back and arching her body to fit his. His muscles were taut, his arousal shockingly obvious.
“See what you do to me?” he whispered huskily, his tongue exploring her ear. With little kisses he followed the line of her cheek until he reached her lips, and his mouth covered hers. He groaned, his tongue invading with an intimacy that caught at her breath. She made a sound between a moan and a sob. Too late she realized she should never have come here. His lovemaking was causing her to doubt even her reason for approaching him. Had it really been rage or had that been an excuse to once more come shivering to warm herself at this flame of physical pleasure?
He’d released her arms to pull her hips still closer to his in even greater intimacy. Free, she didn’t push him away, instead she slipped her arms under his coat to press herself closer to him. He gave a husky laugh and swept her off her feet, then carried her to the massive executive chair behind the desk, where he cradled her on his knees possessively.
“Why do I feel this tenderness whenever I hold you in my arms?” he asked, his lips moving to caress the lobe of her ear. “Even when I’m wanting you so much I ache with it, I want to treat you as if you were Dresden china.” His lips moved to the pulse point under her chin. “I knew you’d be angry that I’d pulled strings to get you fired, sweetheart, but I had to do it.” His lips moved down to the hollow of her throat. “I couldn’t take it. You can see that, can’t you? Forgive me, Sabrina. I promise I’ll make it up to you, love.”
Perhaps it was those words, “Forgive me,”—so alien to Alex, she knew—but she was lost and felt only the need to give whatever he asked of her. Then he was kissing her again. His swift hands dispensed with the buttons of her shirt and the front fastening of her bra, freeing her breasts to his palms. She gasped as his fingers caressed and teased. When he looked down, a flush mottled his cheeks and his eyes glazed with desire. “Do you know, you have the most perfect breasts I’ve ever seen,” he whispered. “They were meant to be loved.” He lowered his lips to take one eager nipple in his mouth and she shuddered with the incredible sensation he evoked with his lips and tongue. Suddenly her hands were working at the buttons of his vest and shirt.
“Alex, accounting has finished—” Clancy Donahue broke off abruptly.
One moment she was cradled on Alex’s lap, his lips at her breast, the next she was crushed to his chest, her head buried in his shoulder, his arms wrapped around her protectively.
“Damn you, Clancy,” Alex’s voice rumbled angrily beneath her ear. “I told Velma we weren’t to be disturbed. What the hell do you mean breaking in here?”
“Damn! I’m sorry, Alex.” Donahue’s voice definitely sounded sorry. “Velma wasn’t at her desk, and I knew you wanted this report.” There was the sound of a hasty withdrawal and the closing of a door.
Alex’s arms loosened their viselike hold as he put her a little away from him. “Now, where were we?” he murmured huskily.
But the moment of shock and embarrassment at Donahue’s intrusion had flooded Sabrina with cold reason. She felt a sickness in the pit of her stomach at her own abysmal weakness. If Donahue hadn’t come in, she would have yielded anything Alex demanded. She shook her head dazedly and pushed herself off his lap, her hands fumbling at the buttons of her shirt. Surprisingly, he let her go after one keen look at her face.
“I was afraid Clancy had blown it,” he said, his lips curving in a wry smile as he watched her move away. She noted dully that he didn’t bother to button the waistcoat her eager fingers had unfastened; perhaps he wanted to remind her of his power over her. It was quite an effective ploy, she thought miserably, shame darkening her face. There was no way she could deny she’d not only been submissive, but eager. How could she have been such a fool? Her shaking hands lifted to refasten the ponytail Alex had loosened, the movement pulling her shirt tight over her breasts. She looked up at the sound of his sharply indrawn breath.
“Don’t be provocative, Sabrina. I’m within an inch of taking you right here and now. And we both know you wouldn’t be unwilling very long, don’t we?”
His question pierced her armor with fatal accuracy. Suddenly the tears that had been threatening rolled down her cheeks as she stared at him with the helplessness of a hurt fawn.
“Damn!” he swore softly. He was across the office and she was in his arms again. His embrace was almost sexless, a warm, protective enfolding only meant to comfort, not entice, as he held her for a long, peaceful moment. “Easy, sweetheart. Damn it, don’t you know what that does to me? I think I’m back in cool control again and then you do something like that and it blows everything sky high.” He drew a deep, shuddering breath. “I feel like I’m melting inside. God, I’ve never known anything like this in my life.”
How many facets were there to his character, Sabrina wondered? He changed like a chameleon from one moment to the next. With a sigh she moved away from him. “I’m quite all right now,” she said with fragile dignity.
His mouth twisted. “I wish I could say the same.” He ran his fingers through his dark hair. “I don’t usually find myself acting big brother to a wom
an I want to bed, nor do I generally seduce women in my office.”
The faint note of accusation in his voice caused her to raise her chin in indignation. “I suppose that’s my fault, too,” she said. “I forced you to make love to me!”
“In a manner of speaking. You’re a very desirable woman and your promiscuous behavior is an open invitation to any man.”
“Promiscuous! How can you call my behavior promiscuous? I’ve done everything in my power to discourage you!”
His lips twisted cynically, and there was leaping anger in his dark eyes. “I appear to be excluded from your amorous propensities,” he said harshly. “It’s enough to give one an inferiority complex when you appear to be so overly generous with your favors with everyone else. Doesn’t your lover object to your other men?”
“My lover?” Sabrina asked blankly.
“That young fool of a cowboy you kissed in front of half of Houston,” he said bitterly. “And who was the older man you were so intimate with in the box? Another lover?”
“Why not?” she said sarcastically, her voice rising. “If I’m a femme fatale, why not another man? Why not ten other men?”
He reached out and shook her. “Damn you, was that your lover?”
“Of course he’s my lover,” she said, almost hysterically. “They’re all my lovers!”
“You bitch,” he gritted his teeth, his hands tightening on her shoulders.
She felt a feverish excitement that ignored the danger inherent in taunting him. The pain and humiliation he’d inflicted on her were crying out to be revenged. “I told you I’d take as many lovers as I liked,” she said wildly. “And there’s nothing you can do about it.”
Alex took a deep breath and suddenly the cool businessman was back, the dark eyes masked but emanating such power and menace that she would rather have faced the unleashed violence of the moment before. He released her very carefully and stepped back, buttoning his jacket and smoothing his hair casually. “I can do a great deal about it. I was prepared to be patient, but you’ve made me angry, Sabrina. I’m not waiting any longer. You’d better run along now,” he said dismissively, as he moved behind the desk. “I have an appointment in a few minutes.”
The Trustworthy Redhead Page 7
