Almost A Honeymoon. Susan Crosby

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СКАЧАТЬ your daily rate, you can manage a little discomfort, Warner. So, does security loosen enough to allow for maid service, or should I make my bed?”

      “Management has been asked not to disturb us.”

      “We can’t go out at all? Not even to eat?”

      “Lloyd will keep us fed. Anything you want, just ask.”

      “When does he sleep if he’s catering to us plus being a night watchman?”

      Rye picked up the telephone receiver and began punching numbers. “He won’t be around every night. Just last night, because I was so tired.”

      “Meaning, we pay for an extra man because you came to this job tired. No wonder your bills are so outrageous.”

      “It’s all relative, Harry. What value do you put on your life?”

      Paige opened and closed her mouth. He’d stumped her with logic, leaving her no argument. She drummed her fingers on the upholstered arms of the chair as she watched him punch in another series of numbers, then sit back, the slightest smile on his lips. His gaze dropped to her legs as she crossed one over the other, and she felt a tremor of awareness at the unspoken flattery in his eyes, hardly able to comprehend that such a little action could spur Warner the Barbarian’s interest.

      “Warner here,” he said into the telephone before tipping the mouthpiece and saying to Paige, “Do you ever wear miniskirts, or is your standard the middle-of-the-knee look you’ve got on?”

      She watched him catalog her body, zone by zone, forcing her to analyze her response to his blatant appraisal. Her nipples drew instantly into hard buds against sheltering lace that became suddenly abrasive, almost painfully so. Could he see her reaction? If she crossed her arms over her chest, would he smirk with self-satisfaction?

      The longer he stared, the more she ached—and the more uncomfortable she became. She had to know what he could see.

      She leaned forward to pick up her coffee cup and sent a quick glance down herself. Damn. There was no way his eagle eyes could have missed that.

      “I’ve been known to expose my knees,” she forced herself to say into the heavy silence. “But since I work mostly with men, I have to be careful of the image I present.”

      “It’s hard to imagine you letting down—” He jerked the receiver up again. “Patrick... No problems... Ask her yourself... All right, got it... Here, I’ll put her on.” He passed the phone to Paige.

      “You all right, kid?” Patrick asked, after she said hello.

      Paige welcomed the chance to divert her train of thought. “I’m furious with you.”

      “What do you think of Warner? Nice touch, huh?”

      She watched Rye add another line to his growing list. He’s younger than I expected, she thought. “As prison guards go, he rates a ten.” She returned a placid stare to Rye’s raised brows and a one-sided quirk of his mouth.

      “He knows what he’s doing. You can trust him.”

      “Well, I guess I’ll have to, won’t I? Why didn’t you tell me about Joey? I’m not a child.”

      “But you’re still my baby. You took care of me for a long time, honey. I’m just returning the favor.”

      Paige slumped a little. “We took care of each other, Dad. We grew up together, but we’re both grown up now. I can handle the truth. Do you really believe I’m in that much danger?”

      “Yes, I do.”

      “And you? What are you doing to protect yourself?”

      “Security’s solid, honey. Don’t worry about me. Did Rye tell you not to call home?”

      “Oh, yes. I got my orders.” She unconsciously watched Rye as he moved to pour himself another cup of coffee. Comparing the width of his shoulders to the slenderness of his hips made her stomach flip-flop. She looked away, willing herself to remember his ego. “Are you sure I can’t drum up some business while I’m here?”

      “Rye says you need to lay low. He’s the boss.”

      “What’s happening with Collins-Abrahamson?”

      “The deal’s on hold until you get back.”

      “Promise?”

      “Have I ever lied to you, kid?”

      Paige laughed briefly. “That was a joke, right?”

      He sputtered. “I haven’t lied about anything important.”

      “How about the other bodyguards you arranged for me?”

      “Now, Paige, honey. Those were just little white lies. They weren’t meant to hurt you.”

      “Uh-huh. I’m really angry, Dad. Don’t think we won’t discuss this further when I get home.”

      “You’ll forgive me.”

      “Don’t be so sure. Will I talk to you soon?”

      “Every day, kid. Relax, okay? Pretend you’re on vacation.”

      “Did you and Warner conspire? That’s exactly what he said. But as you’ll both recall, it was my vacation that started this mess.”

      “We all make mistakes.”

      “Yeah, well, mine was a doozy.”

      “It’ll turn out, kid. Keep the faith.”

      She cradled the receiver softly. “This is the worst possible time for me to be away.”

      “Why?” Rye finished the sentence he was writing, then looked up.

      “We’ve got a big deal cooking, a potential merger. My father tends to take risks with the company he has no business taking. If I’m not there to intervene, I’m afraid of what will happen.”

      “Your father built that company on risks.”

      “But it’s stable now. A lot of people depend on him for work. He has to be more careful.” She stood and refilled her coffee cup before moving to stand by the mantel to stare at the fire. “It doesn’t matter. He’ll do what he wants anyway and tell me about it later.”

      “Don’t you ever get messed up?”

      She turned around. He had assumed a casual pose—one ankle crossed over his knee, his arm stretched along the back of the couch, a pencil dangling lightly from his fingers. She didn’t like the way he studied her.

      “What do you mean?”

      He gestured with a quick hand. “I mean nothing on you wrinkles or clings or droops. Not a strand of hair out of place. Would any dare?”

      Rye watched her СКАЧАТЬ