To Russia With Love (Countermeasure Series) (12 page)

He placed the package on the counter, opened it with a cutter, and removed a small bubble-wrapped item from it.

Trevor unwrapped one of the small cameras and whistled. “Can you imagine the quality of the images transmitted by this little baby?” He inspected the other cameras in the box under Aidan’s watchful eye.

“Is everything as you expected?”

“Yep. Now, just need to find a use for them. When I do, I’ll fill you in on how they perform.” While Aidan repackaged the small cameras, Trevor reached for his wallet and credit card.

Aidan chatted away as he rang up the purchase. “So where’s that beautiful wife of yours?”

“Home and no doubt wondering where the hell I’m at. I need to get my ass back before I find myself grounded.”

Aidan snorted and handed a bag with the box back to him.

“I’m off, but I’ll be back soon. I want to check out that wide-angle zoom you showed me the other day.”

“You’re in luck, my man. I still have it. Make sure you tell Cassandra hi for me.”

Trevor retraced his steps home. On the way, he stopped at a little bakery and café on Grafton Street. Having been gone a little longer than planned, a peace offering for Cassandra was in order. He had enjoyed the fresh outdoors while she had remained behind, bunkered down in a stuffy house. A twinge of guilt niggled at him. He knew her Cali heart would have enjoyed the walk and beautiful morning. By the time he reached the house, he was juggling a camera-shop bag, a paper tray holding two large cups—one coffee, one tea—and a bag of her favorite pastries and scones.

Surprise!

J
ESSICA HAD LEFT THE HOUSE with map in hand, but her heart really hadn’t been into shopping or handling her financial matters. Sure, she had told Cassandra that was her plan, but it wasn’t really her focus. Her mind had been tied up with thoughts of Stephan. Watching Trevor and Cassandra’s casual glances and touches were too much to bear. She figured it was best if she made herself scarce for a little while.

She walked out of the Bank of Ireland branch with the paperwork of her brand new bank account. Another step into her new life. Next on the list was some gift shopping. She had promised to send Matt a Guinness shirt as soon as she was settled. That would give her the opportunity to clear her head, organize her thoughts. If only she could stop the image of Stephan’s crisp blue eyes from crossing her mind so very often she’d be happy.

Or would she?

Seeing him again after so many months had proven to her that she definitely had it bad. When he had shown up at the pub on the night of her arrival, her stomach had clenched into a bundle of knots and her palms had broken out in a sweat—a schoolgirl’s reaction to a crush. As he stood in front of her, larger than life, she was thrown back to the day of Cassandra’s wedding and what she had felt that evening back at her house. Nothing had changed. The attraction was even stronger the second time around.

Jessica hadn’t expected to see him so soon, and the shock of it had left her in a brainless stupor. The kind one experienced when they were finally close to the one thing they craved most. And, oh boy, had she craved. Now more than ever. She had noticed his unease around her and reveled in the fact that she was the reason for it. She was sure of that. The same realization had dawned on her at his surprised tone when Cassandra commented on the news about her moving there. He had seemed divided between joy and dread—somehow that hurt her.

She needed to see him again. To be sure that the reaction she had caught in his expression before he had hidden his feeling behind a mask of professional courtesy had been real. She needed to know if the burn of their touch still scorched his hand as it still burned hers.

She stared blindly at the shop’s window, pondering the information she had been able to glean from that night. Stephan had a woman friend who, based on Cassandra’s comment, wanted more from him; however, he apparently hadn’t moved forward with that relationship.

It seemed that Stephan was hesitant to commit. Or he had been as affected by her seven months back as she had been by him. Was fear of commitment why he had turned away from her as well? He guarded his feelings so tightly she couldn’t quite decipher the hooded looks he threw her way when he thought she wasn’t paying attention.

As she glanced at the products in the window display, an idea slapped her upside the head. She fished her cell from her purse and scrolled through the contact list.
Yes!
The word echoed in her mind. “You can run, but you can’t hide, Mr. Connellan,” she muttered as she hailed a cab.

*****

Stepping from the cab, she turned back to pay the driver and then stood looking up at the massive building housing Brennan Enterprises. She had learned Trevor’s parents owned the company. Trevor had refused to take his position as the new owner and had handed the reins to Stephan, his parents’ longtime friend and business partner. The tall skyscraper was intimidating, but Jessica was up to the task. She shook her head and squared her shoulders as she took a deep calming breath.
Here goes everything. What if he doesn’t agree to see me? Hell, suck it up girl. All they can say is no. No harm no foul. At least I’ll have my answers.

Jessica entered the glass turnstile and when it spit her out the other side she took a moment to get her bearings. Her eyes travelled the spacious lobby, soaking up the high-tech feel of brushed metal and glass throughout. They paused on the security desk and on the guards situated like gatekeepers to a castle. With a confident demeanor, she joined the line to check in. Stepping up to the desk, she smiled at the security guard.

“Can I help you?”

“Hi. Jessica Forrester to see Mr. Stephan Connellan.”

The guard looked down at his clipboard. “Ms. Forrester. You don’t appear to be on the list of visitors for the day.”

Jessica, knowing she was about to be turned away, chose a direct approach. “I know. He’s not expecting me. I’m a good friend of his from the States and I was hoping to surprise him. Do you think you could ring him?”

“If you’re not on the list, we can’t clear you.”

Jessica leaned on the counter and dropped her voice lower. “Could you please call up to his office? I would hate to have come all this way only to miss him. I’m not staying in the city long and I’m sure he’ll see me if you let him know I’m here.”
I hope so.

The guard’s expression softened and her hopes flared. “Tell you what. Have a seat in the lobby. Let me see if I can reach his assistant. He is an extremely busy man, so I can’t guarantee that we’ll reach him. He might not even be in the building.”

Jessica flashed a bright smile. “Thank you so much. I appreciate you trying.”

The wait was excruciating. Jessica’s pulse raced as she sat in the lobby, thumbing through a tech magazine, praying that Stephan would see her.

The sound of a throat clearing drew her attention and her head snapped up. Her eyes traversed the lines of a well-cut suit until her head tilted back and her eyes clashed with Stephan’s deep blue ones. She caught a spark of some indefinable emotion in them just before he shut it down and eyed her warily. Silence spread like a wide ocean between them.

She was acutely conscious of his tall, athletic physique and the rich outlines of his shoulders straining against the fabric of his charcoal gray suit. His ebony hair was cut short, but was disheveled as if he had raked his fingers through it several times. Her eyes followed the line of his sharp jaw and her fingers itched to feel the prick of the five o’clock shadow hinting along it.

A far-off voice said her name and pulled her from her abstraction. “I’m sorry. Did you say something?”

A faint smile touched his lips and faded away. “Jessica. I didn’t expect to see you again.”

“Surprise!” Jessica laughed nervously as she stood before him. Even in her heels he still towered over her. She looked up and smiled nervously. “Are you going to let me in?”

A look of indecision crossed his face. It wasn’t the reaction she had expected, but one that mirrored the look he wore the night at the pub. Hell, she didn’t quite understand what she had expected. Interest? A smile?
Damn it. I have to stop being so impulsive. I should just go. Leave before I lose all dignity.
“Look, if you’re too busy I can leave. I just thought…never mind. This was a bad idea. I’ll go.”

Stephan reached out and caught her wrist in his hand when she moved to walk around him. “You are not the first interruption of the day. Trevor just left not too long ago. Come,” he commanded, gesturing for her to join him.

With a hand on her lower back, he led her to the bank of elevators. Jessica’s heart tripped the light fantastic as the warmth of his hand burned through her blouse. Her knees grew weak at memory of that same hand skimming bare skin. When the doors opened, he nudged her into the elevator and followed her inside.

The stainless-steel-lined box felt small despite its larger-than-average size. His presence filled every single cubic inch and drowned her in his woodsy aftershave.

Stephan pressed the button for the twenty-fifth floor and then leaned back against the rail with his arms crossed. Irked by his cool, aloof manner, Jessica lifted her chin and met his gaze straight on.

With a sigh, Stephan ran his hand through his hair. “Jessica, how’d you find me?”

A wave of apprehension swept through her and she questioned her impulse again. Mimicking his stance, she leaned back against the opposite rail, facing him. “It was still in my files from when Trevor had me send him Cassie’s documents to the company’s lawyers.”

“Ah. Why are you here?” he finally asked.

Jessica studied him. Up close and personal, he was exactly as she remembered. Her heart fluttered in her chest and the palms of her hands grew damp. His dark hair had the sharp edges of a fresh cut, the gray of his jacket washed his startling blue eyes to a softer shade that melted her insides. She grinned cheekily. “Would you believe me if I said I was in the neighborhood?”

Jessica could have sworn the corner of his mouth quirked, but she couldn’t be sure. “I hope you…” The bell chimed for their floor, cutting of her next words. As the elevator doors slid open, Stephan motioned her to precede him. With a deep breath, Jessica stepped onto the floor and looked to him for directions on which way to go. Stephan passed her and led the way down the hall through a set of double doors, which opened to a spacious sitting area.

Corridors extended off it and a receptionist desk lined the back wall. Stephan touched her hand briefly to catch her attention. “I am over this way.” He took off in the pointed direction and Jessica scrambled to catch up with his long strides.

“Máire, please hold my calls,” he directed the woman sitting at the desk outside his office doors.

Jessica smiled at her as she followed him inside. She studied the large, neatly organized executive office and noticed a few pictures on the walls. Some were of a personal nature. A large group picture particularly caught her eye. Stephan standing between a smiling man and woman, all wind-tousled and grinning widely at the camera. On closer inspection, Jessica recognized the boy with them—Trevor.

A pang of sadness for Trevor’s loss slipped into her heart. Looking away, she found Stephan watching her closely. “You have a beautiful office, Stephan. It’s so…you. It makes Cassie’s father’s look like a bathroom stall.” His mouth twitched and relief flowed over her.

Their eyes locked for a split second and her heart jumped in her chest. The smiles died suddenly and awkward silence lengthened between them. Stephan broke the minute connection by turning and walking around his desk to his chair, almost as if to create a safety barrier between them. Disappointment took root in her gut when he sat and occupied himself with organizing the loose papers on his desk.

Jessica’s pulse raced and she took a shallow breath to steady herself for the daring move she was about to make. She walked around and stood next to him, leaning her hip against the edge of the solid desk.

Stephan seemed intent on ignoring her, so she reached out and touched him. The muscles of his forearm hardened beneath her fingers, almost as if offended by her touch. She snatched her hand back and clenched it until her nails cut into her palm. A cold knot formed in her stomach.
No way. I didn’t come all this way to give up now.
She cocked her head trying to catch his gaze and broke the silence. “It’s good to see you again, Stephan. We didn’t get a chance to talk the other night. How have you been?”

Stephan’s mind was reeling. His collar choked him and a fire simmered in his stomach. It had begun to burn the second he saw Jessica sitting demurely in the lobby. If he had any sense left, he would have dismissed her right there and then, but his determination to keep her at bay had been thrown out the window when their eyes met.

If he didn’t know any better, he would think she was enjoying how uncomfortable her presence made him. Being around her was like going shopping at Dunnes with his mother when he was little. He could almost hear his mother’s words whispered in his ear.
Keep your hands in your pockets, Stephan. Do not touch anything.
He remembered the craving to touch the toys and articles on display, but he always followed the instructions, always kept his hands in his pockets, even though the need ravaged his insides. Like now.