Free Capture the Rainbow by Iris Johansen Page A

“His name is Yusef Ibraheim and I think he wants to adopt me or something,” she said in exasperation. “As much as I can make out with my fractured Arabic, he feels a certain responsibility for me since he’s sure I saved his life. Oh Lord, I thought it was only the Chinese who had ideas like that.”
    Kendra tried to keep a straight face. “He can’t be over thirty, so I think adopting you is out. Perhaps you misunderstood his intentions.”
    “Well, I think I got the gist of it,” Billie said gloomily. “It seems Yusef here has an overdeveloped protective instinct. That’s why he was being worked over by those hoods today. He was working as a bouncer in a bordello in town and he objected very strongly to the way one of their influential customers was abusing one of the girls.” She made a face. “He objected so strongly in fact that he broke the man’s arm. Evidently the man hired some local gangsters to exact a bloody revenge.”
    “Charming,” Kendra said, her lips twitching. “Just like a 1930s screeplay. May I ask what you intend to do with our gigantic friend?”
    Billie sighed as she started the ignition. “I guess I’ll have to take him back to the location with us. It will be safer to keep Yusef out of town for a few weeks and maybe by that time I’ll be able to convince him I can take care of myself.” She bit her lip. “I don’t know what Joel will say. He’s probably going to murder me. He’s going to be mad as the devil anyway after I took off with the jeep to come and get you.”
    “You weren’t supposed to pick me up at the airport?” Kendra asked, her eyes widening in surprise.
    Billie shook her head. “I took off on my own when I heard Joel was tied up. Ron, the assistant director, was supposed to make the trip, but I persuaded him to let me come instead.” She grinned impishly. “After all, Dave Balding arranged for us to share a cottage together. It was only natural that I’d want to meet my roommate, right? It was completely irrational of Joel to think I might get into trouble just driving to the airport.”
    “Oh yes, totally unreasonable.” Kendra couldn’t hold the laughter in any longer. She could almost sympathize with Joel Damon trying to control a puckish elf like Billie. “Nothing could possibly happen to you just picking me up.”
    “Well, that’s what I thought.” Billie sighed. “Why do these things always happen to me? I’m really a very responsible person.”
    “I’m sure you are,” Kendra said gently. Billie might be a bit eccentric, but her actions today had been anything but irresponsible. On the contrary, her passionate conviction that she was her brother’s keeper had almost gotten her killed. And now she was prepared to shoulder the additional burden of that ferocious albatross in the backseat. She might be faulted for a bit too much generosity of spirit and too impulsive a nature, but not for irresponsibility. “Don’t worry: we’ll work out some way to keep your Yusef safe and still out of your hair.”
    What was she letting herself in for? Kendra wondered ruefully. As if she weren’t going to have enough trouble trying to persuade Skip to give her that special, while attempting to keep her relationship with Joel strictly professional! Now she found herself involved with this appealing pixie and her possibly criminal guardian angel.
    “Did I hurt your back when I made that turn?” Billie asked, frowning in concern.
    Kendra quickly jerked her hand away from her back. Drat, she’d have to watch that. “No, of course not.” She smiled reassuringly. “I had a little accident a few months ago and I still have a twinge or two on occasion.”
    “That’s good,” Billie said, relieved. “I could just see me lugging in your limp and broken body, as well as Yusef, here.” She grimaced. “Joel would probably strangle me. You know how protective he is of his friends.”
    “No, I don’t know that,” Kendra said, her tone reserved.