Doranna Durgin - Survival Instinct

It was time to give him back control. “You look unhappy. I’m sorry. If this was a mistake, I’ll be glad to leave.”

“I’m not sure that’s the answer,” he said, and glanced at a door. Karin thought it would probably lead to just a little bit too much privacy.

Then again, what would he do? In his own home, in the middle of a charity benefit?

Don’t be naive, Karin. He’ll do anything he wants to. It sounded like Ellen’s voice in her head. Ellen, the cautious one. Karin listened but didn’t back down. “He asked me questions about you. I don’t know a thing, so in the end we didn’t talk about much at all. I had nothing to tell him.”

And still he studied her.

“Here,” she said. “I’ve got my cell phone. I don’t think the Braddocks’ secretary will give out their number-they really wanted to get away from it all. But maybe since it’s you-?” Flattery never hurt, oh no.

But he wasn’t going for it. She saw it in the set of his jaw. He might not truly disbelieve her, but he didn’t want to deal with her.

So. Fight vulnerability with vulnerability. She was still reaching for her cell phone; she deliberately fumbled her purse. It fell to the gorgeous parquet, spilling the contents everywhere. “Oh, my,” she said, inane but for the embarrassment in her voice as she crouched to scoop up the phone, the lipstick, the little canister of pepper spray.

And the invitation. That, she carefully nudged farther away as she picked up the rest of it.

Someone came up behind Longsford. “Barry, your guests out back…” The event coordinator. “These benefits are so much more successful when you circulate.”

Crap! Go away. Go. Away.

Karin held her breath with anticipation as well as intent, and gave Longsford just enough time to pick up the invitation-to get a good look at her name, and at the apparent authenticity of the thing. Just enough time, but not any more. Then she stood up, knowing her face was now flushed, knowing just how convincing she’d look when her eyes rolled back and she crumpled gracefully to the floor.

She couldn’t have planned it better. Those clustered on the other side of the room gasped in dismay; the conversation level rose dramatically. Rather like the stiff material of her skirt, which ended up indecently high on her thigh.

“What the hell?” Longsford grunted, bending over her.

“I’ll call 911-”

“Don’t be an old woman. She’s probably just fainted. You want a successful event? Let’s keep the paramedics out of it.” An instant later, he easily lifted her in his arms. Her head rolled; she let her eyes flutter. “Be still,” he told her, his voice more brusque than compassionate. And to his companion, “The sitting room. I’d like a private chat with her in any event.”

Maybe not such a great idea after all.

Then again, he didn’t still seem to be thinking about having her escorted out.

Karin kept herself limp in the man’s arms-feeling the strength of them, trying not to imagine what it would be like to be a child on the other end of that strength.

“Bring some water,” Longsford commanded to someone on the way to the sitting room. Karin had slitted her eyes open, but saw nothing she could make sense of-bobbing faces and swooping architecture, and then her dangling ankles bumped a door frame. Within moments she’d been carefully deposited on a couch.

People pressed in around the doorway with curiosity and questions. “Do you know her?” “What happened?” “Did you see her go down?” And another, more directed; a woman’s voice. “Mr. Longsford? A cool cloth for the young lady?”

“Yes, get that.” His big hand grasped her jaw for a good look, then gave the side of her face a pat. “Miss Brenner?”

“See if she’s got a Medic Alert bracelet.” Someone checked her wrists-smaller hands than Longsford. Sweaty hands. Yuck.

Karin let herself make a little noise of surprise. That, too, got a crowd reaction, and a reaction from Longsford. “Enough, people. She’s fine. I’ll see you out back in a few moments, where our beneficiaries for the afternoon have materials for your attention.”

When he turned back to her she met his gaze. “I’m sorry,” she said softly, and rearranged herself to sit up a little straighter. “I’ll be fine. Low blood pressure…I should know not to stand up so quickly.”

Longsford grunted. It was a noncommittal sound. He sat down across from her in a lightly stuffed wing chair. One of the caterers entered with a glass of ice water and a cool wet cloth. Karin accepted both with gratitude, and hesitated over her next step.

Longsford took it for her. He gestured at the small coffee table between them, and she found her purse there; the invitation still stuck out the top. “Maia Brenner,” he said. “I don’t know you. I have my doubts about your connection to the Braddocks.” He stopped long enough to catch her eye, and his own were dark and flat and offered no quarter. She wasn’t expecting the jolt they gave her, the stab of unexpected fear.

“Why are you really here?”

H ow can he possibly know?

Karin took a deep breath and slid back into her game face. Of course he didn’t know. He’d merely twigged that Maia Brenner’s true purpose wasn’t to mingle with the Braddocks’ friends. She could work with that. In fact, it might well move things along a little faster.

So she let herself look abashed. “I was hoping it wouldn’t be quite so obvious. I suppose that man outside didn’t help.”

“He brought you to my attention,” Longsford agreed. “Miss Brenner, I’m a busy man. I don’t like to play games.”

Actually, yes, you do. You just like to make the rules.

But this was Karin’s game. Her rules. He just didn’t know it yet.

She sat up a little straighter, making sure her hem hadn’t ridden too high, one hand checking the state of her hair. Not her own first concern, but Maia would care. Finding herself moderately presentable, she said, “I met Lily and Kent at a pitch reception before the cruise. You know the type-cocktails, their fanciest hors d’oeuvres, a big come-on for the next cruise. I find it’s a good place to feel people out for the opportunities I broker, and-”

“I see.” His interruption was brusque; he shifted his weight in preparation to stand.

“Mr. Longsford,” she said firmly. “I already have my own reception planned, and a list of exclusive clients who are interested in my presentation. I wouldn’t have gone to the effort of arranging this invitation if I wasn’t convinced you were a perfect match for this particular investment.”

He rose to his feet anyway, but he hesitated, regarding her silently for a long moment. Finally he said, “And why is that?”

“Because of just this.” She gestured out the door at the gathering, the environmental charity. “It’s an opportunity to invest in high-value property, recoup that investment and at the same time earn some spotlight publicity for your support of the environment.”

Skepticism laced his words. “And why do I think that sounds too good to be true?”

Time for frank honesty. “Because it almost is. For anyone else, it’s just an investment opportunity. Only for someone in your position does the environmental aspect of it kick in.”

He regarded her another long moment and gave a dismissive shake of his head. “You’ve wasted your time.”

She lifted one shoulder, let it fall. “Not really. I’m here to arrange my own reception-I just wanted to speak to you first. I hope you’ll tell the Braddocks that I did follow through on their generosity. They were so pleased to think they’d helped, especially with your recently announced candidacy for the Senate.” She stood, making it an impulsive gesture, and watched the weight of her words sink in.