Читать книгу McIver's Mission - Brenda Harlen, Brenda Harlen - Страница 12

Shaun didn’t have time to think or plan. It was pure instinct that had him leaping from his chair, knocking Arden from hers and rolling with her to the floor as glass sprinkled down around them.

“Ow. Dammit.” She rubbed the back of her head, her eyes wide with confusion. “What are you doing?”

He felt her shift beneath him. The subtle movement made him all too aware of each and every curve of the body pinned beneath his, causing his to respond in a very predictable fashion. “Stay down.”

“I can’t go anywhere with you sprawled on top of me.”

He felt his lips curve, marveled at the fact that she could make him smile at a time like this. “Don’t move,” he said, slowly levering his body off hers.

Glass crunched beneath his feet as he crouched beside the window and cautiously peered out. People were starting to converge on the sidewalk below, questions and explanations exchanged through a mixture of agitated voices and frantic hand gestures. In the distance he heard the low wail of a police siren.

He returned to Arden, offered a hand to help her to her feet. “Are you okay?”

“I think so. What happened?”

“Somebody took a shot through your window.”

“A shot?” She sounded more puzzled than concerned.

“With a gun,” he clarified, and watched as her cheeks drained of all color. “What did you think that sound was?”

“I thought it was a car backfiring.”

“This is reality, not the movies.”

“This is Fairweather, not Philadelphia,” she countered. “Why would someone be shooting through my window?”

“I’m sure that’s a question the police will be asking you,” Shaun said as the sirens grew closer.

She lifted a hand to push her hair away from her face, and her fingers trembled. She dropped her hand quickly and tucked it into the front pocket of her pants.

“It’s okay to be scared,” he said softly. “And to admit it.”

Arden just shrugged. “I should call my landlord about getting that window fixed.”

He bit back the oath of frustration. Why wouldn’t she open up to him? Why couldn’t she trust him? He decided to try another tack. “Do you want to come home with me until the glass is replaced?”

“That’s one I haven’t heard before.”

He grinned. “I’ve had the pleasure of you writhing beneath me once already, but I thought the next time we might try someplace a little more comfortable than your glass-strewn floor.”

“Is body slamming your usual method for getting a woman horizontal?”

“No,” he admitted. “I don’t usually have to resort to blackmail to get a date, either. You seem to inspire me to new heights, Doherty.”

“Should I be impressed?”

“I might have saved your life.”

“And given me a concussion in the process,” she grumbled.

“Doubtful, considering how hard your head is.” But he combed his fingers through the silky strands of her hair and encountered a small lump at the back of her head. He touched his lips to it gently. “Maybe I do need to work on my knight-in-shining-armor routine.”

She managed a smile. “I guess you did pretty good.”

He let his hand linger at the back of her neck, considered kissing her again. Her eyes were wide, wary, but she didn’t pull away. His gaze dropped to her lips—soft and pink and tempting. Before he could decide whether or not to follow his impulse and cover her lips with his own, a loud knock sounded.

Arden jolted, and the opportunity was lost.

“Fairweather P.D.,” a voice called from the other side of the door. “Is anyone in there?”

Arden moved away from him quickly, her hand not quite steady as she wrapped it around the knob.

An interesting and complicated woman, Shaun mused. She seemed more unnerved by the heightened awareness between them than by the knowledge that she’d been shot at. Her demeanor with the police officer confirmed his suspicions. Arden answered the questions smoothly, her voice never wavering. It was only because he was watching her so closely that he saw the flicker of unease in her eyes, noted the way she clasped and unclasped her fingers.

Almost an hour passed before the officer was gone and the broken window boarded up and they were alone again.

“Do you feel any better?” Shaun asked.

Arden rubbed her hands down her arms and shrugged. “It’s hardly reassuring to know that something like this can happen in this town. And in broad daylight.”

“The police figure it was just a bunch of kids joy-riding in a stolen vehicle.”

“The police don’t know—” her outburst ended abruptly.

Shaun’s eyes narrowed. “What don’t they know?”

She shrugged. “They can’t know anything for sure. Not until they find whoever was in that car.”

It was a valid response, but he somehow knew it wasn’t what she’d originally intended to say. “Do you know something that the police don’t?”

“Of course not,” she denied, but she didn’t look at him.

“Is there any reason for you to think that you might have been the shooter’s target?”

She shook her head. “As the police said, mine weren’t the only windows blown out.”

He nodded slowly, but he wasn’t convinced.

“I’m going to get some Tylenol,” she said. “My head is still pounding.”

Shaun nodded again, wondering how his life had become so complicated since yesterday afternoon. The answer was obvious: Arden. Since he’d encountered her in the park less than twenty-four hours earlier, he’d experienced a wider range of emotions than at any time in the past twenty-four months. Empathy, compassion, attraction, desire. He’d held her while she cried, he’d laughed with her, argued with her and dodged bullets with her. It made him wonder what other surprises might be in store if he spent more time in her company. One thing he knew for sure: he wouldn’t be bored.

“I was about to tell you that I needed a date,” he said when she returned. “Before we were so rudely interrupted by gunfire.”

“You need a date?” Her voice was filled with skepticism.

He nodded. “For the Criminal Lawyers’ Association Annual Ball.”

“Are you asking for a recommendation?”

“No. I want you to go with me.”

She raised an eyebrow, and he wondered if she had any idea how sexy she looked, how his blood heated when he thought about that kiss—and about kissing her again. It didn’t matter that she wasn’t his type, that he wasn’t in the market for a romance right now.

He was concerned about her. He knew there was something going on in her life, something that worried her, and he figured if he spent some time with Arden, it might encourage her to confide in him. And if they engaged in a little flirting or shared a few kisses along the way, well, there was no harm in that.

“I don’t date lawyers,” she reminded him.

He’d heard her the first time, but her insistence only made him all the more determined to break through her barriers. Because he was concerned about her, he reminded himself again.

“It wouldn’t really be a date,” he said.

“I’m not agreeing to be your pretend date,” she said, sounding miffed. “And I don’t believe you’re so desperate you’d need to take me. The ball isn’t until sometime in December. I’m sure you’ll be able to find a date before then.”

“I want a date who won’t have any expectations.”

“How do you know I won’t?” she challenged.

“Because you’ve already stated—twice—that you don’t date lawyers, and you’re about as interested as I am in a romantic relationship.”

“That’s not a very flattering invitation.”

“I could try flattery,” he admitted. “But you’d see right through me.”

“I might have appreciated the effort, though.”

Shaun grinned. “I thought you’d appreciate a more honest approach.”

“The answer’s still no.”

“I haven’t finished outlining the terms of the proposed contract.”

“Contract?” Her lips twitched in the beginnings of a smile. “And what kind of consideration would I get for entering into this contract?”

She sounded so sexy when she was in lawyer mode; the combination of that smoky voice and cool attitude went straight to his loins. “Other than the pleasure of my company?”

“Other than that,” she agreed dryly.

Now he smiled. “Tickets to the opening night performance of Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead next month.” He’d learned, again courtesy of Greta Dempsey, that Arden loved the theater. It was a happy coincidence that he had season tickets to the Fairweather Players’ Theater.

Arden’s eyes narrowed. “That’s an interesting offer.”

She was practically salivating, but he wasn’t above sweetening the deal. “Box seats.”

“Damn,” she swore under her breath, but she was smiling. “I really don’t want to go to the ball. All those lawyers, talking shop.” He didn’t think her shudder was feigned.

“But you really want to see that play,” he guessed.

“How did you know?”

He didn’t think it necessary to tip his hand just yet. He had a feeling that Mrs. Dempsey might be an invaluable ally, but not if Arden knew he was tapping her for information. “Is it a deal?”

“I’ll check my calendar.” She came back into the kitchen with her appointment book in hand. “When is the ball?”

“Saturday, December fourth.”

She flipped through the book. “I have appointments that day.”

“In the evening?”

“Well…no,” she admitted.

“Then pencil me in,” he told her.

She did so, but with obvious reluctance. Her calendar, he could tell even from a distance, was quite full.

“Is it hard dealing with marital disputes day after day?” he asked.

“No harder than dealing with career criminals, I imagine.”

Shaun grinned at the jibe. “Did you ever consider anything but family law?”

“No.”

“Why not?”

She shrugged. “I just felt that it was the one field in which I could make a difference for people.”

He hesitated, certain she wouldn’t appreciate his prying. Still, he felt compelled to ask, “But at what cost to yourself?”

“What do you mean?”

“You were a wreck yesterday, Arden.” His words were gentle but firm.

“Yesterday was the first time I buried a client. I think I was entitled to a few tears.”

“Nobody’s suggesting otherwise,” he agreed.

She folded her arms over her chest, a clearly defensive stance. He decided to back off—at least a little.

“Do you believe that happily-ever-afters can happen?” he asked.

“I like to think so,” she admitted. “But it’s hard to imagine, when I spend so much time dealing with the aftermath of relationships that fall apart.”

“What about Colin and Nikki?”

“I think they’re the exception rather than the rule.”

“Maybe,” he allowed.

“And they had their share of heartache first,” she reminded him.

“Some would call it paying their dues.” And they had both paid dearly when Colin walked out on the wife he hadn’t known was carrying his child. He hadn’t trusted that Nikki loved him enough to move halfway across the country with him. When Colin had finally come home, Nikki hadn’t trusted that he loved her enough to stay. But somehow they’d worked through the barriers of the past and were now blissfully happy together—Colin and Nikki and their daughter, Carly.

“I don’t ever want to fall in love if that’s the price I have to pay,” Arden said.

“You’ve never been in love?”

She shook her head. “No.”

He sat back and studied her. It was hard to believe that a woman who was thirty-one years of age had never been in love. Then again, he had been in love, and he couldn’t think of a whole hell of a lot to recommend it.

Still, he wanted a partner with whom to share his life. Someone with similar goals and values. And he wanted to have children. Not that he was in any particular rush to get married and start a family, but someday.

So he’d approached the problem like any other legal dilemma: with reason and research. He’d even made a list of the attributes he wanted in a wife: nurturing personality, good with kids. He would prefer to find a woman who’d be willing to stay at home to raise their children. His practice was successful enough that they wouldn’t need a second income, but he was willing to be flexible. His wife could work, so long as her choice of career wasn’t too demanding.

His sister-in-law had laughed when he’d explained his criteria to her. Nikki had accused him of trying to pencil love into his Daytimer like a court appearance, of wanting a woman who would be his subordinate rather than an equal partner. Shaun couldn’t deny there was probably some truth in that. After all, it had worked for his parents. And his experience with Jenna had shown him how easily conflicting ambitions could destroy a relationship.

He wasn’t looking for love. He didn’t want passion. No, thanks. He’d tried that before, and although fun while it lasted, it hadn’t lasted long. He wasn’t prepared to go through that heartache again.

Still, he couldn’t deny that he was attracted to Arden. Which made him wonder why he’d ever suggested this friendship thing. It would be a lot easier to get her out of his mind—and out of his fantasies—if he wasn’t spending time with her.

But, no, he had to propose that they be friends. Yeah, like that was likely. And they had a date scheduled for the annual ball in December. Not a date—a contract. An exchange of service for consideration.

He frowned. He’d never had to bribe a woman to go out with him before. He might try to convince himself he was sticking close to Arden to look out for her, but the truth was that he just wanted to be with her.

Shaun didn’t like to admit how often his thoughts wandered to Arden throughout the following week. How many times he picked up the phone, tempted to call her. Just to see how she was doing. He told himself it was because he was concerned about her, but he knew it was more than that.

He was attracted to her. He wanted her. And he had no idea what to do about it.

She’d made it clear she wasn’t interested. She wasn’t looking for a relationship, and she didn’t want to get involved with him. He’d have to be a complete idiot not to get the hint. He wasn’t an idiot.

He also wasn’t able to turn down a challenge.

Arden challenged him. It wasn’t a macho thing. It wasn’t that he wanted to get her into bed just to prove to himself that he could. He did want her in bed—after all, he was a healthy, fully functioning man—but it was more than that.

He liked that they had so much in common, and that they argued. Arden wasn’t afraid to disagree, to stand up for what she believed in. She had strength and conviction and heart. And the memory of the kiss they’d shared continued to linger in his mind and haunt his dreams.

Of course, she was a lawyer, and that was a pretty big stumbling block as far as he was concerned. He wouldn’t get involved with another lawyer—he’d made that mistake once already. He’d met Jenna while they were both attending law school at Harvard, and the attraction between them had sparked from the first. She was everything he’d ever thought he wanted in a woman: beautiful, sophisticated, intelligent, ambitious. He’d thought theirs was a love of the happily-ever-after variety; he hadn’t anticipated that her ambition would override all else.

He didn’t blame Jenna for walking out on him. She’d always been honest about what she wanted, and she’d made no secret of the fact that she did not want to stay in “Small Town Pennsylvania,” as she’d dubbed his hometown. It was Shaun who’d made the mistake of assuming she could be happy there, that her love for him would override her plans for her career.

He’d been wrong.

When she’d received an offer from a high-profile criminal defense firm in Boston, she hadn’t even hesitated. She had asked him to go back to Boston with her, but just as she’d known she’d never be happy in Fairweather, Shaun knew he’d never be happy anywhere else.

Maybe he hadn’t loved her as much as he thought he had. If she’d really been “the one,” he would have gone. And if she’d really loved him, she would have stayed.

He’d reached two conclusions as a result of his experience with Jenna. One, similar goals and expectations were more important to the success of a relationship than either sex or love. Two, he would not get involved with another lawyer. The next time he fell in love it would be with a woman who could love him back, who would be willing to put their relationship above all else.

Which proved that he shouldn’t even be thinking about Arden Doherty. By her own admission, Arden was committed to her career; her clients were the focus of her life.

Then again, just because she was the wrong woman from a relationship perspective didn’t mean that they couldn’t be friends. Except that he’d never found himself so preoccupied by thoughts of a “friend” before.

When the phone on his desk buzzed, Shaun picked up the receiver, grateful for the interruption. “Yes?”

“There’s a Ms. Doherty here to see you,” his receptionist informed him.

He felt his lips curve. “Send her in, Claire.”

“She doesn’t have an appointment,” Claire said pointedly.

“That’s okay,” he said. “She’s a friend.”

“All right.” But the receptionist didn’t sound pleased by this overt breach of office policy.

Shaun didn’t care. Arden was here.

He cleared his throat, banished the grin from his face and grabbed one of the files that was stacked on the corner of his desk. He flipped it open, pretending to be hard at work.

When he heard the knock and saw Arden peek around the door, the smile that returned to his lips was completely natural. He’d carried a mental picture of her in his mind all week, but it didn’t compare to the reality of her. There was something about Arden that reached him on a basic level and stirred his most primal urges.

Today she was wearing a dark-green skirt and jacket with a cream colored blouse. Her hair was twisted into some kind of fancy knot at the back of her neck, but a few strands had escaped to frame the clear creamy skin of her face. “Arden.” He stood up from behind his desk. “This is a surprise.”

“Next time I’ll make an appointment.”

His smile widened. He liked to think that Arden would have reason to come by his office again—as any friend might. “Claire takes her job seriously,” he apologized.

“Well, obviously you’re busy—”

“Not too busy,” he interrupted to assure her. “Have a seat.”

She hesitated, then moved over to one of the chairs facing his desk. She perched herself on the edge of the seat, the green skirt riding up on her thighs, exposing a few more inches of creamy flesh.

“Nice office,” she said, surveying the spacious surroundings.

He managed to tear his gaze away from her legs before she caught him staring. “I like it.”

She glanced at him, and their eyes locked for a long moment. Shaun would have sworn the air crackled with the awareness between them. Then she looked away and the moment passed, or maybe he’d just imagined it.

“I was heading back to my office after court,” she said, “and I thought I should stop by to return this.” She took his handkerchief out of her pocket, passed it across the desk to him.

He’d forgotten that she had it. He tucked it into his own pocket. “Aren’t you going to be at Carly’s birthday party tomorrow?”

Arden nodded. “Yes. I thought about waiting to return it, but I wasn’t sure if I’d have a chance to speak to you alone. Not that I want to be alone with you. I mean—”

She broke off, drew in a deep breath. He fought against the grin that tugged at his lips. Damn, but she was cute when she was flustered.

“I only meant that I didn’t want Nikki to know that I had your handkerchief, because then she’d have a ton of questions. She worries about me,” Arden admitted reluctantly.

“It’s natural to worry about those you love.” He tilted his head, studying her. “Why does that bother you?”

She shrugged. “Because it’s unnecessary.”

One day, he promised himself, he would get to the bottom of this stubborn independence of hers. He’d find out what had happened to make her so unwilling to rely on others, so reluctant to accept help when it was offered. For now it was enough that she was here.

“I saw you and Warren Blake having coffee at the courthouse Monday.” He wasn’t sure what compelled him to blurt out the statement. He hadn’t realized that the sight of Arden with the assistant district attorney had bothered him, but apparently it had, more than he wanted to admit.

“And?” she prompted, sounding baffled.

He shrugged. “I thought you didn’t date lawyers.”

“Is that a not-so-subtle way of asking about my relationship with Warren?”

He didn’t give a damn about being subtle, and he didn’t like the way the man’s name had rolled off her tongue. “Do you have a relationship with Blake?”

“Do you have a problem with the new ADA?” she countered.

“He’s arrogant and self-righteous and unreasonable.”

She raised an eyebrow. “Did he refuse to grant bail to one of your clients?”

He had, but “That’s not the point.”

She smiled.

“He was hanging all over you.”

“Not that it’s any of your business,” Arden told him. “But we were having a professional discussion over coffee.”

Her explanation failed to appease him. A professional discussion. “Since when do you represent criminal defendants?”

“I do a lot of work with young offenders,” she told him.

“Oh.” He’d forgotten that. Still, he didn’t like the way Blake had been looking at her. Not that he could blame the man for finding Arden attractive, but he sensed it was something more than that. He had no grounds for his suspicions, though, so he kept them to himself.

“Any more questions?” Arden asked.

“Not right now.”

“Good.” She stood up. “I have to get back to the office.”

But Shaun was reluctant to let her go. “I haven’t forgotten about your bookshelves,” he told her. “I just haven’t had a chance to get the wood.”

“I’m not in a hurry.”

“Oh. Okay. I’ll call you, then, when I’m ready to get started.”

“Sure,” she agreed. Then, “I’ll see you at Colin and Nikki’s tomorrow?”

He nodded, already looking forward to it.

It was amazing, Arden thought as she stepped out of the path of an oncoming child, how vocal a group of six-year-olds could be. And it wasn’t a particularly large group, either. She tried to count the heads as they rushed past, but they changed direction in midstream, circled around and disappeared up the stairs again.

“How many kids are here?” she asked Nikki.

“Six,” her cousin answered. “Including Carly.”

“I never would have thought that six kids could make so much noise.”

Nikki shrugged. “You get used to it.”

“How long is this party supposed to last?”

“Until three o’clock.”

Arden glanced at her watch. It was a little past one. The party had started at noon, with hot dogs and potato chips for lunch. Then Carly had opened her presents, and now the kids were playing some kind of game that apparently required running around the house at full speed and full volume. Arden concentrated on helping Nikki pick up the scattered remnants of wrapping paper and ribbon, refusing to think about the fact that Shaun had yet to make an appearance.

“How’s your new associate working out?” Nikki asked.

“Good. It took her a while to get her bearings, but she’s settling in well.”

“So what’s bothering you?”

“Nothing.”

Nikki sent her a pointed look; Arden sighed.

“I’m not sure.”

“Must be a man,” Nikki said, smiling.

“No. Well, sort of.”

“He’s sort of a man?”

Arden laughed. He was definitely a man. “He sort of bothers me.”

“It’s about time.”

“What do you mean?”

“You always close yourself off from people, never letting anyone get too close. If he bothers you, it means he’s getting to you.”

Arden frowned. It frustrated her to realize that she still carried the emotional scars from a man who’d been gone from her life for so long, and that her inherent distrust was so apparent. “Do you think I’m cold?”

“No,” Nikki responded immediately. “You’re the warmest, most giving and caring person I know, but you don’t often let other people see it.”

Arden stuffed a wad of wrapping paper into the bag in Nikki’s hand.

“Does he see it?” Nikki asked.

“He thinks he does.”

Nikki grinned. “I like him already.”

“You would,” Arden muttered.