part, she reflected as she was seated. Honor had never been aware of needing or desiring a man's protection. Whatever protection a man offered his women had disappeared when she was thirteen, and she hadn't depended on any since then.
Containing her curiosity until after she'd obediently ordered her meal of broccoli salad and scallops, Honor waited for an opportune opening. When the Sonoma County Chardonnay arrived at the table after much deliberation between the wine steward and Conn, she decided she had waited long enough.
Smiling expectantly, she sipped the beautiful white wine and repeated her question.
"Tell me what they did to Granger."
Landry shrugged, reaching for his own glass. "He's out on bail. Eventually he might wind up in jail on a more or less permanent basis, but probably not this time."
Honor's expectant smile disappeared. "You said everything was all right now, that Granger has been dealt with and was no longer a problem. I was afraid of this," she went on morosely. "As long as he's running around loose, I'm going to have to find him."
"You're not going anywhere near that scum. I told you the situation is under control." There was cool command in Conn's gaze again.
"I haven't got much choice," Honor shot back.
"You're right. You don't have much choice. You're going to do as I say in the matter."
"You don't have any conception of what's going on!"
"No?" Broodingly he studied her set face. "I know your sister owed him five thousand dollars because of that loan he gave her to pay off her gambling debts. And I know she didn't have the money. Apparently she went to you for it."
"How do you know all this?" Honor demanded fiercely.
"Some of it I learned from Granger and some of it I figured out for myself," Conn explained easily.
"You've actually talked to Granger today?" She was stunned by the news. "You saw him?"
"He headed for the racetrack as soon as they released him. He's a real racing addict. But, then, you must know that, or you wouldn't have been there yourself yesterday looking for him."
"Adena told me she thought that was the most likely place to find him," Honor admitted slowly. "But I don't understand why you approached him."
"Don't you?"
"Well, no. None of this is any of your business."
"It is now."
"Conn, this is ridiculous. You can't just choose to involve yourself in my personal life!"
He watched her intently for a long moment and then reached across the small table to draw a thumb along the back of her wrist. His hand, Honor realized uneasily, was as strong-looking as the rest of him.
Large, square, powerful. At first glance a woman wouldn't guess that those blunt fingers could be so amazingly sensitive. Yet the small pattern he traced on her wrist sent a tremor of awareness through her.
"I've already involved myself in your affairs, Honor. I paid Granger off and told him not to go near your sister again."
Honor's gaze reflected her shock. "You paid him off! You gave him five thousand dollars?"
"That's what your sister owed."
"Yes, but—"
"Honor, it's all over," Conn told her with a surprising twist of gentleness in his voice. "You don't have to deal with Granger. I've already handled him for you."
Confused and alarmed at the implications of having this man take charge of such a personal and dangerous matter, Honor found herself fumbling for words of anger and protest. "You have no right! You should have consulted me. Now I owe you the five thousand dollars. That's assuming you're telling me the truth in the first place. Maybe this is all some sort of scam to take me for another five thousand. How do I know that you're any less dangerous than Granger?"
"You don't."
"Damn you and your cryptic comments!" She tossed her napkin on the table and prepared to get to her feet. The large, square hand that had only moments ago been tantalizing the back of her wrist suddenly closed around it like a manacle.
"Sit down, Honor," Conn ordered quietly.
"Why should I?" she hissed
Containing her curiosity until after she'd obediently ordered her meal of broccoli salad and scallops, Honor waited for an opportune opening. When the Sonoma County Chardonnay arrived at the table after much deliberation between the wine steward and Conn, she decided she had waited long enough.
Smiling expectantly, she sipped the beautiful white wine and repeated her question.
"Tell me what they did to Granger."
Landry shrugged, reaching for his own glass. "He's out on bail. Eventually he might wind up in jail on a more or less permanent basis, but probably not this time."
Honor's expectant smile disappeared. "You said everything was all right now, that Granger has been dealt with and was no longer a problem. I was afraid of this," she went on morosely. "As long as he's running around loose, I'm going to have to find him."
"You're not going anywhere near that scum. I told you the situation is under control." There was cool command in Conn's gaze again.
"I haven't got much choice," Honor shot back.
"You're right. You don't have much choice. You're going to do as I say in the matter."
"You don't have any conception of what's going on!"
"No?" Broodingly he studied her set face. "I know your sister owed him five thousand dollars because of that loan he gave her to pay off her gambling debts. And I know she didn't have the money. Apparently she went to you for it."
"How do you know all this?" Honor demanded fiercely.
"Some of it I learned from Granger and some of it I figured out for myself," Conn explained easily.
"You've actually talked to Granger today?" She was stunned by the news. "You saw him?"
"He headed for the racetrack as soon as they released him. He's a real racing addict. But, then, you must know that, or you wouldn't have been there yourself yesterday looking for him."
"Adena told me she thought that was the most likely place to find him," Honor admitted slowly. "But I don't understand why you approached him."
"Don't you?"
"Well, no. None of this is any of your business."
"It is now."
"Conn, this is ridiculous. You can't just choose to involve yourself in my personal life!"
He watched her intently for a long moment and then reached across the small table to draw a thumb along the back of her wrist. His hand, Honor realized uneasily, was as strong-looking as the rest of him.
Large, square, powerful. At first glance a woman wouldn't guess that those blunt fingers could be so amazingly sensitive. Yet the small pattern he traced on her wrist sent a tremor of awareness through her.
"I've already involved myself in your affairs, Honor. I paid Granger off and told him not to go near your sister again."
Honor's gaze reflected her shock. "You paid him off! You gave him five thousand dollars?"
"That's what your sister owed."
"Yes, but—"
"Honor, it's all over," Conn told her with a surprising twist of gentleness in his voice. "You don't have to deal with Granger. I've already handled him for you."
Confused and alarmed at the implications of having this man take charge of such a personal and dangerous matter, Honor found herself fumbling for words of anger and protest. "You have no right! You should have consulted me. Now I owe you the five thousand dollars. That's assuming you're telling me the truth in the first place. Maybe this is all some sort of scam to take me for another five thousand. How do I know that you're any less dangerous than Granger?"
"You don't."
"Damn you and your cryptic comments!" She tossed her napkin on the table and prepared to get to her feet. The large, square hand that had only moments ago been tantalizing the back of her wrist suddenly closed around it like a manacle.
"Sit down, Honor," Conn ordered quietly.
"Why should I?" she hissed
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