Page 13 of The Marriage Mission

Noah didn't move, not at first. He looked down at Mason, his gaze hard and unyielding as his body. The moment stretched. The cake teetered in his hands as Mason shuffled uncomfortably, clearly wishing for more room that Noah had no intention of giving.

What had Jacqui seen in this man? If he couldn't manage holding onto a one-tiered cake, how could he have been expected to hang on to the lush curves that were Jacqui Chou? Except the idiot hadn't been trying to hold on to her. He'd tossed her back. Noah had felt that gut-punch as he'd come down the hall.

His thoughts were a storm. Anger churned at the forefront, hot and bitter, for all the ways Mason had just effectively dumped Jacqui. The man had no idea what he'd thrown away.

Aside from being a knock a man down and drag him out into the street’s beauty, Jacqui was capable. She was a problem-solver. A go-getter. Clearly, Mason couldn't handle the dynamite that she was.

Then Noah realized that with Mason out of the picture, he could have all those sparks to himself. Noah moved to the side, just a fraction. Mason squeezed through the gap, brushing against Noah with a muttered curse.

As Mason disappeared down the hall and out the door, Noah’s gaze lifted to find Jacqui. She stood there, looking lost in the midst of the organized army of paper and folders and clips and pens on her desk. The sight of her, so vulnerable, reignited Noah’s fury like a spark in dry grass. He clenched his fists at his sides. The urge to run after Mason and make him regret his carelessness was a fierce pulse in his veins.

Mason was out of the picture now. And maybe, just maybe, Noah had a chance to show Jacqui how she should be treated. He could coax those embers back into a roaring flame. Maybe he could be the reason she smiled. He hadn't seen it yet, but he somehow knew it would knock him off his feet when it exploded across her face.

"Mr. Henry?" she said when she looked up. Her face didn't break into a smile. It sank into a frown.

"Call me Noah."

"What can I do for you, Mr. Henry?"

"Just wanted to catch up."

One of her brows lowered as though she found his choice of words suspicious. Noah held that gaze. He had the best poker face in the world, mainly because of his former job as an explosives expert. He would love spending the rest of his days poking at the wires of this woman to see which would set her off. Which would defuse her. Which would send off sparks. Which would ground her.

"You mean you want to get paid for completing your work early?" Her brow creased, letting him know he was on the wrong track.

"I know you're good for it."

The crease it lifted. Like she was relieved. But then she pressed her lips together in what could only be categorized as worry.

"Tell me what you need, Jacqui."

"What I need?" She blinked, and Noah saw a spark of something.

"Yes," he said, stepping closer. "What do you need?"

Her hand came to her throat. Her thumb and index finger pinched at the taut skin of her swan's neck. She bit at the corner of her lip and then swallowed deeply, keeping her lips pressed together as though she was trying to hold something down.

Noah waited patiently. And by patiently, he kept quiet, not saying a word, barely blinking. But he stalked toward her slowly, marking the movements of her throat.

"I need thirty days before I pay your invoice."

"Done." Noah nodded, knowing that that wasn't all. He let the silence drag on, but he didn't let go of her gaze. He took another step toward her until all that separated them was her desk.

"Sixty days would be better."

Noah nodded, watching the sparks in her hazel eyes. He ached to tilt her head back to get a better look. He took another step closer, but all that did was bring him flush against the desk.

Jacqui tilted her head back. When she did, her eyes flashed. "It's not that I don't have it. I do. I just don't have access to it."

"Your inheritance?"

She jerked back as though he had caught that elegant neck between his teeth. Noah had to blink and bite down on his own lip to make sure he hadn't acted on his fantasy.

"How did you know about that?" Then she closed her eyes and grimaced. "Nãinai?"

Noah said nothing. He couldn't. The sparks in her eyes were dancing a new pattern, and it fascinated him.

"My grandfather put that in his will. He was from the old world, where women were basically property. My grandmother could change it, but she agrees with him. She thinks men should be in charge, and women should be at home in the kitchen."

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