Touched by a Phoenix (4 page)

“Alexandria!”

A familiar voice startled her from the depth of her thoughts; she snapped, “Yes.”

All other words were lost when she opened her eyes. Brad stood before her, wet swim trunks clung to his hips. Her face flushed; in all her years, she had never seen a man so physically perfect as the man standing before her. It wasn’t that she hadn’t noticed before, but he had always been fully clothed, masking his well-defined features. Not a single mark marred his perfect body.

With the sun behind him, he reminded her of the mythological Greek God Helios. It was said that Helios wore the shining aureole of the Sun as his crown. He drove the chariot of the sun, drawn by Solar Steeds across the sky each day to earth, circling Oceanus and through the world ocean to return to the East each night.
Bradley Scott was Helios…or Helios
reincarnated!

A million butterflies took up residence in Alexis’s stomach, causing it to quiver. Unable to help herself, she started at his feet and worked her way up. Her gaze admired every inch of his male physique. Her gaze meandered from his well-defined calves, to powerful thighs covered in a smattering of coal black hair. Up to powerfully muscled flat hips to the dark garden path appearing from below the waistband of his trunks and extending upwards to his belly button. His washboard stomach did little to distract her from the rock hard planes of his broad chest clouded with a thin mat of dark chest hair. Her breath caught in her throat.

“Alexandria, are you all right?”

She nodded. He had stolen her breath. Her voice failed her. Strange warmth tiptoed into the pit of her stomach and quickly spread.

“Are you enjoying the view?” he asked smugly.

She gulped and flushed bright red as she snapped, “Don’t flatter yourself. Was there something you wanted?” She desperately needed to divert his attention while she regained her composure.

His movements were graceful and sleek as he easily glided the towel down one ripped arm and then the other. Wasn’t she the one mentally scolding Britney earlier for throwing herself at a man? Good Lord Alexis, he’s just a man!

For the first time in her life, Alexis’s little
demigoddess
sat on her shoulder with her arms and legs crossed. “You have lost your mind child, he is not just a man; he is perfection!”

Alexis didn’t know how to respond to her inner voice, so she simply sat dumbfounded.

“I spotted you sitting here and thought perhaps we might grab a bite of dinner this evening. The Gaslamp District has some excellent little cafés within walking distance.”

“Thanks, but no thanks, I had something more filling on my mind.”

A deep rumbling laughter rose from within Brad’s chest. “Oh really, like what?” His eyebrow arched giving way to his curiosity.

She realized what she had said and how badly it sounded. She turned as red as her hair. “You are an arrogant prick. Not everything is about you.”

Ouch, that smarted, what a nasty little bite. “Checkmate, I guess I deserved that,” he conceded as he sat on the lounge chair next to her. He had yet to figure out how to win this woman over. He had tried so many times over the past few months to break through her defenses, all to no avail. He wasn’t sure why he kept trying, but there was something so unique about this woman. She haunted his dreams.

“Seriously Alexandria, there are some exceptional places to eat. What would you like?”

“Steak and a cold beer,” she replied with a smirk.

Brad did not even try to hide the surprise on his face as his eyebrow arched, but he never missed a beat, “You really are a man-eater!”

She scowled at him. “I take it that makes us even now,” she prodded.

He nodded as if he agreed to a mutual truce. This was their game, as it had been for months. No matter how charming he had been, her resistance was impenetrable. He simply couldn’t break through her guarded nature.

A smirk crossed his perfectly shaped lips, “Do you really want a steak?”

“Yes, I do.”

“
Hmm,
there’s an excellent steak house down the street, but it may be a little out of your comfort zone.”

“Why?”

He could not wait to see how the most conservative women he had ever known would react. “It’s called the Strip Club.”

“Are the waiters dressed like the Chippendales?”

Deep laughter filled the air. Alexandria never ceased to amaze him, so intelligent, yet somehow so naïve. “No, the servers are fully clothed. It’s just the name of the restaurant. Since it is a lovely evening, we can walk down through the Gaslamp district and back along the boardwalk if you’d like. I’ll meet you in the lobby in fifteen minutes.” He got up and walked away before she could protest.

It suddenly dawned on her that she only had a few minutes to freshen up. Bolting out of her chair, she headed for the elevator.

Brad debated whether he should warn Alexandria about selecting and cooking her own steak. No, he decided, this was too good of an opportunity to let pass by. First, he would enjoy watching her squirm and second, she would have to ask for his help, which he would take great pleasure in. Before the evening was over, he might have one up on her.

As they walked to the restaurant, the sidewalk began to change from concrete to cobblestone. Buildings began to step back in time from modern to the old-world style with beautifully arched storefront windows and decorative masonry details. They approached a charming gray building with red trim and black and white fabric awnings covering an open-air seating area for those who elected to enjoy their meal outdoors.

“Welcome to The Strip Club,” Brad said as he placed his hand on the small of Alexandria’s back and gently guided her through the doorway.

Warm wood, brick, and rich leathers greeted them as they entered the restaurant. Photos of beautiful women decorated the brick walls. Brad was confident that the photographs would intimidate Alexandria or at least offend her delicate senses. A large bar with beautifully ornate wood stretched to the ceiling, adding a touch of elegance to the two-story building. Three large stainless steel cooking stations graced each section of the restaurant.

“This is lovely,” Alexis commented as she scanned the room.

Brad watched Alexandria survey the room with a pleased expression. A strange sensation washed over him. The warmth in her eyes lit a fire somewhere deep within. He had hoped she would be offended, perhaps even needy. Instead, she appreciated the beauty and ambience of the quaint little café. Her eyes glowed with a childlike innocence, which soothed him, and soon an overwhelming satisfaction took hold. Alexandria hid behind a cool aloofness, which made her appear unapproachable. He didn’t believe many people, if any, were allowed to see her for who she really was. Nonetheless, he was determined to figure her out.

“Good evening, would you like a table or booth?” the hostess asked.

Brad glanced at Alexandria; she shrugged her shoulders as if to say
you
pick.

“Booth,” Brad replied.

The waitress arrived to take their drink orders. Alexis smiled as she stated, “I’ll have a Saint Archer Pale Ale, please.”

Brad sat in stunned silence for a brief second. “G-gin and tonic, please,” he stammered. After the waitress walked away, he couldn’t resist. “I thought you were jesting about the steak and beer.”

“What do you think Lawyers eat?”

“Shark,” he replied. A boyishly charming grin spread to his eyes, making them dance.

Alexis always noticed the striking blueness of his eyes, which held a constant distance to them. However, tonight they sparkled, softer somehow, gleaming in a playful, relaxed way. Why did this man stir such emotion in her?

She simply smiled and smoothly explained, “We don’t eat our own kind. I’d much rather take a bite of raw flesh!”

“Touché!”

“How did you know about this restaurant?”

He shrugged as if it were no big deal. “I lived in San Diego for a while. This was always a favorite with my out-of-town clients.”

A comfortable silence fell between them as they selected their steaks and proceeded to the cooking stations. Brad watched in amazement as Alexandria cooked her filet to perfection. Over the last several months, he had learned a great deal about her, but this was new. He had seen her use her lawyering skills to their fullest potential and knew he never wanted to be on the wrong side of her wrath! Her appearance was elegant and sophisticated; he assumed she would not be comfortable around a grill, let alone be able to charbroil a steak.

“You never cease to amaze me, Alexandria. How did you learn to cook over an open flame?”

“Are you kidding me? Have you forgotten that my father is a Marine and taught me well?” She raised the steak knife just enough to catch his attention as she continued, “Would you like me to step out back and slaughter the cow for you too?”

Brad opened his mouth—closed it—and opened it again, but could find no words. He simply shook his head as his lips twitched, finally yielding, “I’ve got nothing!”

She burst out laughing, “So it is possible to leave Mr. Know-It-All speechless.”

He shrugged his shoulders. She had left him speechless a few times since their first encounter, but he’d never tell her that.

About halfway through dinner, Alexis asked, “I have questions about the purchase agreements you sent through to Robert last week.”

“Oh….” His eyebrow rose quizzically. “How did you get them?”

She frowned, “If you remember, I approve all purchase agreements exceeding a quarter million.”

“Right. What are your questions?”

“You realize that we design and manufacture surveillance systems, right?”

“Yes, of course.”

“So would you mind explaining why you are buying items to build a laser? That is not our specialty,” she stated flatly.

He opened and closed his mouth several times. For the second time in just a few short minutes, she had left him speechless. He leaned back and crossed his arms, eyeing her speculatively. How could she possibly have figured out what he was planning to do with those items? In his experience, very few people would have put the information together. He had done a good job of breaking up the items—or at least thought he had—just to make sure no one would recognize his intent.

Phillip had hired him to redesign the surveillance systems, not to reengineer the drone. He and Phillip had several conversations about major improvements to the existing military equipment in order to better protect the servicemen and women. After Brad had pitched a few new ideas to Phillip, eventually they agreed to experiment with a second phase for the project. Phillip insisted that no one should know what Brad was working on until he had a proof of concept. So exactly, how did Alexandria figure it out?

He sat stiffly. “Alexandria, before I answer your question, would you mind telling me how you came to that conclusion?”

“It’s rather simple when you put all the pieces together. Let’s see…you need mirror systems, optical, tubing, electrodes, nitrogen, bending units, and
ooh…
let’s not forget the mammoth generator you asked for.” She rolled her eyes, cutting him to the quick.

Now his mind reeled. He knew she was intelligent, but this exceeded what he had given her credit for. She was far too astute. What now, should he tell her? If so, how much information should he share with her?

The smoke was virtually billowing from his ears as the wheels turned. Alexis noted the series of questions running through his mind—questions—answers—and more questions. She loved this part of her job. Catching people off guard and then watching their reactions. Like shell shock. First the panic, the inability to reason for a few moments, then the cognitive reasoning skills begin working to determine fight or flight. Then came the loss for words and finally the determination to argue in self-defense, which most always turned out disastrous for them.

Brad leaned forward and placed his arms on the table. “Alexandria, you are an intelligent individual; not many people would have put the pieces together. In fact, I’m not sure anyone else would have. You are correct. The military is testing lasers on various aircraft and ships. I am going to build the first drone with laser power for the military. We will be the first to put the new technology into live equipment.”

“Why?”

“Because I can,” he replied simply.

“Why do you have to be so arrogant?”

“Alexandria, it’s not arrogance. Like you, I know what my talents are, and I will use them to their fullest.”

She tilted her head as if pondering his statement. She decided he might be right. His passion for his job rivaled hers, and while it placed them at opposite ends of the spectrum from time to time, she had to give him credit for his talent.

“Brad, I appreciate what you are doing. I understood and agreed with the purchase of the imaging software and hardware companies. However, I still have concerns with purchasing Bio-Space and now you want to build lasers. That is not what we do. How can I be sure you will not fail?”

“I can’t give you a 100% guarantee. However, what I will tell you is that I don’t know how to fail, so I will find a way to make it work. Alexandria, you will just have to trust me on this.”