Lethal Exposure (7 page)

“Thank you.” Sebastian smiled. He and Roger stepped into the conference room with the other board members. His guard went up at the mention of Keeley’s name, but he was too good of a PR expert to let his personal feelings show.

“Lincoln speaks glowingly of the work you do and since we’re about to become family, I thought why not throw business your way?” Roger’s smile seemed genuine.

“You’re all for this wedding?”

“You’re not?”

“They seem so young.”

“Lincoln is a wonderful guy. So full of promise and he’s a true hero and an honor to our country. I’d be proud to call him son.”

Okay then. “But your daughter’s not even through college.”

Roger shrugged. “You love who you love, right? She’s twenty-one. It’s better to be supportive than antagonistic. And like I said, I admire and respect your brother. Keeley’s lucky to have him.”

Yes, she is.

“Are you on the hospital board?” Sebastian asked, changing the subject.

“I resigned from the board a couple of months ago, but one of the other board members is off on medical leave and they asked me to step in. I’m up to speed on what’s been happening. We’re eager to see your plans for revamping Confidential Rejuvenations’ image.”

“That’s what we’re here for. Have a seat, Mr. Marshall.”

“Please, call me Roger. We’re going to be family, after all.”

“Right.”

Sebastian had come up with a three-tiered plan of attack for countering the bad publicity the boutique hospital had suffered over the course of the past year. He had a PowerPoint presentation set up that wowed the audience and by the time he finished his pitch, the board enthusiastically approved the strategies he’d outlined.

“My only concern is the same one I’ve heard expressed by several hospital employees.” Sebastian clicked off the PowerPoint presentation. “I can guarantee results with this plan, as long as there are no more…um…unsettling occurrences. Considering all that has happened, one more scandal could be Confidential Rejuvenations’ Waterloo.”

Several board members nodded.

“Confidential Rejuvenations’ third-quarter profits are already down twenty percent following the adverse publicity in the fallout from the attempt on Tanner Doyle’s life.”

“That’s why we hired you,” Dr. Butler said.

Sebastian nodded. “Granted, most people seem to think that Chloe Garcia’s stabbing of your head of security wasn’t connected to the hospital saboteur, but I’m not so convinced. Chloe had a fragile mental history and after discussing the incident with her father, Senator Garcia, I believe someone manipulated the susceptible woman’s behavior.”

A murmur of speculation ran through the group.

“Luckily, the saboteur has not made a move in several weeks. The question is, can we safely assume that he or she has obtained what gratifications they were seeking and have ceased to cause problems? Or have they simply been lying in wait, planning their coup de grace? I’m going to let Tanner tell you about the new security measures he’s instituting.”

Sebastian turned the podium over to Tanner, who discussed what his team had been doing to thwart further sabotage. When he was finished, there was a discussion among the board members. Finally, they came to a consensus.

“We want you to go ahead with your PR work,” Dr. Butler said. “It can’t hurt to get started.”

Sebastian folded his arms over his chest. “And if something else happens?”

“In that case, at least you’ll be on hand to step in and smooth things over with the press.”

“All right, I’ll get started right away,” Sebastian agreed, even though he couldn’t seem to shake the feeling that somehow all of this would backfire…

JULIE HAD TO FIND OUT what Roger was doing at Confidential Rejuvenations and she had to do it without letting Sebastian know her connection to him.

Because she’d finished her prep test much earlier than she’d expected, she had some time before her shift started. She’d hang around and see if she could catch Sebastian after his meeting. But she had to do it without being seen by Roger. The last thing she wanted was to come face-to-face with her ex. Especially after he’d sent her that note.

She lurked in the lobby until she saw the meeting break up. Sebastian came out of the conference room with Roger. They shook hands, then Roger left the hospital and Sebastian started toward the elevator.

“Sebastian,” she called out to him.

He stopped at the elevator and turned toward her. His eyes lit up and a big grin broke across his face. “Julie.”

“Hi,” she breathed.

“Hi.”

They simply stood there looking at each other.

“I had a great time yesterday,” he finally said.

“I did, too.” She so wanted to tell him about acing her prep test but suddenly remembered her ground rules. They weren’t supposed to share personal information with each other.

“Did you need something?” he asked. “I was on my way to another meeting.”

“No, no, I just wanted to say hi.” She raised a hand. “Hi.”

She wished he would ask her out, but he couldn’t ask her out because she’d told him not to. Why had she told him not to ask her out? Oh, yeah, so she wouldn’t get attached to him.

He raised his hand, mirroring her. “Hi.”

The elevator dinged as it settled to the ground floor. He jerked his thumb toward the lift. “I’ve got another meeting to go to. Is there anything else?”

“No.”

“Sure there’s nothing I can do for you?” His eyes were teasing.

“Um…I was wondering who that man was you were talking to in the corridor?” she blurted.

Smooth, very smooth, DeMarco.

“You mean Roger Marshall?”

“Is that his name?” Mentally she groaned. She was making a mess of this. “Is he a board member?”

“Used to be, retired, now he’s back filling in for someone.” People got off the elevator, Sebastian stepped on, he put a hand out to hold the door open. “You going up?”

“Sure, why not?” She hopped on, her nerves stretched tight. She was mucking it up big-time.

“What floor?” he asked.

“Five, please.”

He pressed the buttons for both the fourth and fifth floors. The doors closed. They stood side by side, staring at the lighted button panel. Julie had her purse clutched under her arm, using it as a barrier between them.

“He’s my future in-law,” Sebastian said.

“Who is?”

“Roger.”

The impact of what he said hit her like a slap. She felt as if she was going to throw up. “You’re engaged to Roger’s daughter?”

He laughed. “I thought our agreement was not to get personal.”

“If you’re engaged,” she said, “the agreement, not to mention our affair, is null and void.”

“I’m not engaged to Roger’s daughter,” he soothed. “Keeley’s marrying my younger brother, Lincoln.”

“Oh,” she said. That made it better, but not by much. He was still peripherally connected to Roger.

“Roger’s the one who recommended my services to Confidential Rejuvenations.”

“Oh,” she said again, knowing she sounded stupid.

The elevator stopped on the fourth floor.

“When do you want to get together again?” Sebastian asked as the door slid open.

She stared at him, feeling blindsided. You gotta end this thing, now. You can’t have an affair with someone who’s about to become family with your married ex-lover.

Gosh, that sounded so soap opera–like.

It was all too complicated and way more than she bargained for. She had to bail out of this thing before she got in too deep. “I’ll call you,” she said as the doors slid closed, but she knew in her heart she was never going to make that call.

“YOU’VE BEEN AWFULLY quiet all week, Jules,” Elle said. “Anything you want to tell us?”

It was Friday evening and Elle and Dante were throwing a backyard barbecue as a housewarming for the new home they’d recently purchased together.

Julie hadn’t talked to Sebastian since their conversation in the elevator. She hadn’t called him, nor had he called her. She told herself she was glad, but she was lying.

While the women were sitting at the picnic table munching on crudités, the men gathered around Dante’s high-tech barbecue grill he’d purchased for the occasion. The group included Dante, Tanner, Carlisle Jones, who was the head of maintenance at Confidential Rejuvenations, and anesthesiologist Brad Mertz. They were grunting and high-fiving over the butane setup and stainless-steel utensils.

“Are they actually making caveman noises?” Vanessa asked, dredging a baby carrot in ranch dressing dip.

Elle waved a hand. “Boys and their toys. As long as the meat gets grilled, I don’t care what they do. So fill us in, Jules. What’s happening with you and that hunky spin doctor?”

“Um, it didn’t work out.”

“What do you mean?”

Julie shrugged. She didn’t want to talk about it in front of Carlisle’s wife, Bridget, or Brad’s date, Sabrina, a new scrub nurse who’d just started working at Confidential Rejuvenations. “His brother is marrying my ex’s daughter,” she said, hoping her friends would pick up the clue without her having to elaborate in front of Bridget and Sabrina. “Kinda complicates things.”

“Ah,” Elle said. “Gotcha. We’ll talk later.”

Julie breathed a sigh of relief as Elle steered the conversation toward safer territory.

“Steaks are done,” Dante called out. “Load up your plates everyone.”

Grateful for the distraction, Julie grabbed a paper plate and headed for the buffet. The filet mignon did smell delicious.

They were all sitting down at the patio picnic tables, when the redwood gate swung inward.

“Is this where the party is?” asked a masculine voice.

A very familiar masculine voice.

Sebastian.

“Hey, you made it.” Dante rose from the table to cross the yard and clap Sebastian on the back. “I thought we were going to have to send out a search party.”

“Come on in.” Elle got up to join her husband.

“Thanks for inviting me….” Sebastian said, but his words broke off when his eyes met Julie’s.

“We’re happy to have you. Come on, get a plate,” Elle encouraged.

“She invited Sebastian?” Julie hissed between clenched teeth to Vanessa who was sitting beside her.

“She thought you’d like the idea.”

“I don’t like the idea. Bad idea. Bad Elle. Why didn’t she tell me she invited him?”

“You know how Elle likes to play matchmaker ever since she hooked up with Dante. She got Brad and Sabrina together.” Vanessa put an arm around her. “It’ll be okay.”

“I don’t need a match made. That’s the whole point. To have sex without getting emotionally involved. No matches should be made where I’m concerned.”

“Sebastian’s coming this way. You can yell at Elle later. In the meantime, smile.”

Yes, he was looking delicious in a long-sleeved forest-green polo shirt and a pair of blue jeans that molded to his muscular butt and showed off his long, lean athletic legs. He had a bottle of wine tucked under one arm and the expression of a man who’d been caught by surprise, but was too adroit to show it.

Clearly, he hadn’t expected to see her any more than she’d expected to see him.

Sebastian blinked, unable to believe his good fortune. Julie was here. Immediately, his spirits lightened. And to think he’d almost decided not to come by tonight.

He’d planned on spending the weekend alone, working on the campaign. He also wanted to figure out what was happening to him where Julie was concerned, and why it bothered the hell out of him that she hadn’t called him like she said she would. But then he’d gotten back to his empty hotel room at the end of the week, and he knew the only way to get her out of his head was to be with other people.

Now here she was. Looking damned gorgeous in a red sweater and blue jeans. He hungered to know what it would feel like to be inside of her. He’d been imagining it all week.

Dammit, he was getting a boner.

To distract himself, he handed the Shiraz he’d brought to Elle, picked up a plate and headed for the buffet table. He loaded up on food, not even paying attention to what he was getting. Julie muddled him that much.

“Scoot down everyone.” Elle waved a hand. “Make room for Sebastian.”

Dante shifted, creating an opening on his side of the table directly across from Julie.

But Julie wasn’t looking at Sebastian, rather she was attacking her baked potato with the gusto of a someone who hadn’t eaten in a week. Was she really that hungry? Or was it a dodge so she wouldn’t have to look at him?

Several moments passed, and he was certain now she was avoiding him, but he didn’t know why. What misstep had he made? Had he not satisfied her in the hayloft? Had she faked her orgasm? His male ego flattened at the notion. She had seemed distant all week. But he hadn’t pushed her. This was her game. She’d set the rules. Maybe she’d stopped playing and hadn’t bothered to clue him in.