"There usually is a catch to the most interesting 'deals,' " she
said sarcastically.
"I'm glad you're businesswoman enough to understand that."
"What are you about to imply now, Torr? That I'm going to have to
sleep with you in order to continue to enjoy the pleasure of your
company?"
Again he shook his head in a slow, sure negative. "The only string I'm
putting on this relationship, Abby, is that I want to be sure I'm the only
man in your world. If there's someone else who thinks he has a claim on
you, I want you to tell him goodbye. And I want you to get rid of him
before you sleep with me."
Abby wrenched herself free, flung open the car door and leapt lightly
out onto the sidewalk. "You certainly do know how to ruin a lovely
evening!"
He was beside her before she found the key to the lobby door and she
knew she wouldn't get rid of him until he had seen her upstairs to her
apartment. They rode the elevator in silence. Her chin lifted forbiddingly
as she swept down the hall.
"Abby—"
"Listen to me, Torr," she gritted. "I've been taking care of matters,
perfect and otherwise, in my world for quite some time. I don't need
anyone to look after me and I'm not about to make any 'deals' to get
protection I don't require. Furthermore, just for your information, I would
never give any man who demanded them exclusive rights over me. Men
who feel they have to ask for them rarely believe a woman who makes such
promises, anyway. Men like that are incapable of trust. They are
possessive and quite willing to make life unbearable for a woman."
"If you've finished with the lecture, Abby," Torr began grimly as she
found her apartment key, "I'd like a chance to talk this problem over in a
civilized fashion."
"There won't be time. You're going to say goodnight here at my door,
remember?"
He reached out to catch her wrist as she turned the key in the lock and
pushed open the door. When she would have stepped inside to safety he
pulled her up short.
Quite unexpectedly Abby's right foot slipped out from under her. The
delicate high heel had skidded awkwardly on a scrap of paper lying on the
hardwood floor and the additional impetus of Torr's forceful grasp
combined to send her tumbling heavily against him.
"Oh!" Her surprise was muffled against the fabric of his jacket as she
instinctively clutched for support. Automatically Torr's arms closed
around Abby, steadying her but not releasing her.
"What the…?" He glanced down at her feet in frowning concern.
"You have no business manhandling me like this!" Rigidly Abby found
her balance and tried to push herself away from him.
"I didn't cause you to lose your balance. You must have slipped on that
envelope."
"What envelope?" She pushed aside a pale tendril of hair that had
escaped the loosely arranged topknot and fallen into her eyes. Then she
stared at Torr as he released her to lean down and pick up the white
object on the floor. Wordlessly he straightened and handed it to her.
"I must have dropped it earlier," she mumbled, brows attempting to
knit across the top of her nose.
"It's addressed to you and it looks as if it was slipped under your door,"
Torr pointed out.
He was right, of course. She didn't recognize the envelope and had
certainly not dropped one addressed to herself earlier before leaving the
apartment. Her name and address were neatly typed on the outside.
Quickly Abby tore it open, wondering which of her neighbors had left a
message for her.
"It's probably from Mrs. Wilkins down the hall wanting me to water her
plants while she goes off to see her new grandson." Abby lifted out the stiff
piece of paper that was inside the envelope. As she saw what she held, she
nearly dropped it.
Stunned to a level of momentary numbness, Abby stared at the color
photograph in her hand. No, it couldn't be! It wasn't possible. Her mind
felt curiously blank.
"What is it, Abby?" Torr moved to glance over her shoulder.
His interest in
Douglas Preston, Lincoln Child