it familiar ones. He shut the door behind her and turned around warily.
She looked breathtaking in a lemon coloured sundress that fell in soft waves to her knees. Her hair had been pulled back from her face with ebony combs, and she clutched her handbag in front of her like a shield.
He gestured for her to precede him through the entrance foyer and on into the training hall, and closed his eyes and prayed for mercy when he saw the length of her hair. Sheâd kept it long, a glossy rippling river than ran almost to the base of her spine. Once upon a time, Jianneâs hair had framed their lovemaking like a silken shroud. It still would.
His body approved of the notion, even as his mind shied away from it. Surely heâd learned his lesson the last time Jianne had come into his life? Some things were simply too fragile for a man like him to touch.
âWhat did he do?â he said harshly, bringing his thoughts back to now and the possible reasons for Jianneâs visit. âYour unwanted beau.â
âHow do you know thatâs why Iâm here?â she said as he walked her through the training hall and out into the tiny kitchen area. He didnât have a sitting room. He didnât have a rec room either. Just a few sparsely furnished bedrooms out back for occasional guests and visiting students, and a loftlike crib of his own above the training hall.
âWhy else would you be here?â he countered. âLast night you considered my company the greater of two evils. This morning, here you are. The balance has changed and I didnât tip it. So what did he do?â
âYou always tip the balance, Jacob. Itâs what you do.â She looked at the shabby table and chairs and remained standing.
âYou want to sit?â he offered, belatedly remembering Jianneâs reliance on protocols and manners and his general lack of them. âSomething to drink?â
Jianne sat at his shabby Formica table. She decided against refreshment. Jake crossed his arms, leaned against the counter and waited.
âHeâs here,â she said quietly. âZhi Fu. An invitation arrived from him this morning to his house party here in Singapore.â
âSo he followed you.â Jake didnât like this latest development but, given the manâs obsession with Jianne, he wasnât overly surprised. âYou had to have known it was a possibility.â
âI had hoped Zhiâs business ties would prevent it,â she murmured. âI was counting on it.â
âSo what now?â he asked somewhat more gently.
Jianne shook her head. âI donât know. I was going to refuse his invitation, I always refuse his invitations, but then my uncle suggested that a stronger message might be warranted. He suggested I attend Zhiâs housewarming party. With you.â
âAggressive,â murmured Jake. âI like it.â
A tiny smile from Jianne. âYou would.â
âWas that a compliment?â he asked silkily. âI donât think it was.â
âSuit yourself,â she murmured. âThe thing is I find myself in need of a protector. A Shaolin in the purest sense, and Iâve only ever come across one of those in my lifetime. You. Zhi Fuâs here in Singapore. Heâs renting the home directly across the road from my aunt and uncleâs house. Heâll be able to monitor my every move, just as he did back in Shanghai.â
Protectiveness kicked in hard, and with it a cold hard rage at the manâs predatory behaviour.
âMy uncle thinks that getting my own place in some other part of Singapore would be unwise,â continued Jianne. âHe thinks Zhi Fu would follow.â
âYour uncleâs probably right.â Jake eyed her steadily, noting the shadows beneath her eyes, and trying not to notice the curve of her cheek or those crushed rosebud lips. âHave you considered taking out a restraining order on