Always - Iris Johansen [15]
She shook her head. “This is insane. Why shouldn’t I be afraid of you? You kidnapped me and now you tell me you want me to go to bed with you.”
Clancy stood up and reached down to pull her to her feet. “What is there to be afraid of?” He smiled faintly. “You want me, too. I’ll wait until you’re ready for me. I can be very patient when I want something.” He took her elbow and pushed her gently in the direction of the villa. “Don’t you think we’d better go back to the house? We have some talking to do.”
Automatically she fell into step with him. Why wasn’t she fighting him? His grip on her arm was almost gentle despite its firmness, yet she had the impression any resistance would be instantly quelled. She would have to bide her time until she had another opportunity to escape. She had almost made it. Surely she would succeed in eluding him next time.
“You’re suddenly very docile. Are you sure you’re all right?”
“I’m not docile.” Lisa looked straight ahead. “Like you, I can be very patient when I want something.”
He chuckled. “I should have known. My first impression of you was of gentle fragility. Who would have guessed there was such a tigress beneath that serene exterior?”
She felt a little shiver of shock run through her when she realized he was right. She had always been tranquil even in her moments of greatest happiness. Yet she had been acting with a primitive passion that was almost explosive since Donahue had walked into her dressing room. She had never before known fear, rage, or desire in such violent proportions. It made her a little uneasy to realize a stranger could arouse those emotions within her—particularly a stranger as lawless and ruthlessly determined as Donahue.
“What’s wrong?” His eyes were narrowed on her face. “Is it something I said? Have I hurt you?”
“No.” She avoided his gaze. “What could you possibly have said that would have had an effect on me? Your opinions don’t mean a thing to me, Donahue.”
His fingers tightened on her elbow. “You have the tongue of a wasp,” he said curtly. “Do you suppose you could keep your stinger out of me until we have that talk? I’m not feeling any too stable myself at the moment.”
They had arrived back at the villa and found Galbraith and the other two young men waiting apprehensively at the courtyard door. Galbraith was staring at her with an almost comical look of mournful reproach. “That wasn’t very nice, Miss Landon,” he said as he opened the door and stepped aside for her to precede him. “You were supposed to be a weak, languishing female, not Sheena of the Jungle, climbing vines and leaping seven-foot walls at a single bound. Now I’m in big trouble.”
“You’re damn right you are,” Clancy said. “You weren’t only stupid, you were careless. I’m tempted to send you back to Sedikhan. A rookie operative would have shown more savvy.” He jerked his thumb at the two guards. “Replace them, and see if you can find anyone on the island with eyes in their heads.” He was propelling Lisa across the courtyard toward the French doors that led to the bedroom. “And until you can find someone, I expect you to roost outside these doors yourself. Understand?”
Galbraith nodded. “I won’t be able to replace them until tomorrow. I hope to hell we don’t get one of those charming tropical showers tonight.”
“Maybe it would wash some sense into that head of yours. Looking like a schoolboy is a professional advantage, acting like one is professional suicide.” He ignored Galbraith’s grimace as he closed the French doors behind them.
He released Lisa’s arm and turned away. “Galbraith won’t make that mistake again. You won’t even be allowed into the courtyard without permission.” He strode toward the door across the room. “This is the only other exit, and I’ll be on the other side. I assure you that I’ll be a hell of a lot more careful than Galbraith.” He looked over his shoulder, and for an instant there was the hint of a smile lighting