Beastly Beautiful (13 page)

“You haven’t said anything to the contrary, so I take it you got home all right this morning?” he asked. His tone was casual, but Teagan wondered if this was his roundabout way of broaching the incident from last night.

“I made it back fine, thanks.” Since when had he cared about how she got home, or even if she got there, after leaving his place? She kept the thought to herself.

“Good. You look like you managed to get in a bit of rest too.”

Teagan decided it was time she took over the conversation. “How did you sleep?” she asked pointedly.

His expression said he knew very well what she was getting at. “Quite well,” he said, with a tone of finality. “At least, I will tonight.” Obviously, he didn’t plan to touch any closer on the subject.

“Good,” she said, mimicking his authority. “Javen.” She hadn’t planned on adding that last, but it had sort of slipped out on its own. All the same, she couldn’t help inflecting amusement into the name.

Sir apparently caught her mood for his eyebrows lifted a little. “You don’t approve? Of my name?”

“I think I’ll stick with Sir,” she said, straight faced.

He shrugged. “Suit yourself. Most people are eager to get on a first name basis with me.”

“I’m sure your pretty receptionist is.”

“What’s that? Jealousy? I hadn’t realized you felt that way about me.”

“I don’t believe that. I think you imagine all women feel that way about you.”

“And you think they don’t?”

Before she could form a reply, the conversation was interrupted by a light rapping on the door. Sir raised his voice. “What is it, Kat?”

The pretty receptionist poked her head in the door. “I’m sorry, sir, but your one o’clock appointment has arrived.”

Sir? Not Javen this time? Teagan shot him a significant look, which he ignored.

“Tell him I’ll be with him in a few minutes,” he was saying to the receptionist.

Kat puckered her lips in a slightly disapproving expression. She ducked silently back out the door, but not before Teagan caught the quick, calculating glance thrown her way. Clearly, Kat wondered what private business was taking up her boss’s time.

“A shame,” Sir said to Teagan. “I was learning so much about myself, and we were just getting started.”

Teagan ignored that. “I see I’m cutting into your schedule. Maybe I’d better go.”

Sir appeared distracted. “It’s nothing urgent. He can wait.”

Teagan wondered what his visitor in the next room had done to earn the note of distaste that had crept into Sir’s voice. Then again, maybe it was her he was annoyed with. At any rate, all traces of their lighter conversation had evaporated now.

“Sit down,” he said, seeming not to notice she already had. “I have a business proposition to discuss with you.”

“Another one?”

He waved a careless hand. “This has nothing to do with that other deal. It’s an unrelated matter.”

“I see.” She didn’t really, but felt some answer was necessary to fill the silence.

He continued. “There’s a small nuisance that needs to be taken care of. Nothing important. Well, it’s important to me, I suppose, but…” He paused, as if to consider his next words. Teagan thought that was unlike the Sir she was accustomed to. When he spoke again, he surprised her by taking up a seemingly unrelated subject.

“My parents died when I was very young, Teagan. My grandfather all but raised me. Grandfather Rotham is old and his health is poor these days, but his wits are still sharp. It was he who began this bank and built it up to what it is today, practically single handedly. I owe everything to him, and he, in turn, follows all my actions, both in the business world and elsewhere, with avid interest. For these reasons, worrying him or disappointing him has always been among my greatest fears.”

He cut off abruptly, and Teagan thought he had admitted more of his personal feelings than he’d meant to. Certainly, she would never have guessed he had a softer side for family. He spoke briskly now, as if to smother that image. “Both Grandfather and I will be attending a charity event tomorrow evening, a banquet to raise funds for the new hospital downtown. Grandfather’s already made a sizable contribution, as well as organizing this event.”

Teagan struggled for something relevant to say to a subject that appeared to have nothing to do with her. “You must be proud of him.”

He brushed the compliment aside. “Of course. I always have been. He, on the other hand, has been somewhat displeased with me, of late. Certain facets of my personal life have earned his disapproval.”

“Oh? I can’t imagine why,” Teagan said innocently, thinking of his obvious drinking problem and his late night partying. To say nothing of the stream of pretty receptionists and assistants who probably poured in and out of his life.

He didn’t answer her sarcastic comment. “Neither can I. But be that as it may, I’m willing to placate the old man, and I think I know just the way to get back into his good graces. He’s always badgering me to settle down and take an interest in just one woman for a while. I gather he thinks the right woman in my life can tame my evil habits, or some such romantic nonsense.”

“Nonsense, indeed,” Teagan commented. “All the right women are too busy looking for the right man to waste time reforming a flawed character like you.” She didn’t know where she was getting the courage to slip in such comments, but Sir didn’t seem offended by her words.

“My thoughts exactly,” he said. “That’s why I’ve developed a slightly devious scheme to persuade the old man I’m really and truly prepared to settle down. For the past few weeks, I’ve been dropping little hints to him about this new woman in my life, the most amazing, sweet, and clever creature you’d ever want to meet. She’s intelligent, loving, and successful. And naturally, she worships me.”

“Naturally.” Teagan tried to keep a sour note out of her voice. She had suspected a mystery girlfriend all along. She wondered how Kat felt about this other woman. She tried not to dwell on what she felt about it because her own emotions regarding the news were unsettling.

Sir was continuing, apparently oblivious to her response. “I’ve promised Grandfather he would meet this exalted beauty tomorrow night at the event. That’s what I meant to get your opinion on. My date for the night is a clever and attractive girl. I didn’t exaggerate there. Unfortunately, she has no fashion sense, and I have it in mind to send one of my assistants out to pick her up a few things for tomorrow night. I can’t be introducing my grandfather to some unsophisticated slouch. I’m thinking she’ll need formal attire and maybe some sort of dazzling jewelry to blind Grandfather to any of her weaker points. What do you think?”

Teagan was puzzled. “Actually, right now I’m wondering why your little redheaded assistant couldn’t answer any questions for you on the subject. I don’t know anything about what women wear to these things.”

“Kat,” Sir said, “can be very resourceful. But it’s you I needed to consult about the eveningwear.”

Teagan shrugged. “Um, okay.”

“What size are you?”

She frowned. “That’s not your business. If your date has the build of your receptionist, I’d say she needs a size five in a dress. I didn’t pay much attention to Kat’s feet, but they looked pretty big. Maybe a shoe size…” That was as far as she got before Sir’s suggestion sank in. “Your perfect girlfriend is a fabrication, isn’t she? I’m your real date.” She felt stupid for catching on so slowly.

“You are if you’re interested in scoring a nice fat bonus on your monthly paycheck.”

Outwardly, she heaved a sigh of annoyance, but inwardly she felt a rush of relief she had no explanation for. Somehow she hadn’t wanted to think of Sir being tamed by his perfect Ms. Right. Nevertheless, suspicion mingled with her relief.

“Why couldn’t Kat play the part and impress your grandfather for you?”

“I thought you didn’t like Kat.”

“I never said I didn’t like her,” she pointed out.

“You inferred it when you made reference to her big feet. If I’m not mistaken, catty remarks are the usual sign of a woman’s disapproval.”

“I simply think you could do better,” she suggested, feeling her cheeks turning pink.

“So do I. That’s why I chose you.”

No longer certain what they were talking about, Teagan decided it was time to take a step back and start over. “How much money are we talking? I think you know I’m not going into this for pocket change.”

“Outrageous,” he said calmly. “I take you out for a magical evening, wining and dining with high society, and you charge me a fee?” But then he amended his stance. “I’m well aware taking on such a greedy companion is going to cost me. I’m prepared to pay the price.”

“Which makes me wonder why you agree to do it,” Teagan said. “Surely any one of a number of your lady friends would jump at the chance, and not expect to be paid for it.”

He looked amused. “None of my other lady friends are on speaking terms with me at present. Besides, not just any girl will live up to my glowing assessment and impress my grandfather. I had to pick someone suitable to play the part.”

“And I’m suitable?”

His dark eyes glittered. “I think I can make you so, yes.”

Another light rap at the door made Teagan jump. She cast off the unnamed emotion that had begun to settle over her under Sir’s perusal. “It’s time for me to go.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Kat will show you out and see you’re taken care of downstairs. I’ll pick you up tomorrow night at six. I’ll send the clothes around to you before then.”

Teagan barely heard him. Her head was feeling oddly light and suddenly, she was aware of a strong need to escape his presence. She needed time to consider the unexpected sensations that overcame her every time she shared an encounter with Sir. Something in their business relationship was starting to go very wrong.

Chapter 18

Teagan was preoccupied as she passed through the reception area. She walked by Kat’s desk without a glance and barely noticed the nervous little man in a blue coat who shoved past her in the doorway on his way into Sir’s office. As she stepped into the corridor with the elevator, her thoughts were full of Sir, their new arrangement, and her own strange feelings surrounding it all. Perhaps more than anything, she admitted to herself, she was worried over how her confused feelings toward Sir might affect her secret deal with Dr. Green.

Maybe that was why it didn’t sink in right away. Not until she was on her way down to the first floor was she suddenly jolted by the memory of what she had seen. The skinny man in the blue coat… She swallowed, trying to deny the idea, but it was no good. She had seen that man once before, as he trailed her along the city sidewalks. Hanging back at a distance. Watching. He had turned and disappeared the moment she had caught him. Surely that was a sign he was planning something evil.

Why had this same man been in Sir’s office? The first logical thought was he had followed her there. But the next possibility was more disturbing. He was Sir’s one o’clock appointment. The visitor Sir had been annoyed with and had put off seeing. Maybe Sir’s annoyance had stemmed from the fact he didn’t want Teagan to see his visitor. But that idea made no sense. What could Sir and the blue-coated stranger have in common—except her?

All the way down to the first floor, as her heart raced and soothing elevator music played in the background, Teagan tried to figure out the puzzle. She briefly toyed with the idea of crashing back into Sir’s office and demanding to know what was going on. But try as she might, she couldn’t work up the nerve to do it. What if it was all just some weird coincidence? Or what if she was mistaken and it wasn’t the same man? After all, she had only seen her stalker from a distance and his face had been unclear. It was possible she had misrecognized him just now. But her gut argued with the logic of her head. It was him. Somehow she just knew.

That was as far as she had gotten in her thoughts by the time the elevator dinged and the doors opened to release her onto the first floor. Stepping out into the busy lobby, she hesitated, glancing back at the elevator. But it was useless. She knew she wasn’t going to work up the nerve to confront the two men. Not on Sir’s home ground anyway. The time for that would come later.

Retrieving the promised cash from the dark-haired teller she had spoken with earlier, she departed the bank, her business complete. Once out on the street, paranoia set in, so that she found herself peering up at the office windows on the upper floors. Were Sir and his blue-coated friend watching her out one of those windows? Then, as pedestrians crowded around her and the momentum of the crowd carried her on down the sidewalk, she found herself studying the faces of the passersby. Were any of them more spies sent to watch her? The thought made her so uncomfortable she stepped out to the curb and hailed a cab to take her home.

* * * *

Immediately on entering the warmth and safety of her apartment, Teagan sat down to write another report to Dr. Green. The conversation in Sir’s office was fresh in her memory, and she didn’t want to forget the details. And yet…and yet as she drew to the end of the report, her pen slowed in its tracks across the page.

She remembered that uncomfortable feeling that had overtaken her back in the office. Since when had she started getting sentimental? And over Sir, of all people. The direction of her thoughts made her squirm, so that she set back to work on the report with more determination than ever. Whatever these ridiculous feelings were, they must be crushed as ruthlessly as she squashed the big black roaches that got into her kitchen sink every morning.

She rapidly finished the report, folded it, and stuffed it into the drawer on her nightstand. No point in sending it just yet, she told herself. She might as well add to it regularly until she had a week’s worth of information to mail out to Vermont.

Sure, that’s why you’re putting it off
, a little voice whispered snidely in her head,
it couldn’t be you’re giving yourself more time to think it over, more time to change your mind
.