Familiar Adversaries. Patricia Thayer

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СКАЧАТЬ it was a little of all of the above. “I think that will take time.”

      “Time is something we don’t have. We’re behind schedule by two weeks. And that doesn’t allow for rain delays and—”

      Just then the foreman walked in. “What is it, Rod?” Shane asked.

      “We got trouble. There was another break-in during the night.”

      “The hell you say.” Shane grabbed a hard hat and followed Rod out of the trailer with Mariah close on his heels. They made their way to the chain-link-fenced area where wood and tools were held. Graffiti had been sprayed on the plywood sheets. Vile, disgusting words had been written on the four-by-eight sheets. Several boxes of nails had been dumped around the area.

      “Is anything missing?” Shane asked.

      “Not as far as I can see,” Rod said. “But we haven’t had a chance to take inventory.”

      “I’ll do it,” Mariah said as she looked at Rod. “Why don’t you get the crews started so there are no more delays?”

      The foreman nodded, then walked away.

      Shane was surprised at Mariah’s suggestion. “I can’t leave you to clean up this mess.”

      “Why? You think it’s beneath me? I’ve gotten my hands dirty before. I would appreciate it if you’d send Jason and Mike to help me out. Later, you and I need to talk about better security. The drive-by patrol doesn’t seem to be doing the trick.”

      “I agree with you on that one,” Shane said.

      Her green eyes rounded. “Well, that’s a start. We finally agree on something.”

      Around midnight Shane yawned as he slowed his truck at the turnoff to the site. He couldn’t sleep, so he decided to do something useful. Until they got the new security in place, he was going to do some checking of his own. Anything was better than lying in bed unable to sleep. Nothing he’d done could turn off his thoughts about Mariah. She just kept popping into his head. Those big green eyes, her full mouth and all that wild hair had him wound tight. She’d been pretty in high school, but she was a knockout now.

      And it would be suicide to start up something with her.

      This was business and if he wanted Hunter Construction to fly, he had to pay Nate back the start-up money he’d loaned him over two years ago. That meant he had to keep focused on the project. Any thoughts of Mariah had to be about how hard she’d worked on the cleanup today; how she hadn’t complained; and how she’d made a detailed list of every item by quitting time.

      They both decided whoever vandalized the site wasn’t a pro. More like teenagers or someone just wanting to make trouble for Shane. His first thought was that Easton might be behind the incidents, but he couldn’t see the town councilman taking a chance on dirtying his hands with such an amateurish stunt.

      The truck’s bad suspension jarred Shane in his seat. One hundred yards before he reached the trailer, he turned off his lights and parked. If anyone was trespassing, he wanted to surprise them.

      That was when he saw the faint light in the trailer. Someone was inside. He got out of his truck and ran across the field. Silently he inserted his key, quietly pushed open the door and saw the person’s shadow on the wall. He reached out, grabbed the intruder and pinned him against the wall.

      It didn’t take Shane long to realize that he was pressed against a soft body, a soft body with breasts.

      “Let go of me,” Mariah demanded as she wiggled against him.

      Desire shot through him and he fought to control his response. “Then you better tell me what the hell you’re doing here in the middle of the night.”

      Chapter Three

      Mariah couldn’t get air into her lungs with Shane pressed against her. His face was so close she could feel his breath on her cheek. She smelled his fresh, male scent that had traces of soap and a lot of just…Shane. It brought back memories of a different time, a time when they’d shared long, slow kisses. A time when his mere touch could give her such pleasure.

      She shook away the thoughts and managed to suck in needed oxygen. “Get off me.” She pushed at him, but he didn’t budge.

      “I asked, what are you doing here?”

      “I’m working,” she said.

      He finally released her. “Why so late?”

      “I came back tonight to get some things done.” She pushed past him. “You’ve been neglecting a lot of the paperwork, Shane. I’m surprised the crew ever got paid.”

      “I have an accounting service do payroll.”

      “But who checks the timecards to make sure they’re correct? I’ve been wading through your mess, trying to get things straightened out.” And she hadn’t wanted to sit at home and listen to her father trash Shane the entire night. “I didn’t realize it was so late.”

      “You don’t have any business here at this hour.”

      “I have as much as you do,” she shot back.

      Shane then ran a hand over his face. “Okay. Okay. Do you think we could try and get through five minutes without arguing?”

      She shrugged. “Do you?”

      “Ah, hell.” He marched to the other side of the trailer as if trying to calm down. Finally he looked at her. “Mariah, we have to find a way to work together. This might not matter to you, but if Paradise Estates doesn’t finish on schedule, I might as well kiss my construction business goodbye.”

      “Why do you think I’m trying to destroy you? I have as much at stake as you do.” It hurt her that he distrusted her. She fought to keep the emotion out of her voice. “I have a reputation to uphold, too, Shane. You have to stop attacking me at every turn.”

      “I’m trying. But when I walked in here yesterday and saw you…” He came back to her. “My God, Mariah, it’s been years. I couldn’t help think about how it was between us.” He reached out to touch her cheek.

      She pulled away again. “You must have different memories from me. I only remember the kiss-off.” In all fairness to Shane, she’d known he’d had a rough time after his father’s death. All she had wanted was to be there for him, but he hadn’t wanted her. She’d been crushed when he’d told her he couldn’t see her any longer. What had devastated her was that he’d had time to spend with several other girls in school.

      “So, I was a selfish bastard,” he offered. “I was a randy teenage boy. Besides, your father didn’t want us to be together, anyway.”

      Mariah shrugged. “That never stopped us. We’d found ways to see each other.” She knew she was baiting him, but she liked seeing his reaction. “I would drive out to the ranch.”

      “And you took foolish chances,” he reminded her.

      She couldn’t stop the memories. She would park behind the barn, and he’d run out to meet her. She’d barely be СКАЧАТЬ