Carole Mortimer - Elusive Lover

‘That will save me the trouble of throwing you out!’ Even Mike must have realised that was a purely defensive threat, because he made a hasty exit.

Erin slumped back down on to the rumpled bed. ‘Oh, God!’ she shuddered, burying her face in her hands.

Josh’s arm came about her shoulders as he sat down next to her. ‘It’s all over now, sweetheart,’ he comforted gently.

She stiffened, moving away from him. ‘Until the next time,’ she mumbled, standing up to fasten her packed suitcase.

His eyes narrowed to steely green slits. ‘What’s that supposed to mean?’

She shrugged, feeling cold inside, numb. ‘Men are all the same—they take, they don’t give.’

Amusement lightened his expression. ‘And where did you learn that little gem?’

Her eyes sparkled as she glared at him. ‘From men like you, like Mike, like—like——’

‘Like?’ he suddenly towered over her.

‘Like my father, like Bob,’ she told him vehemently. ‘My father only had me in the first place to try and keep his marriage together, and when it didn’t he couldn’t give a damn about me. And as for Bob, he never wanted me in the first place. He couldn’t wait to throw me out either.’

‘What did you do to him?’ Josh drawled.

‘Nothing! I tried to do everything for him. I took care of him, I even tried to love him, and in the end he threw me out. He has a woman called Mary living with him now,’ she added bitterly.

She had written to Bob to let him know she was leaving her father’s house, and he had written back telling her that there was no place for her at his home, that he had a girl-friend, a girl-friend who had moved in with him. She hadn’t been in touch with him since.

‘Are you ready to leave?’ Josh asked abruptly.

‘Yes. But I don’t really expect you to leave with me.’ She shrugged. ‘Why should you?’

‘Maybe I don’t like the idea of the barracuda being able to enter my room any time she chooses. Or maybe I just don’t like the idea of that guy trying to get into bed with the girls who work for him.’

‘Girl,’ Erin corrected, pulling on her jacket. ‘I’m the only girl who works for him,’ she explained at his questioning look.

‘And the barracuda?’

‘Mike’s wife, Frances.’

The green eyes widened. ‘Those two are married?’

Her mouth twisted wryly. ‘I’m afraid so.’

‘Hell,’ Josh shook his head. ‘Do they have any children?’

‘No—thank God.’

‘My sentiments exactly.’ He buttoned the shirt he had obviously pulled on in a hurry. ‘Do you know that woman was perfectly willing to carry on where you’d left off?’ he expressed his disgust.

Colour flooded her cheeks as she remembered exactly where she had ‘left off’. ‘You aren’t telling me you didn’t like it,’ she scorned to hide her embarrassment.

His expression darkened, his handsome face harsh. ‘Would I be here if I did?’

‘I—No, I suppose not.’

‘Definitely not.’ His mouth twisted. ‘Now let’s get going. I’ll take you out to breakfast.’

‘I’m not——’

‘You’re eating,’ he told her firmly, pulling her out of the room with him. ‘I’ll just get my holdall. Wait here for me,’ he instructed once they reached the front of the motel.

Erin waited until he had entered his room before going into the reception area. Frances wasn’t there, so perhaps she was actually cleaning the rooms for a change. After all, there was no one else to do it, not now.

Mike looked up with a scowl; his stomach was obviously still bothering him. ‘What do you want?’ he growled.

Erin stood her ground, sick of being exploited, determined not to take it any more. ‘I want my wages for the past week,’ she told him unflinchingly.

His face became flushed with anger. ‘You have to be kidding,’ he scoffed, his gaze insolent. ‘Let your lover take care of you.’

She had to bite her tongue to stop the fiery retort that sprang to her lips. She wouldn’t give this man the satisfaction of losing her temper with him, he just wasn’t worth it. ‘I want my wages,’ she repeated in a controlled voice. ‘And I want them now.’

‘Well, you aren’t getting them,’ he told her nastily.

‘Is that your last word on the subject?’

‘Yes, that’s my last word on the subject,’ he mimicked.

‘Very well,’ she gave a cold inclination of her head, ‘you’ll be hearing from my lawyer.’

His eyes widened in surprise. ‘Over a few dollars?’

Erin shook her head, remaining calm and composed. It was as if she were someone else, a new Erin who wouldn’t be undermined. ‘Not over a few dollars, no. But over a case of sexual harassment, yes.’

He gasped. ‘Sexual harassment——! My God, you little bitch!’

‘I mean it,’ she said firmly.

He was white with anger. ‘I can see that, damn you,’ he rasped, pulling open a drawer to take out some dollars and throw them across the desk at her. ‘Here, take it. And don’t ever come back.’

‘I don’t intend to.’ Erin picked up the money and crammed it into her denims pocket, picked up her suitcase and turned to leave. Josh was leaning against the doorjamb, open respect in the warmth of his eyes. ‘Thank you,’ she accepted gratefully as he took her suitcase out of her shaking hand.

‘You took a risk in there, little one,’ he said once they were outside, his expression grim. ‘He could have got really nasty.’

‘So could I,’ she told him without emotion.

Josh shook his head. ‘Not as nasty as he could. I thought you’d left, you know,’ he gave her a sideways glance.

If she could have got her money and left before he reappeared then she probably would have done. As it was she intended taking the first opportunity she could to get away from him. She had had it with men, any man.

‘Not until I had my money,’ she said firmly.

‘You said sexual harassment,’ he recalled slowly. ‘Does that mean this morning has happened before?’

She, flushed. ‘Not in such intensity, no. Could you slow down a little?’ she requested impatiently, having great difficulty keeping up with his longer strides. ‘Where’s your pick-up truck, anyway?’

‘Being serviced. It should be ready this afternoon.’ He slowed down. ‘What do you mean, not in such intensity?’

She shot him a resentful glance, once again acknowledging, reluctantly, how well the hat, denims, and boots suited his dark, rugged attractiveness. He could almost have belonged to the days of the Wild West, almost. But there was an air of awareness about him, almost one of sophistication—if it could be called that, an impression of worldliness that seemed to indicate that he didn’t always dress or act this casually.

‘Erin?’ he prompted at her silence.

‘Oh, he just—he’s touched me, made implications, things like that,’ she dismissed, hating having to talk about such things, especially to the man she had kissed so passionately only minutes earlier. ‘Nothing I couldn’t handle.’

‘Until this morning,’ he said dryly.

‘That was your fault,’ she flashed. ‘Oh yes, it was,’ she insisted at his sceptical snort. ‘Frances told Mike that you and I had spent the night together. He didn’t like that.’

‘It seems the barracuda can talk when she wants to. It took me a hell of a long time to get her to tell me where you were living,’ he explained. ‘Did that guy force his way into your room just now?’

‘Or did I let him in, you mean?’ she scorned bitterly.

‘No, I didn’t mean.’ His expression darkened. ‘How did he get in if you didn’t let him in?’

‘By using his key,’ she revealed dully.

‘You gave him——’