Whatever It Takes (21 page)

Yesterday’s incident had been bizarre. What kind of idiot tried to kill someone in such an inept and half-assed way? Someone who wasn’t totally onboard with killing him? Or had someone hired an inexperienced killer?

Going to the police with these vague, obscure threats would be useless. And every investigator he’d hired had come up with nothing substantial. He felt like he was in an odd kind of waiting game but had no idea what he was waiting for. Death or some sort of revelation?   

Despite those worries, he did have light in his life. His daughters were healthy, happy, and thriving. And he was falling for a beautiful woman who, though as prickly as a cactus, was at last showing some interest in him. Yes, she’d tried to hide it. He didn’t expect her to just fall into his arms, but he’d felt the warm softness of her lips, the receptiveness of her body. She might not be as ready as he was for something more, but at least he now had hope.

The buzzer on his desk sounded, and his secretary’s voice came over the intercom. “Eli, you have a visitor. Kathleen Callahan.”

A rush of pleasure swept through him that she felt comfortable enough to come to his office. “Thank you, Rose. Tell her to come in, please.”

Seconds later, Kathleen walked into Eli’s gigantic office. Seemingly miles of sky-blue carpet and rich, dark hardwood covered the floor. On one side was a sitting area with a black leather sofa and chairs. The other side had a small conference table and a small bar. In the middle was a large desk. Behind the desk were three giant windows showing an astonishing view of the Dallas skyline. And in front of that window stood a man who fascinated her, scared her, excited her. 

“Welcome to Slater House. This is an unexpected pleasure.”

The resolve she’d built up over the last hour dissipated slightly. He seemed genuinely pleased to see her. His eyes gleamed with pleasure, and his beautiful, sensual mouth was curved up in a delighted grin. 

She had come here to tell him to stop flirting, teasing, and treating her like she was his girlfriend. He was her employer and nothing more. But seeing him like this melted her resistance. Why did she have to want him so much?

At her continued silence, the smile disappeared. “Is everything okay? My daughters?”

She shook herself back to reality. “Yes. Sorry. They’re fine. We dropped them off at school, and they were as excited as always.”

“Good.” His hand swept toward the bar. “Would you like some coffee or a soda?”

“No.” She straightened her posture, steeled her resolve, determined to do what she came here to do. “I wanted to talk with you about the way you’re behaving.”

“And how am I behaving?”

“Like you’re interested in me.”

“I am interested in you.”

“I mean romantically.”

He cocked his head slightly, warm amusement on his face. “So do I.”

That wasn’t exactly what she had expected. Okay, yes. She knew he was attracted to her, but still. “I don’t want your daughters to be confused. If they see you do something again like what you did this morning, they may think there’s something more to it.”

“What did I do this morning?”

“You kissed my hand.”

He came toward her, and she had to dig her heels into the carpet to keep from backing away. When he stopped within a foot of her, she told herself she was glad he’d stopped.

“It’s a lovely hand.” Surprising her, he picked it up and kissed it again, this time slower, softer.

Rattled, she tugged at her hand, but he refused to give it back. “You can’t do stuff like that.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s…I’m not…” She huffed out a breath. “Like I told you last night. I do not want to get involved with you.”

There, she’d told him, succinctly, somewhat brutally, but it had to be done.

“Liar.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You heard me. I don’t believe you. I think you do want to get involved with me, but you’re afraid to get hurt. I get that. I don’t blame you. Caring about someone else is a risk. But it’s a risk I’m willing to take.”

She blinked in confusion. Where had this gone wrong? “No, I do not want to get involved with you. I just want to do my job. That’s it. And if you can’t honor that, I’ll have to quit.”

“Prove it.”

“Prove what?”

“That you don’t want to get involved with me.”

“And how do you propose I do that?”

“Kiss me.”

Her heart began a rapid gallop. “How would that prove anything?”

“It won’t, but I think it’ll prove something to you.”

Despite her best intentions, she backed away. She didn’t get far, though, since he still held her hand.

“Listen, Eli. You’re an attractive man. You could have any woman in the world you want, at any time.”

“I don’t want anyone else in the world. I happen to want you.”

“But why?”

“Kathleen, are you really so unaware of your own appeal?”

“You don’t even know me.”

“I think we established that I know quite a lot about you.”

“The things you know…that’s surface stuff. You don’t know the real me.”

“I know you better than you think. And what I don’t know, I want to learn. I want to know everything about you, Kathleen. Is that so hard to believe, to understand?” 

Before she could answer, he said, “I walked to you, Kat. I’ve told you what I want. I was open and upfront. Now I’m asking you. Take one step forward, toward me. Show me that I’m not the only one feeling this way. Show me it’s not one-sided.”

Step back, step back, step back.
The words were a rhythmic warning in her head. But the seduction of his words infused her entire body with heat, and her heart was whispering in counter rhythm.
Take a chance!

Without even knowing she was going to do it, she took a step forward. The warm approval in his eyes sent heat shuddering through her before he even touched her. Lowering his head, he put his mouth on hers, and she remembered his taste from yesterday, warm rich flavors, like a good wine. She had expected passion, prepared herself to be drawn deep into the same vortex of heat and need she had experienced last night. She hadn’t expected tenderness. His mouth, soft as a whisper, made love to hers slowly, gently. This was a slow, sweet seduction. She told herself she could have fought the explosion of desire. But this… Oh, this just made her want to sink into him and let him take control.

Kathleen moaned as she stretched up on her toes, wrapped her arms around his shoulders, and gave in to the need.

Even as tenderness swamped Eli for her bravery, desire consumed him. His hands cupping her bottom, he pressed her hard against his arousal, molded his body to hers, and let passion take them both. Every fantasy he’d ever had, every dream he’d ever wanted, was here in his arms. As their lips melded together and their bodies heated with desire, Eli knew this was a pivotal moment for them. He could take it further, make her burn even brighter, quench the need. But a quick fix wasn’t what he wanted from this woman. This was no short-term romance for him. He had forever in his mind. And she wasn’t ready to know that, accept that.

With the fiercest willpower he’d ever known, Eli did what his body told him was impossible. He pulled away from her delicious lips and stepped back. 

She was breathing heavily, in panting little gasps that he’d probably hear in his dreams tonight. The fire in her eyes was more than he could have expected, and it took every bit of that willpower to keep himself from diving in again.

Holding his arms loosely around her, he touched his forehead to hers. “Have dinner with me again tonight. Just you and me. We’ll go out…someplace crazy romantic and seduce each other. I’ll take you dancing, or we’ll take a drive and make out under the moonlight.”

He had expected confusion, maybe a bit of shyness. He hadn’t expected anger.

“Just what do you think you’re doing?”

“What?” He took a step back, shook his head. “What are you talking about?”

“You cannot and will not seduce me. You’re my employer and nothing more.”

“I’d say we were doing a fine job of seducing each other. Or did you forget you took that step forward?” Maybe it was wrong to throw that in her face, but dammit, he knew what she had felt, knew she wanted him. “Why are you denying this, Kat? What are you so afraid of?”

“Get someone else to guard your children, Eli. I’ll stay until you find a replacement. Until you do, stay away from me.” She whirled and headed to the door.

“Like hell.” Doing what he’d never done in his entire life, he refused to comply with a woman’s request. Instead, he strode quickly to his desk and flipped a switch, clicking the locks on the doors, keeping her from leaving.

Either she hadn’t heard them lock or she refused to believe he’d do something so arrogant. She tugged on the door handle, and when it didn’t open, she growled, “Open the damn door.”

“Not until we talk. Until you tell me what the hell’s the matter. I know you want me, dammit.”

She whirled again, and though her body was trembling, he was glad there were no tears. Tears from this woman would do him in. He’d do anything to prevent them.

Leaning back against the door, she whispered harshly, “Yes, you can turn me on. Yes, I’m attracted to you. But that’s it. Nothing more. I can’t get involved with you. I won’t. It’s not fair to your children to see you involved with a woman and have it go nowhere.”

“What makes you think it would go nowhere?”

“Because it can’t. We both know that.”

“No, we don’t.” He was tipping his hand a lot sooner than he’d planned, but what the hell? “You say I don’t know you…the real you. Well, dammit, you’re wrong. I do. And what I know, I’m crazy about. I don’t want short term. I don’t want an affair. I want long term. Maybe forever.”

Her flushed face went pale. Tears glimmered in her eyes. “No. Just no. Now open the damned door before I scream and your secretary calls the police.”

That would never happen, but neither did he want Kathleen to feel trapped as she so obviously did. But before he clicked the locks, there was one thing she needed to hear.

“I don’t know what’s got you so scared, but I won’t give up, Kat. You’re not a coward. You’ve proved that. With every adversity you’ve faced, you’ve overcome and triumphed.” Eli flipped the switch, and the door lock clicked open. “I sure as hell never thought you’d look at my feelings for you as an adversity.”

He saw a flicker of regret in her face, and then it went blank, much the way she’d looked at her sister’s trial. “Any woman, anywhere, would be flattered and thrilled to have someone like you interested in them, Eli. You’re every woman’s dream. You just can’t be mine.”

She turned, opened the door, and walked out.

Chapter Twenty-six

Hiram Clemens State Correctional Facility

Enid, Texas

“This is getting to be a habit, Eli. Are you back for more advice from your big brother? What’s the matter? You finally figuring out you don’t have the smarts to handle the Slater holdings?”

It had been a few weeks since he’d seen Adam. Why had he thought the incarceration would make a difference to the asshole? If anything, Adam looked healthier and even more smug than before.

“Prison life seems to suit you.”

His brother swaggered to the table and sprawled back in his chair. “Three squares, plenty of time to exercise and read. It’s a great life. I really hope you get to experience it someday.” He grinned and pointed to Eli’s black eye. “Whereas you, little brother, look like warmed-over dog shit. Somebody finally beat the hell out of you like you deserve?”

Unfazed by the showy rhetoric, Eli said, “I know it’s you, Adam.”

“It’s me, what? Eli?”

“You’re the one who sent the emails threatening my family. Did you think I wouldn’t find out?”

“Oh, little brother. How sad you are. Here I am, locked in a cell, twenty-four/seven, eating shit I wouldn’t give a stray dog, listening to men fart, belch, and get off with their hands or with each other only a few yards away from me, and you come complaining about some stupid email? Daddy was right all along. You’re too soft. Don’t have it in you to be the head of the Slater family.”

“I’m through playing your games, Adam. You think listening to your fellow prisoners entertain themselves is unpleasant? You don’t know what the word means. I just met with the warden, and we had what you might call an enlightening conversation.”

Something like fear flashed on Adam’s face, but he quickly covered it up with a smirk. “You’ve got me shaking in my prison-issue loafers. What has my badass brother got cooked up for me? You going to take away my pillow and blanket?”

Eli realized he’d been wrong. There was worry behind the bravado. Adam was feeling the stress, the pressure. This was the perfect time to lay down the law.

“Here’s how it’s going to be. You’re going to tell me if you sent the emails threatening my children.” When Adam opened his mouth to speak, Eli held up his hand. “I’m not finished. You’re going to tell me the truth. If you do, I’ll believe you and will do nothing other than make sure you have no access to the Internet.”

“And how are you going make me do that? Truth serum? Lie detector?”

“Daddy once said you couldn’t lie your way out of a paper bag because you were too stupid. And since you are indeed one of the stupidest men I’ve ever known, I figure he was probably right. So tell me, Adam, did you send the emails?”

“Screw you, Eli. I’m not saying another damn word.”

“Fine. Not only will you be barred from any electronics, a camera will be installed in your cell. You’ll be monitored twenty-four/seven.”

“You think that scares me? Hell, a man can’t take a piss in this place without somebody getting splattered.”

“Then get ready, brother, because it’s about to get a helluva lot wetter for you. The warden will be adding someone to your cell.”

“He can’t do that. I have to have a cell to myself. I’ve got a doctor’s order. I’ve got a condition. Warden can’t change a doctor’s orders. I’ve got rights.”

“Funny, he couldn’t seem to find anything like that in your file. Guess that quack doctor didn’t come through for you, after all.”