Roth: Protector(Shapeling Trilogy #1) (2nd edition)

Chapter 8: Caravan

The old Land Cruiser jerked and jarred Rainey until she wanted to scream. Even with her mouth covered, she still tasted dust. She wanted to lambaste Roth for his insistence that she travel into the Western Desert to find someone he was vague about naming. And, to make matters worse, his mood for some reason known only to him had been dower all morning.

Rainey grabbed her water bottle and chugged. The heat continued to climb to oppressive heights and their vehicle had no air conditioning. She punched the button on her digital watch and it glowed ten A.M.

"It's only five minutes later than the last time you checked," Roth smirked.

"I don't know what your problem is, Macho Man, but you've been on my case ever since we got up. So back off!"

Roth glanced at her and surprised her by saying, "I communicated with your father recently. He said some man named Jonathan Blanchard was asking for you. Do you know him?"

"Yes."

"Tell me about him."

"I don't think it's any of your business."

"Everything about you is my business. I'm your bodyguard, remember? Are you romantically involved with Mr. Blanchard?"

"I am not going to be interrogated by you."

Roth clinched his jaw and braked to a stop. Twisting in his seat he spoke low, "Answer my question, Rainey."

"Or what?"

"Or I'll start making inquires of Daddy, Steve, Fawn, the milkman, the grocery clerk, the janitor, Mr. Blanchard's mother. Are you getting the picture?"

"You're disgusting. Okay, we attended a couple of the same conferences and dined together. He's nice. I told him to look me up when he's in Portland. That's all."

"So you have a romantic interest in him?"

"I didn't say that!"

"Well, do you or don't you?"

"Yes and no!"

"What the hell kind of answer is that."

"I...I don't get much opportunity to date and...and he's nice. I thought maybe we might..."

"What?"

"I...we...crap... We had dinner together and there was no chemistry, but I liked him as a friend."

Roth studied her face and then put the car in gear.

Rainey felt humiliated and couldn't believe she'd all but admitted her desire to have a relationship with a man. They drove on in silence.

Finally, Roth said, "Rainey, to do my job effectively, I have to know everything about you. I'm not trying to embarrass you. It's just that you fight me every step of the way."

Rainey blinked against a sudden sting of tears and was thankful when something ahead captured her attention. She pointed and said, "There's something there."

"It's our destination, a Bedouin camp."

Eager to remove the focus from her lack of a love life, she said sharply, "Now, are you going to stop being so vague and tell me why we're headed to a Bedouin camp. I would have been perfectly happy to remain at the rental and continue my study of eagles."

"With your tendency for trouble, I don't think so."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means I'm doing my damnedest to take care of you."