“Whatever,” Luke said, giving him a bear hug. “Like I don’t know the real reason you returned.”
Blade looked away and observed one of the men installing a window on the second floor. His cousin was the last person he would have told that he hadn’t been himself lately. He’d done what he always did when he’d returned to Houston and had gone out with Wyatt and Tanner to their usual spots. But he hadn’t had a burning desire to sleep with any of the women he saw there. He actually thought he was coming down with something until he’d figured out just what was wrong with him. The kiss he’d shared with Sam had done him in. He’d never kissed a woman that way without the two of them ending up in bed. That meant that he and Sam had unfinished business. In order for him to move on, he needed to get her out of his system.
“Any news from the home front?” Luke asked, prompting Blade to turn around and look at him.
Blade couldn’t help but smile. “I’m sure you’ve heard about Ashton and Slade.”
Luke nodded.
“And I don’t know if you’ve heard about it yet, but Reese got a promotion,” Blade added.
“No, I hadn’t heard,” said Luke. “A promotion to what?”
“He’s foreman of Madaris Explorations.”
Luke frowned. “But that’s Trevor’s job.”
Blade chuckled. “Not anymore.” Trevor was a family friend and had worked as their cousin Dex’s foreman for years.
“Trevor is opening a facility to train ex-military men. It’s for those interested in tactical military operations.”
“Sounds deep.”
Blade laughed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Knowing Trevor, it will be. And I understand Drake Warren might be working with him at some point. And if Ashton ever decides to retire from the military, he’ll be joining them, as well.”
Luke leaned back against the post. Blade could feel his cousin studying him. He looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
“You tell me. Why are you back?”
Blade took a breath and looked away momentarily to where three of his men were working on the roof of the building, installing shingles. There was no way he was going to confess to Luke the real reason he was back in town, especially since Sam was Mac’s best friend. Since getting married, Luke had become a damn knight in shining armor.
He glanced back at his cousin. “I told you I would be coming back.”
“You said in three weeks, not two.”
Blade leaned against the post that was supporting Luke’s weight. “There are more permits I need to file at the courthouse for the Mosley Building,” he said. He didn’t like having to explain his reasons for anything he did to anyone, not even Luke.
“That’s it?”
Blade met Luke’s gaze directly. “Is there supposed to be more?”
“You tell me.”
Blade knew he couldn’t very well do that. The less Luke knew of his plans for Sam the better. Besides, there were certain things he couldn’t explain to Luke because he didn’t understand them himself. Like why the women back in Houston had suddenly become uninteresting to him. While he had been home, he had begun to take a closer look at the women he’d been dating and had found them lacking, except in the bedroom. But now even that wasn’t enough to hold his interest.
“There’s nothing to tell. When is Mac coming home?” he asked, changing the subject.
The look Luke gave him let Blade know his cousin knew exactly what he was doing and that he wasn’t taking the bait.
“Usually she’s home by now, but she called a few minutes ago to say that she, Peyton and Sam are going for drinks after work to celebrate.”
“To celebrate what?”
“Ashton and Skye’s news. They’ll be going somewhere to eat afterward, so if you haven’t eaten yet you might as well join me for dinner. And if you don’t have a place to stay while you’re in town, you know you’re welcome to stay here.”
“Thanks, but I’ll be at the hotel. It’s located downtown near the courthouse where I need to transact business. There are a number of permits I need to get pulled.”
Although Luke wasn’t saying anything, Blade was aware that his cousin knew enough about the construction business to know that he didn’t have to come to Oklahoma City himself to pull any permits. Blade had people working for him who could have performed those tasks.
He glanced over at Luke. “So what’s for dinner?”
“A casserole.”
Blade smiled. At Morehouse that had been Luke’s specialty. He, Luke and Slade had shared an apartment not far from campus, and the one thing they could look forward to was Luke’s casseroles.
“You didn’t say how long you plan on being in town, Blade.”
No, he hadn’t, Blade thought. “Not sure yet,” he answered. And then he added. “I’ll know by the middle of the week.”
Hopefully by then I’ll have a plan, he thought. There was no way he could tell Luke that he would remain in town for as long as it took to get Sam into his bed.
The man glanced around thinking this particular restaurant seemed as good a place as any for them to meet. He glanced over at the woman who was already there waiting for him.
She looked a little different today and he immediately knew what it was. She was wearing makeup. No doubt to impress him, since she fancied herself in love with him. And she probably thought he had fallen in love with her, as well. He shrugged. What she thought wasn’t his concern. But if believing such would assure that she continued to provide him with the information he needed, then so be it.
He sat in the chair across from her. “You look pretty today.”
“Thanks.” She smiled. His compliment had pleased her, so he would make sure to shower her with more in the future. After a few minutes of small talk, in which he told her again how nice she looked, he said, “The flowers are still being delivered.” It was a statement and not a question.
“Each week, and they are beautiful, too. She likes them and doesn’t suspect a thing.”
He nodded, glad to hear it.
“She thinks she has a secret admirer.”
He couldn’t help but smile at the thought of that, and thanks to Samari Di Meglio he’d had very little to smile about over the past few years. He wasn’t a secret admirer—far from it. But if she wanted to think that she could certainly do so. When she discovered the truth it would be too late to do anything about it.
“How long will you continue to send the flowers to her?”
The annoyingly soft voice had interrupted his thoughts. Now she was asking a question that really wasn’t any of her business. His jaw tightened. His gaze narrowed. “For as long as I want,” he said in a chillingly cold tone.
He saw the look in her eyes, the flash of fear. He breathed in deeply, knowing that he had to get his feelings under control. The last thing he needed was to make her wary of giving him the information he needed.
He reached out and touched her hand, held it in his for a while. “I didn’t mean to scare you. But I’ve told you why I need to make her remember what she’s done, and why she has to pay for doing it.”
The woman nodded. Of course, he hadn’t told her everything. He’d told her just enough to get her sympathy to do what he needed her to do. She assumed the most he would do was scare and harass Samari Di Meglio for a while, and not do anything really serious to harm her. He smiled to himself at