But Not for Me

by Annette Broadrick

  “What is her biggest concern?”

  “About the project? I never heard the particulars. Her primary agenda appeared to revolve around whether or not she had convinced me that she was hot to jump my bones.”

  “Were you?”

  Her eyes twinkled with amusement and he found himself gazing at her with all the yearning that he hadn’t felt while he was with Katherine Crossland.

  He gave his head a quick shake. Man, he was more tired than he thought. He must have jogged something loose in his brain earlier when he used Rachel to convince Katherine he had certain commitments that he wouldn’t ignore for her sake.

  “Go ahead and laugh,” he said. “Tomorrow is your turn.”

  “For what?”

  “Mrs. Crossland somehow got the impression that you and I are involved. I did nothing to discourage her from gaining that impression. I told her I’d bring you with me to the site tomorrow so she could meet you. She’s going to be there to point out the changes she wants made and I’ll tell her whether or not I can do them without getting her husband’s written approval.”

  She ignored most of his explanation and zeroed in on the part he’d wanted to downplay. “You don’t know how she got that impression, huh?” Rachel repeated with raised brows.

  “Okay, so I’m hiding behind you. So sue me.”

  She grinned. “You really must have been desperate. Remind me to buy something provocative to wear tomorrow.”

  He didn’t need to see her in something provocative. The last thing he needed right now was to fantasize about his assistant. The situation was precarious enough. This was the first time they had shared the same living space; the first time he’d seen her in a robe, barefoot, with her hair loose.

  He repeated his thought out loud. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you with your hair loose like that.”

  She blinked at him in surprise. “That’s because I always have it pinned up while I’m working.”

  He watched as his hand reached out as though independent of him. “You have beautiful hair,” he murmured, lightly running his hand down the back of her head before slipping his fingers around a long curl.

  She looked at him suspiciously. “Exactly how much did you have to drink tonight, Brad?”

  He jerked his hand away. “Sorry. Don’t know what I was thinking. I’m half-asleep as I sit here.” He sighed, a wave of fatigue sweeping over him. “I apologize.” He raised his cup and drained it. “I’m going to hit the sack.” He looked at her, wrapped up in a robe several times too large for her, looking like an adorable child wearing adult clothing. “We’ll run to town early in the morning and get something to wear. We could have stopped before we left Asheville but I totally forgot to say anything to Carl. It seems to be my night to apologize to you.”

  Rachel gracefully slipped off the stool and faced him. “Brad? Are you all right?” The concern in her voice touched something deep within him that he had never known existed.

  He frowned, uncomfortable with the fleeting sense of vulnerability that had momentarily gripped him. “Of course I am. And no, I haven’t been drinking. I’m just tired, that’s all. We’ll talk in the morning.” He headed to the steps leading down to the bedrooms.

  “Brad?”

  He reluctantly turned around. “Yeah?”

  “Can we go back home tomorrow?”

  He looked down the stairwell as though to find the answer woven into the fabric of the rug. “I’d like to, Rachel. It will depend on how the meeting goes. If not tomorrow, we’ll leave no later than Friday. I can either resolve the matter or contact Tom to find out what he wants me to do.”

  “Do you think Carl knew what would happen when you met with her?”

  He shook his head wearily. “I don’t have a clue.” He continued down the stairs, adding, “I’ll see you in the morning.”

  Brad felt as if he had to escape before he said or did something totally out of line where Rachel was concerned. What was wrong with him? A very beautiful woman had used her considerable skills and assets in an effort to seduce him and he’d been able to walk away without a backward glance. Yet the sight of Rachel with no makeup, wearing a too-big robe and barefoot had caused such a surge of lust in him that he was still shaking from the necessity of hiding his response from her.

  He walked into his room and closed the door. All he needed was a good night’s sleep. He stripped off his clothes, disgusted that he was still half-aroused from his unexpected encounter with Rachel.

  The very last thing he needed to further complicate his life was to become fixated on a woman. To fixate on Rachel spelled absolute disaster.

  Rachel finished her omelet and had another cup of coffee before she returned to the kitchen to clean up. When she came out of the kitchen she caught a glimpse of something white draped across one of the dining-room chairs. She walked over and discovered that Carl had left her one of his T-shirts to sleep in.

  With a smile she turned out the lights, took the shirt and returned to her room. After she put on Carl’s thoughtful gift, she almost laughed out loud at the sight in the mirror. The shirt that fitted him so well hung to her knees and fell off one shoulder. But she would be more comfortable sleeping in the shirt than in the bulky robe.

  Rachel stretched out and closed her eyes. Instead of falling asleep she reviewed what Brad had told her about his evening.

  He’d been irritated that Mrs. Crossland had stepped over the line between business and personal matters. Of course he would be. Not only was she the wife of one of his clients, she no doubt reminded him of what he worked diligently to ignore—that he was human, just like the rest of us. Too bad he wouldn’t admit that being tempted wasn’t the same thing as yielding to temptation.

  She’d not seen him in such a strange mood before. He must have panicked to have implied that he was involved with her. Perhaps that was the only thing he could think of to help Mrs. Crossland save face. No doubt she could accept that he was committed to another woman, but would be hurt and angered if he’d rebuffed her because he wasn’t interested.

  What had startled Rachel was his stroking her hair. He had never touched her so intimately. She’d felt at her most vulnerable with him tonight before he’d touched her because she’d been very aware that she wore nothing beneath the robe.

  Earlier, when she’d gone upstairs to find something to eat, she had thought that both men were already in bed. Hearing Brad’s key in the door caught her by surprise. It was too late to run downstairs and throw on her clothes…or do something with her hair…so she had dealt with the situation as calmly as possible.

  The fact that he had been disturbed about his evening had helped her to relax. His mind was on other things than how she was dressed. His mentioning her appearance abruptly destroyed not only her theory but her peace of mind.

  Tomorrow will be better, she thought. Once she had some fresh clothes to wear, she’d feel more relaxed about their situation. Staying in the same condo had thrown them into a new dynamic for which neither of them was prepared.

  With any luck, Brad would work his usual magic tomorrow and calm everyone so that work on the house could move toward completion on schedule. Either way they would return to Dallas no later than Friday, which meant she only needed to get through tomorrow and tomorrow night. After that they would resume their familiar roles.

  The only real problem she had at the moment was what to do about the intruder in her home and life. The time she’d spent out of her normal routine had helped her to gain some perspective, but nothing had removed the fear that the thought of the stalker stirred in her.

  Instead of leaving town, perhaps she could find another, more secure place to live. With the generous salary Brad paid her, she could afford to live wherever she wished. Perhaps that was the answer…find a new place to live and get on with her life.

  She drifted to sleep, feeling that her life would soon be back on track.

  The next morning Rachel woke at her usual time, but since she wa
s on eastern daylight time, she felt she was an hour late getting her day started. After a quick shower, she dressed, arranged her hair and put on whatever makeup she’d found in her purse.

  She heard Carl and Brad talking as soon as she reached the first landing. The beckoning aroma of freshly made coffee moved her quickly up the remaining steps. As soon as she turned toward the kitchen the men spotted her, greeting her with gruff, early-morning voices.

  She wasn’t used to seeing men waking up over early-morning coffee, each sporting tousled hair and unshaven cheeks. It seemed a little too intimate to her, but there was little she could do about it.

  Rachel responded to their greetings with a nod and brief smile before she headed for the coffeepot. Without turning to look at them she said, “When are we going to the site?”

  Brad answered. “First things first. We have to wait until the stores open. Then we can go to the shopping mall Carl mentioned. I suggest we find something casual to wear, since we’ll be at the construction site most of the day. Does that sound okay to you?”

  She turned and faced him, leaning against the counter. He didn’t look as though he’d slept very well, which was unfortunate for all of them. She’d dealt with him before when he was sleep-deprived and had managed to survive his surliness. She’d muddle through today, as well.

  “Sounds more than okay. This unexpected trip has taught me always to keep a bag at the office in the future, just in case.” She drank some of her coffee before adding, “Especially with such an unpredictable boss.”

  Brad refused to acknowledge her remark, but Carl chuckled. Brad sat with his head down, looking at his coffee. She didn’t know why, but she had an impish desire to force him out of his bad mood. He needed to lighten up.

  Straightening, she placed her cup on the counter with theirs and leaned toward them, her weight on her forearms. “It’s tough being so irresistible, isn’t it, boss man?”

  Carl gave her a sharp look before turning his gaze to Brad. “Have I missed something?”

  Brad shook his head. “Not really. I was a little irritated when I got in last night and unloaded on Rachel.” He gave her a narrow-eyed stare. “I’d hoped she would forget some of that.”

  “Not a chance,” she replied with a lilt. She looked at Carl and winked. “It seems that Mrs. Crossland had other activities in mind for the two of them in addition to discussing the problems she’d found with her home.” She batted her eyelashes at Brad.

  “I’m not amused,” he replied coldly when Carl began to laugh.

  “Aw, come on, boss,” Carl said. “You’ve got to see the humor in all of this. The woman’s been giving everyone on the job ulcers. It’s only fair that you start a crop of your own.”

  Brad stood, draining his coffee mug. “Let’s get out of here. I’ve had about all of the comedy routine I can stomach this early in the day.”

  “Sounds good,” Carl replied. “I need to go to the site and get things moving. Since it’s on your way to town, you can drop me off. I’ll give you directions. You won’t have trouble finding the mall.”

  “When are we supposed to meet Mrs. Crossland?” Rachel asked. There was no reason to continue to tease a tiger with a thorn in his paw.

  “I don’t think we set a time.” Brad looked at Carl. “When does she generally show up?”

  “Not before noon. At least we have the mornings to work without interruption.”

  After the men had shaved and prepared for the day, the three of them piled into Carl’s Jeep with Rachel taking the back seat. She remained silent.

  When they reached the site, Carl and Brad got out and Brad looked around the area. “You’ve done a hell of job getting this much done, with or without distractions.”

  “Thanks. Keep Mrs. Crossland away from here and I’ll forego any bonus I might receive this year.”

  The first smile of the day appeared on Brad’s face. “I don’t think you need to sacrifice that much, but I’ll see what I can do.”

  He turned and offered his hand to Rachel. When she had moved successfully to the front passenger seat, he listened to Carl’s directions and slid into the driver’s seat beside her.

  They headed toward the mall Carl had recommended, neither of them speaking. She’d been alone with Brad countless times over the years but there was something different about today. He radiated a tension that she didn’t understand. He wasn’t worried about handling Mrs. Crossland, was he? She’d seen him worry about different business problems before, but she hadn’t witnessed such quiet intensity.

  What else could be going on with him? Asking him was pointless. He told her what he wanted her to know, so there was no use in wasting her breath.

  The shopping mall loomed alongside the highway as they entered town. “Easy enough to find,” she commented.

  He made some unintelligible remark that sounded suspiciously like a caveman’s grunt.

  Once parked, Brad led the way to a large department store that was part of a national chain.

  “Why don’t we get something here?” he asked brusquely. “Keep your receipts for reimbursement.”

  “No,” she replied. “Whatever I get will be added to my wardrobe and has nothing to do with the company.”

  “I’m the one who told you not to pack, that you could get what you need here.”

  “So you did and that’s what I intend to do,” she said firmly.

  He glanced at her as they walked inside the store. “Has anyone ever mentioned that you can be stubborn?”

  “Why no, I don’t believe anyone has.” She glanced at her watch. “When and where do you want to meet?”

  “Say in an hour here by the front door. Will that give you enough time?”

  “Certainly,” she replied with dignity and marched to the escalator, which she rode to the second floor, where women’s wear could be found, according to the store directory.

  She quickly thumbed through circular racks, wondering what to get. He’d said casual. She never dressed casually. Well, almost never. She had a closet full of suits, blouses and practical shoes, all in muted colors.

  As soon as she saw the full skirt, she knew exactly what she would get. She found a blouse, tossed in a summer suit that had been marked down to a great price, and went to the dressing rooms to change.

  Pleased with her purchases, she wore the skirt and blouse and put her travel-worn suit—which she didn’t intend to wear for a long while after this trip—into the bag with the new one. Then she headed to the shoe department.

  Once there, she threw caution to the wind and bought a pair of sandals. No heel and nothing but a few straps. She loved them, and they looked great with her new outfit.

  She could hardly wait to see Brad’s reaction when he saw her.

  Promptly on the hour, Rachel strolled down the aisle that led to the front doors. She’d taken time to get a few toiletries as well as a sleepshirt that said, Morning Doesn’t Start Until I Say So.

  Brad was already there, holding a bag with the store’s logo. He had on a pair of khaki pants and a navy-blue short-sleeved pullover shirt. She fought her reaction. It would not do for Brad’s administrative assistant to start drooling because he’d gone back to his early, working-construction look. Without the concealing jacket, his muscled arms and broad chest stood out in bold relief. Plus his pants fit snugly across his butt. She sighed. She could look, she reminded herself. She couldn’t touch.

  “Ready to go?” she asked quietly behind him. He’d been looking out the glass door and turned abruptly at the sound of her voice. His reaction was everything she’d hoped it would be. His eyes widened before narrowing and his face went carefully blank. He clenched his jaw, no doubt in order not to comment on her choice of apparel, because all he said was, “Yes. Let’s go.”

  The walk to the Jeep was an adventure for Rachel. The breeze had picked up while they were inside and she had to fight the wide skirt to keep it from flying over her head.

  The skirt was made from material painte
d with swirls of jewel tones—ruby red, emerald green, golden topaz and sapphire blue. She’d chosen to match the green in the skirt when she picked out her sleeveless blouse.

  Her business hairdo hadn’t looked right with her casual look, so she had brushed out her hair and secured it with several decorative combs she’d found in the store. As a final touch, she’d also bought a bright red lipstick and eye shadow that emphasized the green in her eyes.

  Rachel felt practically barefoot in the sandals. In fact, she felt like a new woman. She was beginning to think that she was entirely too conservative in her dress and manner. This could be the first step in breaking out of her staid existence.

  Today she felt like a gypsy.

  Once again silence reigned on the drive back to the site. Brad appeared preoccupied. She took in the scenery, admiring the lush foliage and humming softly beneath her breath.

  As soon as she stepped out of the Jeep after they arrived on site, Carl gave a wolf whistle that echoed around the area. Heads turned as he strode to greet them.

  “Wow, Rachel. You look great in that outfit. You should wear bright colors more often. Don’t you think so, Brad?”

  He gave her a brief glance. “I guess. Have you heard from Mrs. Crossland?”

  The two men started toward the building under construction.

  Now what? she wondered. Her part wouldn’t begin until Mrs. Crossland showed up. With time on her hands Rachel decided to explore the house. She’d grown used to being around construction sites during the years she’d worked at Phillips Construction Company. Her shoes weren’t the most practical, but they were safer than the office pumps she generally wore.

  Rachel picked her way across the yard, careful to avoid discarded debris that hadn’t made it to the disposal bin. She paused at the top step of the porch and turned. The view made her throat close with sudden emotion. What a beautiful sight awaited anyone who chose to sit there and look out over the valley spread before her, the rolling hills serving as a backdrop. She swallowed and for a fleeting moment wondered what it would be like to live somewhere like this instead of in a busy city.