Читать книгу Guarding His Fortune - Stella Bagwell - Страница 11
ОглавлениеSavannah hardly noticed the plush furnishings of the living room or the beautiful bay window overlooking a landscaped walking path on the opposite side of the street. At the moment, she couldn’t have cared less about her surroundings. She was more than angry. She was in panic mode.
Dropping the bags she’d been carrying onto the hardwood floor, she plucked her cell phone from her handbag and punched in her father’s private number.
As she waited for him to answer, she heard Chaz Mendoza’s footsteps entering the room. A second later, he walked past her and she watched him place her suitcases near a doorway leading out of the spacious living area.
She was trying to pull her gaze off his bulging biceps when her father’s voice suddenly sounded in her ear.
“Hello, Savannah. I’m assuming that you’ve landed safely in Austin and have met Mr. Mendoza.”
Savannah wanted to yell at him. But the anger coursing through her was not enough to override the respect she’d always shown her mother and her father.
Shoving out a long pent-up breath, she unconsciously gravitated toward the window. “Yes, I’m safely here in Austin. At my apartment. I’m calling because I want to know what you were thinking, Dad. I can’t have a bodyguard tagging along after me! Not only would it be embarrassing, it’s impractical, illogical and—”
“And very necessary, Savannah.”
Savannah never cursed, but she found herself having to bite down on her tongue to keep from spouting a few choice words into the phone.
“Necessary? I hardly think so, Dad! My time here is going to be very low-key. How—”
“Low-key or not, I want Chaz with you. And no amount of arguing or pleading is going to change my mind, Savannah.”
“But, Dad, I can’t—”
“Look, Savannah, you are the one who went ahead with this trip in spite of my disapproval. You want to be independent? Then act grown up and accept that having protection close by is a smart thing, not an encumbrance.”
For the past four years, ever since Savannah had turned twenty-one, she’d wanted her parents to see her as a self-sufficient adult, a smart woman who could handle the daily problems that life threw at her. Since then, she’d acquired her bachelor degree and moved on to her graduate studies. Yet, in spite of those hard-earned achievements, her father believed she still had a lot to learn.
She drew in a deep breath and blew it out, while from the corner of her right eye she watched Chaz come to stand at the opposite end of the large window. He was either taking in the view or listening in on her conversation, she thought crossly.
“Dad, I want my privacy. It’s essential that my studies not be distracted—”
“I’m positive that you and Mr. Mendoza will work out some type of house rules to suit your needs.”
House rules! She wanted to ask him how he’d like some stranger creeping through the house while he tried to focus on his work. Instead, she said, “Listen, Dad, I’m going to tell Mr. Mendoza that his services aren’t needed. I—”
“I’m the only person who can fire the guy,” Miles bluntly interrupted. “And right now, I have no intentions of doing such a thing. So make the most of your time there, Savannah. It could end sooner than you think.”
She started to ask him what he meant by that remark when the doorbell suddenly rang. Completely exasperated, she said, “There’s someone at the door, Dad. We’ll talk about this again. Soon!”
By the time she ended the call, Chaz had already left his spot at the window to go answer the door. Savannah followed, while trying to imagine who at the university might’ve taken it upon themselves to visit her today.
As she turned the corner leading into the foyer, she could see Chaz pushing the door wide and her brother Nolan stepping over the threshold. Since he was dressed in a business suit, Savannah assumed he’d taken a break from work to see her. But why? He could’ve waited until tonight, or any opportune time to welcome her to Austin.
“Hello, Chaz,” her brother greeted the bodyguard. “Nice to see you again.”
The two men finished shaking hands and from the easy way they greeted each other, it was obvious they’d met before. Which only proved that Nolan had to be in on this whole bodyguard matter.
Just great, she thought angrily. Her family was ganging up on her.
Spotting her, Nolan moved away from Chaz and walked over to where she stood at the end of the foyer. A wide smile creased his handsome face. “Hi, sis.”
“What are you doing here?” she asked bluntly.
“Wow! That has to be one of the nicest greetings I’ve ever received,” he joked. “Especially from my little sister.”
“I’m not exactly feeling nice.” She glanced at Chaz to see he was busy bolting the door behind him. Apparently, security was always on his mind.
“I assume you’re not happy about Dad supplying you with a bodyguard.”
She rolled her eyes. “How would you feel about someone invading your privacy? I was so looking forward to this time here in Austin and now I—”
Nolan held up a hand. “Whoa, sis! Just a minute. I think we need to talk this out calmly and rationally.”
Savannah drew in a deep breath and blew it out. “I am calm! Or at least I will be as soon as you tell Mr. Mendoza his services aren’t needed.”
His expression stoic, Chaz strolled up to them. “I don’t think your sister understands the risk she’d be taking by running around Austin on her own,” he said to Nolan. “Maybe if you explained it to her, she might realize I’m a friend, not a foe.”
“I think you’re right,” Nolan said to him, then wrapping a hand around Savannah’s upper arm, urged her out of the foyer. “Come on, sis, let’s go sit down and talk about this.”
“I don’t want to sit. I don’t want to talk. I want to be alone! Can’t you, or Dad, or—” she turned a glare on Chaz Mendoza “—or you understand that?”
“I do understand. More than you think.” Nolan shook his head. “This isn’t how you pictured your stay here in Austin. But since you received the invitation from UT, our family situation has changed.”
In the living room, Savannah allowed Nolan to lead her over to a beige leather couch. As she took a seat close to her brother’s side, Chaz eased into a matching armchair directly across from them. Obviously, he had no intention of allowing her to have a private conversation with her own brother, she thought crossly.
Doing her best to ignore Chaz’s huge presence, she said to Nolan, “I haven’t noticed anything changing with our family. It’s the other Fortunes who are having problems. We’re not a part of them. We never have been.”
Nolan let out a weary sigh, while Chaz appeared unfazed by her protest. No doubt, both of them thought she was behaving in a childish fashion, Savannah thought. But at the moment, she didn’t care. This was her life. And she had a right to live it her way. Not the way her father wanted or expected.
“Nolan, contrary to what Dad might think of me, I am a grown woman. I know how to take care of myself,” she argued. “It’s not like anyone has been threatening me personally. Or even stalking me. Just because I happen to have Fortune for a last name doesn’t mean I’m in some sort of dire danger.”
As soon as her words died away, Chaz spoke. “Your father seems to think so.”
Nolan quickly supported Chaz’s claim. “That’s right, Savannah. Dad is very concerned. Not only about you, but about the entire family.”
Unconvinced, Savannah looked at her brother. “And what about you, Nolan? Are you concerned that Lizzie and little Stella might be in danger? Have you hired a bodyguard for them, or yourself?”
“Not yet. But I’m seriously thinking about it. Your situation is entirely different, though. My wife and child aren’t alone. They have me.”
And Savannah now had Chaz. So according to Nolan, and her father, that fixed everything. The idea had Savannah groaning out loud.
“To me, this all seems blown out of proportion. Why would a crazy ex-wife of Gerald Robinson have anything against me? She doesn’t even know me. Besides, has anyone really proved that these unfortunate occurrences are connected to her?”
“I’m not sure if there’s enough proof for a prosecutor to convict her in court,” Nolan answered. “At least, not yet. But Connor Fortunado has managed to connect enough dots to tell us that she’s the one behind these criminal incidents. And the mere fact that she’s been digging into our family background should be enough to scare you into wanting a bodyguard.”
Maybe. But the thought of being in close proximity with Chaz on a daily basis was just as scary. She was a cerebral person and that was the sort of man she’d always been attracted to—the sort that would be compatible with her life. Even so, just looking at Chaz set her nerves on edge and pushed her pulse to an unhealthy rate. Her reaction to the man was silly and there was no way she could admit such a thing to her brother. She didn’t even want to admit it to herself.
“When an evil person is out for revenge, he or she will usually start with the easiest, most vulnerable target. And I’d put you in that category, Miss Fortune,” Chaz said.
“Chaz is one hundred percent right,” Nolan agreed. “And surely you’ve not forgotten what happened here in Austin earlier this year, Savannah. We were attending Schuyler Fortunado’s family reunion party when the fire broke out at Gerald Robinson’s estate. Ben was seriously injured.”
How could Savannah have forgotten the reunion? In spite of their parents choosing to stay behind in New Orleans, she and her six siblings had decided to attend. All seven of them had traveled to Austin, believing they’d be meeting many of the Fortune family, particularly Gerald Robinson’s children, who were theoretically cousins to Savannah and her siblings. Yet, none of that branch of the family had shown at the party that night. Not until Olivia had come bursting in with the shocking news that a fire had broken out at the Robinson estate.
“No. I’ve not forgotten. After the fire, we all went over and helped as much as we could with the cleanup.” The memory of that chilling incident caused some of the anger to drain out of her. “Everyone feared that Ben was going to die from the injuries he’d sustained in the fire.”
“It’s a miracle he didn’t,” Nolan replied.
As the details of that night replayed in Savannah’s mind, another thought suddenly struck her. One that should have registered with her the moment Chaz had introduced himself at the airport.
She turned a curious look on Chaz. “If I remember correctly, Schuyler married a man by the name of Mendoza. Carlo Mendoza, I think. The reunion was held at a winery by the same name and some of his family were in attendance that night. Are those your relations?”
He inclined his dark head. “That’s right. Carlo is my brother. My family owns and operates the Mendoza Winery.”
“And the La Viña restaurant. Which, by the way, serves delicious food,” Nolan spoke up. “Maybe you can talk Chaz into taking you there some evening. Trust me, sis, it would be a treat.”
A treat? Savannah stared at her brother, while wondering what he could possibly be thinking to suggest such a thing. In the first place, Savannah rarely went out on dates. Period. And even if she did decide to have dinner with a man, it certainly wouldn’t be with Chaz Mendoza. He was a bodyguard! A big hunk of muscles with a dazzling smile. He wasn’t her type at all!
Rising to her feet, Savannah began to move restlessly around the room. Learning that Chaz was her cousin Schuyler’s brother-in-law made things even more awkward. Had her father been aware that Chaz had a connection to the Fortune family? Was that why he’d hired him to be her bodyguard?
“There’s a troubled frown on your face, Savannah,” Nolan remarked after a moment. “And it doesn’t look good on you.”
She paused to glance at her brother. “Exactly why are you here? Dad send you to bolster his case?”
Nolan grimaced, then made a palms up gesture with both hands. “Dad figured you were probably going to give Chaz a few problems. And he wanted me to be here to point out the reasons you need to have a bodyguard around.”
Her father had definitely figured right, Savannah thought. For a number of reasons, many of which she didn’t want to examine, she wanted to usher Chaz right out the door and out of her life.
“Okay, so there was a fire and Ben was injured,” she said. “I’ll concede that much. But—”
“And there was cyber hacking at Robinson Tech, along with the sabotage on the Fortunado Real Estate business,” Nolan interrupted. “That should remind you that an evil mind is out to destroy the Fortune family. And with Charlotte reportedly digging into our family in New Orleans that could only mean one thing. We’re next on her radar.”
As Savannah’s gaze vacillated between the two grim-faced men, she realized there was no way she could win this argument. At least, not on this first day in the city. But that didn’t mean she was going to cave-in completely. After she was here a few days, safely going about her business, she could surely make her father and Chaz see that having a bodyguard was overkill.
Releasing a long, weary breath, she returned to the couch and sank down next to her brother. “Okay. I’m not happy about this situation,” she said grudgingly. “But to keep Dad happy I suppose I can go along with it—for a while.”
Her concession put a look of immense relief on her brother’s face. “I assured Dad that you were far too intelligent to put up much of a fuss. Thanks for proving me right.”
Intelligent? Not hardly. At this very moment, she could hardly dare herself to glance in Chaz’s direction. She didn’t like the way the sight of him caused her breath to catch in her throat. But hopefully she’d get used to him and his big masculine presence and he’d be no more of a distraction than a sleeping cat.
Sure, she thought wryly. Like she’d pay no attention at all to a sleeping tiger.
Nolan pushed back the cuff of his white shirt to glance at his watch. “Now that we have that settled I can spare a few more minutes. Why don’t we all have a cup of coffee or something?”
“Sorry. I’d be glad to offer you and Mr. Mendoza something to drink, but I’m afraid I’ve not had time to stock the apartment with food. Or anything else for that matter.”
Nolan’s expression was incredulous. “Savannah! I realize you’ve never lived away from home before—other than extended vacations. And we both know that you’ve never dealt with household or kitchen duties. But you should’ve already hired someone to furnish the apartment with everything. Groceries, linens—all the necessities. Are you expecting maid service to come in and do everything for you?”
Damn it! He was making her sound like some sort of pampered princess who didn’t have enough sense to get out of the rain, Savannah thought. Wondering what Chaz could possibly be thinking about her, she glanced at him.
As her gaze clashed with his, he didn’t hold back in expressing his thoughts on the subject.
He said, “If you’re planning on hiring help, then I’ll have to do a thorough background check before the person arrives. And the maid service will need to supply several legitimate references. I can’t take a chance that someone with ill intent might try to gain access to your apartment by posing as a maid or house servant.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sakes, you two are making this whole thing sound like a scene from a spy movie!” she exclaimed. “And anyway, you’re both wasting your breath. I’m not hiring maid service. I’ll be doing everything for myself. And that includes going shopping for everything I need.”
Nolan let out a scoffing laugh. “My little sister in a grocery store? That’ll be a first!”
Savannah glared at him. “What would you know about it? You’ve not lived at home in ages. You have no idea if I go into food markets or discount stores.”
He smothered a laugh behind his hand. “Sure, Savannah. That skirt and blouse look like you grabbed them straight off a discount rack. And those heels—I’ll bet you found those in a clearance bin.”
She wasn’t sure if it was anger at her brother or being embarrassed in front of Chaz that was causing a wave of heat to sweep across her face. One way or the other, she didn’t have to look in a mirror to know her cheeks were pink. And why? Being wealthy or privileged wasn’t a crime, or anything to feel ashamed about.
“You’re being obnoxious. You know for a fact that I’ve never wanted or expected to be pampered. I’ve worked hard to—”
Holding up both hands to halt her tirade, Nolan said, “Hold on, sis. I was only teasing you. Geez, you need to lighten up a bit.”
A long sigh slipped out of her. “Sorry, Nolan, but this has not been an easy day.”
He must have recognized just how stressed she’d been because he wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders. “No, I’m the one who should be sorry, Savannah. This was supposed to be a happy, special day for you. Instead, you’re faced with learning you now have to share your life with a bodyguard. I understand it’s not easy. But I’m sure Chaz is going to be as discreet as possible.”
No matter if the man never said a word to her. No matter if he always did his best to keep a measurable distance between them. She would feel his presence. She would know he was nearby watching her with those dark brown eyes. The very thought made her inwardly shiver.
Forcing herself to look at him, she said, “I’m sorry, Chaz. I don’t have anything against you personally. How could I? I don’t even know you. I’m just more than a little aggravated at my father for springing this on me. It was an underhanded thing to do to me and to you.”
“Me?” he asked, a puzzled frown marring his forehead.
“Yes. For putting you in such an awkward situation.”
One of his big shoulders shrugged in a nonchalant way. “Don’t worry about me, Miss Fortune. In my line of work, I can’t worry about my feelings being hurt. And I don’t need my ego stroked. The fact that you don’t want a bodyguard is insignificant to me. Miles Fortune is the person who hired me. I’m working to please him. Not you.”
Well, he’d made that plain enough. And though his feelings toward her shouldn’t matter, she felt downright deflated.
Nolan awkwardly cleared his throat. “Okay, I can see my presence is no longer needed so I think it’s time I head on back to work.”
Her brother’s announcement sent a rush of panic through Savannah. She quickly jumped to her feet and snatched a hold on his arm.
“I’ll show you to the door,” she said.
Without glancing in Chaz’s direction, she practically jerked Nolan out of the living room and down the foyer to the front door.
“Savannah, you hardly need to play the hostess with me,” Nolan said as she continued to cling to his arm.
“I’m not being a hostess. I’m being a sister,” she said in a hushed tone, then motioned her head toward the living room. “I want you to tell me how I’m supposed to deal with this? With him?”
To her disbelief, Nolan grinned at her. “Savannah, you’re an attractive young woman. Surely you know how to deal with a man.”
Deal with a man like Chaz? The men she’d spent any kind of company with had all possessed mushroom complexions from spending all their time indoors. Their muscles were softer than hers, and the gleam in their eye was usually caused by a glare of light on their glasses.
“I can see you’re not going to be any help at all.”
Chuckling, he gently patted her cheek. “You’re worrying way too much, Savannah. Just relax and enjoy having a strong man around to take care of you. You might actually like it. In the meantime, call me or Lizzie if you need us.”
Nolan was making light of the whole situation and Savannah supposed she should, too. Otherwise, she was going to wind up looking like a frantic little mouse who should’ve never left home.
Doing her best to smile, she leaned forward and kissed his cheek. “You’re right. I don’t have a thing to worry about. Except making a good impression at the university.”
“And I have no doubt you’ll do just that,” he said as he opened the door and stepped onto the porch. “See you later, sis.”
With a little wave, he strode off down the driveway. Savannah watched him slide behind the wheel of his car and drive away before she finally shut the door and engaged the dead bolt. The last thing she needed right now was to get a lecture from Chaz about leaving the apartment unlocked, she thought.
When she returned to the living room, Chaz was gone, so she walked straight to the kitchen. To her delight, the room was equipped with beautiful oak cabinets with glass doors. A work island with an inlaid cutting board, along with a large indoor grill, was located in the middle of the room. The appliances were stainless steel and very up to date. Above the deep double-sink, a wide window overlooked a small backyard with a brick patio, where a group of red motel furniture was shaded by a massive live oak.
At least if she started feeling too suffocated by Chaz’s presence, she could escape to the patio.
“Your brother is gone?”
The sound of Chaz’s voice had her turning away from the window. “Yes. I think he’d had all of me he could take for one day.”
He moved into the room and Savannah noticed he moved quietly, with the grace of an athlete. “It’s obvious he’s very fond of you. Have you two always been close?”
Telling herself to relax, she walked over to the island and ran her hand lightly over the cutting board. “I’m close to all my siblings. I’m not sure what my father has told you about our family, but there are seven of us children. I have four brothers and two sisters.”
“And they all live in New Orleans, except for you and Nolan?”
She nodded. “That’s right. He and his wife, Lizzie, married last March. They have a baby girl, Stella. Lizzie is from Austin and since Nolan is a jazz musician, he loves it here. And me—well, you already know why I’m here.”
“Yes. To study.”
He made it sound as though she were causing a great deal of problems over something she could be doing safely back in New Orleans. Or was she being overly defensive? Since she’d only met Chaz a little more than an hour ago, she couldn’t assume what was going on in his head. He might not be thinking anything of the sort. After all, during their ride from the airport, he’d called her studies admirable. She’d felt certain his compliment was sincere. Now she wasn’t sure about that or anything else.
Oh, God, she had to get a grip, she thought. Her mind was jumping in all sorts of directions and the last thing she wanted was for this man to think she was scatterbrained and unable to take care of herself.
“Well,” she said with the most positive tone she could muster. “I’m going to deal with my bags and have a look at the rest of the apartment.”
“Um, I think you should know that I’ve already put my things in the smaller bedroom. But if you prefer it over the larger one, I can easily move everything.”
He’d already moved in? Before she’d even had a chance to see her own apartment? Oh, her father was definitely going to hear about this, she promised herself. But to keep the peace for now, she was going to do her best to get along with Chaz Mendoza.
“I appreciate your offer, but I’m sure the room will suit me.”
One of his black brows arched as though he were surprised she was being agreeable, for once.
“Fine. I’ll help you carry your bags,” he said.
“Thank you. I’d appreciate that.”
They started out of the kitchen and Chaz said, “The apartment is actually large for one person. Are you planning on entertaining friends while you’re here?”
Did he mean friends in general, or men? Did she look like a party girl to him? She supposed it didn’t matter, but the question left her a bit uncomfortable.
“Don’t worry,” she replied. “I have no plans to do any entertaining. Other than Nolan and his family, I don’t know anyone here in Austin. If I invite anyone over, it will be them.”
They entered the living room and Savannah paused to take a closer survey of the space. Besides the leather sofa and matching armchair, there was a platform rocker and footstool done in a knobby burgundy fabric. At the far end of the room, a large flat-screen TV sat atop an oak entertainment center. A remote for it was lying on the end of a long glass-topped coffee table.
She rarely watched television and had no plans to change her habits, but perhaps Chaz might enjoy the diversion, she thought.
He walked over to the window and peered out at the small front lawn. Savannah got the feeling he was studying more than the perfectly manicured St. Augustine grass and blooming oleanders. Did he really believe that Charlotte Robinson or her paid cronies would actually try to cause her harm? The idea seemed fantastic.
He said, “I’m sure you’ll be making new friends at the university. If you do decide to have company, or a dinner party, be sure and tell me about it beforehand. I’ll have to—”
“Do background checks on my guests?” she interrupted.
He walked over to where she was standing. “Maybe. Maybe not. I just need to be prepared. It’s a part of my job—to keep you safe.”
“Yes. By all means, I’ll tell you every move I intend to make.”
His gaze slipped over her face and for a moment Savannah was totally disarmed by his chocolate-brown eyes. As a bodyguard, she would’ve expected his gaze to be razor sharp. Instead, his eyes were soft and alluring. And it suddenly dawned on Savannah that if she weren’t careful, she might easily get lost in those deep, dark pools.
“I’m sorry you’re so displeased about this,” he said. “But one day you might be very thankful your father was so concerned about you.”
She couldn’t imagine herself being thankful for having her stay in Austin invaded by this man. But she didn’t want to appear like an ungrateful brat, too spoiled to deal with reality.
“I understand my father has worries about my safety. It’s just that—well, I’ve not had time to get used to all of this. Especially when I thought—”
“You thought what?”
She shrugged, while telling herself to step aside until there was three or four feet of distance separating them. That might be enough space to get her breathing back to an even keel. But looking into those dreamy eyes had done something to her feet. Both of them seemed stuck to the floor.
A nervous flutter suddenly attacked the back of her throat, forcing her to swallow before she could answer. “I thought—well, you see, like Nolan pointed out, this is my first real venture at living away from home. I was looking forward to it. Being just me—taking care of myself, doing things for myself. Now, all my plans have been turned upside down.”
Before she could guess his intentions, he stepped forward and placed a hand on her shoulder. It felt big and warm, and the mere fact that he was touching her sent electrical currents shooting through her entire body.
“I promise, Savannah, this isn’t going to be as bad as you’re thinking. I will stay out of your way as much as possible. Okay?”
His voice was low, and husky, and just as seductive as the touch of his hand. “Okay,” she murmured. “And I’ll do my best not to cause you any major headaches.”
One corner of his lips cocked upward. “Let’s not worry about future problems. Certainly not for the rest of today.”
His hand eased off her shoulder and Savannah decided it was high time to step away from him.
“I’m all for that.” She walked over to the bags she’d dropped earlier and collected them from the floor. “Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll take these to the bedroom.”
Inside the master bedroom, Savannah placed her luggage on the end of a queen-sized bed with an ornate head-and footboard made of brass. A green and navy comforter, along with pillows in matching shams, covered the mattress. However, a quick peek beneath the comforter revealed there were no sheets. She made a mental note to put them on her shopping list.
The sound of Chaz’s footsteps had her turning away from the bed to see him entering the room with her remaining bags.
“Where would you like these?” he asked.
“Anywhere will be fine. Thanks,” she told him.
He put the suitcases on the floor at the foot of the bed, then promptly returned to the open doorway.
Pausing there, he asked, “Are you okay with this room?”
“The room is fine. But I realize I’m going to need more things than I anticipated. Does your bed have linen?”
“No. But I don’t need a set of sheets to be able to sleep.”
Not knowing how to respond to that, she simply said, “Oh.”
Her one word reply put an amused look on his face. “I was in the army,” he explained. “Fluffy beds with nice linens aren’t always available to a soldier.”
Intrigued, Savannah took a few steps toward him. “You were in the military?”
“For eight years.”
She stared at him, while trying to picture him in a uniform, following the rigors of the army. “Eight years! Really?”
A faint smile touched his face. “I can see that surprises you.”
“Very much. I thought—” She broke off as she realized that up until now, she’d not been thinking about Chaz’s background. She’d been too preoccupied with the present and how to control her unsettling reaction to him.
“Thought what?” he prodded. “That I spent my younger years being a bouncer in some sleazy nightclub?”
Embarrassed heat swept over her face. “No! Not exactly. My father would never hire anyone without excellent credentials. I just assumed you had probably worked for a security firm or in law enforcement.”
He shook his head. “After having army buddies around me for so many years, I wondered what it might be like to go solo. Turns out I like it.”
He was talking about his work, but Savannah was thinking more along the lines of his love life. Did he also like living alone? That was definitely a question she was going to keep to herself. It was none of her business if Chaz shared an apartment with a woman, or dated a bevy of them.
“That’s good. I mean—that you like working solo.” Flustered by her straying thoughts and the way his lazy gaze continued to meander over her face, she purposely moved back to the bed and picked up one of the pillows. “There are so many things I need for the apartment. I’m going to put off unpacking and make a trip to the nearest shopping center.”
“I’ll have to go with you,” he said. “So we’ll take my car.”
Frowning, she turned to look at him. “Are you planning on driving me everywhere I need to go? Because I’ve already booked a rental car. In fact, I’m supposed to pick it up this afternoon.”
He stroked a thumb and forefinger over his black goatee as he contemplated her question. “We’ll pick up the car after you finish your shopping. There might be occasions while you’re at the university that I’ll have to be elsewhere. But that doesn’t mean I want you driving around town or to and from campus without me in the vehicle with you or following directly behind you.”
She struggled to keep from rolling her eyes toward the ceiling. This had to be the most ridiculous waste she’d ever heard of, but she knew from experience it would be fruitless to argue the point with her father.
“Fine. At least, I’ll have a car of my own,” she said, then walked over to the door. “Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to change clothes before we leave.”
His dark gaze swept over her and Savannah got the feeling he’d already undressed her. The notion shot a plume of heat from her toes to her head.
“I’ll be waiting in the living room.”
He turned away and Savannah couldn’t shut the door between them fast enough. After turning the lock, she slumped against the wooden panel and waited for her heart to quit pounding and her breaths to become more than shallow sups.
Dear Lord, what was the man doing to her? At this rate, she was going to end up fainting at his feet! A fate that would be worse than humiliating.
No, she thought, as she marched over to the bed and began to shed her blouse and skirt. Before she made a complete fool of herself, she was going to convince herself that she disliked everything about the sexy Latino. And that included his tall muscular body, those dark dreamy eyes and husky voice. She would trick her brain into believing she didn’t find anything attractive in the way his black hair waved gently away from his face or the way his trimmed mustache bracketed a pair of very kissable lips.
Kissable?
Damn! What did she know about kissing a man? Not just a young college boy, but a mature, masculine hunk of man like Chaz Mendoza? Very little. And while she was here in Austin, she didn’t plan on learning.
She was here to study diseases. Not to fall prey to a chronic heart condition.
