Pursued Read online

  Elise flushed and looked down hastily. She’d only been looking because his size reminded her of Merrick—not because she wanted to cause a scene. She studied her sticky plastic menu intently, trying to decide between pancakes and French toast. But the biker wouldn’t let it drop. Winking at his friends, he rose and sauntered over to their booth.

  “Hey, pretty lady. Lookin’ for a guy from the other side of the tracks for a change?”

  “I beg your pardon?” James looked up from his menu, which he had been holding distastefully with his fingertips.

  Elise bit her lip. Oh dear, this probably wasn’t going to end well. “I’m sorry I was staring at you,” she said, trying to keep things from turning ugly. “It’s just, well, you reminded me of someone.”

  “Hey, I can be anybody you want, sweet thing. If you know what I mean.” The biker with the black beard winked at her in what he clearly thought was a seductive way.

  “Thanks for your kind offer, but the lady is with me,” James said coolly, looking up at the huge biker.

  Blackbeard, as Elise was beginning to think of him, bristled at the scorn in her fiancé’s voice. “Well maybe she doesn’t wanna be with you, buddy. Maybe she’s lookin’ for a real man for a change.”

  James rose, frowning, and put down his menu with deliberate precision. “I assure you, friend, I am a real man and the lady is with me by her own choice. Now if you don’t mind, we’re about to enjoy brunch—although I use the word ‘enjoy’ in the most dubious sense considering our surroundings. But regardless of the circumstances, we would like to be left in peace.”

  “That’s a whole lotta words just to tell me to piss off.” Blackbeard smirked and then wiggled his bushy black eyebrows at Elise. “Come on, sweet thing—you don’t mean to tell me this guy is the best you can do.”

  “If you’re implying—” James began but just then another of the bikers came up and put a hand on his huge friend’s leather clad shoulder.

  “Hey, Hank, leave this guy alone.”

  “Why should I?” Blackbeard snarled.

  “’Cause I saw him on the news vids—that’s James Blaisdon. He donated money for the new skate park for the kids downtown.”

  “Oh yeah?” Blackbeard’s face cleared immediately and he grinned at James amiably. “That right? My nephew loves that place. Little bastard would rather ride a skateboard than a bike but I love ’im anyway.”

  James smiled his best public relations grin and held out a hand. “Glad to hear it. And good to meet you…?”

  “Hank. Hank Jones.” Blackbeard stuck out a ham-sized hand and James took it and pumped it with a smile.

  “Excellent. James Blaisdon, at your service.”

  “Damn, don’t he talk fancy!” the other biker crowed. “Just like one of them English movies about lords and ladies my old lady’s always watchin’.” He grinned at James who laughed.

  “You’d have to blame my Oxford education for my accent, I’m afraid. But I enjoy meeting new friends from the other side of the pond.”

  “Sorry I messed with you,” Blackbeard aka Hank Jones said. “I didn’t mean nothin’ by it.”

  “Don’t worry about it—I can take a joke as well as the next fellow.” James’ smile didn’t quite reach his dark blue eyes but the bikers didn’t seem to notice. “I’ll tell you what, why don’t you let me buy you and your friends a meal? Whatever you order, it’s on me.”

  “Really?” Blackbeard’s eyes widened. “Hell yeah, that’d be great!”

  “Excellent. Waitress?” James signaled for the waitress who had seated them. Since she and everyone else in the IHOP had been watching the exchange avidly, she came forward at once.

  “Yes, sir?” she asked, giving James a new look of respect.

  “See that my new friend Hank and his fellows have whatever they want off your excellent menu and put it on my bill,” James directed.

  “Yes, sir. Of course, sir.” The waitress nodded and the bikers at the other booth clapped and cheered.

  Money saves the day again, Elise thought and then mentally kicked herself for being so cynical. It wasn’t like her fiancé solved all his problems by throwing large amounts of cash at them. He was very charming too—at least, the bikers all seemed to be charmed. I used to be charmed by him too, Elise thought. What’s wrong with me today?

  James smiled again and shook hands with Hank and his friend before sitting down and facing Elise once more.

  “There. Disaster averted,” he muttered. “But next time, darling, could you please be a little more careful who you make eyes at? I was boxing champion at Oxford but I’d rather not have to brawl with those grubby fellows all at once if you don’t mind.”

  “I wasn’t making eyes at him,” Elise protested under her breath, surprised by the sudden attack.

  “Oh no? You said he reminded you of someone. Might it be that huge ugly fellow I saw beside you on the viewscreen?”

  Elise felt hot blood rushing to her cheeks. “Merrick isn’t ugly!”

  “Not ugly, hmm?” James raised an eyebrow. “Is it possible we’re talking about the same man? The one with mismatched eyes and a rather large, nasty scar that takes up one side of his face? Honestly, darling, I thought you’d been rescued by the Phantom of the Opera when I first saw him. All he needs is one of those white half-masks and a half decent baritone to play the part.”

  “That’s not funny,” Elise bit out. “Merrick saved my life when you didn’t even know I was missing!”

  “So…perhaps it’s gratitude that keeps you from seeing his rather obvious deformities,” James mused speculatively. “Or perhaps something else? A little Beauty and the Beast scenario being played out amongst the stars? I thought he seemed rather overprotective of you.”

  Elise felt herself go cold and then hot all over. “Just…just what exactly are you implying, James?” she asked in a shaking voice.

  She was aware that she sounded defensive but she couldn’t help herself. All her guilt over the emotional affair she’d had with the big Kindred suddenly came rushing back. Of course, she had intended to tell James everything. But now full disclosure seemed like a bad idea—a very bad idea indeed.

  James gave her a penetrating look. “Nothing,” he said at last in a low voice. “Just…try to keep your eyes on the menu from now on. All right?”

  “Fine.” Elise looked down at the brightly colored plastic menu, still seething. James wasn’t usually such an ass. Or maybe he was and she just hadn’t noticed before?

  Just then the waitress finished taking the bikers’ orders and came up to their table. She put two glasses of ice water on their table and pulled out her tablet and a pen. “What’ll it be?”

  “Coffee for me. Hot, black and in the cleanest mug you can find in this place.” James handed her the menu, tweezing it delicately between his thumb and fingertips. “That’s all I want. Thank you.”

  “Of course.” The waitress nodded and looked at Elise. “And for you, ma’am?”

  Elise stared at the menu blindly. Her stomach was still growling fiercely but now she was almost too angry and upset to eat. “I’ll have…”

  “Do make it something light, darling, won’t you?” James asked, obviously using his most appeasing tone. “I really can’t stay long—I have to make the flight to Japan this afternoon.”

  Elise gritted her teeth. Despite her hunger, she had planned on ordering something small and quick for exactly that reason. But now she felt the irrational urge to piss James off.

  “That one,” she said, stabbing her finger at a large, colorful picture in the center of the menu.

  “Really?” The waitress raised her obviously penciled-in eyebrows in surprise. “The lumberjack special?”

  Elise nodded firmly. “Yes, absolutely.”

  “Okay.” The waitress shrugged. “Don’t know where a tiny little thing like you is going to put it, though. You want bacon or sausage? And toast or hash browns?”

  “All of it,” Elise said.

&n