Blade shook his head. Now he knew for certain that he wouldn’t make it. Elsie Fowler’s niece, Sharon what’s-her-name, was not his type. She was the clingy kind who hadn’t been all that great in bed. “Okay, Mama Laverne, I’ll talk to you later.”

He hung up, glad to end the call. His great-grandmother meant well, but they had different opinions about things, namely his marital status and his social life. The old gal was a die-hard matchmaker. And from what he’d heard, she used to be good at it back in the day. Five of her seven daughters-in-laws had been handpicked. And now she was trying to step back into that role. All of her great-grandchildren were well aware that she was trying to marry them off. Blade even suspected she had something to do with Luke and Mac getting together. It was a good thing she didn’t know of his interest in Sam or she would have taken it the wrong way. The only thing he was interested in was getting her in his bed, nothing more.

After emptying his beer bottle and putting it in the recycling bin, he made his way to the living room. It was a Thursday night and in his corner of the world, the weekend didn’t start on Friday. It started tonight. He picked up the phone to call his friends Wyatt Bannister and Tanner Jamison to see if they were interested in heading over to Sisters, a restaurant where they knew single women liked to hang out. He was back on familiar turf and he felt good about it.

Chapter 4

“Welcome back, Sam. How did things go with your parents?” Mac asked as soon as Sam walked into the conference room.

She made a face as she sat down in one of the chairs at the large oval table.

“Mmm, that bad?” Peyton inquired as a grin spread across her lips.

“Worse. They weren’t expecting me, so I figured I would have the element of surprise on my side, but that wasn’t the case. Even with such short notice they were able to make sure Cash Larkin made an appearance.”

“Cash Larkin?” Peyton asked as she spread cream cheese on her bagel. “Who’s Cash Larkin?”

“He’s a new attorney at the firm. He’s been there for about six months or so. My parents think he has a promising career and is just the man to marry their daughter. Sound familiar?”

“Will they ever learn?” Peyton asked, smiling.

“Apparently not.”

Mac shook her head and then asked, “Did you accomplish what you set out to do?”

“With my parents, maybe. But I’m not sure about Cash. I don’t know what my parents said to him, but I think he assumed that a serious relationship with me was a done deal. I hate to burst his bubble because he is a cutie.”

“If he’s a cutie then why burst his bubble?” Peyton asked with a serious expression on her face. “You shouldn’t assume he’ll be like Guy. Who knows? He just might be the one.”

Sam didn’t reply, since Peyton was only echoing what her parents had said. She couldn’t go through life blaming every man for what Guy had done to her. All men weren’t like him.

“It doesn’t matter if he’s nothing like Guy,” she finally said. “I’m not interested in Cash. Besides, there wasn’t any chemistry between us. No heat.”

Peyton raised an eyebrow. “None?”

“Not enough to make me pause. Like I said, he’s good-looking. He has a good body, nice teeth, but that’s about it,” she said. What she wouldn’t say was that compared to Blade Madaris he lacked just about everything. He didn’t have that swagger, that intense look in his eyes, and when she shook Cash’s hand, all she felt was a warm, clammy palm—not a spark of hot desire.

“How does he kiss?” Mac asked.

Sam shrugged. “Don’t know. We didn’t get that far.” And it wasn’t for lack of trying on his part, she thought, remembering the couple of times he tried to get her alone. She just wasn’t feeling him. Maybe it had been the wrong thing to do, but she had compared Cash to Blade. There had been more than just chemistry between her and Blade, even when she hadn’t wanted to admit it. Even when she had denied it to herself and to him.

The moment he’d showed up at Mac’s rehearsal dinner, Sam knew he would be trouble. She had watched him out of the corner of her eye as he smoothly checked out the women, mostly single female friends of Mac. And she knew the moment his gaze landed on her. Later that night, when everyone left the church for the rehearsal dinner, he’d approached her to make small talk. But she’d stopped him cold with an icy look before he could even get in a word.

“Well, I hate to change the subject, but I have some good news to share with everyone,” Mac said.

Sam sat up straight and looked over at her expectantly. “What’s your good news?”

Mac was beaming brightly. “Well, it’s not really my good news personally, but good news about people I care about. First, Ashton called yesterday to say that Nettie is expecting.”

“Wow!” Peyton said, clapping her hands. “That’s wonderful!”

“He didn’t predict triplets again?” Sam asked, smiling. Everyone knew the story of how Mac’s cousin had said Nettie would be having triplets—three sons—even after the doctor had convinced Nettie she would never have children.

“No, he says it’s just one baby this time. A daughter,” Mac said, chuckling. “And,” she continued, “Luke talked to Slade last night. He and Skye are expecting.”

“I think we really do have a reason to go over to Twains after work to celebrate,” Sam said. She had met Skye at one of Mac’s bridal showers and had immediately liked her. She was down-to-earth and friendly.

“I agree,” Peyton interjected.

Mac chuckled. “Count me in.”

Sam nodded. She was happy for Nettie and Skye. They had fallen in love and married good men. Sam had met Ashton while she and Mac were roommates in law school. Sam had had a crush on him for a while. It was a man-in-uniform thing. As far as Slade was concerned, although he was Blade’s twin brother, the two looked and acted nothing alike. Slade was handsome in his own right, but his disposition was entirely different from Blade’s. They were like night and day. It was easy to see that Blade was a man who enjoyed women, and it was just as obvious that Slade was a man who could be loyal to only one woman. It was there in his eyes whenever he looked at his wife. Blade wouldn’t know how to look at a woman like that. He wouldn’t know the first thing about making a woman feel like she was the only one, mainly because with him she wouldn’t be.

“Okay, it’s time to get down to business,” Mac said.

Sam put her case files on the table. Mac was right. It was time to get down to business and that meant eliminating any thoughts of Blade Madaris.

Blade drove the rental car to the rodeo construction site. After he parked the car, he turned his attention to the men from Madaris Construction who were hard at work on what would be Luke’s rodeo school.

Weather permitting, the project would be completed on time, and Luke’s school would be finished by the end of the month. Mac was hoping to host a grand opening the first of June, which meant landscape work had to be finished by then, as well. The timing was good, since some of the same men on Luke’s project would be working on the Mosley Building.

Blade got out of the car and pushed his Stetson back off of his forehead with his thumb. He hadn’t had time to drop by and check on the progress at the site when he’d been in Oklahoma City a couple of weeks ago. In fact, he hadn’t been to the construction site since the foundation had been poured.

The building was huge and consisted of two floors, which would give Luke all the space he needed to teach others what he had been taught. From what Blade had heard, there was already a waiting list of eager rodeo students.

“You’re back?”

Blade turned and saw Luke coming out of the barn. He couldn’t help but chuckle and say, “Hey, you could act like you’re glad to see me.”

“Whatever,” Luke said, giving him a bear hug. “Like I don’t know the real reason you returned.”

Blade looked away and observed one of the men installing a window on the second floor. His cousin was the last person he would have told that he hadn’t been himself lately. He’d done what he always did when he’d returned to Houston and had gone out with Wyatt and Tanner to their usual spots. But he hadn’t had a burning desire to sleep with any of the women he saw there. He actually thought he was coming down with something until he’d figured out just what was wrong with him. The kiss he’d shared with Sam had done him in. He’d never kissed a woman that way without the two of them ending up in bed. That meant that he and Sam had unfinished business. In order for him to move on, he needed to get her out of his system.

“Any news from the home front?” Luke asked, prompting Blade to turn around and look at him.

Blade couldn’t help but smile. “I’m sure you’ve heard about Ashton and Slade.”

Luke nodded.

“And I don’t know if you’ve heard about it yet, but Reese got a promotion,” Blade added.

“No, I hadn’t heard,” said Luke. “A promotion to what?”

“He’s foreman of Madaris Explorations.”

Luke frowned. “But that’s Trevor’s job.”

Blade chuckled. “Not anymore.” Trevor was a family friend and had worked as their cousin Dex’s foreman for years.

“Trevor is opening a facility to train ex-military men. It’s for those interested in tactical military operations.”

“Sounds deep.”

Blade laughed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Knowing Trevor, it will be. And I understand Drake Warren might be working with him at some point. And if Ashton ever decides to retire from the military, he’ll be joining them, as well.”

Luke leaned back against the post. Blade could feel his cousin studying him. He looked at him. “What’s wrong?”

“You tell me. Why are you back?”

Blade took a breath and looked away momentarily to where three of his men were working on the roof of the building, installing shingles. There was no way he was going to confess to Luke the real reason he was back in town, especially since Sam was Mac’s best friend. Since getting married, Luke had become a damn knight in shining armor.

He glanced back at his cousin. “I told you I would be coming back.”

“You said in three weeks, not two.”

Blade leaned against the post that was supporting Luke’s weight. “There are more permits I need to file at the courthouse for the Mosley Building,” he said. He didn’t like having to explain his reasons for anything he did to anyone, not even Luke.

“That’s it?”

Blade met Luke’s gaze directly. “Is there supposed to be more?”

“You tell me.”

Blade knew he couldn’t very well do that. The less Luke knew of his plans for Sam the better. Besides, there were certain things he couldn’t explain to Luke because he didn’t understand them himself. Like why the women back in Houston had suddenly become uninteresting to him. While he had been home, he had begun to take a closer look at the women he’d been dating and had found them lacking, except in the bedroom. But now even that wasn’t enough to hold his interest.

“There’s nothing to tell. When is Mac coming home?” he asked, changing the subject.

The look Luke gave him let Blade know his cousin knew exactly what he was doing and that he wasn’t taking the bait.

“Usually she’s home by now, but she called a few minutes ago to say that she, Peyton and Sam are going for drinks after work to celebrate.”

“To celebrate what?”

“Ashton and Skye’s news. They’ll be going somewhere to eat afterward, so if you haven’t eaten yet you might as well join me for dinner. And if you don’t have a place to stay while you’re in town, you know you’re welcome to stay here.”

“Thanks, but I’ll be at the hotel. It’s located downtown near the courthouse where I need to transact business. There are a number of permits I need to get pulled.”

Although Luke wasn’t saying anything, Blade was aware that his cousin knew enough about the construction business to know that he didn’t have to come to Oklahoma City himself to pull any permits. Blade had people working for him who could have performed those tasks.

He glanced over at Luke. “So what’s for dinner?”

“A casserole.”

Blade smiled. At Morehouse that had been Luke’s specialty. He, Luke and Slade had shared an apartment not far from campus, and the one thing they could look forward to was Luke’s casseroles.

“You didn’t say how long you plan on being in town, Blade.”

No, he hadn’t, Blade thought. “Not sure yet,” he answered. And then he added. “I’ll know by the middle of the week.”

Hopefully by then I’ll have a plan, he thought. There was no way he could tell Luke that he would remain in town for as long as it took to get Sam into his bed.

The man glanced around thinking this particular restaurant seemed as good a place as any for them to meet. He glanced over at the woman who was already there waiting for him.

She looked a little different today and he immediately knew what it was. She was wearing makeup. No doubt to impress him, since she fancied herself in love with him. And she probably thought he had fallen in love with her, as well. He shrugged. What she thought wasn’t his concern. But if believing such would assure that she continued to provide him with the information he needed, then so be it.

He sat in the chair across from her. “You look pretty today.”

“Thanks.” She smiled. His compliment had pleased her, so he would make sure to shower her with more in the future. After a few minutes of small talk, in which he told her again how nice she looked, he said, “The flowers are still being delivered.” It was a statement and not a question.

“Each week, and they are beautiful, too. She likes them and doesn’t suspect a thing.”

He nodded, glad to hear it.

“She thinks she has a secret admirer.”

He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of that, and thanks to Samari Di Meglio he’d had very little to smile about over the past few years. He wasn’t a secret admirer—far from it. But if she wanted to think that she could certainly do so. When she discovered the truth it would be too late to do anything about it.

“How long will you continue to send the flowers to her?”

The annoyingly soft voice had interrupted his thoughts. Now she was asking a question that really wasn’t any of her business. His jaw tightened. His gaze narrowed. “For as long as I want,” he said in a chillingly cold tone.

He saw the look in her eyes, the flash of fear. He breathed in deeply, knowing that he had to get his feelings under control. The last thing he needed was to make her wary of giving him the information he needed.

He reached out and touched her hand, held it in his for a while. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But I’ve told you why I need to make her remember what she’s done, and why she has to pay for doing it.”

The woman nodded. Of course, he hadn’t told her everything. He’d told her just enough to get her sympathy to do what he needed her to do. She assumed the most he would do was scare and harass Samari Di Meglio for a while, and not do anything really serious to harm her. He smiled to himself at the thought of that. Little did the woman sitting across from him know, but he had a much bigger and more sinister plan. It was one he had worked on for years. Now the time had come and no one, and he meant no one, would stand in his way.

Chapter 5

Sam glanced up when she heard the buzzing sound from Security. She reached over and pressed the button on her intercom. “Yes, Rita?”

“There’s someone here to see you.”

Sam arched an eyebrow. The office had closed hours ago. After work, she, Mac and Peyton had gone to Twains, the bar and grill on the corner, to have a drink to celebrate Ashton’s and Skye’s news. They’d also ordered dinner. Afterward, Mac and Peyton had left for home, but since she had been out the past week, Sam had decided to return to the office to catch up on paperwork.

Their building was in a very busy section of town with a popular restaurant a few doors down. But that hadn’t stopped someone from ransacking Mac’s office last year. That incident had prompted them to hire a twenty-four hour security service, since at any time of day, any one of them might be working late at the office. Rita Wilder, one of their three security guards, worked twelve-hour shifts three days a week—from nine in the morning to nine at night. On occasion, however, she made extra money working overtime by staying late. Frank Denson worked the same number of days from nine at night to nine in the morning. And Marlon Fisher covered everything else. Sam was confident they had a top-notch security team, although Rita sometimes got lost in her romance novels.

“Who is it, Rita?” she asked. She couldn’t imagine anyone dropping by the office this late. If anyone glanced in the window, however, they would see the lights were still on in her office and her car was still parked outside.

“He says his name is Blade Madaris.”

The air in the room seemed to suddenly evaporate, and she could hear the pounding of her heart in her chest. What was Blade doing here? When had he returned to Oklahoma City? The last time she’d seen him, his parting words had been that he would see her in three weeks, and it hadn’t been three weeks yet.

“Ms. Di Meglio?”

She could tell from the sound of Rita’s voice that she was probably annoyed that someone had interrupted her novel. “Yes, Rita?”

“Well, do you want me to send him up or not?”

Sam’s first impulse was to say no, to tell Rita to advise him to come back during regular business hours. A smile touched Sam’s lips at how that sort of message would be received. It definitely wouldn’t go over well.

She wouldn’t put it past him to sit in the parking lot and wait until she finally left the building, since he knew she wouldn’t be working all night. Against her better judgment, she inhaled a deep breath and said, “Yes, Rita. Let him in.”

Realizing the impact of her words made her blood surge through her veins. There was a tightness that wedged in her chest. Suddenly, her tongue remembered the taste of him and she forced herself to swallow hard, to fight back the tingling sensation that was sweeping through her body.

Her ears perked up. She could hear the sound of his footsteps as he walked down the hall toward her office. They were paced with practiced precision. The sound of his feet making contact with the floor was hypnotic. She could just imagine the swagger in his every step.

Sam turned to her computer to save the document she’d been working on, and began wondering why Blade was here in her office. Deep down she knew the reason. She had explained it all to Mac a week ago. He saw her as the one who got away. The one he wasn’t finished with yet. The one who refused to let him get to first base. And for a man who was used to hitting home runs, a strikeout was unacceptable.

Usually she would enjoy flirting with a man, especially one who was a player and who she intended to set up for a fall, but not tonight. Blade had a way of unnerving her, and she knew she had to be on her guard around him.

She pushed her chair back and stood, deciding she needed to be on her feet when he entered her office. He was a lot taller than she was, and she still had to look up at him, but not as far.

She came around her desk and leaned her bottom against it. Too late, she realized this was the exact position he’d left her in the last time he’d seen her two weeks ago. The very same day he had kissed her senseless.

Before she could change positions or move to another spot in the room, she heard him take the final step down the hall, and when she looked toward her door, he was there. Her eyes locked on his face, but her breath took in all of him. His manly scent was forcing her to exert a degree of self-control she hadn’t had to exercise in a long time.

She allowed her gaze, just for a moment, to take in his entire body. He wore a pair of dark tailored trousers, an expensive looking dress shirt, a designer sports coat and Italian loafers. As usual, he looked far too sexy for his own good and for hers. He had a body built for whatever he wanted to use it for, and she had more than an idea just what that was.

She inhaled deeply, remembering two could play his game, and at that moment she decided that yes, she would play. And win. She had given him fair warning and he hadn’t heeded it. Instead, the last time they were together he had taken her mouth and done delicious things to it, things she was still losing sleep over. His kiss had been greedy. He’d made it wet. He had flavored it with desire and seduction and then delivered it with a tongue that should be outlawed. But she couldn’t think about any of those things now. This was war.

“Blade, what are you doing here?”

He leaned in the doorway, showcasing impressive muscles, a sleek build and a flabless, taut body that most men would give just about anything to have.

“I came to see you.”

His deep, sexy voice was as potent as anything she’d ever heard, and it sent a yearning, a kind she’d never felt before, through her. Deciding that standing on her feet wasn’t such a good idea, after all, she forced her legs to move as she went back to sit behind her desk.

“Why? And how did you know where I was?” she asked, forcing herself to breathe, and at the same time concentrate on the question she’d just asked.

He took his time answering and continued to look at her. The heat of his gaze was like a soothing caress. “I needed to see you again,” he finally said. “And I knew you were here from Mac. I was at her place when she came home. And when I asked about you, she mentioned you were working late tonight.”

Sam frowned. “She would not have told you that had she known you were going to disturb me.”

He shrugged easily. “Probably not. It wasn’t my intention to disturb you, but my hotel happens to be right up the street.”

How convenient, Sam thought, and then let her mind wander, thinking about all those things they could do in his hotel room. All those things they could do right here. Thank God Rita was up front, although the security guard was probably sitting at her desk, consumed by her novel. But if she heard a lot of unusual noises she would come and investigate. And what Rita would see with her own eyes would put those romance novels to shame.

Sam felt her knees get weak and was glad she was sitting down. Now was not the time to think of all the things Blade could do to her or all the things she could do to him. Nor should she dwell on all those things they could do to each other. The man standing across the room looking so delicious she could eat him alive was a bona fide player. He needed to be taught a lesson, regardless of the sexual chemistry between them. He was too arrogant, too sure of himself to suit her. And when she finished with him he would regret the day he’d ever broken any woman’s heart.

But she knew Blade was not a fool. If she appeared too eager, then he would know she was up to something. So she would take her time, play the part of the reluctant but horny woman, and let him work hard for her. Eventually, he would assume that he was getting close to breaking down her resolve. She, of course, would let him think that. She would tease him mercilessly, even give him a little sample of what he thought he would be getting. She would enjoy building him up, just to break him down. She would be the one to teach him the lesson he sorely deserved to learn.

Blade Madaris had finally met his match.

Blade wondered what Sam was thinking, since he knew for certain that something was going on in that pretty little head of hers.

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