She had just hit the switch inside her car to open her garage door when she noticed the headlights coming toward her cul-de-sac. She blinked upon recognizing the dark sedan. There was no way. No how. But when the car pulled into the driveway next to hers, she knew for certain it was Blade.
Everything before her turned red as she quickly switched off her ignition and got out of her vehicle at the same moment he did. He had the audacity, the sheer gall, to smile at her.
"Out kind of late, aren"t you, Sam?" Blade said, leaning against his car as he watched her approach with a look on her face that could only be described as furious.
"What are you doing here?" She all but flung out the words.
He shrugged easily before saying, "This place was empty so I decided to lease it while I"m in town."
She stared at him for a moment before the full impact of his words seemed to sink in. He could tell the moment they did by the look in her eyes. They had sharpened to slivered gla.s.s. "Why would you do such a thing?" she all but snapped.
He gave her a faint smile and said, "I like having you within easy reach."
Sam burst through her front door and slammed it shut behind her. She threw her purse on the sofa in a fury. Her Italian temper was in full bloom. She began pacing the floor, calling herself all kinds of fools ten times over. Every cell in her body, even the ones between her legs that had been throbbing earlier, were now vibrating in anger.
How dare Blade a.s.sume he could move next door to her because, as he"d put it, he liked having her within easy reach. The nerve of the man! After he"d spouted those words she had gotten so angry that instead of giving him the response on the tip of her tongue, she had literally turned and stomped off.
Tonight he had proved that he was no different than all the rest of the players out there. He would do whatever it took to get what he wanted, because his needs and wants were all that mattered.
She headed for the kitchen to make a cup of tea, although she doubted anything would be able to calm her down right now. She hoped that Blade realized his actions const.i.tuted all-out war on her part, and that by the time she was finished with him, he would regret ever having crossed her path.
Chapter 10.
The sunlight shining through the window roused Blade from sleep. He glanced around the room, thinking his ever efficient secretary had come through with shining colors, as usual. Claire had taken care of every single detail. She had already hired a cleaning service that had come in yesterday afternoon and made sure clean linens were on the bed.
When he had checked out of the hotel, she"d hired a service to transport his belongings from the hotel to the town house. His clothes were hanging up in the closet and his toiletries were in the bathroom. And the refrigerator was stocked with bottles of water and his favorite beer.
When he"d walked through the door last night after his confrontation with Sam in the driveway, he had needed a beer. In fact, he could have actually used something stronger. To say she"d been upset with him was an understatement. He would give her time to cool off, time to realize that being next door to him would benefit the both of them.
After what had happened between them in the parked car, what could possess her to continue playing her hard-to-get game was beyond him. How long would it take for her to concede that he"d gotten her already? At least partly. What they"d shared last night was a s.e.xual act whether she wanted to admit it or not. So the way he saw it, they might as well go ahead and finished what they"d started.
When he heard a car door slam, he swung his legs over the side of the bed and walked over to the window. He saw Sam putting something in the trunk of her car.
He rubbed his hand down his face and wondered what time it was, figuring it had to be before eight in the morning. The clock on the wall confirmed his suspicions. He then remembered Sam had mentioned last night that she had an early appointment at the office.
She was wearing the kind of business suit that he was beginning to recognize as her personal style. She looked professional, yet her short skirt showed off her long, gorgeous legs in a very s.e.xy way. Today"s suit was a lime-green, and like all the others he"d seen her wear, she looked d.a.m.n good in it. Her hair was down and flowed around her shoulders. A breeze was blowing and he watched as it ruffled her curls, making her hair billow like soft chiffon around her face.
It was a face he had stared into last night, watching the afterglow of her o.r.g.a.s.m. The o.r.g.a.s.m he had given to her. He took pride in his skill as a lover, making it his business to a.s.sure that every woman he slept with experienced s.e.xual pleasure.
He was not a selfish man by any means, and never left a woman"s bed until she was contented and purring like a satisfied kitten. But last night he"d wanted to do more than merely make Sam purr. He"d wanted to satisfy a primal urge, the s.e.xual triumph of seeing his woman explode in unadulterated pa.s.sion.
His woman.
His breathing literally stopped when he realized what had crossed his mind. He was startled at the mere thought he would consider any woman his. Blade flinched. That had certainly been a slip of the mind, a temporary loss of his senses. He enjoyed too many women to settle on just one. It wasn"t in his makeup to love just one woman.
He inhaled a deep breath. He had to be rational now. The novelty of having made out in the car was messing with him, filling his head with foolish thoughts and making him think things he had no business thinking. Whatever had possessed him to make out with her in a parked car was beyond him, but he knew he would do it again if the opportunity presented itself.
His gaze focused on Sam. She had gone back inside to get her briefcase, and was putting it in the backseat. When she leaned over, her skirt inched up and he got a glimpse of those same thighs that he"d been between last night. As he stared some more, he saw her lean over so far that he caught sight of her shapely backside, as well as a glimpse of her panties.
He wiped his hand across his forehead, feeling the heat. Going to bed with an erection larger than Texas would probably do that to you. He couldn"t remember the last time he"d been in such a state.
Blade wasn"t sure how long he stood there gazing down at her, and was surprised she hadn"t seemed to realize she was being watched. Maybe she had and was deliberately ignoring him.
Had she deliberately flashed him?
She finally got into her car and drove off, and he stood there until she was no longer in sight. It was only then that he moved away from the window to go back to bed, with a hard-on that was practically killing him. He wouldn"t be totally satisfied until the day Sam was in this bed with him.
Sam"s mouth thinned as she kept on driving. She had been very much aware that Blade had been standing at his bedroom window watching her, but she had refused to turn around and give him the satisfaction of acknowledging his presence.
But what she had done, and what she would continue to do every chance she got, was to give him an eyeful of what he would not be getting. That was the reason she had opened the back door to place her briefcase on the seat, leaning over more than she"d needed to.
A smile touched her lips. He thought living next door to her would put him in heaven, but she intended to make it a living h.e.l.l. And when he finally came over to her house, panting like a dog that needed to get laid, she would tell him just what she thought of him, and let him know he was the last man she wanted to sleep with.
Her cell phone rang when she got to the traffic light. She clicked it on without checking the caller ID. "Yes?"
"I thought I"d call to let you know our parents aren"t too happy with you right now."
Sam rolled her eyes at her brother"s warning. "What did I do now, Angelo?"
"You didn"t make any headway with Cash. They like him."
Sam rolled her eyes. "They liked Guy, as well. Big deal."
Angelo chuckled. "Yeah, well, this one has political aspirations."
"So did Guy. And Cash didn"t rack up any points with me."
"Tell that to the folks. By the way, what"s up with FDR? He"s been acting rather strange lately. Taking trips out of town on weekends and being evasive about where he"s going."
Sam put on her turn signal as she exited the highway. Remembering her brother"s suspicions that FDR was seeing someone and trying to keep it a secret, she figured whoever it was probably lived in another city. "FDR"s a big boy and can take care of himself. He probably feels he has a lot on his plate, trying hard to make partner. He won"t be a shoo-in like someone I know."
"Hey, I work hard. I"m good at what I do."
"Whatever." She switched to another radio station. She knew Angelo was right. He was a good attorney and a hard worker. And like her cousins, the other Di Meglios working at the firm, they were earning their way up the ladder and not living on easy street. Her father and uncles made sure of it.
"Okay, I"ll give you that. You are are a hard worker. The only thing you"re lax about is making a move on a certain woman," she said smartly. a hard worker. The only thing you"re lax about is making a move on a certain woman," she said smartly.
"What are you talking about, Sam?"
"Mmm, I"ll let your figure it out. Goodbye, Angelo."
She clicked off the phone, wondering when her brother would finally acknowledge that he had a thing for Peyton.
Blade cradled the phone between his shoulder and ear as he studied the paper that had been faxed to him earlier. "This is going to be a real nice facility when it"s completed, Trevor. Slade and I appreciate the business."
Trevor had chosen Madaris Construction to turn a huge empty warehouse he had purchased on the outskirts of Houston into a tactical training facility.
"And no, there shouldn"t be a problem with it being operational within eight months. I"m returning to Houston next week and look forward to meeting with you then."
A few moments later Blade ended the call, and smiled as he studied the preliminary drawings he held in his hand. As he"d told Trevor, the facility he envisioned, the one Slade had designed, would be an imposing structure and serve Trevor"s purpose. Blade would make sure it was built to specifications, perfect in every way. He had already surveyed the location where Trevor wanted the building erected, and felt the area was ideal. This was one project that Blade looked forward to returning to Houston to oversee, once his work in Oklahoma City with the Mosley project was finished.
Folding the papers, he vividly recalled Madaris Construction"s first major project. The opportunity came from Trevor"s brother-in-law, Mitch Farrell, on the recommendation of Uncle Jake, who was one of the partners in the venture. The Madaris Building and Office Park had been a dream come true and their success in handling the project had opened doors for the company.
But business wasn"t what was on Blade"s mind as he tossed the drawings onto the desk and walked over to the window, the one facing the back of the property. From where he stood he could see a recreation park, similar to the one he"d designed for the condominium complex he and Slade had developed in Houston.
His thoughts shifted to Sam. He would be the first to admit that he found the situation with Sam out of character for him. But to be honest, he hadn"t really been in character since the day he"d laid eyes on her. He refused to think it had to do with anything more than his desire to have her in his bed.
The thought of making love to her-especially getting a taste of what she had to offer-was constantly on his mind. Luckily, he"d kept busy making the necessary phone calls to a.s.sure the Mosley project remained on schedule, but more than once throughout the day his thoughts had drifted and he had replayed what had happened in the parked car the night before.
He shook his head, thinking heaven help him if his great-grandmother discovered the true reason he was hanging around Oklahoma City. She had her own ideas about how her grands" and great-grands" lives should pan out. She thought there was a woman out there for him, one who would get him to settle down, a woman who would make him want a meaningful relationship.
He had tried telling her that such a woman didn"t exist, and it wasn"t meant for every man and woman to marry. But that didn"t keep her from dropping hints whenever she could, making him aware of her desire to see her grands and great-grands tie the knot. He wasn"t stupid. He knew she"d been working behind the scenes on him for years. With Slade and Luke in wedded bliss, you would think she would be happy.
Blade was hoping she saw him as a lost cause and would move on to Reese, who was the next oldest great-grand. Reese was considered a loner, so Blade wasn"t sure how he felt about getting married. Reese was especially close to La"Kenna James. They had been best friends since college and the two claimed that"s all they were. And since Kenna and Reese often dated others, the family had no reason to believe otherwise. But Blade had seen them together at Luke and Mac"s wedding. He had noticed the way Reese looked at Kenna, and wondered if something was about to change with his cousin"s status.
He glanced at his watch. He was through for the day. Luke had called earlier and invited him to dinner, since Reese was in town. There was no doubt in Blade"s mind that the best way to handle Sam was to give her the time and s.p.a.ce she needed to think about last night. Sensual memories were a good thing. But if she thought she"d be able to ignore him, then she had another think coming.
"Is there a reason why you"re giving those computer keys a beat down?"
Sam glanced up and couldn"t help but smile. Peyton stood in the doorway with her arms crossed, staring at her with a frown on her face. Sam knew that standing in front of her was a tough cookie. Peyton had grown up on Chicago"s South Side and had returned there to work as an attorney after law school. Of the three, Peyton was the one they considered the quiet storm, but she would be the first to put up a good argument if one was needed.
Peyton was also someone who would listen, study and weigh every aspect of a case, focusing on the facts, without being emotional. She believed in fighting for the little guy. Sam would be the first to admit that their relationship in law school had gotten off to a rocky start because they had come from such different backgrounds. Peyton had seen her as the spoiled little rich kid, and she had seen Peyton as someone who still had a chip on her shoulder because of what she hadn"t had while growing up, as if it were Sam"s fault. Mac had fit nicely in between, and after getting to really know each other, they had forged a friendship that Sam knew would always be there, no matter what.
"Actually-" Sam leaned back in her chair "-beating on these computer keys is better than finding Blade Madaris and beating up on him."
Evidently Peyton thought her statement amusing, if the smile that replaced her frown was anything to go by. She walked into the room and dropped into the chair across from Sam"s desk. "Is he causing problems?"
Sam rolled her eyes. "Like the flowers aren"t enough."
Peyton lifted her eyebrow in surprise. "He"s the one who"s been sending you those flowers?"
Sam nodded. "Yes, although he hasn"t admitted it. I haven"t brought it up and neither has he. But it"s a typical player move to try and break down a woman"s defenses. The flowers started coming not long after Mac"s birthday party, where Blade tried hitting on me several times. And a few nights ago when Mac and I met him and Luke after work at Carlton"s, he conveniently dropped the hint that his aunt had opened a florist shop."
Peyton grinned. "So, he"s trying to work you, is he?"
"So he thinks," Sam said, shaking her head.
"I take it that dinner with him last night didn"t go well?" Peyton asked.
Sam wondered if Peyton detected the blush that she was trying to hide. Dinner had been great. It was the dessert after dinner she"d been trying to forget.
"Dinner was fine," she said truthfully. "It was when I got home that still has me p.i.s.sed."
"p.i.s.sed about what?"
"He"s leased the vacant town house next door."
Peyton"s eyes widened as she sat up straight in her chair. "You"re kidding."
"Wish I was. He even told me the reason when I asked him why he"d done it. He said to keep me within reach."
Peyton shook her head. "I don"t know whether you should be flattered or scared."
Sam stared at her. "Scared?"
Her friend nodded. "If it was anyone else, I would say it sounds like he"s stalking you. But I"ve met Luke"s family and they all seem sane."
Sam laughed. "However, you and I both know that in every family there"s a loony tune. But seriously, I think of Blade"s antics as more of him making a nuisance of himself than a threat."
"Then maybe you should should be flattered. I"ve heard stories about him. I have cousins living in Houston and his reputation there is legendary. Blade Madaris is used to having anything and anyone he wants. The women love him. Good eye candy is hard to find these days and you have to admit he"s rather pleasing to the eyes." be flattered. I"ve heard stories about him. I have cousins living in Houston and his reputation there is legendary. Blade Madaris is used to having anything and anyone he wants. The women love him. Good eye candy is hard to find these days and you have to admit he"s rather pleasing to the eyes."
"Yes, he is pleasing to the eyes," Sam couldn"t help but admit.
"If he did lease that house just to keep you within reach, it"s probably a first for him to give any woman that much attention. Hmm, makes me wonder."
"About what?"
"How you"re going to deal with him. Blade appears to be a man pretty sure of himself, and he goes after what he wants. Moving next door proves that he wants you."
"He won"t have me." She knew that had to be a sore spot with him. Men who a.s.sumed they could have any woman they wanted, and play them however they felt like playing them, without concern for their feelings and emotions, were used to having things their way.
"So, what are you going to do about him living next door?"
Peyton"s question interrupted Sam"s thoughts, and she couldn"t help but smile at the plan she"d decided on earlier. "I intend to drive him crazy. Take every opportunity to remind him of what he doesn"t have and what he won"t be getting. Handle him like I handle all players. I think he needs to be taught a lesson."
Peyton frowned. "Haven"t you gotten enough of going after players to teach them a lesson, Sam? One of these days it"s going to backfire on you again. Do I need to remind you about Belton LaSalle?"