Chapter 1 #2
“Settle down,” he commanded sharply, amazed at the strength of her diminutive form. Nick was well over six feet tall, and while he was incredibly strong for someone whose job wasn’t exactly physically demanding, Maggie was small and quick.
“Stop it, Maggie,” he thundered, just about at the end of his patience.
The tone of his voice succeeded in halting her for a moment but not long enough for Nick to get a grip on his bundle of fury.
“Maggie,” he panted, yelping when her foot finally did connect with his shin. “Damn it woman,” he warned. “Stop it right now, or I swear I’ll blister you right here in front of God and everybody!”
“Go ahead,” she screamed in outrage, “and I’ll have you arrested Mr. Hot Shot Lawyer!”
“Ah, but I have bail money,” he grunted when he finally managed to get her into a position where she couldn’t do any more damage—her back to his chest, arms pinned, and one long leg wrapped around both of hers.
“I’m sure the boys down at the station would love to take a few pictures of that delectable behind of yours.
Maybe I’d even have to come down and match up my hand to the prints I’m going to leave there,” he told her, grinning as he kissed the top of her head.
“Go ahead and have me arrested sweetheart, but don’t plan on sitting down for a month. ”
Maggie’s eyes were shut as she tried to catch her breath. Unable to move a muscle, the clearing of a throat made her eyes snap open.
“Jesus,” she moaned under her breath.
“You want me to get the boss man, Maggie?” Charlie Brooks asked, twisting his hat in his hands, not sure how to handle the situation.
Maggie was her own woman. She didn’t like interference, but all the same, if it had been anyone but the boss’s brother, Charlie would have jumped in first and asked questions later.
“Thanks, Charlie, that won’t be necessary,” Mason’s deep voice boomed from behind Nick. “I’m right here.”
Mason Kord surveyed the scene before him without betraying a single thought. Eye to eye with his older brother, a silent communication passed between them, and his big shoulders relaxed.
“Let her go, Nick,” he ordered softly, patting his brother on the back in understanding. “I can’t begin to comprehend what’s going on here, but you cannot come on my job site and assault my foreman, who also happens to be a very good friend.”
Surprisingly, Nick released her, nodding to Mason.
Maggie jumped away and stumbled. Mason’s arm shot out to catch her, sliding consolingly around her shoulders.
“Are you all right?” he bent to inquire, looking straight into her eyes.
“Yes,” she huffed, brushing the dust off her and trying to pull her hair into some semblance of order, “but I want him arrested,” she told the big man beside her.
Mason stepped back slightly in surprise.
“Arrested? Just what the hell has been going on out here?” he demanded of Nick.
“Ask the lady,” Nick responded, turning his head away to hide his grin.
“Maggie?”
“He threatened me!”
“Threatened you with what?” Mason asked, wondering at the high color of Maggie’s face.
“Threatened to—” Maggie’s furious eyes met Nick’s, his raised eyebrow daring her to go on.
“He was going to—”
Nick was openly grinning now, arms folded across his massive chest, rocking back on his heels. He was the picture of the superior male, and Maggie choked on the words.
“Never mind. Just keep him off my work site from now on,” she shouted.
Storming away she bent down to retrieve her hat.
If she hadn’t glanced behind her to catch him openly admiring her backside, she might have kept on walking, but the smug man so infuriated her that she marched right back to him.
That he topped her by at least a foot didn’t intimidate her in the least, especially now that Mason is here, a little voice whispered.
“Don’t think you’re going to get away with this,” she informed him, a slim finger poking his chest. “You can just get on a plane, and go right back where you came from. There’s nothing here that belongs to you.”
“You’re wrong, honey,” he whispered, his eyes a penetrating blue now. “There’s plenty here that’s mine, and I won’t walk away from it ever again.”
Maggie’s throat went dry. How could one look from him, a softly spoken word, affect her so? Turning, she stumbled away from him before he saw the response in her eyes. Damn you, Nick, damn you.
* * *
Mason steered Nick to the truck and climbed into the driver’s seat.
For a moment he watched the crew listening attentively to what Maggie was saying.
He hoped today’s display hadn’t cost her any authority with the men.
Maggie was thought of as an equal on the job, and having Nick reduce her to a screaming, flailing bundle of femininity wasn’t going to reinforce that.
Glancing at Nick’s hard profile, Mason sighed and started the truck.
“Care to talk about it?” he inquired, not wanting to intrude but prodding nonetheless.
“Not especially,” Nick responded.
“Look Nick, I don’t mean to butt in but—”
“Then don’t, Mace.”
For a while, there was silence between the brothers. Mason drove the five miles into the city and pulled into the parking lot at Casey’s Tavern. By unspoken agreement they entered the dimly lit bar, Nick going directly to a table while Mason ordered a couple of beers.
Mason straddled his chair and poured the brew into glasses, watching the slight tremble in Nick’s hand as he reached for his drink.
The sprinklings of silver at Nick’s temples and the tiny lines in his face were more pronounced than they’d been a few months ago.
Mason couldn’t say that Nick had been happy before, but he’d been content.
That was before he’d learned about Jason.
Mason could understand his brother’s pain.
Mason’s wife, Rebecca, was expecting their first child, and already Mason loved it.
The thought of someone keeping that child from him was enough to send waves of panic through him.
Always impulsive and independent, Rebecca had been a spitfire from the get-go.
He had been through many sleepless nights worrying about this exact situation.
Rebecca hadn’t been interested in marriage, and Mason had always been afraid that a passionate encounter would result in a child.
It wasn’t that she didn’t want a child; she just didn’t want a husband.
The thought of that had been unacceptable to Mason, and it took a lot of patience, love, and a few trips over his knee to bring her around.
Now that she was pregnant, she’d calmed down somewhat, and he was going to enjoy it while it lasted.
Nick drained his glass and nodded to the barmaid for two more. The pretty blonde responded immediately and winked as she brought them over.
“There are other women in the world you know,” Mason stated offhandedly, observing the admiration in her face.
“Yes, there are,” Nick admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. “If Maggie doesn’t want me, I’ll handle that, but I want contact with my son.”
“I know you do, and I don’t blame you, but you can’t force her. You have to take things slow and easy.”