Her own gaze darted distractedly around the room. “I think I lost the schedule. Tomorrow, the activities start at eight thirty or ni-”
“Were you afraid, when Jacore made that pass?” Ray interrupted silkily.
A small knot settled in her stomach. “Not really.” She set down her glass. “Listen. If you remember tomorrow’s schedule-”
“You had no need to be afraid. I was watching you the whole time. If any man had dared to give you trouble, Greer, I would have been there.”
“I-thank you.” She’d definitely had enough of the subject.
“You and I…” He hesitated. “We haven’t always gotten along. I’ve never been sure why. I have been wanting to tell you for a long time that I find you-”
“Ray,” Greer said abruptly, and stood up. Her room suddenly had dark corners. Charlotte’s night lights winked on and off outside the windows, but those lights were a long distance away. “You can go back downstairs tonight if you want, but I’m going to call it a night so I’ll be fresh for tomorrow.”
He didn’t move from his lounging position against the wall. “I think,” he said softly, “that you’re afraid of something. You’ve been afraid for some time now. You can tell me, Greer. I’ll take care of it for you.”
“What on earth are you talking about?” Greer gave a small laugh and heard the sound of her own nervousness. Silly, silly, silly, but she glanced at the door. And silently, like a cat, Ray moved from his position against the wall to a spot between Greer and the only exit.
“I’ve thought for a very long time,” he said quietly, “that you were the kind of woman who needed a strong man. A protective man. A man who would keep you safe from others who want to use you. A lot of men have coveted that beautiful body, haven’t they, Greer?”
She was having a nightmare. That was all. It had been a thoroughly exhausting day. Perhaps she had finished dinner and Ray had left and she’d fallen asleep and suddenly she was dreaming. Because she was suddenly afraid of the man standing in front of her to the depths of her bones. A man she had known for five years, who had bothered and annoyed and even distressed her, but who had never threatened any harm to her. She had to be imagining it.
“Tell me,” he said quietly.
“Tell you what?” Greer folded her arms across her chest, moving a little away from him on stocking feet. She smiled. Happily. “Dinner was terrific. I’m sorry I was such bad company. Perhaps in the morning…”
“Tell me what you’ve been afraid of. I can make it go away, Greer. In fact, I’m the only man who can make it go away. And all you have to do is ask me.”
“Look,” she said firmly. He took a step forward; she couldn’t help herself from taking a step back. He smiled.
This was Ray, she tried to tell herself. A man she knew well. A man she saw and worked with every day.
“There was a man in the office the other day.” Ray’s voice was soothing, low, hypnotic. “He’s not for you, Greer. All this time, I’ve pictured you with men. But not him. You think he could stop what you’re afraid of? You think he could protect you from anything? All this time, have you once looked at me?”
“I want you to go,” Greer whispered. “Please, Ray.” He took another step forward. “Actually, I’ve regained all my energy,” she said brightly. Her voice cracked, and she tried again. “I think I’ll just go downstairs and-”
He was close to her now. His hands reached out to grab her shoulders, and Greer froze, her arms still tightly wrapped around her chest.
“Look,” she said. “I’m in love with someone else-”
He paid no attention. In slow motion, his face seemed to come toward hers, dark eyes gleaming, dry lips parted. His mouth suddenly groped for hers, and the texture of it felt strange, startling, alien. It was a simple pass. Greer had coped a thousand times with simple passes, but for some unknown reason, this time she was terrified, her body locked in shock.
“Please,” she whispered.
“You’re not afraid with my arms around you, are you, Greer? I would never, never hurt you…”
His mouth lowered again. She turned her head. His body was trying to press against hers. There wasn’t that much he could do with the barrier of her arms, but she still felt the contact of her breasts against his white shirt. And that contact brought a low gush of breath from Ray, and nausea for Greer.
“Ray. Look,” she said shakily, “maybe you’ve had too much wine. We’ll forget this, okay? I understand. Only please, just-”
“Just relax,” he whispered. “Just relax, Greer. Let it happen. So naturally, it will happen. All this time…”
She turned her head, and his lips landed on her throat. Greer jerked convulsively, her arms whipping out like flaying fan blades. “Don’t. Just get out of here. No.”
His arms tightened around her like cold bars. A rush of impressions exploded in her head. His hand on her breast, his black eyes with a devil’s light, the terrible silence of the room, their isolation, rage, fear, vulnerability, the single burning lamp on the table near the bed.
She twisted free, hearing her own frantic breath.
“The door is locked,” he said gently. “Relax,” he murmured. “You think I would hurt you? Never, Greer. I can take away what you’re afraid of. I’m the only man who can make it completely go away.”
He kept talking about that. What she was afraid of. If that was supposed to make sense, it didn’t. The only thing she was terrified of was him. “Ray. You know me. We’ve worked together for a long time.” Greer swallowed again, as he took another step toward her. “You’re an attractive man, but I don’t want this kind of-please. I’m sure you’ll find someone else…”
A low, shivery laugh. Greer darted for the door. His hand slammed against the wood even as she was fighting with the lock. She managed to release the chain, but couldn’t reach the knob.
There was a sick scream in the back of her throat, trying to get out, but she remained silent. How could she scream? This couldn’t be happening to her. It really couldn’t. Maybe if she’d invited it…but she knew she hadn’t invited it. She knew she’d in no way encouraged Ray. As an adolescent, she’d blamed herself for inviting the gropes and grabs that had scared her witless, believing she must have unconsciously asked for trouble. Then during her entire adult life, she’d protected herself by denying every damn possible sexual feeling-and she hadn’t invited Ray.
His hands were suddenly everywhere, grabbing at her blouse, groping for her skirt. Greer felt a rage suddenly explode inside her. A rage almost as old as she was. It wasn’t her. It was him. Dammit. Had he felt this way about her all along?
His voice rasped in a low, heavy bass. “You like it a little rough, do you, darling?”
Her knee failed. Her fist didn’t.
He jerked back, bent suddenly double; a hoarse cry of pain escaped from his mouth.
Greer opened the door, and backed away. “Get out. Now.”
Chapter Eleven
The minute Ray was gone, Greer pushed the lock button and then fumbled frantically to hook the chain. The room was so silent that she should have felt relieved. Instead, her limbs started trembling as if she’d just been tossed into the Arctic Ocean.
She couldn’t get warm. She ran her hands up and down her arms; it didn’t help. Her teeth were actually chattering. She walked to the bathroom, turned on the hot water and splashed some on her face. He’s gone, the voice in her head assured her. She was safe.
Only her heart couldn’t seem to stop pounding, and when she turned off the water, her white face stared back at her from the mirror. She winced, seeing the top button gone from her blouse, her skirt askew, the sick glaze in her dark eyes.