[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
You should know.
Her brows drew together. If something happens to you, then I m
sure your family would find a way into your safe, if they even know
about it. Otherwise, your things can stay put for all eternity. Leah
uncrossed her arms and leaned her elbow against the back of the sofa
as she turned to face him. If you dislike your father so much, why
did you leave a successful career to come all the way back here to
work for him?
His head flopped to one side, facing her, but he didn t otherwise
move. It s temporary. I didn t actually quit my job. I took a leave of
absence. I have every intention of returning at the end of six months.
Leah took heart from his revelation. At the same time, her heart
broke a bit. Six months. This thing between them was finite. Does
your father know this?
104 Debora Ryan
Will s expression turned mordant. Yes. He s having trouble
managing his employees. I told you more than six million dollars
have disappeared. I m supposed to find it.
Leah ground her teeth. I didn t take six million.
I know you didn t, but the trail leads back to you. That s why I
was put in your department. I ve been trying to find out who is setting
you up, but I haven t been successful.
A frightening thought occurred to Leah. Your father thinks I took
six million dollars?
He sat up slowly, uncertainly, and didn t look at her. I haven t
shared my suspicions with him.
That was a relief. She waited impatiently for him to continue.
At last he cleared his throat. The night we met.
After a silence, Leah prompted him to finish his thought. What
about the night we met?
That s the combination. The date we met. You were right in
thinking it was an important date. It s not a birth date, though. It s the
date we met. He looked at her expectantly.
I don t understand. Why would you tell me that?
Because I trust you. We re two halves of a whole, Leah. His
warm brown eyes pinned her in place with their intensity. I knew
when I met you that we were destined to be together. I wanted to kill
Trevor for pulling me away from you. I knew you thought I was
hitting on Anne. I planned to explain, but you left. I went back to that
place for the next two nights. I probably would have gone every night
hoping to find you again. I did toy with the idea of hiring a private
detective to find you.
He reached out and touched her face. Leah fought the urge to turn
into his hand so that he was touching her more fully. Imagine my
surprise when you walked into that office. It only confirmed that our
meeting was fated.
You didn t know? Her voice was a whisper.
Crimes of the Heart 105
How could I? I hadn t started at the company. He slanted his
lips over hers, kissing her tenderly. Something frozen thawed and
unfurled inside Leah. She wanted so badly for things to work with
him.
So, someone is making it look like I have six million lying
around?
It would seem so. Will frowned. You don t seem to have any
enemies. Is there anything I don t know about? Someone you dated
and it ended badly? Someone who you passed over for promotion?
Someone who resents you?
Leah shook her head. I don t think I would notice anyway. I m a
very busy person. I don t really date. I ve never dated anyone at work.
I am focused on my job when I m there, but I don t think about that
petty stuff at all. Is your father angry with me? The last part came
out a lot more nervously than she had intended.
Will looked at her in surprise. Why would you care?
I care what he thinks. Leah s reply was defensive, but she didn t
care.
He laughed. You know, one of the things that cemented my
attraction to you was the fact that you didn t care what he thought.
But that isn t true.
Leah, you came into your office to find your boss waiting to have
a scheduled meeting with you, a meeting for which you were an hour
late. You made no excuses. You didn t even acknowledge him until
he said something to you first. I know Eliza had to have told you we
were waiting for you. His smile widened. You didn t apologize at
all. Instead, you took him to task for asking a favor from you. I like
your brashness and your fearlessness. He took her hand in his and
caressed it gently.
Leah was quiet for a minute, enjoying his touch and thinking over
their conversation. With a sudden sigh, she confessed, My car
wouldn t start. I had to change the spark plugs and wires. I ignored
your dad because I was mad about being late, and I was mad that I
106 Debora Ryan
had a grease stain on my skirt. I wanted to find my spot remover pen
to take out the stain. I was embarrassed. It actually had very little to
do with the fact that I didn t want to take you under my wing.
But you got a ten thousand dollar bonus for doing it.
She grinned. I should have asked for more.
He probably would have given it to you. My mom is really upset
about the missing money.
Your father told her about it?
Will shook his head. My mother found it. She s the one who
asked me to come, otherwise I wouldn t have.
I didn t know your mother was involved with the business. I ve
never seen her.
Disgust once again descended on Will s face. That s because my
dad is a jerk who doesn t think my mom should worry about business
matters. Plus, he s afraid someone might recognize my mom and
realize that all the money isn t his, that he married an heiress, and that
she actually owns all the assets. His gaze slid back to the ceiling as
he continued. She loaned him the money to start his business and
every time it s been in danger of failing, she comes through with the
cash to keep it going. Everyone thinks Thomas Dannaker is a brilliant
business man, but he is nothing more than a regular guy who was
lucky enough to marry a Greek shipping magnate s daughter.
Greek. That explained his dark hair and olive skin and incredibly
prominent cheekbones. You do resent him.
I resent that he pretends to be something he isn t. She made him,
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]