“Hello, Brooklyn.”
Derek leaned casually against the wall directly opposite the restroom. He looked like an advertisement for tall, dark, and dangerous men. Oh, and dashing. I couldn’t forget dashing.
I lost my breath for just a second, but I refused to faint. Refused to look even more stupid than I felt.
“Oh, hello, Derek,” I said, marveling that my voice was so steady. “Isn’t this a pleasant surprise?”
He pushed away from the wall and pulled me into his arms. I almost groaned.
“I was hoping I’d be lucky enough to see you here tonight.” His breath played havoc with the sensitive skin under my ear. “Then I saw you in the crowd and knew I must be lucky indeed.”
So much for avoiding him.
I shuddered; I couldn’t help it. The sound of his deep voice combined with his languid British accent caused chaos to run unchecked through my body. His unique musky scent of leather with hints of citrus and rain forest was intoxicating. The slight brush of his lips against my ear was nearly orgasmic.
And I was pathetic.
I carefully backed away from him and plastered a smile on my face. “Yes, aren’t we lucky? What a pleasant surprise. How are you, Derek?”
He winced. “I should’ve called, but I—”
“Don’t be silly,” I said, waving his words away. “You don’t owe me any—”
He gripped my arms. “Brooklyn, I honestly didn’t know I’d be coming until I got on the plane.”
“Well, there you go,” I said. “It couldn’t be helped.”
“You’re angry,” he said, studying me. “I don’t blame you.”
“Me? Angry?” Did I sound as shrill as I felt? “Just because you came to town without calling me? That’s ridiculous. It’s nothing.”
“It’s everything,” he said, gently brushing my hair back from my face. “I’ve hurt you. I’m a damned fool.”
I tried to laugh. “No way. It’s all—”
“It’s not all right.” He frowned. “How can I make it up to you?”
“It’s not necessary.” I straightened my shoulders and smiled with purpose. “So, how are you? I didn’t realize you knew Layla.”
Oh, God, I didn’t really say that. I just prayed I sounded nonchalant.
“We’ve met,” he said flatly. “But I don’t know her.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Oh, really?”
“Yes, really. I hardly know the woman.”
“Huh. It didn’t look that way from where I was standing.” Ack! What was wrong with me?
“Ah,” he said, and a slow smile appeared.
“Ah?” So much for nonchalance. I was livid. “What’s ‘ah’ supposed to mean?”
As his grin widened, I wanted to bite my own tongue off. And smack him. Hard. And maybe punch him in the nose.
“It means, my darling, that—”
“Excuse me, please,” a woman cried.
I turned and saw Alice running down the hall toward us. Derek yanked me out of her path just in time. She whipped past and disappeared behind the ladies’ room door. Whatever was wrong with her, I could relate.
“Well, it’s been great running into you, Derek.” I patted his chest, a tad more forcefully than necessary as I tried really hard to be affable. “But I have a class to teach, so—”
He grabbed my hand. “Easy, darling.”
“Sorry.” I pulled my hand away.
“I want to see you.”
“That would be nice,” I said in a vague, noncommittal way. Damn, I was good. “I’m pretty busy, but if you’re hanging around BABA some evening, we might—”
“Brooklyn, please,” he said, his voice edgy with frustration. “Look, I didn’t expect to include myself in this assignment.”
I paused. “You’re here on assignment?”
“Yes.”
“What’s the assignment?”
He paused as well, then finally said, “I trust you to keep this to yourself.”
“Of course I will.”
He waved away the statement. “Yes, of course you will. You’re as trustworthy as anyone I know.” He took a step closer and bent to whisper in my ear. “Gunther Schnaubel has received death threats. My team is guarding him.”
“He’s in danger? Here?”
“Yes.”
I looked around, instantly on guard. Then I remembered Minka. “Are we all in danger?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?” I gave him a brief rundown of the attack on Minka. Although, I thought, there were any number of reasons someone might want to take Minka out, none of which had anything to do with Gunther. “The police warned us to be alert and not walk outside alone.”
“That’s always a good idea,” he said, ever the security expert. “But Gunther’s threats came from an extremely jealous husband. I doubt the man would come here and start attacking women.”