Her Secret Alibi

Her mother had disappeared for days at a time that last year of her life. She would return with no memory of where she had been or what she had done. Jolie’s lower lip trembled with the emotion swelling inside her. And then, finally, when her mother could bear it no longer, she had ended her misery.

That wouldn’t happen to Jolie. There had to be another explanation.

“Jolie, I’m glad you’re in,” Mr. Knox announced from her door.

Jolie snapped to attention, automatically standing to greet the bank’s president. She manufactured a smile. “Good afternoon, sir.” She racked her brain to recall if they had an appointment. Surely Renae would have reminded her. Jolie felt weak with worry. Maybe Renae had reminded her and she had forgotten the meeting, anyway.

“I hope we’re not interrupting anything that can’t wait,” Mr. Knox said as he gestured for someone to enter ahead of him.

Jolie waited expectantly for the mystery guest to step around Mr. Knox and into her office, but when he did she wasn’t prepared.

Simon Ruhl.

“Hello, Miss Randolph,” he said in that low, velvety voice as he approached her desk and thrust one square hand in her direction.

Confusion reigned supreme. Jolie stood there, stunned, for one long, awkward moment.

“Miss Randolph, this is Simon Ruhl,” Mr. Knox explained. “The bank has contracted his firm to conduct an informal audit just to make sure we’re ready for the real thing next month.”

“Hello,” she managed to murmur. She placed her hand in his, and those long fingers curled around hers, sending heat straight to her center. He held on a beat longer than was proper. Jolie could feel the strength radiating from him, a strength obviously tempered in his gentle touch. Those dark eyes held her in a sort of sensual trance. She shoved the foolish reaction aside.

“Simon has assured me that we won’t even know he’s here.” Mr. Knox chuckled. “That may be a bit optimistic, but I’m sure he’ll manage without getting in anyone’s way.”

Simon’s reassuring smile was pure charm. “Trust me, Mr. Knox, First International’s board of directors would never have hired me had they not had complete faith in my ability to conduct this audit with little or no disruption in the bank’s status quo.”

Mr. Knox crossed his arms over his chest and rocked back on his heels. “Of course,” he agreed. “I certainly want to facilitate your effort to that end, so I’ve decided to have Miss Randolph be the liaison between you and the bank’s staff.”

Jolie felt the color drain from her face. She couldn’t do this. This man knew too much about her already. Though she had revealed nothing earth-shattering, she had allowed herself to be far too open with him. He read her too easily. He made her feel things she shouldn’t feel. How could they start over with that kiss between them?

Jolie turned to Mr. Knox, praying that she could change his mind. “To be honest, Mr. Knox, I believe Mark would be a much better liaison,” she said, as calmly as possible with her heart racing for some unseen finish line.

Mr. Knox seemed to consider her suggestion for a moment. Jolie didn’t dare look at Simon. If she looked, she would only get trapped in that rich coffee-colored gaze again.

The bank president tapped his cheek thoughtfully. “Mark would be a wise choice, as well,” he said noncommittally. He looked from Jolie to Simon.

“Actually,” Simon said, drawing Jolie’s reluctant attention back to him, “I’ve heard so much about Miss Randolph’s stellar reputation, I was really hoping to have a chance to work with her.” Something remotely akin to amusement flickered in his challenging gaze.

“The board is very proud of Miss Randolph,” Mr. Knox interjected quickly. “But you’ll find her a tad shy of the limelight.”

Simon’s smile was triumphant. “I’m sure we’ll work quite well together.”

Mr. Knox clapped him on the back. “Excellent. Well…” he turned to Jolie “…I’ll leave Simon in your capable hands, Miss Randolph.”

Jolie nodded, unable to marshal a verbal response. She waited until Mr. Knox had closed her door behind him before she turned back to Simon.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” she demanded, irritation overriding all else at the moment.

In a blatant act of intimidation, Simon allowed his gaze to roam down her body, then slowly back up to her face. Her fists clenched at her sides. Every nerve ending stood at attention—whether from anger or awareness, Jolie couldn’t quite determine. Simon slid his hands into the pockets of his trousers and studied her until he had satisfied whatever motivated his arrogant behavior. This was a side she hadn’t seen last night. Maybe this man wasn’t all she’d thought he was.

“The decision wasn’t made until this morning,” he said quietly. “There was no reason to tell you last night. Last night,” he added, “was pleasure. This is business.”

“You should have told me anyway,” she said in a scathing tone, as upset with herself as she was with him. “You knew who I was. You took advantage of the situation.”

With slow, deliberate steps, Simon walked around her desk to stand directly in front of her. Too close. Her breath caught when he leaned even closer, but for the life of her she couldn’t move away.

“No,” he murmured, so near to her that she felt his warm breath on her lips. “I didn’t take advantage of the situation.” He looked at her lips as if he might just kiss her right then, right there. “I could have.” His gaze connected with hers once more, heat and challenge smoldering there. And something else—a knowing that made her nervous…restless. “But I didn’t.”

Jolie stumbled back, stopped by her desk. “My assistant will…will show you around,” she stammered. Unable, or maybe unwilling, to take her eyes off him, she fumbled across her desk until she found the right button and pressed it. “She’ll introduce you to the rest of the staff.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Renae’s voice resonated from the intercom.

If her life had depended upon it, Jolie couldn’t have said what exactly it was at that moment that held her speechless. Something about the way Simon looked at her made her want to eagerly submit to his wishes. But she couldn’t…wouldn’t. Her survival, personal as well as professional, depended on it. The silence stretched on, screaming between them for endless seconds.

“All right,” he finally said, the words somehow releasing her from that surreal hold.

“Renae, would you step down to my office, please,” Jolie instructed in a breathless tone that made her want to kick something.

Simon’s gaze held hers captive a moment longer before he turned and walked back around to the front of her desk to wait for her assistant. Relieved to have some space between them, Jolie attempted to focus on the matter at hand.

“How long will you be with us, Mr. Ruhl?” she asked with as much authority as she could dredge up.

He shrugged one broad shoulder. “That depends on you, Jolie.”

She shivered. He did that on purpose—said her name that way. “Mr. Ruhl—”

“Simon,” he insisted.

“I don’t think—”

“I do,” he challenged.

Where had that obstinate attitude been last night? Better yet, where was the charming, soft-spoken gentleman she’d met? She resisted the urge to squirm beneath the intensity of his continued gaze, and, to her credit, managed not to look away. Fortunately, Renae walked in just then and shattered the building tension.

“Renae—” Jolie cleared her throat “—this is Simon Ruhl.”

“Renae Martin.” She offered her hand. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Simon.”

Jolie frowned. Renae had never once called her by her first name. When Simon took Renae’s hand, the woman all but melted into a puddle. Jolie rolled her eyes. Was no one immune to the man’s charm when he chose to turn it on?

“Renae,” Jolie said, drawing her assistant’s reluctant attention. “Mr. Ruhl is conducting a preliminary review in preparation for next month’s audit. I’d like you to introduce him to the department heads and see that he has whatever he needs to complete his work.”

Renae’s smile was wide and appreciative. “I’ll be happy to.” She turned to Simon. “Follow me, sir.”

Simon took one last, lingering look at Jolie, and this time she did squirm. He gave her a final curt nod, then walked out the door. Jolie had the distinct impression that she had just been warned.

SIMON RECEIVED THE GRAND tour of Atlanta’s First International Bank, not that he needed it. He had studied the blueprints already. He knew the place as well as the engineers who had designed and built it. The introductions hadn’t been necessary, either, but he had gone through the motions. He had conducted a thorough background investigation on every employee at the bank. Though Jolie and Boyer were his prime suspects, Simon left nothing to chance. The Bureau had trained him well in that regard. The Colby Agency expected nothing less.

He glanced at his watch. Two o’clock. Boyer was in a meeting with clients. Jolie had seemed pretty nervous an hour ago. Time to rattle her cage again, he decided. Simon strode down the long, carpeted corridor. All the offices, with the exception of the bank president’s, had glass walls facing the hall. He supposed that architectural design fostered an air of trust. Everything was out in the open. Even the conference room provided a full view from the hall as well as the lobby. The rear wall in each vice president’s office was solid glass as well, providing a noteworthy panorama of the Atlanta skyline, but leaving only the partitions between each office to provide any privacy.