Somewhere I'll Find You (29 page)

Paige barely gave him time to get in before slamming the roadster into gear
, roaring down the drive.

“Tell me about Richard.”  His voice was cool even while he filed away what he already knew about the man.

“There’s nothing to tell,” she said flatly.  “We were engaged and now we’re not.  I broke it off and now we simply work together.”

“Let’s hope that he remembers that.”

“Oh, he does.  Richard and I have this understanding. 
I understand that he’s an overbearing, pompous jerk, and he understands that if he tries anything, he’ll be losing a few teeth.”

Driving through rays of golden sunlight and a haze of flowers, Michael found himself wishing he didn’t know a thing about
Paige
.  That he could simply pull her into his arms and kiss her the way he wanted to.  The way he had dreamed of doing.

But that was before he had been given the facts about the woman that haunted his dreams.  Now
,
she was business and nothing else.
 
This is exactly how it ought to be … even if I want otherwise.
  At least not until this mess they were in was cleared away.

He let her ramble on about the various movies she had written while she had worked her way to a respectable reputation.  It was obvious that she loved her work and had a fierce dedication to it.  Sitting back, he listened to the sound of her sultry voice, allowing himself a glance or two as her face lit with pleasure. 
This,
he thought,
is what her life should always be.  Full of laughter and sunshine, not dark threats around every damn corner.

Before long, they were turning into an oak-fringed drive th
at overlooked the ocean.  A pink
granite mansion sat at the top of the hill, its banks of windows ablaze with the sun.  Two tennis courts and an ugly black flagstone pool ruined a
lush
,
manicured lawn.

Money,
Michael thought. 
Lots of it.  Money that is screaming for him to be seen.

A uniformed guard met them just outside the gatehouse.  It was obvious that Richard Severance didn’t like his privacy being disturbed.

“Name?” The guard said
,
while trying to get a look at Paige’s slender legs.

“Paige O’Neal,” she said easily.  “Mr. Severance is expecting me.”

“I’ll still have to call the house.”  The guard frowned as his hand eased to his sidearm.  “Who is he?”

“My assistant,” Paige replied smoothly.  “These portfolios are too heavy for me to carry.”

The smirk on the guard
’
s face made Mich
a
el want to wipe it off with a swift uppercut.  And he probably would get away with it
,
too – he doubted if that weapon was used for anything more than a prop.

As ornate wrought-iron gates slid open, Paige pulled in and up the long circular drive. Elegant shrubbery dotted the base of the house, while ivy made an elegant sweep up one side. “You stay in the car,” she said quietly.  “No one would ever believe that you’re anyone’s assistant.  Not in that jacket and those glasses.  And definitely not with that attitude.”

“What’s wrong with my attitude?  I didn’t say a word.”

“You didn’t have t
o.  One look at you and that’s all that would be needed
. Y
ou even
look
conceited and too condescending.
  Richard is a lot of things, but he’s not stupid.”

He
was stupid enough to let you go,
he thought slyly. 
“Are you giving me a compliment, Angel?”  Michael shrugged as she pulled into the parking area.  “Conceit helps in my line of work.  And a little condescension was definitely called for.  That guard was an ass and you know it.”

Muttering, she reached for the car door, turning her back to him.

“Damn it
,
Angel.” 
H
e caught her in his arms, turning her back to face him, pulling her soft body against his.  God, but she fit into his arms perfectly.  And her scent . . .

Slowly, he ran his hand through her silky black hair.  It danced through
h
is fingers, warm and electric.  Then he reached beneath to slide something around her neck.  “I found your necklace,” he muttered.  “I thought that you should wear it.”

He knew he was playing dirt
y, but he didn’t care.  Not giving
her a chance to become angry, he pulled her head back, crushing his mouth over hers.
 
This is what summer tastes like . . . hot and endlessly sweet.
  His fingers tightened on her arms.  He wanted and wanted and wanted.  But he knew he shouldn’t have what he wanted.  When he pulled away, her face was flush
ed
, her hands clutching his shoulders.

“What was that for?” she sputtered, her hands still on his shoulders.

It took him a few heartbeats to recover enough control to answer.  “It’s for the man who has been staring at us out those windows.  I wanted him to know exactly what we were here for.”

She looked at him incredulously, all the while trying to force her heart back where it belonged.  To try and breathe normally.  But who was she kid
ding?  She wasn’t even close to
normal.  Her mouth still tingled from Michael’s kiss, while the pearls hung warm and heavy against her skin.

Shoving open the car door, Paige tugged the satchels over her arm.  Again, the man outflanked her, leaving her speechless.  She looked anything but a cool professional.  Instead
,
she looked like a woman lost in love. The fragile pearls at her throat complimented that image.

Michael had planned it that way, of course.

* * * *

Richard Severance was the epitome of casual elegance in raw silk trousers and an Armani jacket
, which had been
carefully selected to exaggerate the width of his unimpressive shoulders.  He received Paige warmly; all smiles and polite curiosity at the satchel on her arm.  A bottle of Bordeaux sat on a gleaming side table, waiting to be served.

Only, it wasn’t the portfolio that had Richard’s eyes gleaming as they settled on the smooth curves of her blouse.  From there they traveled down
to a slender waist and long, slender legs.

His lips curved into a smile while his cordiality lasted for all of ten minutes.  Stalking to her side, a finger reached out to trace down her cheek.  “You really do have the most beautiful mouth, Paige.  I wonder if it tastes the same as last time.”

He caught her around the waist, pulling her to him.

Shaking her head, Paige eased her hands against his chest.  “Let me go, Richard.  I told you this was to be strictly business
,
and you agreed.”

“I’m afraid that I lied,” he answered smoothly
.
“
Dear,
sweet Paige, why else would I have you come here?  I haven’t been able to think straight since our . . . misunderstanding.”

“I came here for you to verify these sketches, nothing else,” she replied coolly.
  “And if you haven’t been able to think straight in over a year, it’s a wonder you get anything done.”

“
For God’s sake,” he exploded as he pushed at her hands.  “I saw how you came on to that stud out there in the driveway.  You two looked as if you were ready to screw right there in the front seat.  So don’t tell me that you’re not interested.”

“You misunderstood what you saw.”

“Good!  I can please you in ways that he never could.  Besides,
” he added slyly,
“
it’s a good idea to keep your resources happy, don’t you think?”

Paige’s face turned bone white.  So it had all been a game with him.  She was part of the package – otherwise valuable resources could be lost.  “I don’t have the time for this.”

“Of course you do, Paige
,” he crooned.
 
“
You know that you want it.  By the way you kissed your friend out there, you’re more than ready.”

A sly hand reached for the hem of her skirt, his fingers working frantically for the offend
ing
scrap of silk,
a
movement
that was
halted when Paige’s fist found its way to his stomach.

Bending over, gasping for air, Richard’s eyes turned cold.  “You’ll be sorry for
that!
Don’t forget,
I know your little secret
!
”

Suddenly
,
Michael charged through the door.  “Paige, are you . . .”

His words were halted by the sight of R
ichard stooped over.  Placing
a
hand on Michael’s arm, Paige shook her head. “Go away, Michael.  I’m fine.”

“Fine?”  He burst out filled with anger.  “I don’t think
fine
is quite the word you’re looking for.  By your appearance
,
I highly doubt that either of you were discussing the sketches that you brought.   No, Paige.”  Crossing his arms, Michael gave Richard a caustic smile.  “Go ahead, don’t mind me.  But I’m not leaving this room until you do.”

“Michael, this is my fight,” she hissed.

“Not anymore
,
it’s not.  The second that bastard laid his hands on you, all bets were off.”

Tugging at his jacket, Richard scowled at the pair, deciding that the man at Paige’s side was certainly a new player.
  “Get this
person
out so that we can talk!
” he demanded.
 
“Otherwise, I’m liable t
o . . .”

Paige’s face tightened into cold, hard mask.  “”Otherwise what, Richard?  Confirm what so many already suspect?
Will you t
ell everyone that I’m psychic?
”  She laughed low and bitterly.  “Five will get you ten I have even more job offers than I can handle.
Go ahead . . . make your calls.
I’ll survive
,
I assure you.  In fact
,
my publisher will probably even
pay
you for the information if you play your cards properly.”  Very carefully, she moved to the waiting bottle of Bordeaux,
knocking the bottle over and watching
the vintage
spill
over a beautiful rug.  “I do hope that you sampled this before I arrived.  In case you didn’t, it was a wonderful vintage.”