“Especially then,” he said, with something approaching a sneer.
They were nose-to-nose now. Or they would have been if she were a head taller. “How about three to one?”
“I take care of myself.”
She refused to back off. “What if somebody has a gun? What are you going to do then?” She expanded her chest, which, unfortunately, brushed the tips of her breasts against him.
He reared even higher, more of him pressing against her. “Better question-what would you do?”
“I’m trained! You’re not.”
“What you are”-he growled-“is a pain in the ass.” And without warning, he crushed her to him, his head descending, and his mouth clamping over hers.
She was so shocked she gasped, parting her lips, which gave him an access he immediately claimed.
His kiss invaded. Took over. Hard and demanding. His hand went to the rip at the side of her dress. He touched the bare skin of her hip, and his fingers were like flames. Every cell in her body came alive. Wide-awake. Cock-of-the-morning, crowing from the roof of the henhouse, sun blazing high in the sky… that wide-awake.
She bit back a moan. He felt so good. Tasted so good. He reached farther into the slit of her dress. His knee pressed between her legs. She wanted this. Wanted it enough to forget everything and give in. Wanted it-
“No!” She shoved hard against his chest. “Back off!”
She was furious with him, more furious with herself. “You try that again, and you’ll end up on the floor… like your drunken friend.” She spun away and rushed upstairs.
He was sweating as if he’d just finished a full day of speed drills. What the hell had happened? Was he turning into one more thug who thought playing football gave him the right to assault women? He sagged against the wall, sick inside, trying to pull it back together. Women kissed him, not the other way around. They rose up on their toes, looped their perfumed arms around his neck, opened their mouths, and dove right in. He was going crazy. That was the only explanation. People had told him he’d have adjustment issues with retirement, but he’d never expected anything like this. He was twice her size, and no matter how mighty She-ra, Princess of Power, thought she was, he could crush her.
God, she was pissed. She should have given him a hard knee to the nuts.
But she hadn’t.
Because she’d been pissed, but not afraid of him. If she’d felt threatened, even the smallest bit, he’d be doubled over right now clutching his crotch.
Or maybe he was looking for an excuse for bad behavior. A way to feel okay about what he’d done. But there was nothing okay about going after a defenseless woman.
Who wasn’t defenseless. Not even close. But still…
Shit.
He liked having her around. Hated having her around. She was messing with his focus. But she was also doing a great job, and he’d be a total sleaze to fire her over what had just happened, since he was the one at fault.
He’d have to find another way to deal with her-a way that wouldn’t get him ejected from the game.
Her cell rang four hours later, summoning her to the Peninsula earlier than she was scheduled to be there. On the way, she blared her horn at anybody who got close to her. Why had Coop kissed her like that? Because she was winning their argument, that’s why, and he couldn’t stand to lose. A total power play. Much more frustrating was her response. Of course, he’d noticed. Now she’d have to work twice as hard to make certain he didn’t get any more of an upper hand than he already had.
One of the male officials greeted her at the Peninsula with the news that Princess Kefaya wanted to meet with her. Piper couldn’t imagine why.
An older servant met her in the lobby and guided her to the elevators. When they got off, the servant led Piper through a black marble foyer into a spacious living room suite with large corner windows.
Princess Kefaya entered from one of the adjoining rooms. Even though it was early, she was fashionably dressed in a luxurious fuchsia tunic that fell to midthigh over sleek gray pants. Elegant gold cuffs encircled her wrists, and a ransom in diamond earrings sparkled through her long coal-black hair.
Faiza followed her into the room. Piper had only caught a glimpse of her since that first day, but she’d thought about her frequently. Faiza stayed by the door, her eyes on the carpet. What must it be like to live every day without hope for a better future?
“You are the driver who works for the American football player?” the princess asked.
“Yes.”
“My brother, His Highness, Prince Aamuzhir, is in town. He is a fan of American football. You will bring your employer to meet him tonight. His Highness is staying on the eighteenth floor.”
“I can’t do that.”
The princess wasn’t used to anyone telling her something couldn’t be done, and her eyebrows arched like a cat’s spine. “Faiza! You will personally make arrangements with this driver and see this is done.”
Faiza nodded, her head still bowed. She led Piper from the suite to the elevator. As soon as the doors closed, Piper threw up her hands. “Faiza, I can’t make Coop do anything, let alone this.”
“But the princess has ordered it,” Faiza said earnestly.
“The princess is going to be disappointed.”
Faiza’s forehead puckered. “Can you not persuade him?”
“This is the United States,” Piper said as gently as she could. “I know it’s hard to understand, but we don’t care here about what foreign princesses want.”
Piper watched the play of expressions on Faiza’s face move from despair to fear to resignation. Piper couldn’t bear it. “This isn’t your fault. I’ll go back and explain.”
Faiza regarded her sadly. “Do not trouble yourself. This is my difficulty. If I had not mentioned to my friend Habiba that you work for a famous American football player, none of this would have happened. Habiba means no harm, but she likes very much to talk.”
“But you’ll be the one punished.” Piper knew it was true, and the injustice infuriated her. She was further enraged when the elevator doors opened and the bright light of the lobby revealed what she hadn’t noticed before. Faiza’s dark purple hijab didn’t quite hide a bruise on her cheekbone.
Rage boiled through her. A pair of stern-faced guards stood near the elevator. She grabbed Faiza’s arm. “I don’t feel good. Help me get to the restroom.”
Faiza regarded her with concern, but she was accustomed to serving others, and she immediately directed Piper past the disinterested guards and across the lobby to the ladies’ room. No one was inside. “Who hit you?” Piper demanded. “Did the princess do this?”
Faiza touched her cheek. “No. It was Aya.” The distasteful way she uttered the name spoke volumes. “Aya is in charge of Her Highness’s servants. She likes things done quickly, and I was too slow.”
“And the princess allows her to hit the other servants?”
“She does not notice.”
“She should!” They were alone, but Piper automatically lowered her voice. “Your aunt in Canada… Would she let you stay with her if you could get there?”
“Oh, yes. She has told me this. Every time we come to the United States, I dream of going to her, but it is impossible. I have no way of getting there, and even if I did… If I was caught…” Her dark eyes were as empty as an old woman’s looking at her own death. She shook her head at the futility of such a thing. “I must find my happiness in knowing how deeply my khala keeps me in her heart.”
“That’s not good enough.” The royal family was leaving tomorrow night. Piper hesitated. “What if there was a way to… get you into Canada?”
This was crazy. Piper had no idea how to get Faiza away from her employers and across the border.