a nice tan, anyway.”
She sank onto the side of her bed, clutching one of the sweaters she intended to take to Colorado. “Why didn’t you tell me before now you intended to send Nicholas Logan with us?”
He looked puzzled. “What’s wrong with Logan?”
She jumped up and walked to her dresser, carefully studying the contents of an opened drawer as though debating what to take. “I don’t like him,” she muttered crossly.
James followed her, leaning his elbow on the tall piece of furniture. She refused to meet his gaze.
“Do you have a particular reason for not wanting him to go?” he asked. “Has he done or said anything out of line? Because if he has, I will report him immediately.”
He was giving her a legitimate way out of this if she would use it. Ashley was tempted. Oh, how she was tempted. But reporting him because he annoyed her beyond belief would be putting her credibility on the line. What exactly had he done to cause him to be reported? Been his arrogant, loath some self?
She sighed. “He hasn’t done anything out of line, Dad. I mean, nothing specific. He’s just a bumbling irritant who annoys me.” She forced herself to meet her father’s steady gaze. Somehow she had to convince her father that he must find someone else for this trip. But how? He was a very fair person. She couldn’t lie. She wouldn’t lie. But how could she begin to explain…
“I don’t like the way he looks at me,” she grumbled, returning to her opened suitcase and meticulously folding the clothes she intended to take on her trip. She concentrated on placing them inside with precision.
“The way he looks at you?” he repeated. “You mean, in a sexual manner?”
“No!” She paused, her frustration mounting as she searched for words to describe how that horrible man made her feel. “It’s as though he looks right through me,” she began, then stopped. “As though I don’t even exist as a person to him!” she blurted out.
“You mean he treats you differently than the other agents do?”
“Yes! No! I mean, no, of course not. He’s very efficient, I’m sure. I don’t happen to like his attitude toward me, that’s all. He’s arrogant and smug and…” At the moment she couldn’t think of all the many ways she found him offensive. But there were dozens, she was quite certain of that.
“So you don’t like him.”
What a relief. Her father was finally beginning to understand. She threw her arms around his waist and hugged him with relief.
“Exactly!” she agreed with a big smile, pleased to have finally made her point.
He sighed, patting her comfortingly. “Unfortunately, my dear, he’s the best agent we have available for this particular job. He’ll be able to stay with you while you’re on the slopes…” He ignored her snort of disgust. “He knows the area, which is a plus, and he’s agreed to dress like the rest of you so he won’t look conspicuous.”
He watched her for a moment before asking, “Do you have a problem with Stevenson, as well?”
“Ron? Oh, no. Not at all. Why do you ask?”
“I’m trying to figure out what set off this tirade of yours. I thought you would be pleased that we were able to arrange this trip for you. However, if you don’t want Logan with you, then we’ll be forced to call off your part of the trip.”
She stiffened and pulled away from him. “Let me see if I understand you,” she said through clenched jaws. “I either go on the ski trip accompanied by Special Agent Logan or I go to the beach with you, Mom and the boys, is that it?”
He smiled. “That’s an excellent summation of this conversation, my dear.”
She spun away from him and began pacing. “This is just great. I can’t believe I’m going to have to spend the next five days with that man.”
“You know, baby, I don’t believe I’ve ever seen you this riled over any man before. Particularly not an agent. You’ve been around them most of your life. You seem to ignore them most of the time.”
“I try. Oh, boy, do I try. But Nick Logan is impossible to ignore.”
James smiled. “Ah. I think I’m beginning to get a better understanding of the situation.”
Ashley narrowed her eyes and stared at him suspiciously. “And just what is that supposed to mean?”
“Logan is an attractive man. I’m not surprised that you noticed him. What surprises me is your very strong reaction to him. You generally treat your male friends quite casually.”
“Really, Dad. It isn’t the same thing at all! Agent Logan is certainly not a friend of mine! He works for us, that’s all. I don’t even think of him as a man, for that matter.”
Her father made a noise that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle, but when she looked at him, his face was suitably solemn. She wanted him to take her seriously. This was not a joke. Nick Logan could very well destroy all her pleasure in the upcoming trip. She wanted her father to understand her very real concerns. She just couldn’t think of anything else to say to convince him.
“I don’t see that there’s much that can be done about the situation at this late date, my dear. Ignore the man, pretend he isn’t there or that he’s just there to enjoy some skiing—which will be true, by the way.”
“Except he’ll be hovering over me all the time.”
“Stevenson will be there, as well.” She sighed. “It’s only for five days, remember,” he added.
She rolled her eyes, then hugged his neck and said, “Thanks, Daddy, for understanding how important this trip is to me.”
“We’ll stay in touch, you know. We’ll only be a phone call away, no matter what happens.”
She supposed she would have to be content with knowing that to be true.
Ron and Nick arrived at the Washington National Airport early enough the next morning to contact the security people regarding their presence on the flight. After showing their identification and checking their weapons, the two of them stopped in one of the coffee shops in the secured area for coffee until time to expect Ashley to appear.
They were dressed for a trip to the mountains in sweaters, jeans, boots and parkas. Ron joked about being an impostor, decked out in all his Western finery. Nick reassured him that most people in the area where they were going dressed similarly, whether they skied or not.
They were waiting just inside the security area watching for Ashley when she arrived, accompanied by an agent. He made no effort to pass through the metal detector. Instead, he waited until Ashley passed through with her backpack, then nodded to Nick and Ron and left.
“I almost didn’t recognize you two,” she said with a chuckle. “You look like you’re ready for the slopes, Ron.”
He laughed. “Forget that! I only have to look the part.”
Nick could have said the
