The other women looked around and the Frenchwoman burst out laughing. Speak of the devil. Thats Mimi Ando.
Another woman murmured, While the Takashi cats away, the Mimi mouse will play.
The Frenchwoman shrugged. Maybe their romance isnt as dead as it seemed.
Paige flinched at the reference to death. Andos body was still in her refrigerator, awaiting the American forensics team due in later tonight. A gruesome image of his remains flitted through her head. Surely Tom wouldnt say anything to Mimi about her husbands death before the American team had a chance to examine Takashis remains. And even he wouldnt be so callous as to tell a woman in a public venue like this that her husband had died.
If youll excuse me, ladies, I could use another glass of champagne. Enjoy your evening.
Look me up the next time youre in Beijing, dear, Mrs. Carillo called as Paige drifted away.
Paige stepped into the hotel lobby and paced the length of the cavernous space, troubled. Why would Vanessa Blake send a possible murderer to help her this morning? If Rowe was some sort of agent of the U.S. government, had he gone rogue? She opened her cell phone and dialed Vanessas private line as she stepped outside into a lush garden in search of privacy.
Hey, Viper.
Whats up?
Who was that you sent me this morning? I mean I know who he is. What capacity do you know him in? A professional one. Why?
Paige frowned. Could you be a little more specific than that?
Mind me asking why?
Were you aware he had a torrid relationship with Mimi Ando that she broke off so she could marry Ando?
A long silence greeted that announcement. Finally, Vanessa said heavily, Im forced to acknowledge the relevance of that, but Im having a hard time believing what youre suggesting. Ive known Tom for years. He was on Jacks team.
Paiges jaw dropped. Vanessas husband was Colonel Jack Scatalone, a longtime Special Forces officer and team leader. He was still one of the Medusas primary instructors. And Rowe had worked for him?
Are you telling me Thomas Rowe is was one of us?
He was. Hes not an active operator anymore.
Paige asked grimly, So, if he wanted to go off the reservation, hed know how to do it?
Vanessa sounded surprised. You seriously think hes turned? That he killed Ando?
I think we cant rule it out.
Jacks going to have a cow at the idea. He thinks the world of Tom.
So dont tell him about it just yet. Let me poke around a little and see what I can find out.
Vanessa sighed. Thats not how Jack and I do business, but thanks for the offer. Call me if you learn anything new.
Right, boss.
She lifted the phone away from her ear thoughtfully.
And what are you poking into now? a male voice asked from directly behind her.
Paige whirled, startled, and almost dropped her phone in her shock. Thomas Rowe. Thats none of your business, Mr.
Rowe.
Ah. So the journalist likes her secrets, too, does she? Are we being a hypocrite, perhaps?
She scowled at him. You wish. Im just doing my job. Whats your excuse?
He laughed, a low masculine sound that scraped across her skin, leaving goose bumps in its wake. Youre missing all the fun, Miss Ellis. Come inside.
Why?
Because I want to dance with you. That made her stare. What on earth for?
To start rumors and wreck your credibility should you attempt to do some sort of negative report on me.
I thought you dont give a damn what the press says about you.
I dont want them to say anything about me at all. Thats entirely different.
Dancing with me isnt going to shut me up.
He grinned. I doubt much of anything could do that.
And on that insulting note, Mr. Rowe, you can take your invitation to dance and shove it.
She turned and strode away from him with as much aplomb as she could muster. But she didnt count on him following her inside. Furthermore, she didnt count on him reaching out fast to wrap his arm around her waist tightly enough that it would take violence on her part to shake it off. Heads were already turning their way, and if she wasnt mistaken, eyebrowsand tongueswere wagging.
Dont be a spoilsport, he murmured. Dance with me. Its a waltz.
And your point?
Of course he ignored her question entirely and instead commented, Did you know the waltz was declared scandalous when it was introduced? It was thought to be too sensual for proper ladies. So. Are you a proper lady or not, Miss Ellis?
She opened her mouth to suggest as politely as she could that he remove his hand from her waist before she broke his fingers, but before she could, he spun her around him and onto the dance floor. Despite his dashingly lean appearance, the guy was shockingly strong.
And she was waltzing.
With Thomas Rowe.
Playboy. Billionaire. Bastard.
And all she could think about was how incredible sex with him would be.
Chapter 4
Tom grinned as the waltz shifted into a slow ballad, the kind where the guy pulls the girl as close as he thinks shell let him without slugging him, and the dancing is actually just swaying and shuffling while checking out each others bodies. Paige made to step back, but he tightened his arm around her waist to prevent the movement.
What are you doing? she whispered furiously.
Amused, he murmured back, Your reputation isnt wrecked, yet. One dance with me could just be a polite thing after I granted you an interview. But two dances means theres something going on between us.
You are such a jerk!
Youre just now figuring that out? You mustnt have done your homework on me before our interview, Paige. Her entire body vibrated in his arms, almost like she was growling. He grinned down at her. Youre cute when youre mad.
Her eyes narrowed to distinctly feline slits. For just a moment, alarm resonated in his gut. If shed been a man and looked at him like that, hed have given second thoughts to provoking the guy any further. But as it was, she barely came up to his chin and couldnt weigh much more than half of his solidly muscled 220 pounds.
His left hand slid down the slinky satin of her gown, caressing the inward curve of her spine. Her body arched slightly away from the touch, which brought her belly very nicely into intimate contact with his groin. Blue lightning snapped and crackled in her eyes.
He probably ought to stop. But damned if he didnt want to see just what shed do if she exploded on him. His hand slid lower. The pert bulge of her derriere filled his hand like it had been made for him. Her flesh was firm and resilient and, about as quickly as he registered its sexy texture, went rock hard under his palm.
Her gaze went black. Cold. Furious.
Oooh whee, she was pissed off. It was a sight to see. He had himself an armful of fireball, now.
Her gaze left his for a moment, focusing on something over his left shoulder. Alarm flashed in her eyes, at sharp odds with the fury pouring off her.
Her gaze went black. Cold. Furious.
Oooh whee, she was pissed off. It was a sight to see. He had himself an armful of fireball, now.
Her gaze left his for a moment, focusing on something over his left shoulder. Alarm flashed in her eyes, at sharp odds with the fury pouring off her.
And then, without warning, she went limp in his arms, a hundred plus pounds of deadweight jerking him downward. It wasnt that he couldnt hold her weight. In fact, he did it easily. It was just that he had to adjust to the surprise of it.
A slight breeze whiffed over the top of his head. What the
Something hooked behind his right ankle. Jerked sharply. Twin fists smashed into his shoulders. He flew backward, slamming onto his back at full length on the dance floor.
Something heavy landed on top of him. Breasts smashed into his face, and he smelled the most luscious combination of warm female and sexy perfume hed ever encountered.
Holy cow. She was a hellion when she blew up. He mumbled against her chest, I want you too, honey, but do you think this is the place for
Shut up and stay down, she snapped. He froze. That was exactly the tone of voice one of his buddies on his old Special Forces team would have used when bad things hit the fan.
Whats up? he bit out. Paige was vibrating again, but this time it was pure fight-or-flight adrenaline coursing through her. He could smell it on her skin.
Her breasts lifted away from his face far enough for him to breathe, but she continued to sprawl on top of him. And then it dawned on himher stance was protective.
She spoke without glancing down at him. Someone just shot at you. Stay here. Im going after him.
And then her weight lifted away from him and she was racing across the room in a flash of ice blue satin. He leaped to his feet. People around him were staring, still frozen in that moment of initial shock before they began buzzing like bees. He hadnt experienced the time distortion of a hyperadrenaline rush since his Special Ops days, but damned if everyone around him wasnt moving in slow motion now.
With preternatural strength, he bolted after Paige. She was already slipping onto the terrace and into the night. He put on an extra burst of speed. If she got to the gardens before he caught up with her, itd be hell not to lose her in the thick tropical foliage and overhanging palm trees.
She dodged down a shadowed path between giant ferns and he followed suit, thankful for her pale dress in the blackness. Damn, she was fast! His legs churned as he chased after her. A branch whipped across his face and he ducked grimly, but pressed on.
Surely she was mistaken. Theyd been on a crowded dance floor, for goodness sake. There was no way of knowing who the shooter had been pointing at assuming there even was a shooter. He wouldnt put it past Paige Ellis to have imagined the whole thing. She was a reporter, after all. She made her living sensationalizing things.
For all he knew, she was chasing nothing at all. But he couldnt in good conscience leave her alone to the vagaries of whomever might be in this isolated area late at night. Although the way shed knocked him down in the ballroom, she probably could take perfectly fine care of herself. Okay, so he was out here tearing after her because she interested him. And very few women did that.
He stretched into a full run, arms pumping, breathing hard. There. Another glimpse of blue satin ahead. He ran even harder. Sweat popped out on his brow. The path turned sharply and his dress shoes slipped on the crushed granite. He flailed his arms and managed to catch himself, but Paige had pulled away again.
How big was this stupid garden anyway?
Yard by yard, he gradually closed the gap on her. How on Earth was she running in high heels? The foliage thinned slightly. He vaguely recalled hearing about a rose garden that this resort was known for.
And then he glimpsed something that made his blood run cold. A second fleeing figure not far ahead of Paige. Attired in all black and running like his life depended on it. Worse, she was almost on the guy. And what exactly was she planning to do with him once she caught him? The guy was obviously a pro. Hed break her neck in a heartbeat.
For the first time tonight, true panic speared through him. Hed been shot at plenty during his military career, and hed had plenty of bullets wing past uncomfortably close to him before. But the idea of watching Paige get her head ripped off scared him like nobodys business. He dug deep and with supreme effort found an extra gear. Ten yards from Paige. Eight. Five.
A shot rang out and he flinched reflexively.
Rifle. High-powered, large caliber. Sniper rig, then.
The man fleeing before her went flying, tumbling head over heels and crashing into a bush. Paige hit the dirt beside the man and Tom slammed flat beside her. You okay? he bit out.
Yeah. You?
Good. What about the other guy?
Paige reached up awkwardly with one hand and felt the downed mans neck. Dead. Sounded like a sniper rig.
He agreed with her assessment of the lone gunshot.
She muttered, You need to get out of here. I can handle this on my own.
Yeah, well, youre stuck with me.
I mean it, Tom. Go back inside. Youll be safe there.
I dont give a damn about safe. I want to know who just killed the guy who tried to kill me.
She glared at him in the darkness. Although she sounded pissed, she looked closer to panicked. I wont have your death on my hands! Youll be safe inside, and I need you to get undercover right now.
Not happening.
Her mental wheels were turning so hard he could almost see them as she tried to cook up some reason to make him go inside. Time for a little distraction. You packing? he muttered.
Where in this dress am I going to stow a weapon?
He grinned as his hard gaze scanned the area. Too much cover out here. Theyd never spot the shooter. Besides, assuming the sniper had killed his intended target, the guy would have already left the area.
How bout you? she asked in turn, her head swiveling all around in search of the latest assassin. You armed?
Nah. Hotel security forbade it, he answered in disgust.
She glanced at him in surprise. And you actually followed the rules?
He snorted. I sure as hell wont from now on. Whos the dead guy?
Dunno. His name badge says hes conference security. Goes by Claude Dufresne. He looks European.
He raised a skeptical brow. And how does a European look?
She answered absently as she rummaged in the dead mans pockets. Bad teeth covered with nicotine stains from unfiltered cigarettes.
Okay, hed give her that one. A certain group of Europeans certainly fit that set of parameters.
She continued under her breath, His credentials look legitimate. I think he actually was conference security.
Well have to verify that. If this meeting is compromised, weve got a big problem on our hands. A huge problem, in fact. Itll be a mess if the conference has to be delayed or rescheduled
She interrupted his train of thought as he started to spin out the alarming possibilities if this economic summit failed. Tom, youve got a bigger problem than that. Someone just tried to kill you.
You dont know that for sure
She cut him off briskly. I was looking directly down the bore of this guys weapon. The back of your head was his target.