Chapter 2
Daisy used the restroom and then washed her hands, before grabbing a fistful of paper towels from the dispenser to dry them. One look at her pale features in the mirror had her digging her lipstick from her tiny purse.
Jordan Krychek’s disproving visage popped into her mind and pissed her off. Why him? Why not Roger with his warm laugh and sexy British accent? Why not Tremblay with his French charm and urbane sophistication?
As a physicist, she understood attraction at the subatomic level, but she didn’t understand sexual attraction, not one little bit. Why would one guy give her goosebumps and someone else, just as objectively handsome, leave her cold?
Why couldn’t she stop thinking about him?
She didn’t want a relationship. The emotions that went along with relationships made you vulnerable, and she had no intention of being vulnerable with a man ever again.
Her boyfriend in college had turned her into a walking talking cliché when he’d ditched her for her best friend last year.
As if she’d needed another reminder the world was full of liars and cheats.
But maybe she should give herself a break.
She was feeling exposed right now. Her defenses low.
Ground shaky beneath planted feet. The grief she’d experienced after being told of her dad’s death, followed by the euphoria at discovering his miraculous survival, had been a rollercoaster that had almost destroyed her.
It had stormed all her usual defensive walls and left them in ruins.
She needed time, and a little breathing space, to rebuild those fortifications.
She put her lipstick away. She’d stalled for long enough. It was time to head back to the banquet.
Suddenly, the thought of talking shop with even the most brilliant minds in the industry wasn’t enough to stop the tiredness from dragging at her.
She yawned widely and decided to head to bed.
She texted the lab group chat to say she’d see them in the morning.
She was mostly packed. It might be nice to sit on her balcony for a half hour with a glass of wine from the bottle she’d lifted from dinner yesterday.
She headed out into the corridor and bumped straight into Francois Tremblay.
“Sorry.” She started to head around him, but Francois held up a bottle of red wine and two glasses.
“Ms. Montana.” The light in his dark eyes was decidedly flirtatious.
“Would you like to join me for a walk on the beach? I fly back to Paris tomorrow, and I am afraid our weather is a lot less temperate at this time of year. I want to dip my feet in the ocean one last time and was hoping someone would join me. The others are all busy.”
She gazed wistfully outside.
The idea of a walk on the beach was tempting.
The resort had security who patrolled the grounds, and the beach area was well lit.
Tremblay was unlikely to try anything unless she was a willing participant, and she was more than able to take care of herself.
Her dad had insisted she learn a martial art, and she had a three dan black belt in taekwondo to prove it.
Was Francois the sort of man who held a grudge if a woman rejected his advances?
She didn’t think so, but she’d been wrong before.
“I’ll join you for a glass of wine and walk on the beach, but just so we’re clear,” she held his pretty, dark-eyed gaze, “I’m not interested in anything else, Professor.”
His eyes sparkled. “What more could a man ask for than a fine night, a decent glass of wine, and the company of a beautiful woman?”
Okay.
She wasn’t sure if France had caught up in terms of what did and did not constitute sexual harassment these days, but she’d been upfront and honest. If Tremblay stepped out of line, she’d let him know about it.
They headed outside and the breeze was cool on her skin. She shivered.
“Wait.” Francois placed the wine on a nearby table and shrugged out of his suit jacket. “Here, let me.” He slipped it over her shoulders, the material still warm from his body. It smelled good too. “I insist.”
He smiled at her, and she couldn’t help but smile back. “Thanks.”
He picked up the wine and the glasses and carried on along the path. When the path ran out, she slipped off her sandals, the sand shockingly cold against her feet. The cool breeze off the ocean was a vivid reminder it was February not June. They headed for the calm waters lapping the shore.
“Do you think you would ever work outside of the US?” Francois placed the bottle of wine and the glasses on the sand as he sat, then removed his shoes and socks. Rolled his pants up over his knees. He looked slightly ridiculous but kind of cute too.
The silk lining of his jacket caressed her skin as she hugged herself. Traveling the world with her career was definitely something she was interested in doing. “I need to finish my PhD first.”
“Maybe you could come work with me in France? A post-doc perhaps.” He sounded thoughtful as if searching through his mind for possible funding opportunities.
Her lips twitched. “In which case this situation is highly suspect.”
“Not really. We are talking shop, are we not?” The man laughed as he climbed to his feet.
“But perhaps maybe it is better if I don’t suggest it, yet.
I wanted to spend a little more time with you as a person rather than as a scientist. I find you fascinating.
” He reached out a finger to move her hair off her forehead and looked as if he wanted to kiss her.
“Sure.” She stepped away. “Fascinating.”
He sighed and reached down to pour two glasses of red. She watched him carefully, to make sure he didn’t spike it with anything.
What a world they lived in where a woman had to be cautious about what she drank because losers liked to drug women.
He offered her both glasses as if reading her mind.
She took the one on the right. “How old are you, if you don’t mind me asking?”
He sent her a glance through his lashes. “Why? Are you worried about the age difference? I am not that old.”
The age difference didn’t bother her. It was the power imbalance that was the real issue.
“You seem young to be so high up in the field.”
“Ah, yes, well, that, I’ll take as a compliment.”
Vain as well as smart.
Figured.
He took his glass and her free hand and drew her forward until they stood up to their ankles in the water. It felt surprisingly warm for the time of year.
She let go of his hand and took a sip of wine staring up at the clouds that drifted across the night sky. The wine was rich and full-bodied, not the same as they’d been served at dinner. “Nice.”
“Bordeaux.” He looked down his nose in disdain. “It was the best they had.”
She laughed softly. “Watch out, your French is showing.”
“I’m very proud of my ‘French.’” He cocked a brow and took a healthy swallow of wine. “Having standards should not be a character flaw.”
She sipped her wine and said nothing.
He sent her a sideways glance. He obviously knew how pretty he was—and how that angle made him appear boyish.
“Can I ask you a question?” she asked.
“No, I’m not married or in a serious relationship.” He sighed as if he was asked the question a lot, which was telling.
“I was thinking more about your career path. What are your ambitions? Where do you want to be in five years’ time?”
His eyes widened. “Ah, that seems like the sort of question I should be asking you.”
She sent him an amused smile. “Don’t tell me you are one of those rare creatures, a man who doesn’t like to talk about himself?”
“Now I’m caught in a trap. If I talk about myself, I’m a typical man, which I most certainly am not. If I don’t, I’m evasive and secretive.” He tipped his glass toward her and tapped his nose. “I’ve been here before. You tell me about where you want to be in five years first.”
She swished her foot through the tranquil water. “Mine is easy and obvious. I want to finish my PhD, publish a bunch of research papers, and be offered a full-time job in my field.”
“All very do-able—in more than one country. How’s your French?”
“Terrible.”
“I could teach you.” The guy oozed charm.
She should be tempted.
She wished she were.
“And, for myself? Perhaps head of the International Atomic Energy Agency?”
Her brows shot up. “Aiming high.”
He pulled a face. “Perhaps. Perhaps not. I just want to help the world power itself with smarter and safer technology.”
“Saving the world.”
He gave the quintessential gallic shrug. “It’s the only one we have, after all. Why are you interested in this field?”
She imitated his shrug. “Saving the world, of course.”
Her interest had been spurred by the tsunami that had damaged the Fukushima nuclear reactor in Japan.
The far-reaching impact and understandable fear that had arisen in the aftermath, the obvious need for ever-safer nuclear technology and facilities.
She’d found herself wondering why she shouldn’t help achieve something better, something resilient and long lasting.
No one had ever accused her of being humble or not reaching for the stars when it came to her ambitions.
It was personal relationships that she failed at.
Water lapped at her ankles. Francois took a step closer, and she thought about having sex with him. Presumably, he’d be good at it. Perhaps choosing a partner based on the lack of a spark and minus the messy emotional baggage would actually be the smart choice?
He stared down at her, a half hopeful expression on his face.
She glanced at the wine. “What did you put in it?”
His mouth opened in horrified denial.
She smiled. “Whatever it is has me reconsidering what I said earlier.”
Shock passed over his features and morphed into a rakish grin. He took another step closer, slid his hand under the jacket she wore and caressed the bare skin of her lower back.
Her mouth went dry but not with desire. It felt a lot more like dread. Her mood changed. She stepped away and his hand dropped to his side.
“Sorry.” She hugged herself. “I don’t mean to be a tease.”
He didn’t appear angry. “Bad experience?”
The man who flashed inside her brain wasn’t the ex who’d broken her heart a year ago. She swallowed the wine and licked her lips. Found Francois watching her with avid interest in his dark gaze.
“I can help you forget, you know.” His voice was low, seductive.
“I am sure you can.” She was tempted to try. But she didn’t want to throw away her professional reputation for a quick fling that meant nothing to her and that could prove awkward in the future. “I don’t think it would be the smartest career move on my part.”
“It’s no one’s business.” He waved his hand.
Frowned. “Except they all gossip like little girls.” He pulled his lips to one side, considering.
“No one has to know.” He rifled in his back pocket and pulled out a room key.
“Room 514. I have another keycard,” he tapped the breast pocket of the suit jacket she wore, his finger dangerously close to her nipple, “in there.”
She quivered in response.
He handed her the first keycard and then lifted the jacket off her shoulders. The cool breeze rushed over her flesh and made her shiver.
“I’ll walk through the lobby, alone. You can follow later.” He sounded eager.
She shook her head. “I don’t think so…”
He tilted his head to the side. “No one would ever know—just you and I. Our little secret.”
She bit her lip. He made it sound so easy, but sex was messy and complicated.
But, perhaps, it didn’t need to be.
As she hesitated, he backed away, carrying his wine, eyes sparkling. “Come on, Daisy Montana. Live a little. What harm can it do?”
Jordan watched the Frenchman hand Daisy his room key and walk away with a quick stride as if in a hurry to get somewhere.
That smug sonofabitch.
Daisy stood in her backless dress staring after the asshole as he strode toward the front entrance.
Jordan wished he had a weapon on him.
What would he do if she went to Tremblay’s room?
According to the data he’d unearthed, Professor Francois Tremblay was a respected academic in Nuclear Physics who taught at the Sorbonne. He had an ex-wife but lived alone in an apartment in Montparnasse. No criminal complaints, but the guy was an obvious player.
Motherfucker.
Jordan didn’t know what the hell to do. This was not the kind of situation he trained for.
Daisy stood for another moment, staring out to sea. Then she finished the wine and turned toward where he was watching from deep in the shadows. For a second she stared, and he froze, wondering if he’d misjudged the lighting.
His mouth dried.
A noise from the left had her looking away, and then she seemed to become aware of how exposed she was, standing alone on that beach. He used the moment to sink deeper into the darkness.
She hurried toward the side door of the hotel, and his heart began to pound.