arm.
Miffed at her refusal, Eric rebounded quickly, flashing that cereal-box grin as he tightened his hold on her, preventing her escape. “When will I see you again?”
Her acting ability long since depleted, she managed a weak smile while she struggled for the right words—ones that would get him to leave as quickly as possible without destroying her hopes of getting information out of him later.
Eric, interpreting her pause as a refusal to go out with him again, veered sharply from the polite cereal-ad athlete to the spoiled star used to people granting his every whim. “What is it, Willa? I’m not good enough for you now?”
He turned suddenly, pinning her loosely between his body and his car. Willa was a little surprised by his mercurial mood swing, but didn’t think he meant her any real harm.
“Is there someone else? Logan, maybe?” Eric leaned a little closer. Whatever he saw in Willa’s eyes seemed to confirm his suspicions. “I should have suspected something was up when you two were so late coming upstairs.”
Alarm signals began going off in her tired brain. Now that he’d moved closer, she could see the unnatural brightness in his eyes. The depth of her stupidity would have shamed her if she hadn’t been so frightened. How could she have missed it? His many trips to the men’s room, his strange mood swings, his paranoia … Nick was right, Eric was using drugs. Heavily, if tonight was any indication. She suddenly recalled how she’d found him bent over the reception desk earlier. Had he been snorting cocaine right in the club? She had to get away from Eric.
It took all of her remaining willpower, but she managed to force her features into what she hoped was a calm mask. “I only met Mr. Logan yesterday. I’m just his trainer.” She wondered if she sounded convincing. “I went out with you because you wanted us to act like adults and be friends.”
Her emphasis on the word “friends” had the opposite effect than the one she’d hoped for. He shocked her by pulling her roughly against him.
“Friends, huh?” he ground out. “I’ll show you friends.” He bent his head as if he meant to kiss her, but stopped a mere inch from her face, his pupils dilated. “You may have been the naive little virgin, but we both know that isn’t the case anymore, don’t we, Willa?”
Initially frozen by his surprising move, Willa managed to gather her wits as he lowered his face the last inch. She wrenched to her left while pushing at his chest. Eric wasn’t prepared for her sudden move and stumbled back, letting go of her.
Trembling, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I think that you should leave.” Eric sobered a bit at her quiet request, but when he took a step toward her, she raised a hand. “Now. Good night, Eric.”
Eric swore at her as he slammed the passenger door shut and stormed to the other side. Willa closed her mind to his ugly words, barely turning in time to avoid the spray of gravel when he gunned the powerful engine and squealed out of the parking lot.
Gulping in air, Willa leaned weakly on her car. She purposely shut out all of the emotions threateningto swamp her in the aftermath of the near violence she’d just experienced. She hugged herself tightly, but couldn’t seem to stop shaking. That, combined with exhaustion and the wine she had consumed on a daylong empty stomach was her excuse when she began to giggle. Ignoring the slightly hysterical edge, she said, “This spy stuff sure isn’t as easy as it looks on TV,” then promptly fainted on the hood of her car.
Nick reached her before she hit the ground.
FOUR
Nick pulled Willa’s limp form against his body, turning her so he could scoop her up into his arms. His knee protested strongly as he hobbled back across the pavement.
“Not exactly a lightweight, are you?” he murmured against her hair, which smelled like cigarette smoke now. He preferred the elusive scent he’d noticed at the club. Long and
Miffed at her refusal, Eric rebounded quickly, flashing that cereal-box grin as he tightened his hold on her, preventing her escape. “When will I see you again?”
Her acting ability long since depleted, she managed a weak smile while she struggled for the right words—ones that would get him to leave as quickly as possible without destroying her hopes of getting information out of him later.
Eric, interpreting her pause as a refusal to go out with him again, veered sharply from the polite cereal-ad athlete to the spoiled star used to people granting his every whim. “What is it, Willa? I’m not good enough for you now?”
He turned suddenly, pinning her loosely between his body and his car. Willa was a little surprised by his mercurial mood swing, but didn’t think he meant her any real harm.
“Is there someone else? Logan, maybe?” Eric leaned a little closer. Whatever he saw in Willa’s eyes seemed to confirm his suspicions. “I should have suspected something was up when you two were so late coming upstairs.”
Alarm signals began going off in her tired brain. Now that he’d moved closer, she could see the unnatural brightness in his eyes. The depth of her stupidity would have shamed her if she hadn’t been so frightened. How could she have missed it? His many trips to the men’s room, his strange mood swings, his paranoia … Nick was right, Eric was using drugs. Heavily, if tonight was any indication. She suddenly recalled how she’d found him bent over the reception desk earlier. Had he been snorting cocaine right in the club? She had to get away from Eric.
It took all of her remaining willpower, but she managed to force her features into what she hoped was a calm mask. “I only met Mr. Logan yesterday. I’m just his trainer.” She wondered if she sounded convincing. “I went out with you because you wanted us to act like adults and be friends.”
Her emphasis on the word “friends” had the opposite effect than the one she’d hoped for. He shocked her by pulling her roughly against him.
“Friends, huh?” he ground out. “I’ll show you friends.” He bent his head as if he meant to kiss her, but stopped a mere inch from her face, his pupils dilated. “You may have been the naive little virgin, but we both know that isn’t the case anymore, don’t we, Willa?”
Initially frozen by his surprising move, Willa managed to gather her wits as he lowered his face the last inch. She wrenched to her left while pushing at his chest. Eric wasn’t prepared for her sudden move and stumbled back, letting go of her.
Trembling, she wrapped her arms around her waist. “I think that you should leave.” Eric sobered a bit at her quiet request, but when he took a step toward her, she raised a hand. “Now. Good night, Eric.”
Eric swore at her as he slammed the passenger door shut and stormed to the other side. Willa closed her mind to his ugly words, barely turning in time to avoid the spray of gravel when he gunned the powerful engine and squealed out of the parking lot.
Gulping in air, Willa leaned weakly on her car. She purposely shut out all of the emotions threateningto swamp her in the aftermath of the near violence she’d just experienced. She hugged herself tightly, but couldn’t seem to stop shaking. That, combined with exhaustion and the wine she had consumed on a daylong empty stomach was her excuse when she began to giggle. Ignoring the slightly hysterical edge, she said, “This spy stuff sure isn’t as easy as it looks on TV,” then promptly fainted on the hood of her car.
Nick reached her before she hit the ground.
FOUR
Nick pulled Willa’s limp form against his body, turning her so he could scoop her up into his arms. His knee protested strongly as he hobbled back across the pavement.
“Not exactly a lightweight, are you?” he murmured against her hair, which smelled like cigarette smoke now. He preferred the elusive scent he’d noticed at the club. Long and
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