Free Best Laid Plans by Robyn Kelly Page B

on a diet, I am always thinking about
food, but when I’m working for Jackson, I don’t have the time. The Jackson
diet. I can see women all over the world starving themselves on that regimen.

CHAPTER SIX
    ----
    I dream of being chased by a pack of wolves that all look
like Jackson. That isn’t the disturbing part. In my dream, I’m waving my arms
so they can find me.
    I awake with a start. I’ve overslept, so I don’t have time
for either a shower or a cup of coffee. The fridge is still dead, and I make a
mental note to call the super to get the status. I’ll have to do it later
because the cleaners arrive at nine, and I need to let them in. I grab a taxi
and barely make it in time.
    I retrieve the work clothes I hid last night and stuff them
into my backpack. I check the refrigerator to see whether the caterers left any
food, but there’s only an opened bottle of water.
    By noon, when the real estate agent arrives, all traces of
the previous evening have been scrubbed away. I hand over the keys and thank
her profusely for the rental.
    “The pleasure is all mine. I’ve
been trying to move this property for months, and today someone wants to see it.
Someone with deep pockets.” She winks at me. “I don’t think it’s a coincidence.”
    I don’t have to guess who the
mystery buyer is. The wink told me all I need to know. I thought he was interested
in me. I should know better. You don’t become a billionaire by romancing event
planners. You get inside information from them. It makes me a little mad.
    I leave the church and head
for the neighborhood sandwich shop. The more I think about all his questions,
the angrier I get. I might have my mouth filter on, but my texting fingers are
itching.
    “Texting U (even tho U read
ALL my txts). Hear ur getting n2 church biz.”
    My phone rings. I don’t need
to guess who is calling. “How did you know about the church?”
    Based on his tone, I’m glad I’m
out of his reach, and that makes me bold. “It must feel awful when people don’t
respect your privacy.”
    “I’m waiting.”
    “I just called my head of
technology and had him bug your phone.”
    “Ms. Whitkins, you need
to tell me now or I’m going to get mad. Trust me, you don’t want to see me mad.”
    “I’ve seen you mad, remember?”
    “That was annoyed. This is mad !”
He’s shouting into the phone, and it sounds as if he’s right next to me. Suddenly
there’s an arm around my waist, and I’m thrown into the back of a limo.
    I land a little less than
ladylike, and by the time I right myself (and my clothes), Jackson has climbed
in and shut his door. I try the handle on my side but it’s locked. The limo
moves and I spot Ron behind the wheel. I should kick and scream. I’m sure they assume
I’ll do that. I’ll try disarming them with calmness.
    “Are you two expecting me to
hand over my phone, or are we going to wrestle for it?”
    Jackson straightens his tie. “Business
first.”
    The thought of wrestling
Jackson does have its appeal. As does kicking him in that special place I
learned in my self-defense class. This man certainly brings out conflicting
emotions in me.
    He’s dressed for work on a Saturday
afternoon, and looks like sin in a suit. I guess when you’re a billionaire, you
never get any free time. I’m surprised he could fit a kidnapping into his busy
schedule.
    “We’re going to need a little
privacy.” Jackson presses a button and a glass partition inside the driver seat
closes between us and Ron. While I’m admiring the technology, Jackson moves in
very close. His voice is soft, but there is no mistaking the tone. “Let me make
this perfectly clear. You are not getting out of this car until you tell me how
you knew about my offer.”
    My heart races and my
breathing is shallow. I’m just not sure it’s because I’m frightened. I need
some distance. “You should put your seat belt on. We’re in a moving vehicle.”
    “I would suggest being more
concerned