Free McIver's Mission by Brenda Harlen Page B

needed to
discuss something, even though she had no idea what that "something"
was.
    They took their coffee—or rather, Arden took her
coffee and Shaun took his tea—to a small table on the perimeter of the café
where lush, overgrown foliage spilling out of clay pots gave the misplaced
illusion of a tropical rainforest.
    "How is the new lawyer working out?" Shaun
asked when they were seated.
    Arden wasn't sure if she detected some personal
interest in the question or if he was just making conversation.
"Fine," she said.
    Shaun's lips curved, and Arden felt her insides melt.
At least she knew she wasn't the only woman to react this way. Marcy had
practically dissolved at his feet when he'd aimed that smile at her.
    "Good. It will be easier for you to get away for
a weekend if you have someone to hold down the fort."
    "I don't have any reason to get away for a
weekend," she told him.
    He smiled again. "I'm working on it."
    "Is this part of your elaborate ruse to get me
into bed with you?"
    "Sometimes simplicity is best," he said.
"And I won't need a ruse. When we make love, it's going to be because you
want it as much as I do."
    Despite the arrogance of his words, she couldn't help
the heat that flooded through her. She did want him, and God help her if he
ever figured that out.
    "Some women might find that kind of arrogant
machismo appealing," Arden said. "I don't."
    "We'll see."
    "You said you wanted to talk about
something."
    "Not really."
    Arden set her cup down, narrowed her eyes.
    "That was just an excuse to spend some time with
you," he admitted.
    "I don't have time for games."
    "You have to learn to make time for the fun
things in life."
    "I have fun," she said defensively.
    "That's why you left Carly's birthday party early to go to the office."
    She picked up her coffee and sipped. She had gone into
the office, only because she'd needed something to occupy her mind. Work had
always succeeded before, but Saturday night, after he'd stood in Nikki's
kitchen and matter-of-factly told her he wanted to have sex with her, nothing
had banished the echo of those words from her mind. Or the corresponding
twinges of excitement and apprehension that coursed through her system.
    "I had work to do," she told him.
    "Speaking of work," he said, "I picked
up the wood for your bookshelves. If you're going to be home tonight, I could
come around and get started."
    Arden frowned into her mug. "I do appreciate the
offer, but I'm not sure this is such a good idea."
    "Why not?"
    "Because."
    "Oh." He nodded in apparent understanding.
"I get it."
    "Get what?"
    "You're afraid to be alone with me."
    "Of course not," she denied.
    "You're worried that if we spend time together it
might weaken your resolve not to get involved with me."
    "I don't weaken that easily," she said.
    He grinned. "Then why don't you want me to build
your shelves?"
    "I just think you must have better things to do
with your time."
    "Not at all."
    "Fine." Arden pushed her empty cup aside and
stood up. "I should be home by six-thirty. Come over and build the damn
shelves if you're that intent on doing so."

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    Chapter
6
    « ^ »
    B ecause
he was intent on building her shelves, and because it gave him a valid excuse
to spend time with her, Shaun was at Arden's apartment promptly at six-thirty
that night. Just as she was arriving home from the office.
    Arden frowned at the armful of wood he carried into
her apartment. "If you took all the measurements you needed, why can't you
just build the shelves at your place and bring them over here when you're
done?"
    "Because," he explained as he set the
mahogany boards on the living room floor, "then I wouldn't have the
pleasure of your company."
    "I don't plan on keeping you company," she
said. "I have reading to catch up on."
    "Then I'll just enjoy being in the same room with
you."
    "I'll be in my bedroom."
    "I can bring my tools into the bedroom," he
suggested hopefully.
    Arden shook her head, but she was smiling.
"Forget it,