Jade would’ve thought it was adorable to see this handsome, successful man be so disconcerted, but she felt the awkwardness of yesterday all over again, added to the accusations that Joshua probably believed about her stealing from his company. “Teal,” she said shortly, “I’m going to have to let you go.”
“What? No!” her sister protested.
“Sorry, sis.” Jade disconnected the call and slid her phone into her bag.
Joshua had frozen at the bottom of the rocks, but he slowly made his way into the cave, looking either scared of her or worried because he’d been caught. He stopped a few feet away, and that bothered her. Jade stepped up to him, wanting to make him smile and see that dimple, and wanting to slug him for making her so feel so mixed up.
“Are you following me?” she demanded.
“Um, I …” He pushed a hand through his hair, and his biceps flexed so beautifully that her mouth went dry. “I wanted to make sure you were safe.”
She wrinkled her nose and narrowed her eyes. “It’s not your responsibility to make sure I’m safe.” Folding her arms across her chest, she gave him a challenging look. Yet there was a part of her, hopefully a small part, that was flattered and grateful that he wanted to watch out for her. Teal had said that while this was a safe island, you had to be careful on all the islands, as you never knew who might want to swindle you or get a little too friendly with a beautiful tourist.
“Well, maybe it is.” His confidence seemed restored, and his blue eyes gleamed with a challenge. “I paid for your trip.”
Ooh, that ticked her off. “Don’t you dare throw that at me. I earned this trip. Next you’re going to be claiming I ‘owe you,’” she said, making air quotes, “because you paid for it.” She’d been around stupid men who’d tried similar tactics until she gave them the slap down. “I didn’t figure you for another rich man-whore.”
His eyes narrowed at that. “Did you just call me a man-whore?”
“Yeah, I did. What are you going to do about it?” She jutted out her chin. The emotions this man evoked in her were not good. She was attracted to him and ticked off by him. Why couldn’t he be Jesse? Why couldn’t Jesse be here? Jesse might tease her, but he wouldn’t tick her off. Her priest from last night would just quietly listen as she talked and then share something about himself. Not Joshua. He was a closed-off, pompous jerk who thought she was a swindler.
“You don’t even know me,” he threw at her. “I haven’t dated more than a handful of women over the last ten years, and I have behaved above reproach with all of them.”
“Says you. I know what you ‘king of the world’ types are like.” She was being spiteful, but he seemed to bring out the worst in her.
He stepped closer. She held her ground, barely. Looking up into his handsome face, she felt a thrill at the fire shooting from those too-blue eyes. This man was powerful and intriguing, and he wasn’t going to take her accusations lying down.
“You have no idea what I’m like,” he said. “I came here to keep you safe, and you accuse me of unsavory actions and immoral behavior. My family is strictly religious, and I would never hurt or persuade a woman to do something inappropriate.”
Jade figured he was telling the truth. She wasn’t worried about him doing anything unsavory. Yet there were other issues between them. “I believe you,” she admitted.
His eyes softened, and he eased back a little bit.
“But why won’t you believe I would never steal from anyone, least of all my boss?”
“Says you,” he said quietly.
“Excuse me?” She reared up again. “I just said I believed you, and now you accuse me of lying?”
“If you would tell me the story, as I asked at least three times, I might know what to think.”
Jade startled. He really wasn’t Jesse, or if he was, he was the best liar she knew. “I don’t know what to think either, honestly. Curtis came to my suite at your resort in Puerto Rico and claimed that I’d embezzled from the company. He believes that because the thief donated money to a charity I support, that points the finger at me. Which is stupid, in my opinion. Why would anyone be so obvious? Someone is setting me up. Maybe Curtis. Maybe one of the other guys. Maybe someone not even in our office.”
Joshua’s expression flitted from concern to disbelief and back to concern. He said in a controlled voice, “Our investigators are trying to get to the bottom of the story, but it’s proving almost impossible to associate a name with the money trail.”
“Curtis had no right to point the finger at me.”
He shrugged.
“You don’t believe I’m innocent?” Her voice was full of righteous anger.
“The honest truth is that everyone on this trip is under suspicion. The thief donated that money to Health for All several months ago and has been skimming from the hotel fees and taxes for thirteen months. I don’t think whoever it is planned on ever getting caught. Only because of a training meeting with all of our accountants where they were specifically looking at those fees did they realize the discrepancy and the insane amount that had disappeared.” He took a breath. “I wish I could I just take your word that you’re not the culprit, but I don’t know you and I really can’t simply trust you.”
She was stunned, hurt, yet she could sort of understand his reluctance to trust anyone who might have access to doctor those funds. Still, some crazy part of her had felt this intense connection to Joshua Jewel, and if he felt even an inkling of that, he’d have to trust her simply on instinct. Maybe a man like him didn’t use instinct but had to rely on cold, hard, proven facts.
She stepped around him, headed for her backpack. He’d ruined this beautiful spot for her.
Reaching out, he wrapped his palm around her arm. The touch of his skin on hers brought pinpricks of awareness and a desire she had to ignore.Please help me ignore these feelings, she begged the good Lord above. It made her feel like she was betraying Jesse, and she couldn’t let herself be attracted to a man who couldn’t trust her.You trust hardly anyone, a little voice reminded her, definitely not the holy spirit talking. She pushed the devilish thoughts away and held on to her indignation.