Golden Lies - Barbara Freethy [133]
"For a security expert, you don't keep your apartment very secure. I came in through the garage. It was wide open."
"Damn. That's right. The phone was ringing when I got back from my bike ride, and I must have forgotten to close the door. I bet half my stuff is gone by now."
"Do you want to go look?"
"Are you kidding? I'm in bed with a beautiful blonde. What's a bike or two?"
She laughed, her eyes sparkling with pleasure. God, she was pretty. Every time he saw her he thought she looked more appealing than the last time. Maybe it was because he wasn't just seeing her physical beauty now. He was seeing her, all the complicated feelings and emotions and actions that made her Paige.
Paige Hathaway, a little voice inside reminded him. A woman who'd only the night before chosen her family over him. Sure she'd apologized, but how could he be sure it wouldn't happen again?
"Now you're stiff, and I don't mean stiff in a good way," Paige said, frowning. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"Liar. You're thinking about last night again. I was hoping we'd gotten past that."
"We will," he said, stroking her silky hair with his hand, "but we still have some things to resolve."
"I know—the dragon for one. My father and I talked last night. We agree that the dragon in the safe is the one you brought in. We think my grandfather has the box, which means there's one dragon missing, and there's only one other person I can think of who might have it."
"Lee Chen," Riley said. "I think so, too."
"My father said something else that was interesting. He thinks the dragons are calling us together. They want to be reunited. They're making it happen."
"They're doing a damn good job of it," he said with a grin.
"Yes, they are. Now it's up to us, Riley, the third generation, to put those pieces back together and return them to China where they belong. What do you think about making another trip to Chinatown tonight?"
"It's a good idea."
"I'm going to call Alyssa. We'll go to her grandparents' house together."
"It's the Chinese New Year's Eve," he reminded her. "The anniversary of the fire."
"And the perfect time to figure out just what happened that night."
"What are we going to do until then?" He was getting hard again, already wanting her, already feeling as if it had been too long since he'd last made love to her although it had only been an hour or so.
"I can think of a few things," she said with a smile.
"So can I."
"Good. But this time you can open your own damn condom." She gave him a wicked smile. "I have a few other things I'd like to do with my mouth."
He groaned and knew he wasn't just lost; he was hopelessly lost.
* * *
"He's late. He's not coming," Alyssa told her mother as she paced restlessly back and forth across the living room. "It's almost five o'clock."
Jasmine sat on the couch, her hands folded calmly in her lap. "Sit down, Alyssa. You're wearing a hole in the carpet."
"This is a mistake. I shouldn't have asked you to call him. He doesn't want to see me. He doesn't want to know me."
"He will come. You will see."
"Fine. He'll come. I'll see. And then we'll go to my grandparents' house and ask them where the dragon is."
Jasmine's lips tightened. "I don't think it's a good idea. It's New Year's Eve. It is a special occasion. We cannot do it tonight."
"We have to do it tonight. I already spoke to Paige and Riley. We're going. And I hope you'll come, too."
"I will think about it."
A knock came at the door just as her mother finished speaking. Alyssa sent her a desperate look. "Maybe you should open it."
"You are my brave daughter," Jasmine said with a rare smile. "The one who always tells me I must not be so afraid. Now it is your turn."
Alyssa took a deep breath, squared her shoulders and answered the door.
"Alyssa." David Hathaway stood in the doorway, a handsome man with dark hair and dark eyes, eyes that looked like hers. Those eyes were pleading now, pleading for understanding. "I'm—I'm your father," he said.
God. She felt like crying. Why did she feel like crying? He hadn't wanted her. He hadn't taken