Stormy Vows - Iris Johansen [153]
Jane hurriedly rinsed the shampoo from her hair and stepped out of the shower, drying herself swiftly and slipping on the yellow terry-cloth robe and matching scuffs. There wouldn't be time to dry her hair, she decided. She wrapped a towel turban fashion around her head and swiftly left the steaming bathroom.
In a matter of seconds she had crossed the short distance from the master suite to Lola Torres's cabin at the end of the corridor. She paused and drew a deep breath. Then, squaring her chin determinedly, she knocked firmly on the door.
Jake Dominic scowled darkly as he checked his wristwatch impatiently. Lola was already fifteen minutes late. Kahlid had finished saying his lengthy and cheerful farewells and was waiting in the launch with the seaman who was to take them to the pier at Cozumel. Lola's luggage had been collected and placed in the launch some thirty minutes ago, yet there was still no sign of her.
Then at last she came into view, and Jake relaxed fractionally as the Latin woman strode hurriedly toward him. An amused smile curved her lips when she saw the impatient frown on Dominic's face.
“Don't scowl at me, querido,” she said lightly. “I would have been on time if it hadn't been for your chère amie. We have been having a little discussion.”
“Why couldn't you have written her a letter?” Jake asked caustically. “Women have no sense of time!”
“You're such a chauvinist, Jake,” Lola drawled. “Don't you know better than to resort to generalizations? I knew very well I was running late, but I felt that under the circumstances even you would rather I took the time to straighten out Jane's thinking.”
Jake's eyes narrowed with sudden alertness. “And how did you accomplish that?” he asked slowly. “I was under the impression that Jane was a remarkably clear-thinking individual.”
“In most areas I couldn't agree with you more,” she said lightly, “but it seems the child has taken it into her head that she needs a tutor.”
“Go on,” Jake urged.
“Jane came to see me and asked my help,” Lola reported, trying to keep a straight face, her eyes dancing. “It appears that she feels that she must improve her performance, and she elected to come to a professional.”
“Performance?” Jake frowned, puzzled.
Lola's lips were quirking as she supplied a highly obscene Anglo-Saxon noun.
“Oh, my God!” Jake groaned, and ran his hand through his hair.
Lola chuckled irrepressibly. “If only you could have seen her, Jake, sitting there like a prim and proper schoolgirl and trying to persuade me to give her lessons in the oldest profession in the world.” Her dark eyes were gleaming with laughter. “All the while she was trying to phrase it with great delicacy, so as not to hurt my feelings! She was absolutely delicious.”
“Very amusing,” Jake said ironically, his expression far from amused. “I'm sure you were a great help to her.”
“Oh, she had nothing so short term in mind,” Lola said, her eyes twinkling. “She suggested that once you start your next picture, she'll join me in Los Angeles for some in-depth study. She seemed to think that, with work and concentration, it shouldn't take more than a few weeks.”
“The hell she will!” Jake exploded, his face grim.
“I thought that would be your reaction,” Lola said tranquilly. “I tried to explain that to our little friend.”
“You take her up on that insanity and I'll take great pleasure in breaking that lovely neck of yours, Lola.”
“Don't be absurd, Jake,” Lola replied, affronted. “I like the child. I'm not about to get her into trouble with you,” she added with a demure smile. “I even told her that you must be more than satisfied with her to reject my expert services. It's up to you to build up her confidence if you want her to forget this foolishness.”
“Thanks for the advice,” he remarked caustically. “I'll handle Jane in my own way, if you don't mind.”
She shrugged. “I was only trying to help,” she said, turning away to descend the ladder into the waiting launch. She turned back abruptly, her face serious. “The