To Catch a Man (In 30 Days or Less) (The BAD BOY BILLIONAIRES Series) (11 page)

Oh Lord, that obviously meant no. 
They were in big trouble.  She rose up again and reached over to slide her hand
into her backpack.  She pulled out a curved dagger with jagged edges.  It was
almost a foot long.

Stone glanced over at her and did a
double take.  “What the hell?  Where did you get that?”

“My backpack,” she said, her tone
casual.  “You didn’t think I was coming all the way to Africa without
protection, did you?”

He still looked stunned.  “But…do
you even know how to use that thing?”

She slid her thumb along the thin
edge of the blade, testing its sharpness.  “Who?  Sylvester?  He's served me
well over the years.  Skinned many a rabbit, gutted lots of fish.  Great at
peeling the hide from a deer.”

His eyes widened as he stared at
her.  “You’re a hunter?”

She grinned.  “Let’s put it this
way.  I hunt a lot better than I cook.”  She slid the big knife beneath her
thigh and picked up her paper again.  “The sun sets in the west so Johannesburg
is that way as the crow flies.”  She pointed in the direction exactly opposite
to where Stone was heading.  “You need to turn around and head back the way you
came.”

He gave her a doubtful look.  “Are
you sure?”

“Positive.”  She didn’t take her
eyes off him until he began to turn the Jeep around.  “Tell me something,” she
said, "are you carrying a weapon?”

He glared at her as if she shouldn’t
have had to ask. “Shotgun.  It’s on the floor in the back.”

She gave him a brusque nod. 
“Good.  If any animals decide to come sniffing around we can scare them off
with that.”  She gave a snort.  “God help us if a whole pride of lions decides
to take us on.”

He was looking over at her again,
seeming bemused.  “Aren’t you scared?”

“More than I’ve ever been in my
life.”

“You don’t look it,” he said,
lifting an eyebrow.

“Yeah, well I’m good at hiding my
emotions.”

“You can say that again.”

After that they fell silent, he
concentrating on the trail and she watching for signs of animals in the
distance.  “Do you have any binoculars?”  she asked.

“Dashboard.”

She reached over and pulled it out
and immediately began perusing the brush and trees in the distance.  “It’s
going to get dark soon,” she said, her voice low, “and I want to know what I’m
up against when the sun goes down.” 

He didn’t say anything for a while
then he blew out his breath.  “See anything?”

“Nope.  But that doesn’t mean they
aren’t out there.”  She dropped the binoculars.  “Pull over for a sec.  I want
to check something.”

“I don’t know about that, Indie. 
Right now I’d say let's not stop anywhere unless we have to.  Animals are more
likely to stay away from a moving vehicle than a stationary one.

“No, stop,” she said again, her
voice brooking no dissent. 

He stopped.

Indie hopped out of the Jeep then
walked off the trail and to a patch of dirt surrounded by clumps of grass.  She
dropped to her knees and peered at the markings in the dirt.  Then she got up
and followed a faint trail of dirt across the grass.  She stopped after just a
few yards and stared out over the flatland toward the copse of straggly trees.

When she got back to the Jeep Stone
was frowning at her.  “Any signs of animals?”

“Yep, and it’s not good news.”  She
climbed into the Jeep and slammed the door shut.  “No lion but a cheetah was here
recently.  Can’t be too far away.”  She gave him a serious look.  “And cheetahs
run damn fast.”

“Okay,” he said pressing on the gas,
“let’s get out of here.”

“Not without a plan.”

“Which is?”

She glanced at the gas gauge. 
“Based on my estimate on how far we are from our destination we have just
enough gas to get us there.  As long as we don’t get lost again.  So…”  she
stood up in the vehicle and when the wind blew off her hat she didn’t even look
back, “…I’ll navigate while you drive.  That way we won’t waste any gas driving
around in circles.”

She heard a grumble at that but he
didn’t say anything out loud.  He’d better not.  At this stage she was their
only hope of not spending the night keeping company with the wildlife of
Africa.

“Now step on it, Hudson,” she
yelled.  “Let’s eat up some miles before the sun turns in for the night.”

They drove fast but they drove
carefully, with Indie stopping Stone a few times along the way so she could
check the trail and keep their nose pointed in the right direction. Night was
fast approaching and Indie kept watching the sun slipping closer and closer to
the horizon. 
Come on, sun.  Stay with us a while longer.  Just till we find
the road.

She was trying not to show it but
she had a sinking feeling they weren’t going to make it to civilization
tonight.  It was already dusk and the shadows of night were beginning to shroud
the savannah.  And if they ended up spending the night in the wild she wasn’t
sure an army knife and a shotgun would be any guarantee that they’d get out
alive.

She was just about to stop Stone
one more time when he gave a shout.  “I see it.  That’s the landmark I was
looking for.”

Indie peered straight ahead.  She
didn’t see a thing she would call a landmark.  “What is it?” she yelled.

“That rock with the little chip at
the side.  See?  It’s an arrow pointing north.”  He grinned at her excitedly
then he was laughing out loud as the Jeep roared toward the rock. 

“That?”  Indie said, incredulous. 
“That little rock is your landmark?  No wonder you missed it.”

“Well, I was right and we can’t get
lost after this,” he yelled back.  “I know exactly where I’m going.”

Oh Lord, not again.  Indie rolled
her eyes.   “Are you sure, Stone?  Don’t you think we should head back to the
compound?”

“No way.  From here we’re closer to
Joburg.  Better to keep going.”  He laughed again.  “Don’t you worry your
pretty little head.  I’ll get you there safe and sound.”

Indie rolled her eyes again.  “I
give up,” she said and flopped back down into the seat.  Now that Stone had
found his way he was all macho man again.  She didn’t have the heart to remind
him that she was the one who had taken them back to their route.  “Wake me when
we get there,” she said in a grumpy growl as she tried to block out Stone’s
whoops of relief.

Surprisingly, within fifteen
minutes of their finding the trail they flew onto an asphalted road and then
five minutes later they hit the highway to the city.

“Yeah!”  Stone did not hide his exultation
as they cruised toward their salvation.  Indie swore silently that she would
never let Stone drive her across the South African plains again.  If there
wasn’t a driver to take her to the city, she wasn’t going anywhere.

CHAPTER
NINE

Stone was in love.  He stood in the
middle of his hotel room, as naked as the day he was born, and he was grinning
from ear to ear.

Earlier this evening he’d seen his
life flash before his eyes, the possibility of being devoured by wild animals a
stark reality, and then, like a true warrior princess, Indiana Lane had come to
the rescue.

He couldn’t believe he was here
celebrating being rescued by a woman.  Hell, he should be ashamed of himself,
getting lost like that.  But in the end maybe it had been a good thing because
it was that nerve-racking situation that had shown him what a rock Indie really
was.  He’d never met a woman like her in his life.

She’d shocked him with her calm
composure in the face of probable death.  And death by lion was not a pretty
way to go.  Instead of his having to calm a hysterical woman it was she who had
kept a level head and kept him going.

To say he admired her was an
understatement.  And to say he loved her was the truth.

He’d felt it before tonight, of
course.  That first touch had been the start, and then that first kiss, and
then that night when he’d almost gone a whole lot farther than just kissing. 
But tonight…

Tonight he’d seen a side of her
that touched his core.  She was honest, she was true and she was brave.  And he
wanted her in his life.  But the big question was, would she have him?  They’d
known each other less than a month.  If he told her how he felt would she
really take him seriously? Questions, questions, questions.  He shook his
head.  He would sleep on it and tomorrow he’d decide what to do.  They planned
to be up early next morning to visit Jenna and her new baby.  And then he’d see
what the day would hold.

******

“Isn’t she adorable?”  Indie cooed
as she held little Jessica Diamond Pringle in her arms.  She shifted the baby
to the crook of her arm and angled her so Stone could get a good look. 

“She’s beautiful,” he said, and
reached out to pat the tightly swaddled baby on its tiny pink hospital cap.  He
looked almost afraid to touch her.  "And so tiny.”

Jenna laughed as Kirk helped her
sit up in the hospital bed.  “The way she eats she won’t be tiny for much
longer.  She gets that from her father.”

“Hey.”  Kirk tried to sound hurt
but the wide smile on his face spoiled it. 

“Congratulations, Kirk.”  Stone
reached out and shook his hand.  “Great work.”

“Great work?”  Jenna looked
indignant.  “What part of the work did he do?  I’m the one who looked like a
cow for nine months and then had to be cut open.  Sheesh!”

They all laughed at that and Indie
leaned over to place Jessica in her mother’s arm.

She and Stone had arrived at the
hospital as soon as visiting hours began at ten o’clock and had been with the
happy family almost two hours.  She looked at Stone and caught his eye.  He got
the message.

“We’re going to leave you now so mommy
and baby can get some rest.”  He reached over and took Indie’s hand.  She
almost pulled it away.  What must Kirk and Jenna be thinking, seeing something
like that?  But when she looked at them they were so engrossed in the baby it
seemed they hadn’t noticed a thing.

Then she looked back at Stone. 
Boy, he was acting strange today.  He’d been smiling a whole lot more than
usual.  Maybe he just loved babies.  But then he’d captured her hand in his –
in front of Jenna and Kirk – and when she tried to slip from his grasp he’d
held on tight.

Could it be…no, it couldn’t.  There
was no way.  But – it was the weirdest thing – Stone was acting like a man in
love.

She had no time to dwell on that,
though, because he was pulling her toward the door.

“Bye, guys,” Jenna called out. 
“Thanks for coming and thanks for the presents.”

After the visit they had lunch in
the exclusive Palais Royale Restaurant and then spent the afternoon together in
the National Botanical Park.  Then that evening as the sun was setting and they
entered the hotel lobby Stone rested his hands on her shoulders and turned her
toward him.

“Indie,” he said, looking down at
her with a half smile on his lips, “I had a wonderful day.  I don’t want it to
end.” 

She looked up into his face and
smiled back.  “Me, too,” she whispered.

“Will you have dinner with me
tonight?  There’s…something I’d like to say to you.”

Oh my God.  Was the dream coming
true? 
Indie had to fight to keep her face serene when what she really
wanted to do just then was hop up and down in delight.  “I would love to,” she
said, her voice calm, her smile just a little bit wider, but not too much.

She hadn’t forgotten Tessa’s
lecture – you’re a princess.  Let him prove himself worthy of you.  Act too
eager and he’ll take off running.  Let him come to you.

“Great.  Seven o’clock, then?”

“Let’s make it seven-thirty,” she
replied.  If she was guessing right tonight was going to be a special night and
she needed to be ready.

“Seven-thirty it is.”

Back in her hotel room Indie
showered and slipped on the one dress she’d packed for the trip.  It was a
simple dress, but elegant – a ‘little black dress’ with a difference.  Tessa
had helped her pick this one out – spaghetti straps that showed off her
shoulders, a V neckline that dipped deliciously low to show off just a hint of
cleavage, a skirt that hugged her hips and tapered to her knees, and that one
touch that never failed to draw male eyes to her legs – the slit at the side
that went high enough to be alluring while maintaining that ever important air
of decorum.

After accessorizing with a pearl
necklace and matching earrings – on loan from Tessa – Indie sat down to do her
makeup.  Tonight was a night that called for makeup.  She ran to her backpack
and dug out her notebook.  She flipped the pages till she found the one she was
looking for – Tessa’s instructions on how to do a killer makeup application. 
Indie decided to leave out the killer part, tone it down a bit.  Right now all
she wanted to know was how to make herself look pretty.

After much powdering and dabbing
and penciling Indie sat back and surveyed herself in the mirror.  Not quite the
masterpiece Tessa had created but she could pass.  The subtle shadow she’d
applied on her lids and the eyeliner made the green in her eyes sparkle, and the
peachy pink lipstick made her lips look soft and full.  Ready for kissing.  She
giggled at the thought.

At exactly seven twenty-five she
walked out of her room, purse in hand and high heels clicking as she headed for
the elevator.  And tonight she walked with confidence, not just because she’d
practiced walking in high heels but because she knew – okay, maybe she didn’t
know but she had a really good feeling – that Stone was going to propose.

Then as the elevator doors opened
the doubts came rushing back.  Was he really going to propose or was that just
wishful thinking on her part?  She was just about to do the usual biting of her
lip when she was in deep thought but she stopped herself just in time. 
Definitely not the thing to do when wearing lipstick.  Then there was no time
to ponder any further.  The elevator doors opened and she stepped out, head
high, and headed for the lobby.