Stormy Challenge by Stephanie James, Jayne Ann Krentz Read Free Book Online Page B

waging an inner struggle with his temper. The knowledge that she had succeeded in upsetting him to some small degree was satisfying.
    "Listen to me, Leya Brandon," he charged, his grip on her hair bordering on the painful. "You're going to get the full story of how I wound up involved in this situation whether you like it or not. I would prefer to do my talking down on the beach where the breeze can evaporate some of your heat, but if you insist, I'll do it here. Take your choice. Either way, you're going to hear me out!"
    "You can't force me to listen to you!" Leya wrenched her head, trying to free the braid, but she only succeeded in hurting herself.
    "Want to bet? I'm a hell of a lot bigger than you are!"
    "Don't you dare threaten me!" she hissed, slightly appalled at his vehemence. Why couldn't he take his victory and leave?
    "I'd rather reason than threaten, but you seem beyond the reasoning point! I'm not leaving you alone until you've heard me out, Leya."
    She stared at him, knowing he meant everything he said and unsure how to handle his iron will. Short of screaming, there wasn't any obvious way of getting him out of her room, and a walk on the beach didn't sound all that bad. She needed to get some of the churning anger out of her system. Perhaps she could go for the walk and let him ramble his excuses. When he'd had his say, she could simply turn her back on him. There might be some satisfaction in showing him he couldn't talk his way out of the situation. The only thing that bothered her was why he should even want to try.
    Unless having her signature on the contract wasn't reassuring enough for him . . .

    That last thought decided her. It also jolted her. She had to remember that this wasn't just between herself and Court Tremayne. Keith was involved. And Leya still held fifty percent of the shares of Brandon Security. If she chose to try and get Keith to listen to her . . . Yes, Tremayne might have reason to be concerned.
    "All right," she agreed ungraciously. "I'll go for the walk."
    He relaxed visibly, releasing the chain of her braid. "Thank you, Leya."
    "Don't thank me," she grumbled, turning away to collect her down jacket. "I'm going under duress. I can't understand what you're hoping to accomplish!"
    "I only want to explain, that's all," he protested, watching as she zipped the front of the dark blue jacket. His eyes traveled over her with a curious possessiveness that annoyed Leya.
    She said nothing as they went to his room, waiting in the hall while he picked up a sheepskin coat. He didn't try to persuade her inside, appearing to realize she'd been pushed far enough for the moment. In silence, refusing his proffered arm, she stalked beside him down the path leading to the rocky, untamed beach. The aftermath of the previous evening's storm had left the usual calling cards of carelessly tossed driftwood and broken shells. The tide was out and the sea moved sleepily under a gray sky.
    Leya felt herself being absorbed into the scene, her senses responding as they always did to the feel of the ocean environment. It appealed to her love of the tactile quality in life, and when she accidentally caught Court's shrewd glance, she knew he was aware of the effect. Grimly, she closed her face so that he wouldn't start congratulating himself on that bit of perception, too!
    "Well?" she prompted coldly. "Let's have it. I'd like to get the postmortem over."
    He shoved his hands into the fleece-lined pockets of his jacket and shot her a narrowed glance as they walked.
    "I met your brother a few months ago when he first began looking for a consultant."
    Leya said nothing, her eyes fixed on the far end of the beach.
    "We met initially, though, not because of my financial background but because of some work I've done with security electronics. He was interested in some of my"—
    Court hesitated—"some of the results of my basement tinkering."
    Leya did glance up at that and as quickly away. What was it to her if he