“My first name is okay.”
“But never Anna-stah-sha.” He laughed. Pahk ya cah in the yahd.
She grinned. “Lord, no.”
“Very well.” He paid their bill and helped her carry the files back to her room. He stopped at her door, where he handed them over. “Seven in the morning. We’ll eat downstairs before we hit the road again.”
“That’s fine.”
“Good night, Anastazia.”
The sound of her name on his lips made her shiver. His accent sounded slightly British, now that she thought about it. She wasn’t sure where he’d grown up, but her name sounded beautiful when he said it.
“Good night,” she managed.
He turned without hesitation—
Oh rats, I mean oh good, no awkward attempt to kiss.
—and walked several doors down to his room, where he went in without a backward glance.
She closed and locked her door and leaned against it while she tried to catch her breath. He was being a total gentleman, completely professional. Absolutely…
Wonderful.
Chapter Eight
“Well?” Albert asked.
“She hasn’t fled screaming into the night, if that’s what you mean,” Matthias said. “I thought she was going to die a happy woman when I tossed her the keys.”
“From now on, Tim plans everything.”
Matthias agreed. “I need a very cold shower to have any hope of getting to sleep. Unless…”
“Don’t you dare. Don’t you blow this—oh, poor choice of words.”
“Don’t worry, Albert. I’ve been totally professional.”
“Don’t scare her off with your singing, either.”
“There’s nothing wrong with my singing.”
“Yes, as long as you’re not singing. Good night, Matthias.”
He laughed. “Pass the word to Tim, would you?”
“I’m sure she’s already on the phone with him as we speak.”
Matthias hung up and rested his head against the headboard. He’d split them up by a few rooms to make her feel more at ease. And to reduce his own temptation.
He closed his eyes and searched for her. He held back, not wanting her to sense his presence. He wasn’t sure how sensitive she was, which was why he didn’t want to probe her while in the car or office. That would be too obvious.
He found her. Taz was getting ready for bed, talking on the phone with Tim. Score one for Albert.
Beautiful, wonderful, exquisite—inside and out.
Patience. Don’t ruin this.
He turned down his bed, put out the lights, and waited. She finally settled, tossing back and forth.
Despite what he told Albert, Matthias couldn’t resist sending out a gentle probe. He didn’t have to deeply explore her mind to feel her agitation, the frustration.
The sexual tension.
If only you knew, Anastazia.
Twenty minutes later, she was no closer to sleep. She laid there with her eyes open, staring at light patterns cast on the ceiling by a neon sign outside her window.
He had to do it or she’d feel horrible the next day, he justified.
Sleep, my dearest, he thought, using the lightest of touches on her mind. It was so hard not to plunge in, to soak her up. She was so close, so fully and completely open to him, unable to erect any barriers in her mind to keep him out.
Four rooms away, Anastazia’s eyes fluttered then closed.
I still have it. Matthias rolled over in search of his own restless slumber.
* * * *
Matthias knocked as he walked past her door. She opened it almost immediately. He knew she’d been ready to go since six thirty, alternating between sitting on the bed and nervously pacing by the door.
“Good morning, Anastazia.”
“Good morning.”
He grabbed her overnight bag before she could object and motioned for her to go first. “How did you sleep?”
“Oh, I had a little trouble at first—”
—thinking about sliding into bed with you—
“—but then I just dropped off and slept straight through. You?”
“Wonderful.” He caught whispers of her thoughts and had to stifle his smile while loading the bags in the car. He couldn’t reveal his secrets to her too soon. “I’ll check out if you’ll get us a table. I’ll take coffee, black please, and their scramble special.”
His coffee was waiting and their order placed when he returned. She was going through her BlackBerry, answering messages. He pretended to do the same, and they made small talk until their food came.
She was ravenous. He hid his amusement. She probably wondered why she could eat like a horse and still have a great figure. Or maybe she didn’t. He didn’t take it for granted. She was perfect, beautiful rounded curves in all the right places, a real woman he could place his arms around and actually feel her body against him and not worry she’d break if he hugged her too tight. He couldn’t wait to feel her body against his—
He cut off that line of thinking and shifted in his chair, hoping she couldn’t sense his thoughts.
There was so much she would have to learn, and he would enjoy teaching her.
But not yet. It was far too soon, the earliest still months down the road, after she was settled and completely comfortable around him.
* * * *
They were on the road by eight, discussing files. After an hour he was ready for music and opted for the XM radio.
“Big Tracks?” she asked when she saw the channel.
“Yes, I like the variety.”
He sang along with ZZ Top, managed to mangle Aerosmith, and she laughed and sang with him. They had lunch at a small diner before hitting the road again.
She seemed comfortable with him driving, which was itself amazing. He’d been told she rarely rode as a passenger with anyone except Tim. Otherwise she was pounding the floor with her foot, looking for an imaginary brake—or accelerator. There was something about Hawthorne she trusted, according to what Tim had told him.
At dinner that night, she closed the file they were working on and yawned. “I hope I sleep well tonight.”
He smiled. “I’m sure you will. Car trips are exhausting.”
“Tell me, I’m curious, how did you decide to come to me for this position?”
He hesitated, then opted for the truth.
Well, in part.
“If you’ll notice, for our headquarters we don’t hire. We recruit. Don’t call us, we’ll call you. Snobby, I know, but unfortunately I’ve learned the hard way that I must have the best people closest to me. I can only do that by handpicking staff. I was fortunate Bob Stanley owed me a large favor and had you on staff to refer. When we completed our background checks and research, you were the best of the choices.”
“What if I’d said no?”
He looked down at his drink.
I would have cried. “I would have upped the offer first, then found out what it would take to get you on board.”
She smiled. “That’s very flattering.”
“I mean it. You were the best candidate. We didn’t make offers to anyone else—only you. You were our first choice.”
My only choice.
* * * *
By the end of the trip, she accidentally started to call him Matthias five times by his count. “Math-ister Hawthorne” is how it usually came out, and he hid his smile each time.
He pulled into the parking garage at Hawthorne International. “I know this was a business trip, but for once, I’m sorry to be home.” He knew that was a risky comment but hoped she took it the right way.
She smiled. “Thanks, Mr. Hawthorne. It was a good trip, even if it was for business. Thanks for letting me drive. Brought back good memories.”
The valets moved her things to her car.
“See you tomorrow,” he said.
She yawned. “I may be running a little late in the morning.”
“That’s per
fectly understandable. I plan on being late myself.”
He waved and took the elevator up, where he found Albert and Tim waiting in his office.
They both looked at him expectantly, and he couldn’t conceal his broad grin. He dropped his overnight bag and approached Tim with a fake strangler’s grip. “You,” he said, grabbing Tim’s shoulders and gently shaking his friend, “are a total jerk! You’ve had her to yourself all these years!”
“Matthias,” he said, straightening his shirt, “she was a handful, believe me. A wonderful, lovely, charming, absolutely breathtaking handful. How do you think I got most of the grey hairs I have?” Which wasn’t much, all things considered.
“You are a genius, I will admit,” Matthias said. “An absolutely wonderful, evil genius.”
“Evil?” Albert arched an eyebrow.
“Well,” Tim said, “wait until she finds out the truth. She’ll bring you to your knees in terror unless we handle it right.”
“I can’t imagine her being like that,” Matthias insisted. “She’s strong, yes—”
“Matthias!” both men said at the same time.
Albert advanced. “You were specifically warned not to test her.”
He waved off their objection. “Don’t worry, I didn’t. It just—” He searched for the word then looked to Tim. “Her power rolls off her, in wonderful waves.”
Tim nodded. “That’s accurate. Fortunately, there have been very few times I’ve needed to control or distract her. I started young, teaching her to avoid looking into people’s eyes, not taking things that aren’t freely given. If I hadn’t, she’d be uncontrollable now. She’ll kill me when we tell her. She’ll be so upset.”
“She loves you,” Matthias told him. “She calls you her adopted dad.”
“Really?” Tim sat up, surprised. “She does?”
He nodded. “Absolutely.”
“Lucky bastard,” Albert teased. “To think, if I’d called heads, I would have had the honor.”
“Albert, she would have put you in your grave years ago. If her parents didn’t do you in first.” A wistful expression crossed his face. “They were a couple of insane loons, yes, but they loved Taz. They were a handful, but they were good people.”
Matthias’ eyes darkened. “If I ever get my hands on whoever’s responsible for their deaths, I’ll…” He left the thought hanging in the air.
Tim sighed. “There was nothing you could do. I thought they’d be safe. It could have been an accident. We don’t know. The weather did turn bad, and it was a small plane.”
“It’s too coincidental,” Matthias said. “They were obviously stronger than we first thought. We could have brought them in after Anastazia was fully instructed.”
“We still have Anastazia,” Albert consoled.
Matthias nodded. “And I’ll die to protect her.”
“Get in line,” Tim said. He finished his drink then pointed his glass at Matthias. “That goes for you, too. You hurt her—”
Matthias waved his hand at him. They’d bantered this back and forth countless times. Both knew the other was devoted. One as a father, the other as a lover.
Well, potential lover. If she’ll have me.
“Now you see why I kept you away until after she graduated college,” Tim said. “I knew you’d fall in love with her.”
“I’ll never doubt your judgment again.”
“Can I get that in writing?”
Matthias stated to replay the trip in his mind when Murry walked in and jumped on his desk.
“Good, you’re back. It’s about time.” Murry was easy to hear when someone could tune into him, or he revealed himself. Fortunately for them, Anastazia had yet to tap into those talents.
Especially since Murry liked to make fairly lascivious comments about her figure when Matthias was around.
“You’re pushy, aren’t you?” Matthias said, reaching out to pet the cat.
“Pushy my ass. We have a serious problem.”
“What do you mean?” Albert asked.
And the cat, who was far from ordinary, proceeded to ruin their night.
Chapter Nine
Murry took his time, settling himself on the desk before addressing them. “Well, one of the security men, I’m pretty sure he’s either possessed or a demon.”
“Which one?” Albert asked.
“The short one. Drayfield. Either way, this office has been infiltrated. I strongly suggest relocating to the Florida office as soon as possible. As in tomorrow.”
The men looked at each other. Murry was a reliable familiar. He had never been wrong before.
“Have there been plans?” Matthias asked.
“I don’t have all the details. They kick me out of the security office and close the door so I can’t hear. I told you to put the litter box in there, but no, you don’t listen to me—”
“All right, we get it,” Albert interrupted. He looked at them. “What’s the excuse?”
“Black mold?” Tim offered.
Even Murry shot him an exasperated look.
“I’ll immediately replace all the inner security personnel and get fresh staff, screen them,” Albert said.
Matthias looked at Tim. “Does she have a concealed carry permit?”
He nodded. “I insisted on it a couple of years ago, after she started trying cases. She could blow your balls off at a hundred yards.”
Matthias smiled. “All the more reason to love her.”
“I suppose,” Albert considered, “we could buy a large company down there. How about an insurance company? This is hurricane season in Florida, isn’t it? It would require an extensive amount of research for such a new acquisition.”
Matthias nodded. “Not the best excuse we can come up with, but that will have to do unless you can concoct something better. Just tell her there’s going to be a major acquisition and we need her there. Make the calls.”
Albert put it on speakerphone and reached her on her BlackBerry.
She took the news rather well, all things considered.
When they hung up, both men turned to Tim. He sighed. “I know, I know. Get packing.”
* * * *
Forty-eight hours later, Robertson and Taz stood in the living room of their corporate rental house just north of Tampa. Taz still looked shell shocked.
“This is amazing.” She meant the whole situation. The house itself wasn’t bad, a little larger than their LA condo, which she assumed they’d be going back to in a few weeks. A few months, at the latest.
He patted her on the shoulder. “You’ll get through it. You’re flexible.”
She took his hand. “Thank you for coming with me.”
“Sweetheart, do you think I’d miss this for the world?”
* * * *
Hawthorne International owned a thirty-story building in south downtown Tampa. Taz’s new office overlooked the Tampa Bay Times Forum hockey complex where the Tampa Bay Lightning played. Albert knocked on her door, picking his path through boxes. “Good, I’m glad you made it.” Murry strolled in behind him. Taz smiled and knelt so she could pet the cat.
“Hey, you brought him.”
“Mr. Hawthorne always has him at his base of operations. He says Murry’s good luck.”
The cat looked at Albert and meowed loudly. Taz laughed, picking him up and stroking him. “I’m glad to see you too, fella,” she said. “You make it a little less stressful.”
The cat glared at Albert.
So there.
Albert glared back at the cat, but she missed it. “Mr. Hawthorne will be here in a few hours,” Albert said. “I’m hoping I’ll have paperwork for you to look through by then. You’ll also need an assistant for the next few months.”
“Oh, I’ll manage. I can telecommute with Janice at the LA office.”
He shook his head. “Mr. Hawthorne wants you to have an assistant here, not just a secretary.”
She finally realized what he meant. “You mean I need a you for me??
?? She smiled.
He paused before laughing. “Quite. Yes, you need an Albert.”
“You’re a prince.”
He groaned. She felt comfortable enough with him now to joke around a little, even call him by his first name at his insistence. “No comments about what’s in my can, right? I’ve heard that one quite enough.” He smiled, belying his irritated tone.
“I’ll contact HR and get the ball rolling.”
He nodded, wishing he could push her to the conclusion he wanted, but it wasn’t forthcoming.
Albert knew Tim was having lunch with her, and five minutes before he was scheduled to arrive—already in the elevator—Albert sprang their trap.
“Want to grab some lunch, Anastazia?”
“Oh, I’m sorry. My dad’s meeting me.” She didn’t hesitate to call Tim that anymore, Albert noticed. “You know, I’m sure he wouldn’t mind if you joined us, if that’s okay with you?”
Thank you, Lord. Finally. “That’s fine. I look forward to meeting him.”
And in Tim walked, perfectly timed.
They went downstairs to the restaurant, which served fantastic authentic Cuban food.
Matthias arrived, supposedly unexpected, and sat with them. She made the introductions. “Mr. Hawthorne, my dad, Tim Robertson.”
Albert noticed Tim puffed up a little at that title. He shook hands with Matthias as if they hadn’t known each other for centuries.
“Did Albert mention to you about getting an assistant?” Matthias queried.
Albert and Tim held their breath.
She nodded. “I’ll contact HR about it.”
They talked for a few more moments, business items. Then Matthias looked at Tim. “You look familiar, but I can’t place you.”
“I’ve worked for Anastazia’s family since she was a child. I was her parents’ business attorney and majordomo.”
Matthias feigned a gobsmacked expression. Albert mentally warned him to tone it down a notch, and he did. “Are you retired?”
“In a manner of speaking. I was thrilled when Anastazia asked me to make the trip with her.”
Matthias looked at Anastazia. “Can you work with him?”