Page 46 of Condemned By Secrets

“Because this job was supposed to be mine. I’ve been working with the society for years. I have the knowledgeandthe experience. Unlike you.” His voice rose at that, but he took a breath, calming it before he continued, “When the county gave the job to you, a girl barely out of school, I . . . reacted poorly.”

“I’d say,” Anna muttered, but she kept her eyes trained on the slippery snake, curious what deception he’d offer her next.

“I slashed your tire in a moment of anger, hoping it would make you late enough to look bad on your first day. It was petty, I’ll admit. But Iamtruly sorry for it and the other . . . things I said. I’d hoped they would be enough to make you leave, but”—he smiled, his lips curling sheepishly—“I see, you’re stronger than that. And even,”—he blew out a breath—"a potentially good candidate for this position.”

Anna would’ve snorted at his compliment if she wasn’t so focused on watching his every move. “Why are you telling me this, Richard?”

“Spending the night in jail was a wake-up call.” He ran a hand through his dark hair, then leaned back in his chair. “I like my job and I’m good at it. I don’t want to jeopardize that.” His dark eyes locked with hers. “Plus, you’re not likely to stay here forever. The city girl in the small town.” He chuckled, but Anna didn’t find that funny. “I can try for the position again when you vacate it.”

“So what?” Anna scoffed. “You want a truce?”

“Yes. This is a small town. We’ll run into each other even if we’re not working together. And, as you’re apparently now aware, I have pull with the mayor.” His grin was sly, and she wanted to smack it off his face. “We’d make far better teammatesonoroffthe field”—he leered at her, making her blood pressure rise—"than being on opposing sides.” Finished, he steepled his fingers and stared at her over them.

The nerve of this, this, jerkwad!Anna wanted to scream at him, but she kept her face calm. “Get out of my office or I’m calling the police.”

Richard dropped his hands and frowned. “Ann—”

“Out!” Not wanting to hear any more from him, Anna lost her composure and speared a finger at the door as her chest heaved.

Richard stood, but he didn’t move toward the door. His expression was sad as he told her, “You’ll regret this.”

“I doubt it.” Anna glared at him and started to reach for her phone. He got the message and headed for the door.

“We’ll see,” he muttered as he left.

Anna’s knees buckled in relief when Richard disappeared. She caught herself by hanging on her chair. Gasping for breath, she could think but one thing.Luther.She had to tell Luther.

???

Luther had just stepped under the spray of the shower when he heard knocking on his door. He rolled his shoulders, sighed, then turned the water off. The knocks sounded again, more incessant this time, and he cursed. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his waist on his way to the door. Water dripped into his face, and he shook his head to dislodge it. Holding the towel at his hip with one hand, he opened the door with the other.

Anna.Luther grinned at her, his dimples popping out, and he forgot his annoyance at having his shower interrupted.

Her eyes widened behind her tortoise-shell glasses. “Where are your clothes?”

“You caught me in the shower.”Want to join me?As Luther’s blood traveled south, an arrow of need pierced him, and his grin faded.

“Oh, um, I can come back.” Anna stepped away, but he didn’t want her to leave. Luther reached for her arm and shook the mental image of them in the shower together out of his head. There’d be time for that later.

“No, it’s fine. Come in.”

She had been staring at his chest, and at his offer, she blinked then blushed. “All right.”

He loved when she blushed, the rosy, pink color flooding her pale cheeks. Grinning to himself, Luther led her to the couch. He turned off the flat-screen T.V. he’d had on for background noise and silently thanked his mom for instilling in him a need for tidiness. No half-eaten food or dirty clothes to be embarrassed about here.

When Anna sat down, Luther told her. “Give me a sec.” He hurried back to his bedroom. Reaching it, he threw on a t-shirt and gym shorts after using the towel to scrub the water off as fast as possible.

Anna was chewing her lip when he returned to the living room. The simple action sent his thoughts in a dangerous direction, and he forced himself to look away. He was trying to take things slow, to give her space to get used to the idea of them together. Seducing her on his over-priced couch was not going to help with that. But the plush leather yielding to their combined body weight was a tantalizing image. Luther swallowed and pushed it from his mind. “Do you want a drink? Water? Anything?” he called as he bee-lined for the kitchen.

“No, thank you.”

Luther almost didn’t hear her muted response and decided to grab two bottles from the refrigerator anyway since he was getting one for himself. After finishing his nightly run, he’d wanted the water, but now, he needed it to cool his suddenly dry throat.

He set a water down in front of Anna on the glass-topped coffee table. “In case you change your mind.” Then he sat down on the couch next to her, taking a long swig of his own drink.

When she turned to him, he took his first good look at her. A line marred her brow, her eyes were glassy, and she was picking at her fingernails.

“Hey,” he set his bottle down and moved closer, placing his hands over her fidgeting ones. “What’s wrong?”

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