Authors: Francis Ray
Tags: #Romance, #Erotica, #African American, #Contemporary, #Fiction
Only You (6 page)
Sitting beside her mother on the sofa in Brandon and Faith’s apartment over the restaurant, Sierra blinked. It had been Luke’s idea for them to discuss the invitation alone. He’d known that ganging up on Sierra would only make her stubborn.
Ruth’s hand covered her daughter’s. “I mean it.”
Sierra loved her mother and wouldn’t have her worried for the world. Ruth Grayson had left her family in Oklahoma after the death of her husband and traveled to Santa Fe to teach at St. John’s because the college offered free tuition to children of the instructors. There was no sacrifice too great for her to make if it would benefit her children. She had always put them first, and they loved and admired her for doing so. They were blessed to have her as their mother. “It’s a wonderful opportunity.”
“But would you be considering it if I wasn’t trying to marry you off?”
Again her mother surprised her. Nothing any of her brothers had done had veered Ruth from her path. “I applied for the job months ago.” Sierra smiled. “Long before I was next on your marriage hit list.”
“Your brothers and their wives are happy,” Ruth pointed out.
“But they’re not me. Luke dated the least, but all of them had women in their lives. There’s never been a special man in my life, and I like it that way.” Sierra squeezed her mother’s hands. “I like my space and independence.”
“Afraid he wouldn’t understand some of those costly items in your closet, or the empty cupboards,” Ruth said knowingly.
“There is that, but the men I’ve met don’t …” Her voice trailed off as Sierra sought a word that wouldn’t sound sexual.
“Move you,” her mother furnished.
Sierra blinked again, then laughed. “Oh, Mama.”
Ruth returned the smile. “I know what love feels like, that special connection. How his touch, his voice, can move you.”
Sierra thought of Blade, but there was also another man. “Daddy.”
“There was never a man like him.” Her mother took both of Sierra’s hands in hers. “That is what I wanted for all my children. A love that transcends.”
“I wish I could remember him.” Sierra had been a toddler when the commercial airplane he’d captained went down in the Brazilian jungle.
“I see him in each of you. He would have been so proud of you.”
“He’d be prouder of you for loving us and giving us love and understanding, for helping to make us who we are today,” Sierra returned, meaning every word.
Ruth tilted her head in a gesture similar to her daughter’s. “I might have done my job too well. You’re too independent at times.”
“I don’t know how to be any other way,” Sierra said. In her younger years it had been to hide the hurt of not fitting in, but as the years passed, her self-reliance and poise had become a natural part of her.
Ruth nodded. “You’re going, then.”
It wasn’t a question. “Yes.”
Sadness entered her mother’s dark eyes. “The longest you’ve ever been away is the ten days you went to Europe with your senior class. You could be gone for months.”
“If I get the job.”
“You’ll get the job. You’re too good not to.” There wasn’t a shred of doubt in Ruth’s voice.
Sierra wanted the job more with each passing moment, but she had to be realistic. “Only the best work for Navarone Resorts and Spas.”
“That’s what he’s getting in you. The best.”
Sierra fought not to squirm. “Mr. Navarone probably won’t be there. The executive director of human resources will make the final decision”
“That’s who I meant.”
“Oh,” Sierra said, knowing her mother was too sharp not to understand her slip.
Once again her mother surprised her by standing, signaling the conversation was over. “You’re going to have a lot to take care of before then. You’d better get to it.”
“Thank you.”
Ruth brushed a strand of hair behind her daughter’s ear. “You have a compassionate, strong heart with a sharp intelligence to guide you … if you stop long enough to think.”
“I have thought about this.”
“Then you’ll go with my blessing and my love.”
Sierra hugged her mother. “I’ll be fine. I promise.”
Ruth straightened and stared at her daughter, her eyes as sharp as a dagger. “If not, he will have me to deal with.”
This time there was no mistake as to who “he” was. Sierra, for once, remained quiet.
O
nce her decision was made, Sierra was anxious to set the wheels in motion. In the seclusion of her office, she called the number listed in the letter.
nce her decision was made, Sierra was anxious to set the wheels in motion. In the seclusion of her office, she called the number listed in the letter.
The phone was answered on the third ring. “John Perry.”
Sierra hadn’t expected the number to be the direct line of the executive director of human resources. “Good afternoon, Mr. Perry. This is Sierra Grayson from Santa Fe.”
“Ms. Grayson, how wonderful to hear from you,” he said, his voice filled with warmth. “I hope this call means you’re accepting our invitation. I was very impressed with your résumé.”
His last sentence caught her off guard. Blade’s company would hardly keep all the résumés on file; then she recalled her Web site with her bio and resume. Blade was behind Mr. Perry’s sudden interest, she was as sure of it as her family was. “Thank you.”
“Would two weeks, say the eighth of April, be convenient?” he questioned.
“Perfect.” She needed time to discuss things with her boss, then prep another agent with her listings. There was also the slumber party she’d planned for the girls from Second Chance, the outreach center for teenagers that Morgan had founded. All were ex-substance abusers, but being drug-free presented another problem: the teenagers who had never used drugs didn’t want anything to do with them. Sierra did all she could to help them with the transition back to a healthy, happy life. The whole family had helped the center at one time or another.
“Wonderful. My secretary will call you within the hour and discuss travel arrangements.”
She laughed. “You move fast.”
“Something I learned from my boss. I’ll see you on the eighth.”
Was that just an arbitrary comment or a hint? It didn’t matter. She was going to keep this professional. “The eighth it is. Good-bye, and thank you again for this wonderful opportunity.”
“Good-bye, Ms. Grayson.” As soon as John Perry hung up the phone, he dialed his secretary’s number. “Delores, you can overnight the other letters to the prospective realtors for Navarone Place. Please add that they will have to clear their schedules to be in Dallas by the eighth. Please remove my name and private number and replace it with your information. Ms. Grayson is expecting a call within the hour for her travel arrangements. I know you’ll see that her trip is seamless.” Hanging up, he quickly dialed a number he seldom used.
“Navarone.”
“Mr. Navarone, Ms. Grayson and the other candidates will arrive in Dallas on April eighth. I will arrive on the seventh to ensure that all goes well.”
“Thank you, John.” Blade disconnected the cell phone and stared out the window on the twenty-ninth floor of Navarone Resorts and Spas in Tucson.
“You’re sure about this?” Shane, his friend for over twenty years and head of security for Navarone, was sprawled in the cushioned chair in front of Blade’s desk. The position was deceptive. Shane never relaxed. He had good cause.
“No,” came Blade’s slow answer. He had never been less sure of anything, but he didn’t seem to be able to stop himself. For years nothing except business had held his attention … until Sierra.
“Just checking. Everything is in place.” Shane came lazily to his feet—all six-feet-plus of him. “The chopper is ready to take us to the airport, then we take the jet to Mexico.”
“Let’s go.” Blade turned sharply and headed toward the door. Work always helped him push everything else from his mind. He hoped it would again.
B
efore Luke took early retirement from the FBI he was a top agent. Not even a bullet had deterred him from capturing his suspect. Luke used that same dogged determination in his office to gather information about Blade Navarone. There was not a lot to read, but Luke knew if you were powerful enough, and Blade certainly was, you could influence what was or was not written about you. Luke needed answers and facts. He knew where to get them. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed.
efore Luke took early retirement from the FBI he was a top agent. Not even a bullet had deterred him from capturing his suspect. Luke used that same dogged determination in his office to gather information about Blade Navarone. There was not a lot to read, but Luke knew if you were powerful enough, and Blade certainly was, you could influence what was or was not written about you. Luke needed answers and facts. He knew where to get them. He picked up the phone on his desk and dialed.
“Daniel Falcon.”
“Daniel, Luke. I need some answers.”
“Is everyone all right?” Daniel asked sharply.
“For the time being.” Luke quickly explained the situation. “What I need to know is if he’ll come at her head-on or do I need to pay him a visit and teach him some manners?”
“Man.” Daniel sighed the word. “I still remember Sierra in pigtails.”
“Long gone,” Luke told him. “Is Blade Navarone as ruthless with women as he is in his business dealings?”
“I was called ruthless before Madelyn came into my life.” Daniel said, his voice softening at the mention of his wife.
“That’s not making me feel better,” Luke said flatly. Daniel was a good man, a loyal friend and first cousin, but if you crossed him there was no place on earth you could hide from his wrath.
“Then know this: Blade fights fair.”
Luke rubbed the back of his neck. The tight muscles remained. “There has to be a reason besides the incident with the embezzler to explain his reputation for being cold-blooded.”
“There are several,” Daniel said, and Luke tensed. “One I distinctly remember. Four years ago Blade tried to buy two hundred acres from a rancher in Jackson Hole for his resort. The owner said he’d rather slow roast in hell than sell to an Indian.”
Luke cursed under his breath.
“Blade bought the land around the bigot. Landlocked, the rancher lost everything, but not before he sent his daughter to try and soften Blade up,” Daniel said, distaste in every word. “Blade sent her packing. A month later he purchased the land for back taxes.”
“That took time.”
“Almost two and a half years,” Daniel answered. “He’s fair, but if you come at him the wrong way he’ll come back hard. He’ll slap you down and that’s where you’ll stay. He doesn’t care how long it takes.”
And he wants Sierra.
Luke blew out a breath. “You never answered my original question: is he ruthless with women?”
Luke blew out a breath. “You never answered my original question: is he ruthless with women?”
“I’d say no. Nothing I’ve seen or heard about him indicates he’s that type,” Daniel said. “In fact, women usually come on to him, and it’s not just his money. He’s a handsome devil.”
“Why Sierra?” Luke gritted out.
“As you pointed out, the pigtails are long gone.” Daniel chuckled. “Being a big brother is hard. I well remember Kane and Matt wanted to beat me to a pulp when I was fighting falling in love with Madelyn. If I had been around when Dominique was in Dallas dating Trent, I’m not sure how I would have handled it.”
“Sierra is not falling in love. She is just going to sell real estate,” Luke said, his voice tight.
“Then why are you so worried?”
Luke scrubbed his hand over his face. “Sierra is too reckless at times. I don’t want her to get hurt.”
“I’ve never stood in your shoes, but I’d say trust Sierra. Blade is obviously interested, but he will accept a no.”
That was Luke’s dilemma. He’d seen Sierra’s expression when Blade’s name was mentioned, how her face softened, the wistful expression in her eyes. Luke wasn’t sure she’d say no.
“If you want, I can give Blade a call, ask him to back off, although I’m not sure he’ll listen,” Daniel said into the silence. “He can be a law unto himself.”
“Just like you when you wanted Madelyn.”
“The same goes for you and Catherine.”
Luke blew out a hard breath. “No power on earth could have stopped me from loving her, marrying her. But my intentions were honorable.”
“I hate to say this, but were they initially?”
“I’ll kill him,” Luke snarled.
“Sierra won’t thank you for it any more than Dominique would have. Cuz, as difficult as this is, you’ll have to stay out of it,” Daniel said. “If you try to interfere, you’ll make Sierra think you don’t trust her to make the right decision.”
“It’s Navarone I don’t trust.”
“Amounts to the same thing.”
Luke glanced up as the door to his office opened. “Morgan just came in. I’ll talk to you later.”
“I never thought of it before, but I’m glad Daniel Junior is a boy.”
Luke’s gaze went to the wedding photo of him and Cat on his desk. For them there would never be any children, but he blessed the day she came into his life even if she had been pointing a gun at him. “Bye and thanks, Daniel.”
Morgan glanced at the nineteen-inch computer monitor, then at his brother. “What did you learn from Daniel?”
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