Chapter 16

Miranda dropped onto the long sofa in her living room as soon as she entered her condo. She was pleasurably exhausted, still a little buzzed from all the wine she'd drunk but more than anything else she was disappointed.

Luc had given her a wonderful afternoon of incredible sex and treated her with delicate care. But to say he was the perfect lover would be stretching things a little. And worst of all, the pearl he had showed her was not hers. She'd wanted to cry when he lifted it from the safe to put into her hand. It was a gorgeous pearl, set almost identically to the one Raoul had taken but it wasn't hers. The size and color were just that little bit off.

The message light on her answering machine was blinking. Pushing herself off the couch with great effort, she depressed the button to hear what was recorded.

Leslie. "How about calling me with news of your great adventure? Was he the one? Was the pearl yours?"

Her broker. "We need to discuss your investment strategy, Miranda. I think we can make more money for you."

Great. Just what I need.

B.J. "Where the hell are you? I thought you'd be back hours ago. Was it the right pearl? Call me."

Where the hell are you? What are you, my keeper?

She dragged herself into the kitchen and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge, swallowing almost half of it while she leaned against the counter. What she really wanted was to fall into bed and sleep for a week. Luc may not have been the perfect lover but he was an exhausting one. However, she needed to let B.J. know they'd struck out and get him on the trail again. Then she could collapse.

"How the hell long does it take to eat lunch and look at a piece of jewelry?" he barked when he heard her voice.

"Longer than five minutes," she snapped.

"So how was lunch? Did you fuck him?"

Miranda was so startled she almost dropped the phone. B.J. never asked her questions about her sex life. They both knew how she lived and by mutual agreement they ignored it.

"I wasn't aware it was any of your business."

She heard him exhale a long breath. "You're right. I'm sorry. I apologize. I just..."

She frowned. "Just what?"

"Worry about you, that's all. You go off to strange places with strange men. God only knows what could happen to you."

"Why, B.J.," she couldn't help laughing, "I didn't know you cared."

"I just don't want to lose a valuable client," he told her. "So. Did you get the pearl?"

"No." She rubbed the cold water bottle against her forehead. "Close but no cigar."

"Well, then." The line hummed with silence. "Shall I get back on it?"

"Yes, please. Right away if you can."

"All right, then. I'll get back on it tonight."

"What, no hot date?" she teased.

"I'm just waiting for you, darlin'," he teased.

"Yeah, right," she snorted. "Should I call you in the morning?"

"Why not come by and we'll have coffee. My sources are pretty active so I might have something by then. Ten o'clock?"

If my body's back together by then.

"Ten is fine. I'll bring the chocolate croissants."

When she'd hung up she finished the bottle of water and threw the empty container in the recycling basket. She had no appetite for dinner, opting instead for a cup of chai tea and climbing into bed in a silk nightshirt. But as she lay back against the thick pile of pillows sipping the hot liquid, her conversation with B.J. played back in her head.

What on earth had that all been about? If she didn't know better she'd have thought he was jealous. No, not B.J. The biggest ladies' man in five states. Not once had he even made a suggestive remark or gesture. So where was this coming from?

And how should she act when she saw him?

* * *

B.J. was cranky enough that his secretary threatened to toss him into the Gulf if he didn't start acting like a human being. But he'd been like a bear with a thorn in his paw since he'd gotten up that morning. No, since last night when he'd finally quit working at midnight and gone home. And tried to push the images of a naked Miranda Fox with a faceless stranger out of his mind.

He had to get over this. He had fucked a hundred Mirandas. A thousand. What was so special about this one, anyway?

As usual, the buzz on his intercom announcing Miranda coincided with her laughing entrance. She walked over and kissed him on the cheek, then placed the pastry box she was carrying on his desk.

"Chocolate croissants, as promised. Your secretary tells me you're angry as a billy goat this morning. Maybe this will improve your disposition."

"My disposition is fine," he grumped but he couldn't hide the smile she always brought to his face. "All right. You know my secret. Feed me chocolate and I'm yours."

"You don't have to be mine," she told him. "Just find my damn pearl for me."

"And another useless stud to take to bed?" He wanted the words back as soon as he said them.

"What is your problem, B.J.? I'm free and over twenty-one. If I want to sleep with the entire Marine Corps, it's my business, right?"

"Fine, fine, fine. Forget I said anything." He took the paper plate with the croissant she handed him and his refilled coffee mug and sat down at his desk.

"So." She arranged herself in one of the client chairs. "Do you have you another lead for me? Something as exotic as the last one?"

"This will cost you a bundle," he told her, "but I have a friend who tracked down a second possible for you."

"And for this one I have to fly to South America, right?"

He shook his head. "No, just that state of Maine. Alex Garvey has an estate on the Maine Coast outside of Bar Harbor. You just have to fly to Bangor and a car will pick you up."

"And exactly who is this Alex Garvey?"

B.J. made a face. "A collector of fine jewelry who isn't too particular where he gets it from. And be warned. He's a man of peculiar sexual tastes."

Miranda burst into laughter. "B.J., are you trying to be my guardian angel?"

"No, just trying to keep you as safe as possible. You have no idea what some of these guys are capable of and you just throw caution to the wind."

"You are very sweet," she told him. "But I'll be fine. Truly. Now when is Mr. Garvey expecting me?"

B.J. grimaced. "This evening for dinner. And you're expected to stay the night."

Miranda's eyebrows lifted. "Excuse me?"

"I tried to put this off until tomorrow so you could take an early flight and get back the same day but it seems your quest for the perfect lover is gaining fame." He made a face. "Or notoriety, however you call it. Anyway, he's another one who wants his chance to audition."

"Audition," she repeated slowly.

"I just hope you're getting what you want, Miranda. And you don't get hurt doing it." He handed her an envelope. "Here's all the information you need plus your e-ticket. And please, for God's sake. Be careful."

"I'll be just fine. Thank you so much for your concern." She couldn't keep the bitchiness out of her voice. But she pasted a fake smile on her face. B.J. was just mixing it up too much in her personal business these days.

But already tendrils of excitement were creeping through her. A man of peculiar sexual tastes, was he? Well, she'd see just what he meant by that.