complicated ruse? The devil was in the details. “How long do I have to stay? And what kinds of clues will you give me?” she asked, thinking of the picture on her cell phone.
“There are many moving parts. So as each part is completed, I’ll let you know about it. It will be up to you to connect all the dots.” He wasn’t sure how long everything would take to play out. That was determined by the players and he had no control over how quickly they discovered his plan. But he didn’t tell her that, correctly assuming she might back out with any indefinite time period.
Her fingernails drummed a rhythm on the table beside her plate as she contemplated his statement. “And how long do I have to stay?”
She was smart as well as beautiful, he thought with a smile. Needing to give her some time frame, even if it wasn’t accurate, he said, “Everything should be finished by the end of the weekend, middle of next week at the latest if everything goes according to my plans.”
She debated with herself long and hard, but in the end, it wasn’t really a question. Of course she would stay here. Or maybe she could mentally prepare to stay here just as long as he followed through on his end of the bargain. If she thought he was just stringing her along, she’d be out of here! “How do I know I’ll be the first reporter to get the story?”
He laughed, loving the sparkle in her eyes and the rosy flush of excited color in her cheeks. “I can’t guarantee that you will be the first, but I can ensure that you’ll have the most thorough story, if I have your cooperation to stay here until everything is finished. The other reporters will only be getting the parts. I promise, you’ll get the big picture.”
As she contemplated his offer, she was unaware of her tongue poking out the side of her mouth or the way her head tilted, giving him a tempting view of her full breasts. “And if you end up in jail because of my report?”
Rocco threw back his head and laughed. “I’ll even let you film the handcuffs being put on.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is this one of those too-good-to-be-true situations that I should be running from?”
He smiled and nodded his head. “Probably.”
She sat back in her chair, something not calculating properly. He seemed too open to the idea and it worried her. But wasn’t this what a good reporter would do? Take the risks? Dive into the story with both feet?
“Fine,” she stated firmly and was rewarded by something bursting in his eyes that she couldn’t quite define, but that made her feel all warm and gooey inside. “After you’re arrested, I want a jail cell interview as well.”
He leaned forward and poured her more coffee. “I’ll agree to that, as long as I get to use the handcuffs as well when it is my turn.”
She blushed painfully with his words and ignored the sexual innuendo.
It occurred to her that the man was astoundingly calm for someone who might be facing jail time. But then she realized that Rocco Antoniv man had international contacts. He might be out of the country by the time she put everything together.
She picked up her coffee cup, staring at him over the edge. “So you’re going to continue to be cavalier about this?” she asked, wiggling in her seat in discomfort despite the fact that that was exactly what he wanted her to feel. She fought against it, but in the end, she was just too embarrassed by the mention of handcuffs. She wasn’t even completely sure what one would do with handcuffs but she was fairly certain she didn’t want to find out.
“I don’t think there’s any other option,” he said and leaned back against his chair. “Since you’re going to be staying here with me, what would you like to do today?”
Brianna almost choked on her orange juice. “With you?”
“Of course.” He looked at her with that amusement that never failed to irritate her. “I’m your host. I am here to entertain you.”
She shook her head. “Why
“There are many moving parts. So as each part is completed, I’ll let you know about it. It will be up to you to connect all the dots.” He wasn’t sure how long everything would take to play out. That was determined by the players and he had no control over how quickly they discovered his plan. But he didn’t tell her that, correctly assuming she might back out with any indefinite time period.
Her fingernails drummed a rhythm on the table beside her plate as she contemplated his statement. “And how long do I have to stay?”
She was smart as well as beautiful, he thought with a smile. Needing to give her some time frame, even if it wasn’t accurate, he said, “Everything should be finished by the end of the weekend, middle of next week at the latest if everything goes according to my plans.”
She debated with herself long and hard, but in the end, it wasn’t really a question. Of course she would stay here. Or maybe she could mentally prepare to stay here just as long as he followed through on his end of the bargain. If she thought he was just stringing her along, she’d be out of here! “How do I know I’ll be the first reporter to get the story?”
He laughed, loving the sparkle in her eyes and the rosy flush of excited color in her cheeks. “I can’t guarantee that you will be the first, but I can ensure that you’ll have the most thorough story, if I have your cooperation to stay here until everything is finished. The other reporters will only be getting the parts. I promise, you’ll get the big picture.”
As she contemplated his offer, she was unaware of her tongue poking out the side of her mouth or the way her head tilted, giving him a tempting view of her full breasts. “And if you end up in jail because of my report?”
Rocco threw back his head and laughed. “I’ll even let you film the handcuffs being put on.”
She narrowed her eyes. “Is this one of those too-good-to-be-true situations that I should be running from?”
He smiled and nodded his head. “Probably.”
She sat back in her chair, something not calculating properly. He seemed too open to the idea and it worried her. But wasn’t this what a good reporter would do? Take the risks? Dive into the story with both feet?
“Fine,” she stated firmly and was rewarded by something bursting in his eyes that she couldn’t quite define, but that made her feel all warm and gooey inside. “After you’re arrested, I want a jail cell interview as well.”
He leaned forward and poured her more coffee. “I’ll agree to that, as long as I get to use the handcuffs as well when it is my turn.”
She blushed painfully with his words and ignored the sexual innuendo.
It occurred to her that the man was astoundingly calm for someone who might be facing jail time. But then she realized that Rocco Antoniv man had international contacts. He might be out of the country by the time she put everything together.
She picked up her coffee cup, staring at him over the edge. “So you’re going to continue to be cavalier about this?” she asked, wiggling in her seat in discomfort despite the fact that that was exactly what he wanted her to feel. She fought against it, but in the end, she was just too embarrassed by the mention of handcuffs. She wasn’t even completely sure what one would do with handcuffs but she was fairly certain she didn’t want to find out.
“I don’t think there’s any other option,” he said and leaned back against his chair. “Since you’re going to be staying here with me, what would you like to do today?”
Brianna almost choked on her orange juice. “With you?”
“Of course.” He looked at her with that amusement that never failed to irritate her. “I’m your host. I am here to entertain you.”
She shook her head. “Why
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