“I have more choices than most.”
“Because you’re wealthy.”
There was a pause. “Yes.”
Of course.
It was a whole other world when you were wealthy.
Unfortunately, Julia wasn’t.
She wasn’t even all that strong. She didn’t want this to be happening to her. She impulsively placed her palm on his chest. The rhythmic beat of his heart pulsed with life, and she willed some of his strength to seep into her body.
He closed his eyes for a split second, and the muscles in his shoulders bunched. His heartbeat deepened, and his scent swirled out around her.
The passion from the pool house invaded her body. Fear and desire coalesced to one emotion, and her focus shifted to his mouth. Just once, she thought. Just once before her life went to hell.
His lips parted and he dipped his head.
Her hand curled into a fist with his shirt trapped inside. She pulled herself up on her toes, slanting her head, tipping forward.
His hand wrapped around the back of her head and dragged her in.
His lips met hers, full on, hot and open.
Passion welled to life from her belly, roiling out to every finger and toe. She opened her mouth, and his tongue invaded. His free arm wrapped around her waist, clutching her firmly to his body, her breasts plastered against him, her belly molding to the shape of his arousal, her thighs flush up against his, not a centimeter between them.
His kiss went to her neck, her ear, her temple, then back to her mouth. He stroked her cheek, ran his hand over her hair, slid the other over her buttocks, kissing her over and over again.
Then something banged in the barn.
A horse, most likely.
But they both jolted back to reality.
He broke the kiss and held her tight, gasping beside her ear, one hand still clasping her bottom.
“Not good,” he rasped.
“Sorry,” she breathed against his chest.
He shook his head. “That wasn’t your fault.”
“It was the fear,” she said.
“Yeah,” he agreed, his grasp on her loosening slowly.
“Could have happened to anyone.” She forced herself to pull back.
“The heat of the moment,” he said.
“Exactly.” She brushed the wrinkles from the front of his dress shirt.
He took a half step back. “There’s no need-”
“It never happened.”
Harrison could carry on with his plans for an arranged marriage to Brittany without any fear of Julia being indiscreet. It was definitely the least she could do.
Harrison took another step back, and they separated completely.
“The vet’s office,” he said.
She nodded.
He started to take her hand again, but then backed off.
Good thinking.
Clearly, they couldn’t be trusted together.
Harrison had a lot of faith in Alex. And if Alex was suspicious, then so was Harrison.
“Something’s not right,” Alex repeated, standing next to Brittany in the small vet’s office.
Leila had arrived, reporting that the horses were ready to go out the back way if needed. And it was looking as though they might be needed.
“A person of significance?” he parroted Alex’s earlier words back to him.
“It usually means some kind of hostile, material witness,” said Alex. “And they only use it in a very serious case.”
Harrison’s attention went back to Julia. She looked absolutely terrified, but he still didn’t know if he could trust her completely. She’d lied to him before.
“Do you have
“I’ve only been here four days,” she all but wailed.
“Shh,” he admonished. The police were searching in the house at the moment, but they’d move to the barn soon enough.
Her voice turned to a hoarse whisper. “You were with me for most of that time.”
“The horse theft charges are back,” Alex put in. “It looks to me like they’re using anything and everything they can think of to get their hands on Julia.”
“Why?” Harrison asked out loud, stymied.
Everyone was silent.
“Somebody thinks she knows something,” Alex ventured.
Harrison stared at his friend. Unspoken was that the
“The horses?” asked Leila.
Brittany spoke up. “They’ll see you. They’ll follow you.”
Harrison and Alex looked at each other. Brittany was likely right.
“Unless,” Brittany continued. She turned her attention to Julia, sizing the woman up. “Trade me clothes. In case the taxi driver described you.”
Julia shook her head. “I can’t let you-”
“Oh, yes, you can,” said Harrison. He nodded approvingly at Brittany. “A decoy.”
“Damn,” said Alex with clear admiration.
Brittany’s fingers went to the zipper at the side of her gown.
“Men outside, please,” came Leila’s scolding voice, and Harrison realized he’d been staring.
He and Alex immediately moved into the hallway and shut the door behind them.
“What in the bloody hell is going on?” asked Harrison as soon as they were alone.
Alex shook his head. “Something to do with Millions to Spare?”
“What could she know? What is there to know?”
“It must be connected to Leopold’s Legacy.”
Harrison switched to that angle. “And somebody knows she was here with the Prestons?”
“And that she followed Millions to Spare.”
Harrison swore. There was no telling how high or how far this went. And maybe Julia did know something. But maybe it was something she didn’t even realize she knew.
He didn’t want to consider the possibility she was playing him again.
No. He wasn’t going to explore that line of thinking.
“Want me to sleuth around?” asked Alex.
“Absolutely. When you and Brittany get back-”
“Whoa. Wait a minute.
“Julia’s my responsibility. And I’m not about to let you get arrested for aiding and abetting a criminal.”
Alex looked aghast at the prospect of staying with Brittany.
Good grief. Brittany was a perfectly nice person.
“They’re going to follow you two,” said Harrison. “Lead them south as far as you can, then play dumb. I’m going to take the Jeep and go cross-country toward Fujairah.”
“Over the dunes?”
“And through the mountains.”
Alex cocked his head. “I don’t think they’ll expect that.”
“That’s what I’m counting on.”
