you to drink?’
‘Cool, clear, bubble-infested water.’
‘Do you ever drink alcohol?’
‘Occasionally. I don’t dislike it. It’s more a matter of being permanently on call.’
‘That’s a strong service ethic you have there, Ro.’
Maybe he meant it as a criticism—she didn’t know. ‘Plenty of people have one.’
He nodded and handed her the room service menu, then tucked in shoulder to shoulder with her while she read it. She didn’t push him away. He felt good and smelled better, the faintly woodsy tang of his aftershave teasing her senses.
‘Veal for me,’ she decided after careful perusal. ‘With the creamy fennel sauce and greens—and I absolutely do want the wattle-seed and bush honey crème brûlée afterwards.’
‘I’m having the rib-eye,’ he said. ‘With fries, cracked pepper, salad to make it look healthy, and a beer to wash it down with. I’m a simple soul. And I’m not on call.’
He picked up the hotel phone and put the order through.
‘Someone’s coming to sort out the dining area and bring bread and tapas for us,’ he offered when he’d finished.
‘Good service.’
‘Always is.’
She cocked her head to one side. ‘You’re used to this level of wealth?’
‘I don’t need it,’ he said with a shrug. ‘I can exist on a lot less. But, yes. I was born into wealth. I’ve never wanted for playthings. What about you?’
‘I’m used to less.’
He crossed to the entertainment console and moments later the soft strains of a well-played acoustic guitar filled the room. A little bit Spanish … a little bit alternative.
‘Your choice?’ she asked.
‘Probably Damon’s—although I recognise who’s playing. Sounds of my youth.’
‘Do those youthful memories relax you? The ones you had before ASIS?’
‘Yes. There are good memories there. My teenage years were good ones. I thought myself invincible and thought that the world revolved around my every whim. Because it did.’
‘See? Told you—you’ll grow out of things.’
This man could have done anything. Been anything. Yet here he was.
‘Why did you join ASIS?’
‘I think I was looking for a cause. A way to combine adrenalin-junked-up dangerous activities with righteousness.’
‘What did your father say to that decision?’
‘Nothing.’ Jared shrugged. ‘It’s not that we don’t get on. We just never saw much of him after my mother’s death. Damon and Poppy got the worst end of that stick. They barely know the man at all.’
‘Do they care?’
Jared shrugged. ‘Can’t speak for them, but I like to hope that even if our father wasn’t around much while they were growing up they didn’t miss out on having family who loved and cared for them. Lena’s good at binding people together. Love, concern, support—just being there for people in the day-to-day. She’s bossy as all hell, mind—and so was I. But the four of us kids held together as a family. We still hold, even though we’re scattered across the globe.’
‘I’m glad you have them.’
‘Trig’s a part of the family too. I’ve been thinking about something he said the other day. A question he asked me. You and me … if we get together … how will that affect your career? Are you looking to me to enhance it?’
He crossed to the bar, poured himself a Scotch and stared down at it, frowning.
‘Because I have to tell you, Ro, that I’m considering finishing up with special intelligence altogether—so if you have some notion that you and I could team up at some point … be some kind of power couple within the organisation … I’m not on board with it.’
It had been a long time since someone had managed to shock her so thoroughly, and it must have shown on her face because Jared suddenly grinned.
‘A power couple?’ she echoed flatly. ‘In what way?’
‘Management offered me a black ops crew of my own choosing—provided I also chose you for your expertise and experience. They spoke of grooming me for the top job. Your name was mentioned. In a partnership. A working one. A personal one. I felt as if they were handing you to me on a plate.’
It took a lot to make Rowan lose her cool, but she was getting there. She sipped at her water and set it carefully on the bar-top while she tried to stem the angry tirade of words that wanted to spew forth.
‘If you want to stop working for Section, then stop.’ She kept her voice level and her gaze steady. Good job, Rowan. ‘Believe me when I say that whoring myself out to you—or anyone else—in order to gain power is not on my list of things to do. If I want more power I’ll damn well go after it on my own, thank you.’
Okay, now she was getting snappy.
‘You have vastly underestimated my self-respect.’
‘You’re sexy when you’re riled.’ Jared smiled again, his big body relaxing infinitesimally.
She speared him with her meanest glare. ‘No. You don’t get a free pass on this. You believed them. You thought I was in on it.’
‘I never said that.’ His mouth hardened. ‘I told you what they said and then I told you what I was thinking. There’s a difference.’
‘And now you know what I think.’
‘Exactly.’ He lifted his glass and drained it. When his voice came again it was raspy. ‘I still want to know you, Ro. It feels good to explore your boundaries.’
A knock sounded on the door, accompanied by a softly spoken ‘Room Service …’
He crossed to the door and let in a man and a woman in black and white service uniform. Rowan watched in muddled silence as the two attendants set silver-domed serving trays on the table before crossing to the sideboard and opening it to reveal everything a well-dressed dinner table would ever need. Thirty seconds, tops, and the table had been expertly set for two and a candelabra lit.
‘Your main meals will be with you in fifteen minutes,’ the older man informed them with a smile, and then left.
‘You can leave any time,’ Jared offered quietly, but Rowan took a steadying breath, crossed to the table and took a seat instead.
‘I’m hungry. I need to eat and relax and I like your company. Will you join me?’
