Jessie wouldn’t know Sam had stopped until she rounded the corner, though she’d left plenty of room for the Toyota to stop. She wanted to question Jessie, not hurt her.
Sam walked across the road to the gum trees and waited. Two minutes later the Toyota came around the corner, making an unintentional beeline straight for her car. She had a brief glimpse of Jessie’s surprised expression. Then Jessie braked and the Toyota slewed to a stop. Sam hurried over and opened the door.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just chagrined.” Jessie glanced up, a wry smile touching her lips. “Gabriel’s going to kill me for being caught.”
“If he’s still alive after I get through with him.” Sam hesitated, trying to control the swift jab of anger. “You want to explain why he’s got you tailing me?”
Jessie ran a hand through her dark curls. “There’s a roadside diner about a kilometer up the road. Why don’t we talk there? I need some coffee anyway.”
“I’ll follow you there.”
Sam slammed the door shut, walked over to the Ford and climbed in. After starting up the car, she followed Jessie back onto the main road.
Once they reached the diner and had their order taken by the gum-chewing waitress, Sam crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward. “So, why is your brother having me tailed?”
Jessie sighed. “He’s worried about your safety.”
“Yeah, so worried he wanted me dumped as a partner.” Sam snorted softly. “Be honest, at least.”
“I am.” Jessie hesitated, her gaze suddenly intent. “And you know why he didn’t want you as a partner, don’t you?”
“He thinks he’s jinxed.”
Jessie nodded. “His standard excuse for wanting to work alone.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in that statement?”
“More than a hint.” Jessie hesitated, glancing up with a smile as the waitress placed their coffee on the table. “Personally, I think he was desperate to get rid of you simply because you forced him to
feel.
”
“Well, if I had that effect on him, I sure as hell couldn’t tell it.” He’d shown more emotion with Sandy, in the brief ten minutes she’d seen them together, than he ever had with her over the nine months they’d been partners.
Jessie’s smile was a touch wry. “Gabriel’s become very adept at controlling his emotions. But I think the fact that he’s gone against Stephan’s direct orders here proves he does indeed care.”
“Or it could simply mean he wants to ensure my safety until you’ve all discovered just how useful I might be to the Federation, his first and greatest love.”
“The Federation is not his greatest love. It’s Stephan’s.” Jessie tilted her head. There was a sharpness in her green eyes that made Sam uncomfortable. It almost felt like this woman was capable of seeing far more than most. “How do you feel about Gabriel?”
“He pisses me off more than any man I have ever known.”
“You’re not alone there.” Amusement ran through her voice. “But other than that, I mean.”
Sam raised her eyebrows. “Why do you want to know? And what does it matter anyway?”
“I want to know because I’m a busybody with the best interests of my brother at heart. And it matters because I think he’s acting like a goddamn fool.”
“Because he’s having me followed?”
“No, because he’s ignoring the blindingly obvious.”
“Which is?”
Jessie smiled. “Answer the question first.”
Sam sighed. “Okay, I’m attracted to him. Whether it’s just a physical thing, or whether it could be more, I’ll probably never find out.”
“Why not? There’s no law stating a woman can’t ask a man out. In fact, in this day and age, a woman is a fool if she doesn’t go after what she wants.”
“I asked him out for coffee and he refused. I dressed sexily and he didn’t bat an eyelid. If he’s attracted, he obviously has no intention of acting on it.”
Jessie chuckled softly. “Yeah, well, it’s
Sam walked across the road to the gum trees and waited. Two minutes later the Toyota came around the corner, making an unintentional beeline straight for her car. She had a brief glimpse of Jessie’s surprised expression. Then Jessie braked and the Toyota slewed to a stop. Sam hurried over and opened the door.
“You okay?”
“Yeah. Just chagrined.” Jessie glanced up, a wry smile touching her lips. “Gabriel’s going to kill me for being caught.”
“If he’s still alive after I get through with him.” Sam hesitated, trying to control the swift jab of anger. “You want to explain why he’s got you tailing me?”
Jessie ran a hand through her dark curls. “There’s a roadside diner about a kilometer up the road. Why don’t we talk there? I need some coffee anyway.”
“I’ll follow you there.”
Sam slammed the door shut, walked over to the Ford and climbed in. After starting up the car, she followed Jessie back onto the main road.
Once they reached the diner and had their order taken by the gum-chewing waitress, Sam crossed her arms on the table and leaned forward. “So, why is your brother having me tailed?”
Jessie sighed. “He’s worried about your safety.”
“Yeah, so worried he wanted me dumped as a partner.” Sam snorted softly. “Be honest, at least.”
“I am.” Jessie hesitated, her gaze suddenly intent. “And you know why he didn’t want you as a partner, don’t you?”
“He thinks he’s jinxed.”
Jessie nodded. “His standard excuse for wanting to work alone.”
Sam raised an eyebrow. “Do I detect a hint of sarcasm in that statement?”
“More than a hint.” Jessie hesitated, glancing up with a smile as the waitress placed their coffee on the table. “Personally, I think he was desperate to get rid of you simply because you forced him to
feel.
”
“Well, if I had that effect on him, I sure as hell couldn’t tell it.” He’d shown more emotion with Sandy, in the brief ten minutes she’d seen them together, than he ever had with her over the nine months they’d been partners.
Jessie’s smile was a touch wry. “Gabriel’s become very adept at controlling his emotions. But I think the fact that he’s gone against Stephan’s direct orders here proves he does indeed care.”
“Or it could simply mean he wants to ensure my safety until you’ve all discovered just how useful I might be to the Federation, his first and greatest love.”
“The Federation is not his greatest love. It’s Stephan’s.” Jessie tilted her head. There was a sharpness in her green eyes that made Sam uncomfortable. It almost felt like this woman was capable of seeing far more than most. “How do you feel about Gabriel?”
“He pisses me off more than any man I have ever known.”
“You’re not alone there.” Amusement ran through her voice. “But other than that, I mean.”
Sam raised her eyebrows. “Why do you want to know? And what does it matter anyway?”
“I want to know because I’m a busybody with the best interests of my brother at heart. And it matters because I think he’s acting like a goddamn fool.”
“Because he’s having me followed?”
“No, because he’s ignoring the blindingly obvious.”
“Which is?”
Jessie smiled. “Answer the question first.”
Sam sighed. “Okay, I’m attracted to him. Whether it’s just a physical thing, or whether it could be more, I’ll probably never find out.”
“Why not? There’s no law stating a woman can’t ask a man out. In fact, in this day and age, a woman is a fool if she doesn’t go after what she wants.”
“I asked him out for coffee and he refused. I dressed sexily and he didn’t bat an eyelid. If he’s attracted, he obviously has no intention of acting on it.”
Jessie chuckled softly. “Yeah, well, it’s
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