Heart of the Woolf (Woolf Series) (3 page)

“Oh yeah?” Marcy challenged, a little calmer, although her
breathing was still too fast.

“Yeah. I may have something of his that this person who sent
the note just wants to get back.” Adrienne managed a rueful smile. “At the
moment, though, I can’t think of what it could be. I’m not exactly the type to
bring home what’s not mine.”

“I don’t buy it, Adri.” Marcy’s mutinous look was reminiscent
of a dog stubbornly hanging on to its favorite bone. “I still think we need to
tell someone. All right, if you don’t want to talk to the police, let’s tell
Jake. Then he can do something to beef up security in the office.”

“I don’t think it’s enough to warrant --”

“Take your pick, Adri. Tell the police or tell Jake.”

“Tell me what?” Jake entered the room, his tall, athletic
body clothed in a dark blue long-sleeved polo shirt and black trousers. A
bright yellow tie served as a direct contrast to his shirt. His overpowering
presence filled the room, which suddenly seemed smaller. His enigmatic
gray-brown-eyed gaze met Adrienne’s, before moving on to Marcy and Tielan.

Adrienne’s icy mask slipped into place. “Nothing.” She
assumed a pose of brisk efficiency, shoving the box into the wastebasket at her
feet, and then shuffling the papers on her desk into one organized pile.

“Adri ...” Marcy’s voice held an agonized note.

“There’s nothing to tell,” Adrienne repeated. “Tielan, you
may go back to work. Thank you for bringing the package over.”

Tielen filed out, and Jake closed the door behind her. Damn.
Even his backside had the ability to burn her into lust. She had read plenty of
romance novels describing the hero as having broad shoulders that tapered into
slim hips, but Jake’s was the only real life male body she had seen that looked
like that. Her fingers itched to caress his butt, to hold onto his ass as he
rode her.

He sat beside Marcy, assessing Adrienne with his intelligent
dark eyes. There was none of the passion that she had imagined earlier, none of
the naked lust that made her want to tear away his clothes and make fierce love
to him.

Still, he had the power to affect her. Fire raged within her,
making her aware of yearnings that had long been plaguing her.

He was also very sharp. His intelligence matched hers,
surpassed it even, which was one of the things that attracted her to him. Given
enough clues, he would be able to put all the puzzle pieces together and fill
in the missing blanks to get the whole picture.

And her secret was one puzzle she didn’t want him working on.

“Jake, did you come to see me about something?” Cool and
efficient.

“What’s this about a package?” Jake lounged back in his seat,
giving the impression of the relaxed executive.

Without hesitation, Adrienne showed him the card and the
black rose. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Marcy’s surprised expression.

“I didn’t want to mention it earlier, with Tielan here and
all, but I suspect I might be the butt of another practical joke.” Adrienne
turned to Marcy with a rueful smile and said, “Which was why I didn’t want you
calling the police. Imagine my embarrassment when they find out it’s all a
gag.”

Jake fingered the card. He frowned. “Practical joke?”

Marcy smacked her lap with one hand. “Why didn’t I think of
them earlier?” She rolled her eyes. “
The Mean Girls
, you mean?”

Poor Jake looked even more bewildered. “Mean Girls?”

“I don’t know how the name stuck, but yes, I do mean them, no
pun intended.” Adrienne turned to Jake. “What I’m going to tell you is strictly
off the record.”

He nodded.

“Some of the marketing associates were ... let’s just
say, dissatisfied with my promotion to assistant manager. The reasons being
that one, they were here longer than I; and two, the fact that now, instead of
being on the same level, they have to report
to me
.”

His small pink wedge of a tongue slipped out again.

Adrienne stared at his mouth, fascinated. In the space of a
heartbeat, her arousal level shot up, leaving her wet and breathless and
hungry.

“I see how that might rankle. But you were promoted based on
leadership skills.”

“Nobody refuted that. They know better. If they said anything,
they’d probably lose their jobs.” Adrienne decided to be blunt. “They’ve been
calling me the ‘boss’s pet’ behind my back.” She gave a snort. “Instead of
confronting me to my face, they play these silly jokes and pull these stupid
stunts. No guts.”

“Tell me who they are.” There was a hard glint in Jake’s
eyes. “I’ll have a talk with them.”

This was what she was afraid of. “No, Jake. I didn’t tell you
so you’d confront them. Some of them are my team members, and I’ll handle them
the way I see fit.” Her voice was firm and brooked no arguments. “Moreover,
I’ve known them for far longer than you. I’ve been here for more than a year,
while you started here barely two months ago. I only told you the background so
you’d understand why they were playing these practical jokes on me. They want
me to go, but I won’t give them the satisfaction. If they truly want me gone,
they’ll have to do better than pulling a few mean-spirited pranks.”

“What have they been doing?”

“Sending me messages like: ‘You won’t last on this job’ and
‘Pets don’t think; they only obey,’ those kinds of things.” Adrienne left out a
few of the others.
The boss’s whore
and some equally degrading remarks.
“Harmless things, like I’ve told Marcy. So long as I don’t let them get to me,
they can continue sending whatever they like.”

Marcy shook her head. “I don’t understand why you don’t just
put a stop to it.”

“It’s simple.” Adrienne lifted her hands in a helpless
gesture. “I don’t have proof it’s them. I can’t link the messages
directly
to them. This is all conjecture, but enough clues are there for me to suspect
that it’s them.”

Jake shifted in his seat. He leaned forward and rested his
hands on top of her desk. His strange piercing eyes bored into hers. “How many
of them?”

Adrienne shook her head. “No, Jake.” Damn, but his male
take-charge attitude both attracted and irritated her. It made her feel safe
and taken cared of, but she could darn well look out for herself, thank you
very much.

He held up the card. “So, with this message, you think the
‘it’ they’re referring to is your assistant manager position, and that after
two months, they still can’t accept being passed over for promotion. Hence,
they are out to get you.”

“Yes.”

“So, what’s with the black rose?”

“What do you mean?”

His forehead was knotted. “It’s a rare flower, one that
doesn’t come cheap. Why dole out money -- good money -- to scare
someone? The message would have been enough.”

Adrienne was stumped. This was one angle she hadn’t thought
of. Jake was probably the only one who could outthink her, and if she didn’t
come up with something fast, he’d become suspicious, and he’d continue digging
and digging until all her secrets were revealed.

“I -- I don’t know.” Her brain whirled, trying to come
up with a passable reason to satisfy Jake so that he wouldn’t even think of
going to the police, like Marcy had suggested just moments ago. Her hands
busied themselves, arranging the sheaf of paper that was her proposal into a
neat pile. “But if they were thinking to make me lose face by calling the police,
being scared enough by the black rose to do it, then they just might spend that
money for the authentic threatening feel. Not only would I be embarrassed, but
the firm might even punish me harshly for the negative publicity.”

“But it’s perfectly within your rights to call the police,”
Jake pointed out. “Creative Minds has no authority to punish you for calling in
the law; in fact, that’s what you should have done. The police can get to the
bottom of this for you.”

Which is what I’m afraid of. They might get to the bottom
of who I am, too, and then I’d be running again. David, too. I can’t uproot him
when he’s settling down so nicely ...
“Please, Jake,” Adrienne tried
to persuade without begging. “This is my personal problem. Let me handle it the
way I want to; just give me a little time. I promise, I’ll settle this with
them within the month.”

Jake held her gaze for a few seconds more, as if weighing her
capabilities. Finally, he nodded. “All right.” His lips twisted. “I didn’t know
we have such petty and vindictive people on the team.”

“Not everyone is as well-rounded as I am,” Adrienne said
dryly, trying to inject a light-hearted tone into the whole scenario. Yet, the
questions Jake raised left a disquieting doubt in her mind.

Jake stared at her, and then his lips broke into a huge
smile.

Marcy gasped. Adrienne could relate, as thoughts of a
sheet-rumpled bed, their bodies reaching and limbs entwined, rioted within her.
Lord, the man
could
smile. If they could patent and manufacture it, they
could easily make a billion in a year.

His eyes twinkled. “Have you finally let your hair down and
made a joke?”

“I didn’t know I was so stiff.”

“Not stiff. But too serious most of the time. You need to
lighten up. Remind me to show you how.” The look in his eyes had turned
intimate, and his voice warm, as if there were only the two of them in the
room.

Adrienne stared at him, disconcerted.

Jake, flirting with her? Was he suggesting what she thought
he was suggesting?

Or was she in fantasy mode again?

“Will you show me too, Jake?” Marcy cooed beside him.

Adrienne gripped the thick sheaf of paper so tight her
fingers grew numb. She wanted to lift it high and slam it down on Marcy’s head
with all the force in her slim body. A moment later, she was appalled at her
violent thought. Marcy was her friend! The only one who had stayed a friend
through all the petty jealousies in the office; how could Adrienne fall out
with her over a guy, a guy she had no intention of letting in on her secrets?

Jake grinned down at her friend.

Maybe Adrienne would slug
him
instead, take out his
eyes so that he wouldn’t be able to see anyone but her. But then, he wouldn’t
be able to see her either ...
Darn
.

The file hit the desk, crashing down with unnecessary force.
Both Jake and Marcy jumped, their expressions startled as they turned toward
her.

“Now that that’s settled,” Adrienne said, managing a cool
smile despite the turmoil boiling within her breast, “what was it you came to
see me about, Jake?”

Jake’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t contradict her. “I’ve set
the meeting with the client. Be ready to leave by two in the afternoon.”

Adrienne lifted an eyebrow. “Tomorrow?”

“The day after.”

* * * * *

After only half-listening to his eldest brother, Jared,
ramble on and on for what seemed like hours, Jake suddenly grew aware of the
unexpected silence. Startled from his thoughts, he looked up to find Jared
glaring down at him. Jake immediately went on the offensive. “What?”

Jared wasn’t the least bit cowed. If anything, his frown
deepened as he adjusted his feet a little for more balance. The chair that he
was sitting on was poised precariously on its two back legs; only his feet
resting on the low table in front of him kept it upright. “You dare to ask?
Okay, repeat everything I’ve said.”

Jake didn’t need his empathic ability to know Jared was mad.
Fuming mad. Most likely due to Jake’s absent-minded monosyllabic responses. He
had to admit, he hadn’t really been listening. He’d been surprised when he
received a call from Jared that afternoon, requesting an urgent meeting at the
homestead regarding a recent case Jared was investigating. Jared had never
asked for help before, as the cases were confidential, so this made the request
for a meeting doubly curious.

They had seen the family off before settling down in the
family room to talk; Mom and Tracy were going to take advantage of the last day
of the great summer sale, while Dad and Jason were attending the long-planned
car show. They had the privacy and peace to talk, but Jake couldn’t
concentrate; his thoughts were full of Adrienne.

Admitting defeat, Jake shrugged his shoulders.

“Jake, damn it! Here I am, talking serious business with
you --”

Jake reached over to land a light punch on his brother’s arm.

Jared’s chair wobbled. “Hey, watch it!”

“Sorry, Jar. Things are a bit hectic at the office these days
and --”

His brother aimed a knowing smirk in his direction. “Who is
she?”

Damn! Jared had always been too perceptive for his own good.
Jake thought of pretending he didn’t know what Jared was talking about, but
knowing Jared, he’d find a way to force it out of him. Literally.

“She’s my assistant manager.”

“Your assistant, huh? Makes things pretty easy for you.”

Something in Jared’s tone caused Jake’s anger to rise, quick
and true, within him. He kicked out, aiming a swift, strong and well-aimed foot
at one of the precariously-balanced chair legs.

The chair toppled over, and Jared along with it. Jake caught
the surprised look on Jared’s face before he fell on his side on the floor.

“Hey!”

Jake jumped up, towering over Jared. “Don’t you dare talk
about her like she’s some common whore!”

Jared sprang to his feet. He growled low, the sound issuing
from deep in his throat. He crouched into a fighting stance. A feral look
dominated his face. His canines started to elongate. His eyes were narrowed and
glowing.

Chapter Three

Jake imagined his own eyes were as bright. The sudden fury
had caught him by surprise, yet fueled him to the aggressive wolfish behavior
of protecting --