Targeted

When she focused on his face once again, her heart skipped a beat. “Holy shit.”

The man jerked to a halt and she realized she’d said the words out loud. She cringed and ordered herself to get it together.

“Ah . . . sorry.” What else could she say, that she’d suddenly developed a mild case of Tourette’s?

“Sophie, this is Jack Baldwin. He’s been a silent partner with Keane Flight until recently.” Ronald’s words blew right past her as she continued to watch the stranger.

He had pale bluish gray eyes she’d never seen on anyone before except . . . Sam. Eyes with the seemingly endless depth of the unforgiving ocean. So deep she could drown in them. She wanted to look away, but couldn’t even pretend not to stare. And he was definitely looking back. Watching her with a mix of curiosity and something she couldn’t begin to define.

The harsh lines and angles of his face gave him a unique, almost statuesque quality. As if he’d been carved out of stone. He wasn’t handsome in the typical Hollywood sense, but any woman with a pulse would certainly do a double take. Maybe even a triple take. He even had the same dark hair as Sam. For a brief moment she could feel herself drowning as memories attacked her.

Sam carrying her books home from school. Protecting her from neighborhood bullies. Staying up late with her when she needed help studying. Sam kissing her, making love to her, going with her to the beach even though he hated it, holding her when she’d had a bad day.

Sam is dead. The jarring thought was the only thing that gave her the power to tear away from this stranger’s far-too-intimate gaze. Feeling an ache deep inside, she absently rubbed the middle of her chest until she realized what she was doing. She nervously cleared her throat and hoped her blush had started to recede as she found her voice. Right now Keane was at the top of her shit list. She wasn’t going to let a handsome face distract her. “Recently?”

“Yes . . . Please, have a seat.” Ronald half stood and motioned to the other man to sit. Sophie noticed his voice shook a little. Maybe he was intimidated by this man.

Not that she blamed him.

In a few long strides, Jack Baldwin was sitting on a burgundy high-backed chair identical to the one she sat on a mere foot away. The briefest whisper of a familiar scent tickled her nose. Something spicy, masculine, and earthy that made her toes curl in her sling-backs. Clearly it had been too long since she’d had sex if even the intoxicating scent of a possible arms dealer was affecting her. It was the only thing that explained her raw reaction.

The corners of his lips pulled up slightly as he nodded at her—as if he knew what she was thinking. The very thought was horrifying. “Pleased to meet you.”

Against her will, she found herself staring at his mouth. Instinctively she moistened her own dry lips. When she did, his jaw muscle flicked, drawing her attention back to those intoxicating eyes. Oh, crap. The blush was back. She could feel heat creeping up her neck and cheeks, and for a brief moment she thanked God for her Cuban heritage. She vainly hoped her darker skin would cover her embarrassment, but knew it was unlikely.

“Likewise, Mr. Baldwin.” She shifted in her seat, turning slightly away from him. God, she needed to get whatever this feeling was under control. Maybe if she didn’t look at him she could tune out all that raw, unwanted sexuality.

“Call me Jack.” His voice was low and sensual. It rolled over her with the subtlety of a tidal wave, sending unexpected shivers to all her nerve endings. Why was it so familiar? It reminded her slightly of Sam, but it was deeper, more masculine. Like what Sam would have sounded like if he’d been allowed to grow up fully. She shook herself at the depressing, and insane, thought.

Why did she have the urge to say Jack’s name out loud? Just to feel it on her tongue. Her nipples tightened at the thought of saying that name under very different circumstances. Right then and there, Sophie felt like a crazy person. This was so unlike her, this . . . sexual hunger. And there was no other word for what she was feeling.

Ronald’s voice grounded her, forcing her to look away again. “Like I was saying, Jack here will be filling in for Paul.”

She frowned at her boss, wishing she could tell him everything she’d found last night. “Why?”

The other man answered before Ronald could speak. “He was in a terrible car accident and is unable to handle the day-to-day dealings, so you’re stuck with me.” His lips pulled up again, this time self- deprecatingly.

Or she was under the impression that was what he was going for. The action was a little too practiced. Sophie chewed on her bottom lip as she tried to gauge his expression. There was something else underneath that charming and sexy veneer that didn’t sit right. This was the first she’d heard about a car accident. It was also the first she’d heard of a silent partner and they’d been working with Keane for about eight years. Since the year she’d started at SBMS, in fact.

“Paul was in an accident? Is he going to be okay?”

“The doctors aren’t sure yet. He’s in a coma and it’s touch-and-go right now,” the newcomer said quietly.

She glanced back at her boss for confirmation. Ronald just nodded. Even if Paul was hurt she was still unsure why Jack Baldwin was even here. It wasn’t as though they worked for Keane. No, it was the other way around. So why was his partner here now? And why was this the first she’d heard of him? And why the hell were there freaking weapons in the plane she’d broken into last night?

As if the other man read her mind, he said, “I’m sure you’re wondering why I’m here. Ronald has agreed to let me borrow you for the day as my personal tour guide of the company.”

“Why?” she asked bluntly, not caring how rude she sounded.

His eyebrows lifted as if she’d taken him off guard. The movement was slight, but she couldn’t help feeling as if she were under a microscope.

Oh, crap, did he know she was the one who’d broken into Keane Flight last night? She fought the urge to squirm in her chair. The way this man was studying her was unnerving. “Uh, why do you need a tour guide?” she asked, this time more politely.

“Mr. Baldwin is thinking of investing in SBMS and wants to see the day-to-day operations,” Ronald said smoothly.

“I see.” Though she didn’t. Not at all. “When would you like to start? I can schedule something tomorrow —”

“How about I take you to lunch and then we get started?” Somehow the man’s question sounded more like an order.

“Uh, sure.” Now she definitely sounded rude.

“Is La Marea okay?” There was a slight touch of amusement in his voice.

“That sounds wonderful.” Okay, that was a much politer response. Good for her. La Marea was an expensive restaurant for a work lunch, but it was also her favorite place. For some reason, it annoyed her that he’d picked it. As if he knew more about her than he should.

Jack followed suit as she stood. She looked at her boss. “You coming?” Please say yes. She tried to will him to respond. All she needed was a few minutes of his time.

Ronald shook his head and grabbed his briefcase. “You two go ahead. I’ve got a meeting to head to.”

A strange panic settled in her gut at the thought of being alone with Jack Baldwin before she’d spoken to Ronald. Ignoring the newcomer, she looked pointedly at her boss. “I need to talk to you in private before I leave.”

“It’ll have to wait, Sophie.” His voice was tired, strained.

“But—”

“I have a meeting,” he snapped, taking her completely off guard.

She recoiled at the abrupt tone. Ronald had never spoken to her like that, and even though it was childish, she felt stung. Fighting the sudden onslaught of emotions, she turned and found Jack staring at her as if he could see straight through to her innermost thoughts. How the hell did he do that? It was so damn jarring, but she couldn’t tear her gaze from those pale eyes.

He was definitely good-looking in that rugged, muscular Marlboro man sort of way. And something told her