Man from Half Moon Bay by Iris Johansen Read Free Book Online

me.”
    “Scared you? You’re joking.”
    He shook his head. “It’s easy to control the weak, but it’s nearly impossible to control the strong. I knew if I wasn’t very clever I’d never be able to control you.” He turned and met her gaze. “And I
was
clever. I studied you and concentrated every particle of my energy on finding the ways to do so.”
    She gazed at him, stunned. “Why?”
    “I didn’t want to lose you.” He smiled crookedly. “And then I lost you anyway. Which proves I’m not such a clever fellow after all, doesn’t it?”
    “Why are you telling me this?”
    “For the same reason I tried to control you. Everything I do is based on that same basic theme. If I’m not honest with you, I may lose you.” He pointed across the bay. “I’ve bought some property outside of Sausalito. When you’re ready to choose the architect for our house, I’ll take you to look at it.”
    She shook her head. “Office buildings, houses. You’re moving too fast.”
    “I’ve had eighteen months of waiting, so my actions now seem damn slow to me.” Jordan rose to his feet. “We’d better go down. It isn’t safe on these girders after dark.” He pulled her up beside him and his grip was viselike as he helped her across the roof to the elevator. A moment later they were descending to the ground.
    She suddenly became aware that Jordan’s handon the switch was trembling. Her gaze lifted swiftly to his face to find it pale and strained. “Jordan, what’s wrong?”
    He smiled. “It’s nothing. It just scared me to see you skipping along those girders.”
    “Then why did you take me up there?”
    The elevator came to a halt and he stepped out and took her elbow. “A little test.”
    “For me?”
    “No, for me. Eighteen months ago I wouldn’t have been able to stand to see you up there.” He began to propel her across the construction site. “But I made it and that’s saying something, I guess.”
    “I don’t understand.”
    They had reached the sidewalk and he stopped and turned her to face him. He took off her yellow hardhat, his fingers lingering on the sleek softness of her hair. “It’s not enough for you to get to know me. I have to get to know myself. I have to learn what’s possible for me and what’s going to be impossible.”
    She gazed at him in puzzlement. The last rays of twilight lent an odd sternness to the hard planes contouring his face. “Perhaps we both have some learning to do,” she said slowly. “I seem to be finding out new things about you every moment now.”
    He grimaced. “I’m surprised I haven’t sent you flying for sanctuary. Honesty may be the best policy, but it’s not always the safest.”
    “No, it’s not.” A smile lit her face. “But I believe I like you better with a few holes in your armor.”
    He chuckled. “You mean like that disaster of a Volkswagen and that godawful lift?”
    “Character is very important,” she assured him gravely. “And rough edges are always more interesting than smooth ones.”
    He took off his own yellow hardhat and started toward the Mercedes parked down the street. “Come on, I’ll take you to a coffee shop and let you see if you can discover a few more of my hard edges. Lord knows, I have enough of them.”
    “I really should go home. I have to work tomorrow.”
    He turned and his eyes narrowed as he studied her intently. “Your work is very important to you, isn’t it? I’ve read several of your interviews in the past months and found them quite perceptive.”
    “Thank you. I enjoy doing interviews more than conventional articles. It’s a challenge to be able to dig deep and find out what motivates and drives the people who have an effect on all of us.” She made a face. “Unfortunately, most of those people don’t need publicity and I have the devil of a time arranging interviews. For instance, I’d give my eye teeth for a chance at an interview with Alex Ben Raschid or Margaret Thatcher, but I