She stood outside the closed door, leaning her head against the wood and mentally bracing herself for a confrontation with Drake. What outrageous thing would he suggest today? Would he…she simply didn’t know what that man would do. She thought about him in the hospital bed six years ago, holding his hand and watching his chest, willing him to breathe, praying almost non-stop that he would survive and recover well enough to have a good life. It meant that her father hadn’t won, at least in this instance.
If her father were still alive, he would be furious to learn that the man was even more buff now than he was back then. Why had her father even beaten Drake? What had been the reason? Of course, her father was so horrible, he might not have a reason for his brutality, but she hoped that he had some sort of reasoning and it hadn’t just been for amusement.
“Any chance you might share?”
Sierra jumped, spinning around and almost tripping over her own feet. Drake reached out and easily steadied her before she made a fool of herself and Sierra vehemently wished she didn’t react this way whenever he was around. This was the third time he’d surprised her and she was really becoming irritated with the problem. Why was she so jumpy? What was it about his deep, gravelly voice that just…did something to her?
“Why do you have to sneak up on me like that?” she growled angrily, trying to move out of his arms but he held her still as he looked down into her angry, blue eyes.
“What were you smiling about?” he asked, standing very close, his hands still on her waist and his large hands conveying his heat even through her pink sweater.
She looked confused with his sudden closeness. She’d been mentally girding herself to see him so his sudden presence and his intimate closeness surprised her. Even the way his body was so large caused her breath to catch in her throat. His height and the breadth of his shoulders blocked out almost all the light as well as the other people who might be passing by. It was as if they were in their own world, completely private and sensuously intimate.
“I wasn’t really smiling,” she whispered. She cleared her throat. “I have that meeting you reminded me about.”
He smiled slightly, his eyes dropping down to her lips. “See? I’m already starting to learn your secrets.”
She blinked, confused by his statement. “What secret?” her heart panicked. Please don’t let him make the connection! It suddenly occurred to her that, maybe if he knew who her father was, he would be so repulsed he would leave her alone. Then these confusing feelings that continued to swamp her every time she was near him would go away and she could get on with her life. He wouldn’t want to touch her if he knew who her father was.
He looked at her with concern and curiosity. “Why does the idea of me discovering your secrets terrify you so much?” he asked softly, his long finger sliding gently down her cheek. “You’re not a criminal, are you?” he asked with a teasing grin.
She grabbed his finger, her whole body shaking at how close he’d come. It didn’t matter that they’d known each other for less than twenty-four hours. The man was already closer to her, impacted her senses more than any other man she’d ever dated. She was twenty-four years old and had never been near a man who could make her feel anything so intensely as this man.
Oh why couldn’t it have been someone else? Someone she didn’t fear! Someone who wouldn’t hate her when he learned the truth of her past.
She blinked and stepped to the side. Why was she even thinking that? She didn’t like this man! He was arrogant and irritating. And he always invaded her space, making her feel small and…delicate! She wasn’t ever delicate! She was strong and capable. She’d had to be in order to survive in her father’s household. She and her sister were tough! Definitely not delicate.
“You never know if I’m a criminal. I could be.” She said it as her chin went out. Daring him.
He laughed outright at the idea. “You’re not a criminal,” he countered, looking her up and down. “You’re too cute.”
Sierra knew too well that a sociopath could easily come across as charming and even normal. Her father was one of those people. He would order someone’s death without a second thought and go about his day as if he’d just decided on spaghetti instead of lasagna for dinner. “So I’m a regular Bonnie Parker. What can I say?”
He laughed and bent even lower. “Can I be your Clyde Barrow? Minus all the killings, robberies and mayhem, of course.”
She blushed, knowing that Bonnie and Clyde had a torrid love affair until they were both shot during an ambush. “I don’t think we have the right personalities.” She bowed her head so he couldn’t see her blush.
He cocked his head to the side. “We definitely have the spark. Let’s just take a go at it,” he suggested.
She wasn’t sure how to handle that since all she wanted to do was reach up and touch the dark part of his jaw, the part that looked like it still had a bit of stubble to it despite the use of a good razor only hours ago. “I have that meeting,” she whispered, unable to make her voice stronger. “I really have to go now.”
He didn’t move away immediately, his eyes looking down at her and she suspected that he could read her mind, knew that she was both irritated and excited. “So you do,” he finally said. With that, he stepped back and gave her space, his hands in his pockets as he watched her take a deep breath and knock on Todd’s door.
“You can go on inside,” Drake said from behind her.
Sierra glanced over her shoulder, not sure why he was telling her she could just barge into her boss’s office. “Won’t he…?”
“No.” In fact, he opened the door for her, pushing the wooden door back so she could enter.
Sierra looked inside but the office was empty. Even most of the furniture was gone. “What’s going on?” she asked cautiously, standing just inside the doorway.
She felt Drake right behind her, his chest against her shoulders as his hands settled on her hips. He looked into the office over her head as if he were seeing the space for the first time as well. “The movers did a good job,” he said and gently pushed her inside, then closed the door behind the two of them. “Have a seat.” He walked around her to one of the two chairs left in the room.
“What’s happening?” she demanded, not taking the other chair. “Where’s Todd and where is all of his furniture?” She’d always loved Todd’s office. It was warm and grandfatherly. Not the style that would be conducive to her work, but it had felt warm and inviting.