Dangerous Pursuit (The Protectors) Read Free Page B

man. “Yes. Would you please see if he has a room available for me?” 
    “Here?”
    She nodded.
    “Are you sure? There are better places to stay than at the Grand Hotel, especially for," his gaze traveled down the length of her then back up to her face,“ for a woman alone.”
     “Are you staying here?” Her question came out in a breathless rush. She had never felt so possessed by a look and to surprise her even more, not in a bad way.
    “Yes, but I’m—”
    “A man,” she said dryly, ready to defend her female status.
    He chuckled. “I am a man. I can’t deny that.”
    And neither could Samantha as she matched the challenge in his eyes with one of her own. His regard held an intensity that she had seldom encountered, and yet it was strangely unfathomable.
    “But that wasn’t what I was going to say, Miss Prince. I’m familiar with the language and you aren’t. No one here speaks English.”
    “Or Spanish.”
    “You should stay at one of the bigger hotels.” 
    “I can’t. My brother might return for his things.”
    “Not if he skipped out.”
    “But he didn’t! Something’s wrong. Mark isn’t like that.”
    Surprise widened his eyes for a few seconds. “When was the last time you saw your brother?”
    “Two years ago.”
    “A lot can happen to a person in two years,” he said as though he knew from experience.
    She lifted her chin, her eyes narrowing slightly. “I’m staying. It would be easier if you asked the clerk—please.”
    The man shrugged and made the arrangements for a room for Samantha. The young clerk insisted that she pay for two nights in advance and again she dug into her wallet and paid the man his price. So this was what it was like to travel and stay in a hotel. Mrs. Carson could have it although she was sure her customer didn’t stay at places like the Grand Hotel.
    After signing her name to the register, the clerk escorted Samantha and the stranger to the storeroom to retrieve her brother’s one suitcase.
    Back in the lobby, Samantha turned to the man and said, “I’m Samantha Prince. I’d like to treat you to lunch for helping me.”
    He shook his head. “You don’t have to.” 
    “Please. If you hadn’t come to my rescue, I’d still be trying to figure out what the man was saying, Mr…”
    “Brock Slader.” He glanced about the lobby, indecision in his eyes. Then suddenly, as though he had made up his mind, he looked at her and replied, “Fine. I’ll meet you here in an hour then.”
    As Samantha started to pick up the two pieces of luggage, Brock intercepted her and took them instead. Their hands touched and a bolt of electricity streaked up her arm. She snatched away her hand.
    In answer to the question probably written all over her face, he said, “There are no elevators in this hotel. The third floor is a long way up.”
    As they climbed the first flight of stairs, sweat rolled down her face. It must be because heat rose or possibly because of the one hundred percent humidity. “I’m in your debt again. After all the traveling I’ve done in the last forty-eight hours, I don’t think I’d have made it up this first flight with the luggage.”
    “It’s nothing. And it can take," he shot her a look, "people a while to get used to the climate here."
    Samantha had to agree that the two bags appeared to give him no trouble at all. He apparently was a man who prided himself in keeping in shape, a man capable of taking care of himself if he got into trouble. She instantly thought of Harper in Jungle Fever .
    At her door he placed the suitcases on the floor. “Maybe it would be better if you got some rest this afternoon. As I said, the jungle has a way of sapping a person’s strength—male or female.”
    His half grin sent her heart beating at a fast pace. “I have to eat. I’ll rest tonight.”
    Tilting his head forward in a slight nod, he drawled, “Very well.”
    Samantha couldn’t resist the temptation of watching him saunter away. She