Free Notorious by Iris Johansen Page A

deeply asleep.
    Sabin lay there as the minutes ticked by, his gaze fastened on the drapes across the room. Lord, he hadn’t thought of Old Joe in over twenty years. It was hardly any wonder. Old Joe hadbelonged to a gentler Sabin Wyatt, a child who hadn’t known the world was more often dark than bright and had little place for gentleness or affection.
    Sabin’s gaze shifted thoughtfully to Mallory’s face. He knew why she had resurrected the memory of that time. Mallory, too, possessed a certain gentleness, a seeking for the bright side, a hope for the future.
    What the hell had he done to himself by bringing her to Kandrahan? What had started as lust was changing into something else entirely. Lord, he was even indulging in maudlin reminiscences about the boy he had been and a dumb toy giraffe that had probably been thrown away twenty years ago. If he had any sense, he would send her to Marasef tomorrow and get back to the world he could control.
    She stirred against him, and he looked down quickly, his arms instinctively tightening in protection and possession.
    And he knew he wouldn’t be sending her to Marasef tomorrow.

FOUR
    I T WAS NEARLY six o’clock when Mallory opened her eyes. For a moment she stiffened in alarm as her drowsy gaze met Sabin’s watchful stare only inches away.
    “Hello.” His voice was as alert as his stare and he immediately released her and sat up. “You’d better go to your room now and dress for dinner.”
    “It’s not late.” She could have bitten her tongue. It sounded as if she were asking him to let her stay. “I mean, we didn’t dine until almost eight-thirty last night.”
    “But it will be seven-thirty from now on.” He stood up, came around the bed, and reached out a hand to pull her to her feet. “You need to get to bed earlier.”
    “Naps every afternoon, early to bed. I feel like an invalid.” She brushed a strand of hair back from her face. “You’re not my doctor, Sabin.”
    “No, but if I were, I’d do a hell of a lot better job than that pill-slinging Dr. Blairen. Since you’re in my care for the next weeks, I look upon myself as your guardian.” He bent and retrieved her sandals from the floor beside the bed and handed them to her. “Your slippers, Cinderella.”
    She sat down on the bed and slid her foot into the white sandal. “I can’t see you in the role of guardian either.”
    “You’ll find I’m very good at it. I’ve had a lot of practice.” He smiled crookedly. “Though not with people. My experience lies with guarding corporations, but I’m sure the principle is the same.”
    She put on the other sandal and stood up. “I’ve never been compared to a corporation before.”
    “Assets, deficits, vulnerabilities, strengths.” He shrugged. “Both corporations and people are a mixed bag. You have to protect and nurture and guard against certain things in both of them.”
    “But you prefer corporations.”
    “Usually.” His expression became guarded. “It’s safer.”
    She quickly masked the twinge of sympathy she felt at his words. He would neither accept nor appreciate pity. She moved toward the door. “I’ll see you at dinner. I have to make a phone call to New York. Will you ask Carey to place it for me through the Sedikhan operator?”
    “Who are you going to call?”
    She turned as she opened the door and shook her head. “Don’t worry, I’m not going to phone the FBI or the State Department. Considering my present notoriety I doubt if they’d pay any attention if I shouted ‘wolf.’” She suddenly grinned as she realized the unintentional play on words. “Though if the shoe fits …”
    His light eyes twinkled. “Or the fangs?”
    Her smile faded. “The telephone call?”
    “You didn’t answer me.”
    “I promised James Delage I’d call when I arrived in Sedikhan. He said Gerda would be anxious about me.” She made a face. “He warned me not to come here when I called to say good-bye. I suppose I should