Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [107]
"You're sisters by blood."
"But we don't know each other. She doesn't trust me. I'm not sure I trust her."
He smiled. "Sounds like every family I've ever known, Paige. At any rate, she called, and we're here, so let's go meet her. The trust issues can wait."
* * *
"The class started a little late," a young Asian woman told Alyssa. "Ben said to tell you to wait for him." She waved her hand toward the gym. "There are chairs along the wall if you want to sit down."
Alyssa walked into the studio and paused just inside the door. Ben and another man faced off in the middle of the room. They were both bare to the waist, dressed in black pants and barefoot. She watched in fascination, every move, every attack, every defense. There was strength, skill, stubbornness, determination, agility, and courage in the way they fought.
Ben had taken martial arts classes for years, but she'd never actually seen him fight, and she hadn't realized he'd become so masterful at the art. She tended to think of him as an intellectual man, not a strong physical being, but it was quite clear now that that impression did not do him justice. She felt her heart speed up at the sight of him.
Today, at this minute, he wasn't a modern-day reporter. He was an ancient warrior, a man of power, a force to be reckoned with, a man who was making her feel really hot and very female. She waved her hand in front of her face and sat down in a nearby chair. The match continued for another five minutes. Ben finally took his opponent down with a spinning kick.
She let out the breath she had been holding as Ben extended his hand to his opponent. He helped him to his feet, then they bowed to each other. The instructor said a few words to both of them, then Ben turned toward her, a soldier returning from battle to the woman left waiting for him. She had to fight back the ridiculous impulse to run into his arms and hold him tight, to make sure he hadn't been hurt.
This wasn't a fantasy. This was reality. Ben was her childhood friend, her pal, not some godlike warrior out of a movie. So why did she feel so anxious and tense around him?
"Hi," he said, his voice deep and husky.
Had he always sounded this sexy? She cleared her throat. "Hi. You said you had some information?"
"Actually, I said we should talk to my uncle."
"Right." She could barely remember what he'd said. "Do you want to put on a shirt or something?"
A small smile played across his lips, and she damned herself for being so obvious.
"Sure, I'll put on a shirt." He walked over to a chair and grabbed a T-shirt, pulling it over his head in one swift gesture. "Better?"
"I don't really care. I thought you might be cold. It's not good to get sweaty and then walk around in the cold air. You'll stiffen up."
"Thanks for the concern."
"There's something else. I called Paige Hathaway and asked her to meet us here. I hope that's all right?"
"That depends on why you called her." His eyes sharpened with curiosity. "I know she's interested in the dragon, but there's more to it than that, isn't there?"
"Yes." She took a step back, drawing him into a private corner so they wouldn't be overheard. "My mother actually had a more personal relationship with David Hathaway than I led you to believe." She drew in a deep breath, not sure she could actually say the words. It would be the first time she'd said them out loud to anyone except her mother. But Ben was her friend. She could trust him. "David Hathaway is my father."
His eyes widened. "You're kidding."
She shook her head. "No, I'm not."
"That's quite a piece of news." His expression changed. "Oh, wait a second, he's hurt, isn't he?"
"He's getting better. He's conscious now."
"Have you spoken to him?"
"Not yet. Which is fine, because I'm not even sure what I want to say to him."
"So Paige Hathaway is your half sister," he said slowly. "And the two of you are interested in the dragon because ... Okay, I've