One Sizzling Touch
Page 36
He furrowed his brow. “Your brother? What’s your brother got to do with your job?”
“Nothing! Everything!” She sniffled.
Tenderly, he stroked his knuckles over her cheek. “Please tell me what’s going on. Talk to me. Please.” It hurt to see her like this, so confused and desperate at the same time. As if she didn’t see a way out of her situation.
Rochelle lifted her lids and looked at him for a long time, before she sighed. “Steve. He’s in trouble, and I have to help him.”
“What kind of trouble?”
She shrugged and started walking again. He took her hand and walked alongside her.
“One of his brilliant business ideas wasn’t quite as brilliant as he thought. Now he owes this loan shark a lot of money.”
“How much?”
“Fifty thousand. Which he doesn’t have. It’s all gone. And if he doesn’t pay back the money by the end of this week, they’ll hurt him. I think he borrowed money from the wrong people. “ She hesitated.
Zach didn’t like at all what he was hearing. “What do you mean by the wrong people?”
“People without scruples. I can’t say for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that loan shark is involved with the Mafia.” She took a deep breath of air. “I already had to raid my savings account and my retirement fund, but it’s still not enough. And if I lose my job, I won’t be able to get a loan from the bank.” She met his gaze. “Do you understand now why I can’t take that risk? My boss is already breathing down my neck and wants to see results.”
Slowly Zach nodded. Everything made more sense now. He understood why she didn’t want to be with him—why she couldn’t. At least that was what she believed. But there was another solution. He had to help her, because only once Rochelle’s problems disappeared into thin air, would she find the courage to follow her heart. “You love your brother very much.”
For a moment she closed her eyes. “Despite everything, yes. He’s my flesh and blood. I can’t just turn my back on him.” She smiled sadly. “And you and I; we don’t even know whether it’ll lead to anything. We’re from different worlds, and there are so many obstacles between us.”
“Is that why you’re throwing in the towel?” He sighed. “Rochelle, I understand why you can’t risk getting involved with me at the moment, and I can accept that. But what about later?”
“Later?”
“Yes, once the investigation is closed. At least tell me that you’ll consider it then. Will you give us a chance after that? Please tell me you’re not indifferent to me.”
“What if I find something during my investigation?”
He smiled. “There’s nothing to find.” He stopped at the corner they’d just reached and she did the same, turning toward him.
“Even then, there’ll always be a lingering suspicion. We could never be seen out in public together. As long as I work for the SEC there’s always the danger that they’ll reopen the case if word gets out that we’re dating.”
Zach combed his hand through her hair and brought his face close to hers. “That’s something neither you nor I can control. There’ll always be somebody who will suspect me or you of wrongdoing. But do you really want to pass on this chance for happiness because of that?”
“Happiness? Do you really believe that we have a chance? We barely know each other.”
He grinned. “Rochelle, I know you better than I’ve ever known any woman. And I’m not just talking about your body.” He winked. “Though I do know that particularly well.” He brushed his lips over her cheek. “And love it.”
“Zach… you’re making it very hard for me to think rationally.”
“Then don’t think. Feel.” He pulled her into his arms and held her to his chest, while he caressed her back and inhaled the scent of her hair. “Come, I’ll take you home. Sleep over it. Alone.”
He didn’t want to rush her into a decision she might regret the next day, as much as he wanted to spend the night in her arms.
18
The bookstore was only two blocks from Zach’s office building. It was humming inside. Zach headed for the thriller section, where Wade was already waiting for him.
“Hey.”
Wade turned around and put the book in his hand back onto the shelf. “Hi, Zach.” He grinned. “I feel like a secret agent in a suspense novel.”
“It had to be this way. I don’t want anybody in the office seeing you and possibly overhearing us.” Zach looked over his shoulder and scanned the customers who stood around browsing the shelves, or sat in the comfortable armchairs reading. Nobody seemed to give him or Wade a second look. “What have you found out?”
“Nothing! Everything!” She sniffled.
Tenderly, he stroked his knuckles over her cheek. “Please tell me what’s going on. Talk to me. Please.” It hurt to see her like this, so confused and desperate at the same time. As if she didn’t see a way out of her situation.
Rochelle lifted her lids and looked at him for a long time, before she sighed. “Steve. He’s in trouble, and I have to help him.”
“What kind of trouble?”
She shrugged and started walking again. He took her hand and walked alongside her.
“One of his brilliant business ideas wasn’t quite as brilliant as he thought. Now he owes this loan shark a lot of money.”
“How much?”
“Fifty thousand. Which he doesn’t have. It’s all gone. And if he doesn’t pay back the money by the end of this week, they’ll hurt him. I think he borrowed money from the wrong people. “ She hesitated.
Zach didn’t like at all what he was hearing. “What do you mean by the wrong people?”
“People without scruples. I can’t say for sure, but I wouldn’t be surprised if that loan shark is involved with the Mafia.” She took a deep breath of air. “I already had to raid my savings account and my retirement fund, but it’s still not enough. And if I lose my job, I won’t be able to get a loan from the bank.” She met his gaze. “Do you understand now why I can’t take that risk? My boss is already breathing down my neck and wants to see results.”
Slowly Zach nodded. Everything made more sense now. He understood why she didn’t want to be with him—why she couldn’t. At least that was what she believed. But there was another solution. He had to help her, because only once Rochelle’s problems disappeared into thin air, would she find the courage to follow her heart. “You love your brother very much.”
For a moment she closed her eyes. “Despite everything, yes. He’s my flesh and blood. I can’t just turn my back on him.” She smiled sadly. “And you and I; we don’t even know whether it’ll lead to anything. We’re from different worlds, and there are so many obstacles between us.”
“Is that why you’re throwing in the towel?” He sighed. “Rochelle, I understand why you can’t risk getting involved with me at the moment, and I can accept that. But what about later?”
“Later?”
“Yes, once the investigation is closed. At least tell me that you’ll consider it then. Will you give us a chance after that? Please tell me you’re not indifferent to me.”
“What if I find something during my investigation?”
He smiled. “There’s nothing to find.” He stopped at the corner they’d just reached and she did the same, turning toward him.
“Even then, there’ll always be a lingering suspicion. We could never be seen out in public together. As long as I work for the SEC there’s always the danger that they’ll reopen the case if word gets out that we’re dating.”
Zach combed his hand through her hair and brought his face close to hers. “That’s something neither you nor I can control. There’ll always be somebody who will suspect me or you of wrongdoing. But do you really want to pass on this chance for happiness because of that?”
“Happiness? Do you really believe that we have a chance? We barely know each other.”
He grinned. “Rochelle, I know you better than I’ve ever known any woman. And I’m not just talking about your body.” He winked. “Though I do know that particularly well.” He brushed his lips over her cheek. “And love it.”
“Zach… you’re making it very hard for me to think rationally.”
“Then don’t think. Feel.” He pulled her into his arms and held her to his chest, while he caressed her back and inhaled the scent of her hair. “Come, I’ll take you home. Sleep over it. Alone.”
He didn’t want to rush her into a decision she might regret the next day, as much as he wanted to spend the night in her arms.
18
The bookstore was only two blocks from Zach’s office building. It was humming inside. Zach headed for the thriller section, where Wade was already waiting for him.
“Hey.”
Wade turned around and put the book in his hand back onto the shelf. “Hi, Zach.” He grinned. “I feel like a secret agent in a suspense novel.”
“It had to be this way. I don’t want anybody in the office seeing you and possibly overhearing us.” Zach looked over his shoulder and scanned the customers who stood around browsing the shelves, or sat in the comfortable armchairs reading. Nobody seemed to give him or Wade a second look. “What have you found out?”
