Crawford and his
friends were occupying. „I wish you wouldn’t . ,“ she broke off as Crawford’s rich tones fell clearly into one of those
small silences that can strike a room.
„So I told the young man I’d give him his pick of the restaurants, including the one that’s making all the money
down in Orange County if he succeeded in marrying Hilary. I think Saber’s the one who can do it, too. Got a mind like a
steel trap and enough willpower to match my daughter’s. They’ll make a…“
Crawford’s voice went on, hidden now by the increasing volume of noise in the room, but Hilary didn’t need to
hear any more. She was standing stock still on the other side of the greenery, chilled to the bone.
It was the depth of that chill more than anything else which told her how close she had come to disaster. How
close she had come to falling in love with Logan Saber. Even as she stood there, telling herself over and over again
that she had no reason to be shaken; that she had known the truth all along, Hilary realized that in an incredibly short
time she had come too close to a perilous edge. She wanted nothing more right now than to flee to some lonely spot
where she could berate herself for her stupidity and perhaps release her anger in tears. Without thinking, she half
turned away, only to come up against Logan’s hard frame. His arms went around her.
„Well?“ his voice sounded grating and harsh as she automatically tried to disentangle herself from his grip. „Are
you going to cause a scene by running out the door? Or shall we finish our business with Crawford like the adults we
supposedly are?“
Hilary lifted an amber gaze drenched in fury and pleading.
„Logan, I can’t… I won’t…“
But Logan’s response was to meet her gaze with a hard, gray-green one which contained all the implacable
challenge of the sea during a storm. His hands propelled her forward, around the edge of the potted plants until they
stood in full view of Crawford and his friends.
Hilary, given little option but to deal with the situation now that it was upon her, felt a wave of cold anger coming
to her rescue as she listened to Logan cordially greeting Crawford, explaining that Hilary had wanted to invite both
himself and her father to dinner the next night. She could tell by the rueful expression in her father’s eyes that he knew
she’d overheard his last remarks. She watched him get to his feet and come away from the table to greet her.
„Hilary,“ Crawford whispered as he leaned down for her dutiful kiss. „I’m sorry, please believe me…“
„It’s a pity you didn’t finish the rest of the story, Crawford,“ Logan said with quiet grimness, his hand still gripping
Hilary.
„You mean the part about how you told me to go to hell after I’d made my grand offer? Sorry, you must have
arrived too late. I told that part first!“ Crawford glanced down at his daughter who smiled back coolly, her expressive
eyes gleaming with a rage unlike anything she had ever experienced.
„Please don’t bother trying to salvage the story for my benefit,“ she said with a saccharin sweetness, wondering if
anyone could possibly guess what it was costing to keep the cool little smile in place. Out of the corner of her eye she
saw Logan studying her intently and realized with a jolt that he would know how much effort went into the task.
Unconsciously her chin angled a fraction higher. It had been close, very, very close, but she’d found out the truth in
time. Rather, she corrected herself mentally, she’d had it confirmed.
„Logan and you both know I’m aware of the business games being played. When all parties know the rules the
chosen victim really isn’t in that much danger, is she? I sent the first three packing, didn’t I, Crawford? I’m sure I’ll be
able to handle Mr. Saber, also.“ She refused to meet Logan’s eyes, but the strong hand anchoring her arm became
almost painful and
friends were occupying. „I wish you wouldn’t . ,“ she broke off as Crawford’s rich tones fell clearly into one of those
small silences that can strike a room.
„So I told the young man I’d give him his pick of the restaurants, including the one that’s making all the money
down in Orange County if he succeeded in marrying Hilary. I think Saber’s the one who can do it, too. Got a mind like a
steel trap and enough willpower to match my daughter’s. They’ll make a…“
Crawford’s voice went on, hidden now by the increasing volume of noise in the room, but Hilary didn’t need to
hear any more. She was standing stock still on the other side of the greenery, chilled to the bone.
It was the depth of that chill more than anything else which told her how close she had come to disaster. How
close she had come to falling in love with Logan Saber. Even as she stood there, telling herself over and over again
that she had no reason to be shaken; that she had known the truth all along, Hilary realized that in an incredibly short
time she had come too close to a perilous edge. She wanted nothing more right now than to flee to some lonely spot
where she could berate herself for her stupidity and perhaps release her anger in tears. Without thinking, she half
turned away, only to come up against Logan’s hard frame. His arms went around her.
„Well?“ his voice sounded grating and harsh as she automatically tried to disentangle herself from his grip. „Are
you going to cause a scene by running out the door? Or shall we finish our business with Crawford like the adults we
supposedly are?“
Hilary lifted an amber gaze drenched in fury and pleading.
„Logan, I can’t… I won’t…“
But Logan’s response was to meet her gaze with a hard, gray-green one which contained all the implacable
challenge of the sea during a storm. His hands propelled her forward, around the edge of the potted plants until they
stood in full view of Crawford and his friends.
Hilary, given little option but to deal with the situation now that it was upon her, felt a wave of cold anger coming
to her rescue as she listened to Logan cordially greeting Crawford, explaining that Hilary had wanted to invite both
himself and her father to dinner the next night. She could tell by the rueful expression in her father’s eyes that he knew
she’d overheard his last remarks. She watched him get to his feet and come away from the table to greet her.
„Hilary,“ Crawford whispered as he leaned down for her dutiful kiss. „I’m sorry, please believe me…“
„It’s a pity you didn’t finish the rest of the story, Crawford,“ Logan said with quiet grimness, his hand still gripping
Hilary.
„You mean the part about how you told me to go to hell after I’d made my grand offer? Sorry, you must have
arrived too late. I told that part first!“ Crawford glanced down at his daughter who smiled back coolly, her expressive
eyes gleaming with a rage unlike anything she had ever experienced.
„Please don’t bother trying to salvage the story for my benefit,“ she said with a saccharin sweetness, wondering if
anyone could possibly guess what it was costing to keep the cool little smile in place. Out of the corner of her eye she
saw Logan studying her intently and realized with a jolt that he would know how much effort went into the task.
Unconsciously her chin angled a fraction higher. It had been close, very, very close, but she’d found out the truth in
time. Rather, she corrected herself mentally, she’d had it confirmed.
„Logan and you both know I’m aware of the business games being played. When all parties know the rules the
chosen victim really isn’t in that much danger, is she? I sent the first three packing, didn’t I, Crawford? I’m sure I’ll be
able to handle Mr. Saber, also.“ She refused to meet Logan’s eyes, but the strong hand anchoring her arm became
almost painful and
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