Embraced by Fire (9 page)

With a herculean effort he pulled his attention back to what Kait was saying, and more importantly to observing everyone else in the room. How they interacted, responded, and what their bodies said that their words did not. Anything that might help him establish who was neck deep in crime.

****

Kait followed Ryu out of the lunchroom, admiring the tight curve of his ass in his worn jeans. She’d asked everyone to wear clothes they could work in comfortably. He’d done just that, his t-shirt in the same tatty condition as his jeans.

She hurried to her office and pulled on her own painting gear. Any shimmer of hope Ryu found her attractive would be crushed when he saw her in this get-up.

Her denim cut-offs were paint stained and her t-shirt was torn on one sleeve and a little too tight. After a quick glance down, she shrugged. Not much she could do about it. It wasn’t as if she could turn up in designer wear for a painting-bee. For a start, everyone else had seen her dressed like this before, and secondly, it would be totally impractical.

Tugging her t-shirt in an attempt to make it join the waistband of her shorts, she rejoined everyone by the sets. Peter was busy allocating tasks. She might organise most things around the office, but when it came to their sets, Peter and Brett took control and she became simply another minion.

“Kait, Deron, Mac, Marielle, you’re team paint-the-fire-sets.” Peter flipped over a page on his clipboard, squinting as he tried to decipher his messy scrawl.

“Dude, what kind of name is that? I want us to be called team totally-awesome.” Deron leaned against one of the concrete pillars trying to look cool.

Peter used his pen to point them toward the set he wanted painted. “I don’t care what you’re called as long as you paint the sets according to this schema Brett drew up. You can be team heads-up-ass for all I care.”

“Cold, dude, very cold.” Deron pushed away from the pillar and moved over to the set.

Smiling and shaking her head at the byplay, Kait took the colour-map from Peter and joined Deron. Marielle and Ryu followed close on her heels. Ryu cracked open several cans of paint and they each grabbed a brush.

She found herself working at one end next to Ryu. While she and Ryu shared paint, Marielle, who was on the other side of him, shared with Deron. Ryu had obviously got to know Marielle and Deron because the three of them were chatting and laughing together.

Swallowing to get rid of the nasty taste in her mouth, Kait tried to ignore her jealousy at their relaxed interaction. It annoyed her how awkward she felt doing this sort of thing. Part of it she could blame on being their manager. No one felt one hundred percent comfortable around her, after all she had the power to hire and fire. But part of it she could blame on no one but herself. She simply found it difficult to relax with people.

She dipped her brush into the paint, listening to the slow slurp as the brush left the paint. Slapping more colour onto the board, she focused on keeping between the lines. She was a good manager. Excelling at organising and keeping everyone happy and in-line. But unlike some people, she didn’t have a natural, gregarious flair.

Her parents were both extroverts of the most perilous type. Growing up around them she’d never found the space to be outgoing. After leaving home, she met Rachael and they started flatting together. She still didn’t know how they ended up friends, they were so different, but the friendship never died. She didn’t always trust Rachael, but their shared history tied them together. The trouble was, every time one of her boyfriends left to join the Rachael fan club, she lost a little more of her self-confidence.

Marielle giggled at something Ryu said. Kait refused to look over at them. Standing on tiptoe, she reached for the top of the board and followed the stencilled lines with red paint. She wasn’t only jealous at how well the other three were getting on, she admitted with painful honesty. She was jealous at the attention Ryu was giving Marielle. If only she had the courage to giggle and flirt.

They could never be more than manger and employee, or maybe friends, but there was no reason why she couldn’t have a bit of fun with a good-looking man. Her dream fluttered through her mind but she repressed it sternly, just friends.

Stretching up, a large drop of red paint dripped from her brush and landed on her nose. She tugged up her already paint splattered shirt and wiped it away irritably.

“Hey, what did you do that for?” Ryu’s question dragged her away from her depressing thoughts.

She blinked at him, puzzled. “What?”

“You had a splendid red nose to fit in with the rest of us clowns, but you wiped it away.”

The muscles across her shoulders tensed, even he could see she didn’t fit in. Then she blinked as his smile sank in. He hadn’t meant it like that. She was taking things too personally. He was simply being friendly. She realised she hadn’t said anything, she needed to reply or he was going to think she was a total dork.

She tried to laugh casually. “I leave the clowning to the professionals, there’s no way I can compete with Brett and Peter, and you of course.” Had that sounded playful, or condescending?

He laughed. A trickle of warmth ran through her, even if he was only being polite she’d still made him laugh.

“Hey, dudes and dudettes, we need some sounds.” Deron dropped his paintbrush and sauntered over to the sound system.

“What’s he up to?” Ryu looked over his shoulder at Deron.

“I hope you like ‘Wipe Out’ it’s—” The rest of Kait’s words were lost as the introductory crazy laughter of the song rang through the room.

Marielle began jiggling to the music as she painted and Deron happily joined in. Ryu laughed and, grabbing the hand that wasn’t holding a brush, he twirled Kait around. A startled laugh escaped her. She wanted more but he’d released her and was spinning Marielle.

Catching her breath, Kait continued painting but her mood had miraculously changed. When Ryu asked her a question, she answered with an easy smile. Strangely enough, with him easing the way she found herself having fun. The painting changed from a chore, to a chance to bond with the others and enjoy.

The song changed and she glanced over her shoulder to see Rachael and the group painting the “ice” themed set also dancing and singing along to the music. Lost in the fun, Kait leaned down to get more paint at the same time as Ryu, who with a wicked grin, dabbed a red spot on her nose.

Unable to resist, she tinted her finger and touched his nose, adding a spot to match hers. His eyes crinkled at the corners in amusement, but his gaze was intense. Her breath jumped and skittered. Crouched in front of paint cans, smelling of paint and turpentine, she stared at his paint-speckled face and wondered what on Earth she was doing. This wasn’t like her at all…

Ryu’s warm chuckle reached her bones. “I guess I deserved that.”

Feeling awkward under his perceptive gaze she stood up too quickly, only Ryu’s quick action saved her from landing ass first in the paint. She teetered for a moment then found her balance. Heat rushed up her cheeks.

“You okay?” He looked at her in concern, his hands still clasped around her upper arms to steady her.

“I’m fine. Must be the paint fumes.” To say nothing of the potency of his presence.

Instead of releasing her, he stepped closer. Her eyes widened. What was he doing?

“If the paint’s bothering you, I shouldn’t have added to your troubles.” His voice a low rumble she felt as much as heard.

He did nothing but add to her troubles. For a start, she was sure he was driving her crazy.

“Uh…what do you mean?” He was too close, she couldn’t think. Her heart stuttered and a trickle of sweat ran down her spine.

Instead of answering, he reached up and wiped the spot of paint from her nose. Oh, the paint…Cripes, he was powerful. She’d thought he was compelling in her dream, she was deluded, this was the real thing. She stared at his face, mesmerized as he wiped a smudge from her cheek. His eyes gleamed, dilating pupils swallowing the copper as he wiped away another mark.

“Hey, I love this song,” Deron shouted as a new riff started.

The spell shattered. Ryu stepped back with a casual smile, apparently totally composed. Had she imagined the connection between them? Was her dreaming mind stealing her waking senses? She took a deep breath through her nose, and let it out slowly through her mouth as she dunked her brush and continued painting.

Unable to resist, she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He was joking carelessly with Deron. With a sigh, she ignored their horsing around. She was going crazy.

She wondered if anyone else had seen the way he stepped away from her as if he felt nothing. Her eyes darted a quick check in the ice set’s direction, and caught the expression on Rachel’s face. Not a snigger, closer to bemusement. Her friend looked away quickly but not before Kait saw something else, pity.

Embarrassment burned her gut. Crud, why out of everyone in the room did Rachael have to be the one who caught her disastrous attempt to flirt? And Ryu’s rebuff. The way he retreated as if he hadn’t even noticed any sexual tension.

She slapped on more paint with unnecessary violence. That would teach her to try flirting. Never again. She heard Ryu laughing with Marielle and Deron. Proof, if she needed it, that he treated her no differently to everyone else. With casual friendliness.

Ryu was an inherently sexy guy. Look at the way he played it up in his act. She was the one who responded, who misunderstood. She flicked another glace in his direction. She could only pray he hadn’t noticed.

Chapter 10

Warm soapy water ran over Ryu’s hands. He stared at it unseeingly, his mind distracted by thoughts of Kait. She’d seemed a little depressed when they started painting and he’d tried to cheer her up. Unable to resist the chance to touch the freckles that had teased him all morning, he’d dabbed her with paint. A connection flared between them instantaneously.

With the spark of attraction lighting her eyes, she’d played with him. He frowned as he remembered the moment her natural wariness returned with a rush, and she instinctively tried to escape. He’d caught her.

As he’d held her close, feeling her breath against his face, knowing if he took one step nearer their bodies would touch, he’d succumbed to the temptation to touch her face. He’d pretended to wipe away paint, but the truth was his fingers lingered against each mouth-watering freckle. When Deron called out, the moment had shattered, reminded him of where he was—of who he was.

He turned off the tap, the paint on his hands and arms long gone. Resting his wet hands on the edge of the basin, he closed his eyes. The scene vivid in his mind. As he’d stepped back, out of the dangerous riptide of her presence, the expression in her eyes died.

He’d caused that. He’d made her feel rejected. He felt like he’d kicked a kitten. Not that there was anything weak about Kait. She was a strong, capable woman, but it was clear she wasn’t like Rachael, she didn’t play the games men and women sometimes played. It had taken every iota of his control to behave as if he felt nothing.

His eyes squeezed tighter. He was on an assignment. He couldn’t follow the chemistry between them. She didn’t even know who he truly was. He was undercover and misleading her at every step. It had never hurt to play a role as much as it hurt to play this one.

His fingers clenched the cold porcelain, turning his knuckles white. Hurting her was the last thing he wanted. He’d even prefer one of Neil’s God-awful, degrading missions, exploiting his body and looks for the “good of the country”. Why he felt like this about someone he’d just met, he had no idea, their time at school didn’t count. There was just something about Kait that stirred both man and dragon. He hated deceiving her, hated knowing the Ryu she saw was nothing but an illusion.

He opened his eyes, flicked the water off his hands and turned away from the basin. The sound of voices reached him, and he tensed. He didn’t want to face anyone until he had his emotions under control.

“…that sweet sixteen.” It was Rachael’s voice.

“Yeah, I hate those events. I like it when we do corporate shindigs,” Deron replied.

At the word “corporate” Ryu forgot about his personal worries and slammed back into work mode, straining his ears to make out the conversation. They must have stopped right outside the men’s restrooms.

“Sweet sixteen parties are filled with snotty brats.” There was a thump as if Rachael kicked the wall in frustration.

Deron laughed, an open, friendly sound. “I bet you were a snotty brat at sixteen.”

“I was too busy training to be a snotty brat. You’ve no idea how much work goes into being a contortionist.” Rachael sighed. “You’re right, everyone is a snotty brat at sixteen.”

“All the more reason to dig corporate events. More
opportunities
for one thing.” Deron weighted the word “opportunities” heavily.

Opportunities for what? Stealing corporate data…
Ryu wished he could see their faces.

“Yeah, opportunities to hook up with bored suits looking for some fun,” Rachael agreed.

“You’re telling me, duuude, some of those women are desperate for no-strings-attached-dirty-good-times.” Deron laughed, a less open, less clean sound this time. “And man, do I give them what they need.”

Ryu tilted his head as he listened. Were they really talking about opportunities for sex, or was that a cover? Maybe Rachael was, but what about Deron?

“I bet you do, big boy.” Rachael’s laugh was filled with innuendo.

“Seriously though, Rach, do you ever get bored doing these gigs? I mean the pay’s not great.”

Ryu held his breath and moved a few steps closer to the closed door.

“Not much work for a contortionist. I’m not good enough for something like
Cirque du Soleil
, so here I am.” Ryu could practically hear Rachael shrug.