“I didn’t mean to do that. I’m stumbling a little. I know I’m not bad looking.” She grinned. “And you’re not crazy. You’re just a little peculiar. And I’m sure you don’t ordinarily pick women like me to take to bed. It must be all those months that you’ve been on my track that sort of influenced you or something.” She turned to leave. “And I promise I won’t be going around half-naked from now on.”
“Too bad.” When she looked back at him, she saw he was smiling. “Just joking.” Then his smile faded and he said, “I never meant this conversation to take place. I’ve been purposely avoiding it. But you just kept pushing, Margaret.”
“It … I didn’t know I was pushing. It happened.”
“It was the one subject I didn’t want to ‘happen.’” His expression was grave. “Because I knew it might make you feel awkward or even afraid. And now I have to deal with it. I fully intend to find a way to persuade you to help me get Nicos, but it won’t be by getting you into bed and screwing you until we’re both out of our minds.” He drew a deep breath. “Damn, that sounds good. But I won’t let it happen. Don’t worry about it.”
“I’m not going to worry about it. I have something to say about all this, Lassiter.”
“Yes. I only wanted you to know you don’t have to be afraid. I won’t use sex.” He met her eyes. “I was there when you had those nightmares about Nicos and Juan. I could see the fear. I don’t know what you went through when you were living with Nicos, but I’ve heard stories about him and his ‘girls.’ I want you to know you won’t have to go through that again.” He turned on his heel. “Supper will be in an hour. You’d better get hopping.”
She watched him walk away before she turned back toward the steps. She wasn’t sure how she felt about the last few minutes. Her emotions were in turmoil. Well, why not, she thought ruefully. It wasn’t every day she was told she was some kind of femme fatale and then totally rejected. And, after what had gone before, when she had gotten an insight into Lassiter’s background and what made him tick, the combination had been enough to put her mind in the same chaos as her emotions. He had told her that he’d been raised to con and manipulate, and yet the very fact that he’d been honest with her about it had offered a protection against him that she might not otherwise have had.
She watched him go up on the bridge to where Cambry stood at the wheel. Cambry smiled and said something that made Lassiter smile in return. They were close, friends more than employer and employee. Cambry had said he owed him. Why? She had a sudden urgent desire to know, to put together more of the pieces of the man who was John Lassiter.
And maybe Lassiter had known that giving her a taste would make her want to do that. He had studied her, knew so much about her.
Back off.
If she began to know him, she would start to identify, even with a man as different from her as Lassiter. It was her nature and had gotten her into trouble in the past.
Rosa.
Blood on the black-and-white tiles.
The sudden onslaught of memory came out of nowhere.
A warning? It couldn’t be stronger.
Yes, she must smother the curiosity, try to avoid him, and be very careful not to start empathizing with Lassiter.
If it wasn’t too late already.…
*
The sun was going down on the horizon in a blaze of pink, scarlet, and purple. The sea was no longer brilliant turquoise blue, but a deep cobalt.
“Nice, huh?” Cambry had come to stand beside her at the rail. “How’s that for an understatement?”
“Excellent.” She smiled at him. “And so was that spaghetti you made for supper.”
“I thought that we should have something substantial for our last night at sea. There may not be an opportunity for my fine cuisine after we get to port tomorrow morning.”
“Who knows?”
His brows rose. “That wasn’t particularly argumentative.”
“I’m sure Lassiter told you that he wasn’t going to force me to go to Nicos.”
“Yep, I was glad he made the decision.” He chuckled. “Or you made the decision. But you do know he’s not giving up? Lassiter never gives up.”
“Neither do I. And I can tolerate a trip across Mexico if he believes positioning me close to Nicos will make his little pipe dream suddenly become a reality.”
His smiled faded. “You’re trusting him.”
“Shouldn’t I?” She turned to face him. “Is he lying to me?”
“No.” He looked out at the sea. “But he wants this more than I’ve ever known him to want anything. He’ll do almost anything to get it.”
“Get what?” she asked. “Why is he—” She broke off. Probing— it was what she’d told herself she wouldn’t do. “Never mind.” She turned back to face the sunset. “Where is Lassiter, anyway? I haven’t seen him since supper.”
“Downstairs on the computer. He’s been working to hack into a site that showed promise, but he’s not had any luck so far.”
“What site? And I thought hacking was a past—” She stopped again. Wherever she turned, she ran into this constant need to know the details that surrounded Lassiter. Dangerous. Extremely dangerous. “I think I’ll go for a stroll.” She turned and moved down the deck. “Or maybe you’d like to give me a lesson and let me take a turn at that wheel?”
He chuckled. “Somehow I think we’d end up back in San Diego.”
“It’s possible. But you should at least try—”
“I heard that.” Lassiter had come up on deck and was smiling at her. “And I don’t believe we’ll take a chance on you. It would be too much temptation.”
“Like you and that CIA job?”
“Exactly.”
She hadn’t meant to mention anything personal; it had just come out. Unfortunately, that happened too often with her.
“Did you get through?” Cambry asked him.
Lassiter shook his head. “I’ll go back to it later. I needed some air.” He looked out at the sunset. “And I needed that. It’s why I bought the damn ship. I’m not going to let Nicos take it away from me.” He leaned his elbows on the rail. “Your hair is all streaked with pink and purple in this light, Margaret. You look like an alien from outer space.”
She laughed. “And your skin is all dark red and leathery-looking. Not an alien. Maybe Geronimo or Sitting Bull.”
“I’m out of this.” Cambry held up his hands. “You two are getting a little too insulting, and you haven’t even started on me yet.”
“I wasn’t insulting,” Lassiter said solemnly, though there was definitely a twinkle in his eyes. “Aliens are different. I like different. And Margaret is certainly that, as everyone will—”
His cell phone rang.
It startled Margaret. She had seen Lassiter on the phone a few times since she’d been on the ship, but she’d never seen him take an incoming call.
And his response was also startled.
And wary.
He moved a few steps away and took out his phone. His shoulders were abruptly tense as he gazed down at the screen. “Excuse me. I seem to have a text.” He turned half away from her and pressed the access button.
But not far enough away from Margaret so that she couldn’t see his face when he read the text. He jerked back as if he’d been struck; a muscle jerked in his cheek.
Pain.
Sheer unadulterated agony.