Page 10 of Million Dollar High

Snyder looks at you like you’re his private possession.

Leia froze, Noah’s words clanging through her head. She’d rejected the observation at the time. Now, it imbedded in her consciousness, and she couldn’t dismiss the remark. She shivered, despite the sun blazing down on the lounger she’d spread out on in her private solarium, the farthest point from Warren’s wing of the mansion. Had someone ramped up the air-conditioning?

She grabbed the remote, lowered the jazz funk she’d beenusing to drown out her thoughts and faced Warren. Even though it was the weekend, he was dressed in his customary Savile Row suit, complete with waistcoat, pinstriped tie, cufflinks and polished brogues. His hair was combed neatly enough to pass a military code test. She looked away and inwardly grimaced at the calm perfection she’d once aspired to.

“I’d rather not go out tonight, Warren.”

He took another step forward and she caught a hint of his expensive cologne. It was chilling and impersonal, nowhere near Noah’s potent, intoxicating scent.

Noah…

God, it hurt just thinking his name.

“We don’t always get to choose life’s experiences. I’m hoping the idea of dinner with me isn’t one of the less pleasant ones? Especially as it’s at your favorite restaurant?”

She turned the music off. “Is this some sort of life lesson?”

“If you want it to be.” He strolled forward in that controlled, calculated way of his and paused at the foot of the lounger.

Slowly, his gaze raked over her, and she shivered again. She still wore Noah’s college T-shirt but had changed into a pair of dark blue leggings after a hundred-lap swim this morning. She saw Warren’s eyes linger on the Vassar logo before they rose to hers.

“If it’s any consolation, I think you made the right decision, my dear. Now, you need to move on quickly. Excise the wound before the infection sets in.” His eyes dropped back to the logo. When she realized they lingered on her breasts, she folded her arms.

“Why did you come to Noah’s place with her?”

The question had swirled through her mind since yesterday. Once they’d arrived home, all she’d wanted to do was retreat to a dark corner, away from the harrowing reality of what she’ddone. Despite knowing she was only prolonging the agony, she’d slept in Noah’s shirt. She was nowhere near ready to let it go yet.

But in the clear light of day, she had questions. Ones she couldn’t shy away from any longer. “Did you know who she was before the airport yesterday?”

“No. She came to see me yesterday morning. When I became aware of the gravity of Miss Maitland’s news, I concluded that you shouldn’t be left to face it on your own. I came because you needed my protection.”

“You mean you didn’t trust me to deal with this my own way.”

“You dealt with it your way. I just wanted to make sure you were presented with the unsullied facts.”

“Well, you certainly did that.”

His eyes gleamed. “You know sarcasm isn’t a trait I admire, my dear. It’s a poor defense mechanism used by the uncouth. If you want me to think you’re in control of your emotions, do better.”

“Maybe I’ve discovered that giving my emotions free reign isn’t a bad thing after all. Did you stop to think about that?”

“Of course. I factored that in, which is why I gave you twenty-four hours to… wallow. But you need to get yourself together. We have another board meeting early tomorrow. And the unresolved subject of your stepfather still requires our attention. Had you returned home on Friday night, we would have made progress.” Again, that chiding tone but coupled with something else. A hint of possessiveness. Recognizable now because it was amplified a thousand times with a single glance or word when it came from Noah.

This time, her shiver engulfed her whole body. “I haven’t forgotten what’s at stake.”

“Good.” He tugged at the expertly pressed cloth of his trousers and sat down beside her. “Besides the… emotional aspects of all this, I wanted to remind you of your corporate responsibility. Nothing can jeopardize what we’ve spent years building, Leia. We’re so close. It would be a shame to do something foolish and risk everything.” He gave a single shake of his head. The move was so alien to the Warren she knew that her sharp reply froze in her throat. “I’m beginning to think I shouldn’t have allowed you to go on this trip.”

She jerked away from him. “Allowedme? I’m twenty-three years old, Warren.”

He barely blinked at her outburst. “But in some aspects you’re still a child, a novice at certain things.”

“You really believe that, don’t you? Or do you just want me to remain a child? Frozen and helpless at seventeen?”

A look curled through his gaze, but his eyelids descended, shielding it from view. A chill whispered over her. She whipped her legs off the lounger and turned sideways.

“I would never wish you helpless.” There was a thread of hurt in his voice that made her feel bad. But it wasn’t enough to wash away the anger at what his description of her made her feel.

“Then don’t treat me like a child. I’m no longer the broken person you brought home five years ago.”

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