She couldn’t fish out the reply she wanted, so she just kept walking.
The beach was deserted, except for one of the hotel employees, who was dutifully raking the sand clear of debris and a man from the patio bar, who was talking to him. The big man sat down on the concrete sidewalk that led around the restaurant and separated it from the beach. He motioned toward the wharf.
“They light up like Christmas trees,” he remarked.
She studied the huge white passenger ships, fascinated. “I’ll bet the passengers do, too,” she teased with a small laugh.
“Would you like a drink?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I never drink with strangers.”
His brows ridged upward. “We’ve just had dinner together,” he reminded her.
“And I don’t even know your name.”
“Cal,” he said after a minute. His eyes went cold. “If you’re determined to pretend.”
That remark went right over her head. She was too intent on the two passenger ships gleaming like ivory whales wearing strands of diamonds. “I’m Nikki,” she murmured. “Short for Nicole.”
“I think I like ‘Georgia’ better,” he remarked.
She laughed. “You know, back home it’s no big thing to be a Georgian. Most folks are. But over here it’s unique to be an American—have you noticed? I’ve only seen a handful of other Americans since I’ve been here.” She glanced up at him. “Do you still live in America?”
“I live in Chicago. But I visit a lot of places.” He drew up one powerful leg to rest his arm across. “What part of Georgia?”
“Ashton. In Creek County,” she replied. “It’s way south of Atlanta, kind of in the middle of the southern part of the state.”
“I’m glad you don’t write tourist guide maps,” he said dryly. “What do you do for a living?”
“Oh, I’m a reporter for—” she began.
“A reporter?” He stood up in one smooth motion, his body taut with rage, his eyes frightening. “My God, I should have known. I thought I was getting the come-on, but I didn’t realize I was being had, as well. How did you find me?”
She couldn’t begin to follow him. “I...uh, that is...” she stammered, surprised to find herself trembling under the cold, quick lash of his voice.
“Can’t you damned vultures find someone else to feed on, without tracking me around the world?” he ground out in a tone that lacerated as surely as yelling would have. “Get off my back, honey, or so help me God, I’ll stick you and your damned paper with an invasion-of-privacy suit you won’t forget!”
She found her voice and stood up, too, flaring like a torch. “And who are you, anyway, that I’d want to follow you around?” she managed, finding her voice at last.
“You don’t know?” He laughed sarcastically. “Who put you onto the deal—Ramond? My God, there’s nothing earthshaking about the project, nothing faintly newsworthy to the States. So what do you want, honey? More about Penny? That’s a closed chapter in my life, and I’m sick of being questioned about her. Is that clear enough, or would you like it in words of one syllable?”
“I don’t have the faintest idea what you’re talking about,” she said tightly. “You may be some kind of super big fish where you come from, but you’re just an oversize tadpole to me, Mr. Big Shot Executive!”
“Sure,” he said with cutting contempt. His eyes gave her his opinion of her total worth, and she thought she’d never seen such distaste in a face before. “I don’t like parasites. From now on keep out of my way. I don’t want to have to breathe the same air with you.”
He turned around and walked away, his back as stiff as a starched shirt, and Nikki just stood there, shaking. She sat back down on the ledge until her legs felt more stable, feeling sick and hurt and confused. What did he mean about reporters following him all over the world? Why hadn’t he let her finish telling him that she worked for a small weekly paper, not some sensational tabloid? And who was he? Who was Penny? Why did he hate reporters?
For the first time she felt small and vulnerable. More fool me, she told herself with a bitter smile. I should have known better. But what hurt the most was his opinion of her, that he thought she’d picked him up to worm information about some project out of him. She grimaced. How could she have been trying to pick him up when she’d done everything but hire a