Priceless Treasure(3)

His full lips turned up as he took a step toward her, and Savannah felt her heart slam against her rib cage. She stumbled backward a few inches, before she was able to stop herself. Dammit. She wasn’t going to retreat.

“And please tell me who hired you. I’d like to pass the information along,” he said, coming even closer, way too far into her personal space.

“Mr. Storm,” she said. In your face, pig!

“Oh, really? You spoke to Mr. Storm in person?” the man asked.

What a strange thing to say.

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I did. He approached me at my university and said I was a perfect fit.” She felt good in her righteousness. This man was obviously a disgruntled worker. “As a matter of fact, he spoke to me not only once, but twice.”

“What did Mr. Storm look like?”

“Why all these questions? I’m sure you know what the boss looks like,” she told him.

“I assure you that I do know what the boss looks like. But I’m not so sure you know how to speak the truth.”

Man, this guy had something up his nether regions. And who in the world spoke to people this way? Ugh! “Are you accusing me of something?” she asked.

“Isn’t that clear?” he said, and he didn’t even try to hide the smug smile spreading across his lips. “In case I need to make myself even more clear, I think you’re a liar. I don’t think you’ve talked to Mr. Storm.” He took another step closer. “I also can’t figure out what you’re doing on these private docks.”#p#分页标题#e#

“I told you I was hired. Why else would I be here?”

“Because you’re after something,” he said.

“Do you think I plan on taking off with one of the boats?” she asked him.

“Maybe. Wouldn’t be the first time someone tried.”

Damn, he was an arrogant ass.

“I’ve never been so insulted in my life,” she snapped.

“I find that hard to believe.”

His smirk was insufferable. Savannah almost decided that working on the ocean, as much as she loved the idea, wasn’t worth it if it meant dealing with this monstrous man. She glared at him, but she refused to yell. That would give him too much satisfaction. And before she did something as stupid as quitting a job that paid well and provided extra benefits she desperately needed, she took a calming breath.

“I assure you,” she said, “that Mr. Storm is going to have words with you.” The man she’d met would never want people like this to be the first face a new employee saw. No way. Mr. Storm had been kind and enthusiastic.

There was also no use in continuing this conversation. The man was obviously convinced he was king of the docks. Something he would soon be assured that he was not. He was most likely just a grunt worker with an inflated sense of his importance.

“I somehow doubt that Mr. Storm will be in the least bit upset when you get kicked the hell off these docks,” he almost purred. And he reached for her.

Hell, no!

Savannah panicked. She didn’t want this man to touch her. She scooted backward … and quickly realized her mistake, but it was already too late. There was no more dock behind her.

It was funny how she noticed the man’s eyes widen as she felt air beneath her foot. She was going down — and it was going to be cold.





Chapter Two


Ashton Storm froze as this mysterious woman fell in what seemed to be slow motion. But the moment she hit the water, he was galvanized, and he immediately kicked off his deck shoes and dived in just as her head popped up against the lapping surface of the ocean.

He reached her within seconds, but he almost wished he hadn’t decided to rescue her. She began pushing against him, not to get closer but trying to get away.

She seemed to be something of a swimmer, but the shock of landing in the Pacific Ocean, which was far from warm, had him frightened for her. Would it make her muscles seize up? Would she sink back below the surface? He had to be practical. His ass was on the line and this was a lawsuit waiting to happen. Maybe that had been her plan all along. Women, women, women.

“Stop fighting me!” he blurted out after a few moments of struggling with her. She’d been flailing, and she’d hit him in the head more than once.

Surprisingly enough, this wretched woman, a nonentity who hadn’t seemed to hear a single thing he’d said up to this point, did what he’d demanded. She said nothing as he pulled her to the ladder and pushed her onto it. He enjoyed the outraged gasp when he gave her a little push — right on her round little ass. Damn, the woman was beyond fine in the rear part of the department store.