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'I shouldn't have to.' Suddenly the resemblance between brother and sister was striking as Barbara's mouth set in a hard, stubborn line. 'He should trust my choice; he knows I'm no fool.' She shook her head testily. 'And I'm thirty-five years old, for crying out loud! I don't have to explain everything to my brother, do I?'
'No, of course not,' Miriam agreed soothingly. 'But he loves you—'
'I know.' Barbara nodded despondently. 'And I love him too. He's the only person in the world who has ever really cared a jot about me, until I met Craig; I think he kept me sane when I was little—' She suddenly seemed to realise that she had said more than she'd intended and shut her mouth with a little snap, the same cool, aloof mask that habitually clothed her brother's face settling over Barbara's like a veil.
Miriam opened her mouth to reassure Reece's sister that she understood at the same time as the door opened and Reece stood framed in the doorway, his silver eyes narrowing immediately on the two women's faces.
'Finished?' he asked abruptly.
'Just,' Barbara answered quickly as she stood up, smoothing her beautifully cut dress over her slim hips. 'You've found an absolute life-saver here, you know.'
'Yes, I do.' There was something in the deep male voice that caught Miriam's attention, but then he continued in the usual cool, bland tone and she told herself that she must have imagined the husky warmth that she thought she had detected.
'I wondered if you'd like to join us for lunch, Miriam?' he asked expressionlessly as he watched her rise to her feet just as the telephone began to ring on the table at Barbara's side. His sister reached across and listened to the voice on the other end as Miriam stared at Reece in surprise, the sudden invitation numbing her mind, and then Barbara stretched out her arm to her brother, the receiver dangling between her fingertips.
'Sharon,' she said briefly. 'For you.' Her fine eyebrows rose cynically as Reece took the telephone from her with an irritated frown.
'Hello, Sharon.' Reece's voice was cool. 'What can I do for you?'
Now there's a silly question, Miriam thought with painful humour as she watched his hard profile. She knew exactly what the beautiful blonde would like Reece to do for her!
'Yes, seven-thirty for eight; you did mention it,' Reece said quietly into the phone. 'And would you tell your father I shall be bringing the reports we were looking at in the week? They're all complete now,' he continued as Barbara raised wicked eyebrows at Miriam.
'Have you met our sweet little Sharon yet?' she whispered sarcastically as she drew Miriam to one side.
'Yes,' Miriam responded cautiously. Reece's sister was not at all what she had expected. 'Last week, actually.'
'Poisonous little flower, isn't she?' Barbara drawled matter-of-factly, without a shied of malice in her voice. 'I don't think I know of one woman under the age of sixty who gets on with her, she is so openly hostile to her own sex.'
She sighed heavily as she glanced across at her brother. 'But of course the men all love her; they really don't seem to be able to see through her at all. She loathes me,' she added with great satisfaction. 'I've always taken it as an enormous compliment. I can't think of a worse indictment than to have Sharon's approval.'
'I understand the two families are close,' Miriam said diplomatically, without venturing an opinion on Sharon herself. It was one thing for Reece's sister to dislike his girlfriend but quite another for Ins temporary employee to criticise his choice in women.
'Well, the two sets of parents certainly were,' Barbara replied quietly. 'But Reece and I were never at home when we were children. Since our parents died Reece has had more to do with Sharon's father on a business level and I think they get on quite well. Sharon is ten years younger than us so it's only been in the last few years she's really made her presence known.' She glanced at her brother as he wound up the call, his voice terse and his face remote. 'I think she gets on Reece's nerves half the time.'
What about the other half? Miriam thought miserably as she pictured the blonde's beautiful face and figure, hoping that her thoughts didn't show on her face as Reece turned abruptly to join them. 'Well?' He looked straight at Miriam. 'Are you joining us for lunch?'
The image of Sharon was suddenly so real that Miriam could have reached out and touched her and she shook her head quickly, keeping her voice cool but pleasant. 'No, thanks, but it's kind of you to ask. My mother is expecting me.'
'No problem.' The silver-grey eyes were narrowed on her face, as though they wanted to read her mind, and it was with a real effort of will that she broke the piercing gaze, turning and walking to the door as she made her goodbyes to Barbara.
Several mortifying minutes later, when she had tried all the tricks she knew to start the car and was peering despondently under the bonnet, Reece appeared at her side, his face a study in blankness.' 'Antiquated' was the word you used, I think?' he drawled lazily as his head joined hers over the car's insides.
She might have known that he would rub it in, she thought furiously, longing to give the side of the car a massive kick. How could it do this to her? Here, of all places? There was no justice. 'It doesn't like wet weather,' she said tightly as she concentrated on peering at the engine in the murky light, vitally aware of the big dark body neat to her, clothed in a black leather jacket that sat on the broad shoulders in a manner guaranteed to mate any red-blooded female take a second look.
'Who does?' He stood back a pace, folding his arms as he stared at her in the icy drizzle. 'You're getting very wet,' he added conversationally.
'I know.' She glared at him in exasperation. If he hadn't got anything better to say he could clear off back indoors, she thought angrily.
'Do you know how that works?' he asked softly after a long, tense moment when she just knew that he had read her mind. The knowledge was there in the dark glitter of his narrowed eyes and straight, hard set to his mouth.
'Usually.' She straightened as a trickle of very cold water dripped stealthily down the space between her coat and neck and willed herself not to shudder. 'I took a course in car maintenance a couple of years ago.'
'Did you now?' She had seen the flash of surprise in his grey eyes before he could hide it and felt enormously pleased that she had managed to pierce that control just a little.
'Yes.' She smiled sunnily, knowing that it would annoy him. 'It seemed like a good idea at the time and has got me out of quite a few difficulties with this old girl.' She tapped the side of the car gently. 'But not this time, I'm afraid. Could I use your—?'
'I'll give you a lif
