Illegal Procedure (Fair Catch Series, Book One)

by Christine Kersey

  “I don’t know. How big do you want it to be?”

  He laughed. “You’re the gardening expert. I’ll leave it up to you.”

  His words totally contradicted the idea that he was trying to control her. But why had he acted funny about her phone? She couldn’t think of a reasonable explanation.

  Then it hit her. Maybe he was an assassin, using the financial consultant job as a cover, and he was worried that she was somehow compromising his location.

  As completely ridiculous as that was, it gave her an excuse to put aside her worries for the moment and instead savor the feeling of safety she felt when she was with him.

  And, she promised herself, if it turned out he really was just a controlling jerk, she would leave.

  When they reached his cabin, Shay was more than ready to begin working on the garden.

  “What’re you making us for lunch?” Josh asked as he turned off the engine.

  Holding back a groan, Shay turned to him with a smile. “How does chicken salad sound?”

  Josh nodded. “Sounds good, actually. I can grill chicken for it.”

  She wouldn’t have to make lunch completely on her own. Nice. And putting a salad together would be easy.

  Fifteen minutes later, after they’d unloaded all of the nursery items—some in the garage to be used later, and some on the back patio to be used right away—Shay went into the kitchen to start putting the salads together while Josh threw the chicken onto the grill.

  As they ate lunch—a meal that had turned out great, much to Shay’s joy—they talked about the next steps in creating the garden.

  “First,” Shay said, “we need to till up the dirt and get rid of the weeds, and then we can mix in the compost.” She ate another bite of salad. “That way the soil will be rich with nutrients before we plant the vegetable seedlings.”

  Suddenly realizing that she’d forgotten something very important, she frowned, then hesitated, almost afraid to admit to Josh that she’d screwed up, worried that he’d be angry with her.

  “Do you, uh, do you happen to have something in that garage of yours that we can use to till up the ground? Like a…” She grimaced. “A rototiller?”

  Josh’s eyebrows puckered. “No.” Had she forgotten that on purpose? As an excuse to go back to the nursery, to get cell service? Had she forgotten to report something to her contact?

  Frowning, Josh contemplated Shay’s real motive for showing up at his house. In all honesty, she hadn’t done anything to lead him to believe that she was lying about who she was or why she was there, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t working up to doing something.

  He didn’t like it, but he knew his best option was to take a look at her phone to see what she had really been doing, who she had been talking to.

  Focusing on the conversation, he knew it would be easy to take a peek at her phone while she was working in the yard. Which meant he needed to get her the tools she needed.

  “I know a couple of the neighbors. I’m sure I can borrow a rototiller from one of them.” Expecting to see disappointment on her face—surely she wanted a reason to go back to the nursery—when instead he saw relief, he was surprised.

  Then he heard himself say, “I can help you till the ground.”

  What? Why was he offering to help? This gardening thing was her baby. Then again, it would be a good old-fashioned workout. Working up a sweat with hard work. That appealed to him.

  “Really?” Shay asked, her green eyes bright. “That would be…” She smiled as she shook her head. “That would be awesome.” She ate the last of her salad, then looked at his plate, which was already empty. “I say we get started right away. Can you check with your neighbor?”

  Her smile was radiant, like looking into the sun.

  Now Josh almost didn’t want to check her phone. What if it turned out she was a plant? The thought infuriated him, but he really hoped that wasn’t the case. But one way or the other, he would have to find out.

  “Okay,” he said. “Just give me some time to drive over there.” He didn’t have phone numbers for any of his neighbors, but it wouldn’t take too long to drive over.

  “Great. I’ll clean up while you’re gone.”

  Watching her standing at the sink, a sense of home swept over him, but he pushed it aside. He didn’t want to think of her like that. Not with how busy his life was. Instead he went out the door and to his truck.

  Half an hour later he was back, a rototiller in the bed of his truck. He wheeled it around to the backyard, then went into the kitchen.

  “You found one,” Shay said when he walked in. She was sitting at the table writing something on a pad of paper.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Drawing up plans for how to lay out the garden.”

  Impressed that she was planning this so meticulously, once again he hoped he was wrong about her true motives. Not knowing was killing him. He had to know the truth. Right now. “Why don’t you go outside and figure out exactly where we’re going to put this garden and I’ll be out there in a few minutes?”

  Shay tilted her head as she looked up at him. “You’re not backing out on helping me, are you?”

  He forced a laugh. “No. Just give me a few minutes.”

  “All right.” She stood, the piece of paper in her hand, and went outside.

  Josh watched her go, then he jogged up the stairs and into her room where her purse sat on her bed.

  With his hand hovering over the small bag, he hesitated. Did he want to invade her privacy? No, but when he pictured her lying to him about her true motive, playing him, all guilt at digging into her purse and looking at her phone disappeared.

  It only took a moment to turn on her phone and unlock the screen. Surprised, yet glad, that she didn’t have any kind of security on her phone, he tapped on the message icon. She didn’t appear to have very many text threads. Just a few, actually.

  Dashing across the hall and into his own room, which overlooked the backyard, he made sure she was still outside, then he focused back on the phone.

  The most recent texts were from someone named Will.

  Who was he? A boyfriend?

  Josh read the messages, scrolling backwards. Then he reread them, starting with the date Shay had broken into his house up until this morning.

  Where are you, babe? Are you okay?

  It’s been two hours and still no word from you. Where are you?

  I’m getting really worried.

  Why haven’t you answered my texts?

  You know I love you, right?

  Josh frowned. Definitely a boyfriend. Jealousy slashed through him, taking him by surprise.

  Talk to me, babe.

  This is getting ridiculous. Where are you?

  Shay, come on. Where the freak are you?

  I’m starting to lose my patience. You know I’ll find you, right? Better to tell me where you are now.

  If I have to track you down…

  I’m really starting to get pissed.

  Josh’s eyes narrowed. What was this guy’s problem?

  OK. It’s been over twenty-four hours. You know I didn’t mean it, right? You know I love you, right?

  Babe, come on. Talk to me.

  I can’t believe you’re ignoring me. For two days. Really?

  I’m really starting to lose it.

  I don’t have time for this crap, but if this is how you want to play it, it’s your choice.

  I’m done, Shay. I’m done being reasonable.

  I’m gonna find you.

  Was this guy for real? Was he actually looking for her? Why? And what would he do if he found her?

  Concern for Shay growing, Josh turned the phone off and placed it back in her purse before walking down the stairs, his mind racing.

  It was clear she wasn’t a plant trying to delve into his private life, and now her story made so much more sense—why she had quit her job and left with nothing, why she had nowhere to go, why she was so eager to stay
with him. She was hiding from this guy—from Will. Was he just a bully, or was he a real threat?

  Glad now that he’d gone looking for her after kicking her out the morning after she’d arrived, Josh stood at the kitchen window and watched as Shay shoveled dirt.

  The thought of someone coming after her, threatening her…

  Adrenaline pumped through his veins as he imagined having to physically protect her. Then he frowned. He’d barely met her, didn’t know anything about her. So why was he feeling like he needed to be her savior? What had gotten in to him?

  With a shake of his head, he strode to the kitchen door and walked out back.

  Chapter Eighteen

  “‘Bout time,” Shay said with a smile when Josh stopped beside her. She hadn’t been out there very long, but already she had worked up a sweat. She hated feeling sticky, like she needed a shower. Holding the shovel handle in one hand, she placed her other hand on her hip as she turned to him. He held her gaze, but didn’t say anything. Not sure what he was thinking—the man had a talent for wearing a poker face—Shay looked at the ground where she’d been working. “I dug a small hole at the corners of where I think the garden should go. That way we’ll know where to do the tilling. But first we need to remove all the large rocks and the roots.”

  He gazed at her a moment longer before nodding.

  Together they cleared the area, then Josh said, “I’ll grab the tiller and get started.”

  Thrilled that he was so willing to help, Shay said, “I’ll make us something cold to drink.”

  Shay went into Josh’s well-stocked kitchen and gathered the ingredients to make a pitcher of ice-cold lemonade. As she stirred the mixture, she looked out the window and watched Josh controlling the tiller, moving it across the ground as it bit into the dirt. He was completely focused on what he was doing, his well-defined biceps bulging with effort as the machine bucked under his hands.

  Smiling in appreciation at not only how attractive—how completely masculine—he looked as he worked, but also in the fact that he’d jumped into this project with both feet, Shay carried the pitcher and two glasses out to the backyard where she set them on a small table.

  Standing on the edge of the patio, she watched Josh, her attraction to him growing with every passing moment. He didn’t seem to notice her, so she stayed where she was, enjoying the view. Half an hour later he shut off the tiller and wiped his forehead, then turned to her.

  “Looking good,” she called out, then her face reddened. She hoped he thought she meant the work he’d done. Which did look good. But so did he. Very good.

  “Thanks.” He walked over to her, his eyes on her, then they flicked to the lemonade.

  “Thirsty?” she asked as she poured him a glass. It was midday on an early June afternoon, and though it wasn’t as hot in the mountains as it was back in Fresno, working in the bright sun was energy-sapping.

  “Yeah,” he said, taking the glass from her before downing it in one long gulp. He handed her the empty glass. “Thanks.”

  “Let me pour you another.”

  “After I finish tilling.” Then he got back to work.

  As Josh worked the tiller around the garden area, his mind was on Shay and the texts he’d read. By looking at her, he couldn’t tell that she was worried about this guy searching for her. Was he misreading things? Maybe he’d misunderstood. Maybe there was nothing to worry about at all.

  Extremely curious to know the whole story, he wasn’t about to ask her. He had his own secret he was keeping from her—although it wasn’t a secret to millions of sports fans—so he could understand wanting to keep certain information close to the vest. He just hoped she would eventually trust him enough to confide in him.

  An inner voice asked him if he would confide his secret to her, but he immediately silenced it. She was bound to find out who he was eventually, but until then he’d enjoy just being Josh. The guy with the cabin.

  He finished tilling, then he turned to Shay. She was watching him, and when his eyes met hers, she smiled, her face lighting up. She was so beautiful. And now that he knew she wasn’t spying on him, his attraction to her surged.

  He had to reign it in. He didn’t have time for a relationship.

  “What’s next?” he asked, forcing his mind to the task at hand and away from the powerful desire he had to kiss her.

  “Now,” she said as she walked towards him, a glass of lemonade in her hands, “you stay hydrated.”

  He took it from her and laughed. “You sound like my trai—” He’d almost said trainer, but had caught himself in time.

  “Your what?” she asked, her head tilted.

  He downed the lemonade, then held it out for more. “That’s delicious, but I need more. You were right. Gardening is definitely a workout.” He wiped the sweat that was streaming from his forehead as if to emphasize the fact.

  She smiled. “Right?” Then she took his glass and walked over to the table where she’d left the pitcher.

  He watched her go, appreciating the view.

  Shay wondered what Josh had been about to say. Who did she sound like? Like his handler? The one who gave him his killing assignments? Shaking her head at the ridiculousness of it, at the same time she hadn’t missed the fact that he hadn’t completed his thought, hadn’t told her who she sounded like.

  Trying not to worry about it, she filled his glass and carried it back to him, not missing the way his gaze stayed on her. She liked the way he looked at her, like he found her attractive.

  Could there be something there? A future for them?

  The thought jumped into her mind, but she immediately tamped it down. She didn’t know enough about him. Yes, she knew he was gorgeous and sweet and thoughtful. But was that enough?

  She handed him the glass and this time he drank it more slowly.

  He handed it back to her. “What now, boss?”

  Smiling at the term, she said, “Now we mix the compost in. We’ll pour it all over the ground you tilled up, then you can mix it in with the tiller.”

  His eyebrows went up. “More tilling, huh?”

  Guilt swept over her. “I didn’t mean for you to have to do all of this work. This is supposed to be my project.” She paused a beat. “I can…I can run the tiller.”

  He looked at her doubtfully. “You think so?”

  Now she felt a challenge. “Of course.”

  He laughed. “Okay.”

  What had she just agreed to? She’d never run a rototiller before. Then again, how hard could it be?

  Together they dumped all the compost around the garden area, and then Shay walked over to the tiller. When Josh had worked it, she hadn’t paid any attention to how he’d turned the thing on, but determined to figure it out, she looked at the different handles and moved first one then the other. But she was stumped.

  “Need some help?” Josh asked.

  No reason to deny it. “Just to, you know, get it started.”

  He smiled, but walked over to her and gave her a brief tutorial on how to get it going, then demonstrated how to get it to cut into the ground.

  “Thanks,” she said, then she stepped in front of it and grabbed the handles before guiding the blades into the dirt. Though the machine propelled itself forward, it was still a struggle to control it, but Shay persevered, moving forward, her whole body straining to manage the beast.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Josh watched Shay work, impressed that she was willing to try something that was not easy. It only made him like her more. After about five minutes he could tell she was flagging—she’d slowed down and the expression on her face showed she was not enjoying this. Deciding to help her out, he walked up behind her and put his hands on the tiller’s handles.

  The feel of her so close to him sent his attraction to her zooming. What was he doing? Was he simply trying to help her, or had he wanted an excuse to get close to her?

  Knowing it was the latter, he tried to keep his focus on steering the tiller wh
ere he wanted it to go and ignore the light floral scent coming from Shay’s hair.

  When Josh stepped behind her, Shay gasped. Fortunately the rototiller’s motor was loud enough to completely mask the sound. And when his hands grasped the handles as he took control of the rototiller, his body surrounded hers and she could feel his strength. The man was in fantastic shape.

  They walked forward together, moving the tiller across the ground, mixing the compost with the existing soil. Shay loved the feel of Josh so close to her, and rather than feeling stifled, she felt protected and secure.

  They worked this way for several minutes, then Josh shut off the motor and stepped away from her. Immediately missing his presence, Shay turned around to see why he’d stopped.

  “Do you want to continue on your own?” he asked. “Or do you want me to do it?”

  She’d proven to herself that she could do it, although she hadn’t enjoyed it. She was ready to turn it over to Josh if he was willing.

  His lips lifted in a smile. “I’m happy to do it, Shay.”

  “In that case,” she said with a smile, “how about if I fix us a snack?”

  “That sounds good.”

  When she turned to walk away, Josh wanted to reach out and stop her, to take her by the hand and draw her into his arms. Good thing she’d walked out of his reach before he’d acted on that. Getting physical would only lead to trouble.

  He turned the tiller’s engine back on and concentrated on his task.

  As he worked, he asked himself why he was spending so much time on this. He should be in his office studying game tapes and working out in his gym. But he had to admit he was really enjoying himself.

  When he’d finished mixing the compost with the soil, he wheeled the tiller to the side and joined Shay on the shaded patio.