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“We have security cameras in place,” I offered. “I can get you the footage now.”
“Morning will be soon enough, Nicole,” Brody said. “But that’s a good start.”
“Look, I’m doing everything right here. This shit just keeps happening,” Noah said, defensive.
“I’m not the enemy here. I’m just as tied up in this shit show as you are,” I snapped at him. Brody chuckled out loud.
“I’ll talk to you in the morning,” he said, and headed out.
I took one look around, sighed and stalked back to Noah’s stupid truck. I had to pick my way over the uneven ground carefully because I was pretty sure I could fall and knock out my teeth right now and he’d walk right on past me. I could feel the rage seething off of him. When I reached the truck, he honest to God stood there and opened the door for me.
“Need a hand up?” he asked.
“I have long legs,” I said. “I’m fine.”
He nodded, and watched me get in. I felt his eyes on me like he’d run his hand up my leg from ankle to thigh as I stepped into the truck. He shut the door and then rounded the front and climbed in.
“Want me to take you back to the bar? No reason to let it ruin your night.”
“You’re kidding,” I said flatly. “This ruined a lot more than a night. I rode with Trixie, so if you’d just drop me off at home, I’d appreciate it.”
“No problem.”
I gave him directions and we rode in silence until we reached my place. I was off balance from everything that had happened. The fire. His hand on my back. His temper. The sight of him opening my door for me. All of it was more than I could sort out at the moment. That was the only explanation for what came out of my mouth.
“Want to come in for a drink?” I asked.
His eyes slid to mine, locked on. Pleasure, surprise in his gaze. Excitement and fear gripped my stomach. Wanting him to say yes.
11
Noah
“Sure, why not?” I asked. I knew damn well why not. It was against my better judgment, for one thing. I’d seen her shiver in the cold at the job site and it had been hell not just pulling her against me and making her warm. I wanted to taste her, that was reason number one. She was my boss. We had to work together. If I walked in that door, I wasn’t leaving till I’d had her, and we both knew it. She was inviting me in, and the electricity between us was making me crazy. I wasn’t stupid enough to think I was going to go inside, drink one beer and tell her good night, that we’d figure it all out in the morning at the office. No way in hell.
I pocketed my keys and followed her to the door. She unlocked it and I followed her inside. She flipped on the lights, and I took a seat on the couch. She came back with a couple of beers and sat down, not close beside me, but not far off either.
“The tools, we thought that was teenagers,” she said. “But this is different. This seems targeted.”
“I never thought it was teenagers, if you remember,” I said, finishing my beer. She offered me another one and I accepted.
“You have any ideas?” she said.
“Ray Forrester,” I said. “I can’t prove it yet. But he’s pissed he didn’t get the job, and he’s sabotaging me.”
“That seems a little far-fetched. He’s got other jobs, and he’s not sitting around twirling his mustache and trying to ruin the community center,” she said, unconvinced.
“You say that because—”
“I didn’t grow up here? It’s about time people stop throwing that in my face,” she said.
“Do you hear that a lot?”
“Only thing I get more than ‘you’re not from around here’ is ‘honey’,” she said ruefully.
“It’s not been easy for you around here,” I said.
“I don’t need things to be easy. But it would be nice if people didn’t keep reminding me I’m an outsider. How long do I have to live here before people accept that I’m not just passing through?”
“I’d say a couple generations. Once you have grandkids,” I teased.
“Great,” she said, rolling her eyes. “Do you really think it’s Forrester? He showed up at the groundbreaking, but I thought he was showing support. Although he did offer to let me change my mind.”
“About me?” I seethed.
“About who I wanted to build the center. He said you were slow and expensive. Do I look like I want someone cheap and fast?” she asked. Then she blushed, “I mean for the build.”
“You don’t look like you want someone cheap and fast,” I said. “You know the value of a man who takes his time to get the job done right.” My voice was lower than I meant it to be, or maybe it was just right because she leaned in a little closer to hear me.
