Honey Kisses (Romance on the Ranch Series #2) (19 page)

"What are you doing?"

"I’m getting into the car, Miss
Childress."

"I don’t want you in the back seat. All my
other guards ride in the front."

"Am I protecting you or the driver?"

"I always ride alone in the back
seat."

Roth saw Johnson adjust the rearview mirror,
watching their verbal battle. Although Johnson’s eyes smiled, his
professionalism didn't allow his mouth to join in. Johnson put the car in gear
and started down the drive. When Rainey attempted to scoot closer to her
window, her briefcase fell on the floor. Roth bent to retrieve it, and so did
she. They bumped shoulders. As if jolted by electricity, she jumped back and
sputtered, yanking the briefcase from his hands. Placing it back on her lap,
she opened it and thumbed through its contents, pulling out documents.

Once past the guard-station at the entrance to
the mansion, Johnson drove them through rural countryside to the Childress
Enterprises complex located on the outskirts of Portland. It took thirty
minutes to reach the private entrance and the guards waved him through. Rainey
opened her briefcase again and began stashing the papers back inside.

"Do you always read upside down, Miss
Childress?"

"What?"

Roth nodded toward the papers. "They’re
upside down." With a mortified look, she squashed the pages into her
briefcase and fumbled with the clasp. As soon as the vehicle stopped in front
of the building housing the laboratories, she opened her door and made haste
toward the entrance. Johnson, who had stepped out of the car, watched her
retreating form, and then looked at Roth and winked. Roth suppressed a smile,
nodded to the highly trained chauffeur/bodyguard, and followed his ward.

Roth sighed. So far, this assignment was turning
into one of his worst. The Thirteen co-Princes must have had good reason for
sending him here, but he hoped the mission would be a short one—even though the
morning had proven to be quite entertaining.

He followed Rainey to the check-in station just
inside the entrance. Having already been introduced to the guards and
instructed in procedures, he quickly received clearance. He entered an elevator
with Rainey and rode to the eleventh, and top floor. She kept her back to him.

When the elevator braked, he followed her to the
only door in the hallway. After passing her keycard over a sensor, the door
clicked open. He entered behind her and the door clicked shut. The hair on
Roth’s arms electrified and his sixth sense kicked in. Another shapeling was
near. He stayed close behind Rainey, searching the lab with his eyes. She
entered a small interior office and dropped her briefcase on a desk. She then
stepped behind the desk and opened a lower drawer, stashing her purse. Roth
stood in the doorway viewing every inch of her office. Satisfied, he turned and
again scanned the lab. Three long tables stretching almost a third of the
length of the large rectangular room were crowded with lab paraphernalia:
vials, ceramic containers, microscopes, audio speakers, headphones,
state-of-the-art equipment, books and charts.

He looked toward the bank of windows on the
eastern wall and spotted a female shapeling watching him. Recognition lit her
countenance.

Behind him, Rainey said, "Excuse me, Mr.
Beowolf; I have
work
to do and you’re blocking the exit from my
office."

Roth stepped outside the doorway to allow her to
pass through. He glanced back toward the shapeling now approaching them. Rainey
walked to the farthest table. The other shapeling veered toward her. Roth
followed his charge. At the lab table, Rainey picked up a binder and flipped
through it.

"Good morning, Rainey," the female
shapeling greeted.

"Good morning, Fawn. Were you able to
catalogue yesterday’s experiment?"

"Yes. It wasn’t much different from the day
before."

"Damn. I was hoping the added frequency
would help."

"Hello, I’m Roth Beowolf." Roth
interrupted.

"Oh, did I forget to introduce you? I’m
sorry." Rainey glanced at him, an innocent half-smile gracing her lips.

Roth wasn’t fooled. The little witch was getting
back at him for his intrusion into her backseat privacy. He didn’t have time
for games right now. He wanted to know what another shapeling was doing there.
The Thirteen co-Princes had said nothing about a double assignment. Not that he
was complaining. He remembered Fawn well. They had even mated once as wolves.

"My name is Fawn Woods. It’s a pleasure
meeting you, Mr. Beowolf."

Roth heard the slight inflection of familiarity
she gave his last name. He glanced at Rainey to see if she was aware of it. He
didn’t see anything in her expression indicating she was.

"If you call me Roth, I’ll call you Fawn.
Deal?"

"Deal."

"Why don’t you two go somewhere and
chit-chat
while I test my equipment?" Rainey interrupted.

Roth knew they were getting a brush-off, but it
would give him time to speak with Fawn alone.

"I’ll just get my notes," Fawn said.

Roth followed her to a desk near the bank of
windows overlooking the International Headquarters of Childress Enterprises. He
turned his back to Rainey and lowered his voice. "Is anyone else in the
lab?"

"No. Mr. Brenner—Steve Brenner—called and
said he wouldn’t be in until ten. He’s the other scientist. His assistant, Jim
Mathewson, is out sick."

"I suppose you know my next question. What
are you doing here? The co-Princes didn’t say anything about another shapeling
on this mission…not that I mind," he added seductively.

"They didn’t tell me about you either. I
was sent to protect the lab. I’ve been here about three months—never had any
problems."

"Meet me tonight in the woods outside the
Childress Mansion."

"You remember what happened the last time
we were wolves in the woods, don’t you?"

"No, what?" Roth asked innocently.

"Don’t pretend with me, Roth Beowolf.
Shapelings
never
forget things like that." Fawn chuckled.

Roth suppressed a loud laugh. He turned and
walked back toward Rainey.

* * *

"Did you have a nice chat; get to know each
other? Did you interrogate her to find out if she’s a 'bad girl'?" The
moment Rainey said the words, she regretted them. Not only did the words sound
petty, they had another connotation. Fawn was a talented and beautiful woman
and didn’t deserve Rainey’s foul mouth.

Roth didn’t reply.

Rainey choked on her next words. "I’m
sorry. Forget I said that. Fawn is a very nice person."

"You’re forgiven." Roth said, and
grinned.

Rainey choked again, but this time it was in
anger. Of all the condescending things to say, that was the worst.