Chapter Twelve

Shannon’s eyes searched the yard. Thomas hadn’t responded to her call but he was out here somewhere. She headed toward the shearing shed. Perhaps he’s playing with the kids in the paddock beyond.

The bright sunlight blinded her to the inside of the implement shed as she wandered past. She paused as the sound of a quad bike firing up drew her gaze. Moving closer her eyes soon adjusted to the shadowy interior of the shed.

“What do you think you’re doing?” she yelled, sprinting forward. She didn’t care her shrill voice resembled a fishwife. Her heart raced so fast she feared it might break out of her chest and take off. Clammy hands snaked out and dragged her son off the four wheeler, almost depositing him on the dirt floor.

So incensed, she didn’t notice the surprise on Luke’s face as she repeated the question.

“I’m teaching him how to drive.”

“He’s too young to learn to drive, especially something as dangerous as a quad bike.”

Luke snorted. “For heaven’s sake, Shannon, he’s twelve years old, not a baby.”

“Get inside,” Shannon ordered as Thomas tried to speak. The rush of color into his face might register later, but right now she was so infuriated she could barely think. How dare Luke.

“You have no right to expose my son to dangerous pursuits—”

“Dangerous? Driving a four-wheeler?”

“People get killed on four-wheelers, particularly in this type of countryside.”

“Not if they’re careful,” Luke threw back. “Not if they’ve been taught correctly.”

“I don’t care how correctly you might think you’d teach him, my son is not riding a four-wheeler. He’s not riding any horses, he’s not doing anything hazardous―”

“He’s a growing boy, Shannon. He wants to push himself, prove what he can—”

“Like you did when you smashed you head against that bridge?”

Shannon’s face burned when Luke laughed. Her teeth ached. This is no laughing matter.

“That didn’t hurt me. It taught me a valuable lesson.”

Tempted to slap the grin off his face, Shannon fumed. “Yeah right! Well, I’m not having Thomas taught any similar valuable lessons.”

Luke grabbed her arm as she turned to storm after Thomas. “I’m going to give you some sage advice, Shannon.”

His fingers tightened as she opened her mouth. “No. Shut up and listen to me.” Each of the next four words was slowly and clearly enunciated. “Let that boy alone.” His eyes were pieces of slivered ice as they glared down at her. “It’s time for him to shed that cotton wool you’re smothering him with.”

“You don’t know anything about—”

“I know plenty,” Luke snapped back. He dropped her arm to poke at her shoulder. “I know he’s unhappy. I know he has a chip on his shoulder the size of Southland. I know he hates being mollycoddled.”

His voice softened. “Shannon, you’ve got a smart kid underneath all that baggage you’re carrying. When are you going to stop punishing him for his father’s stupid mistakes?”

The automatic raising of Shannon’s arm was halted by tight fingers squeezing the blood from her hand. Her heart pounded as they glared at each other, their breaths coming in short puffs.

“Oh, what the hell,” Luke muttered.

Before she had any idea what he intended, Luke dragged her roughly against his body and planted his lips on hers. She pushed against him, but his onslaught was merciless. His lips punished her, his tongue plundering into her mouth with deadly accuracy to entice and arouse.

Then his hold lightened. Fingers that had been holding her in place now caressed her arms. His lips moved, encouraging a response she didn’t want to acknowledge let alone share.

She dragged herself from his arms and fled. Her heart drove heat through her body. The thump in her ears matched her steps as she all but ran back to her room.

Later, she would argue she had been totally unprepared, been unaware of his intent—which of course she had. But that gave no excuse for the way anger had drained from her body to be replaced with a different emotion—a much more dangerous emotion.

****

With a deep breath, Luke slid into the office next morning, uncertain of the reaction waiting for him. He’d listened from the kitchen for Shannon’s arrival. He’d leapt at the chance to watch Amy for the morning. Anything to distract from the tense atmosphere he expected to find in the office.

But before he involved himself with Amy, he had to apologize. Taking the initiative before Shannon even acknowledged his presence, Luke stepped in front of her desk. “I’m watching Amy this morning while Marcia’s at the hairdresser. Before I do, I need to apologize.”

Luke leaned over to capture her gaze. “I have no right to interfere between you and your son. I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

He wasn’t sure about sticking to this promise, but he would try. As he gained a little more insight into Thomas’s character, it irked him to see what Shannon couldn’t—or wouldn’t—see about the boy.

Shannon’s fingers paused on her keyboard. Is she waiting for me to say something else?

Unhurried, he leaned even closer. “But I’ll be damned if I’m going to apologize for kissing you,” he whispered. “That’s something I’ve been itching to do for weeks.”

He risked dropping an eyelid in a wink.

A smug sense of satisfaction rose in response to the glazed look on Shannon’s face and set him whistling as he retreated down the hallway.

Unable to manufacture some excuse to go out onto the farm—anywhere out on the farm—with Amy in tow, Luke suffered through a silent, tension-filled morning. A couple of quick, necessary forays into the office were met with stony silence.

If Amy hadn’t been there, perhaps he and Shannon could have hashed out the problem—he took a huge breath and imagined alleviating their dilemma in bed—but it was pointless thinking such things.

Hurry up, Marcia. Luke didn’t relish lunching with Shannon with only Amy as an ineffectual shield. Nor did he relish having to explain to Marcia why Shannon hadn’t joined them for lunch. Nope, as soon as Marcia got home, he’d saddle up and disappear for a few hours.

****

Shannon sat frozen over her keyboard. Her breath lodged somewhere in her throat as more heat rose into her face. Numb fingers rose and pressed against her burning cheeks.

I never figured this situation might arise. Oh, maybe for the first day or two when I caught Luke checking me out a couple of times, but not since. He’s as intent as me to keep a relaxed working relationship between us. Even the other day in the bush…

She’d forced that little incident to the back of her mind, ignoring it. I thought I was imagining things. Shannon groaned. She’d ignored it because she was refusing to think about Luke in that way, not because she had imagined the vibes zinging between them.

She was onto a great thing up here, a job she’d grown to love, a wage beyond what the work deserved, a warm home and a son—she groaned again—a son who hated her even more after she’d embarrassed him in front of Luke.

She validated her stance with Thomas as she stared blindly out the window. His safety was paramount.

Last night her words had done nothing but inflame Thomas further. But in the cool light of a new day, her position hadn’t changed. She couldn’t risk anything happening to Thomas, too.

The situation with Luke? Shannon leapt up from her chair and stomped across to the window. Why did he have to spoil everything? She gripped the windowsill and leaned her head against the cold glass. Why does emotion have to infringe on such a great working rapport? If I’m going to keep working here, I have to do something fast.

With no idea where Luke might be, but suspecting he’d be somewhere in the house with Amy, Shannon spun around and stormed down the hallway. She found him sitting in the lounge flicking through a farmers’ weekly magazine while Amy watched cartoons.

He’s using television as a babysitter to limit his responsibilities. Shannon’s lips tightened even more at his lack of parental care. She marched in and stood between him and the television screen. Her fingers rolled into fists at the lazy, relaxed expression on his face as he looked up.

“I told you the day I arrived here, Luke. I’ve come to work for you, not to provide you with some plaything whenever you might become bored. If you’re unwilling to accept this, you can have my resignation.”

With a hasty glance toward his niece, Luke jumped to his feet. “Jeez, Shannon.” He rubbed an agitated hand around his neck. “It was only a kiss.”

Only a kiss? More an earthquake under my feet.

Her expression must have blackened as he thrust up a hand. “Okay, okay, whatever you say. I sure as hell don’t want your damned resignation.”

Shannon continued to glare at him for some moments before she turned and stomped across to the door. Remembering then what had started this angst, she paused. Without taking time to consider her words, she snarled across at him, “And keep away from my son.”

She stormed back to the office, her legs shaking as she dropped into her chair. Her arms sneaked around her and held her tight as a shiver ran through her. At her final shot his expression had changed from what she deduced as embarrassment to intense anger.

Thank God it’s Friday. I can survive until four o’clock. Shannon’s mind rushed through possible ways to avoid Luke for the next few days. Thomas and I can go away for the weekend.

On Marcia’s return, Shannon overheard Luke tell his aunt he’d be gone for the rest of the day. Shannon’s angry breath rushed from her as she slumped in her chair. She closed her eyes and slowly allowed her anger to drain away, leaving her oddly empty.

I need some space. She twirled her chair around and stared out the window toward the Takitimus. After a couple of days away surely things between her and Luke could return to normal.

After a dismal weekend with Johnny and his family, where Thomas made no effort to be polite, let alone join in with any of the family, Shannon reluctantly reported for work on Monday morning.

Luke was already in the office. A glance at the chaotic state of his desk suggested he had been there for some time.

He leapt to his feet the second she entered the room. “Are we talking, or still fighting?”

Shannon realized his woebegone expression was almost wistful as she read the worry in his eyes. She swallowed, and cleared her throat before words would emerge from her mouth. I’ve had a lousy weekend worrying about this moment. “I guess we cleared up our little disagreement on Friday.”

Luke dived forward and caught her arm. “So you’re okay? No more talk about resignations?”

His fingers feel like a hawk’s talons. He’s hanging on my reply. The beginnings of a smile twitched around Shannon’s mouth. Perhaps he hasn’t had a great weekend either.

“I’m fine.” She smiled. “Let’s get down to some work, shall we?”

He looked deeply into her eyes. “I don’t want anything to stuff around with our friendship, Shannon. You need to know that.”

Our friendship? Not our working relationship? Warmth invaded Shannon as she busied herself turning on her computer and reorganizing her already spotlessly tidy desk. She wasn’t sure about making eye contact with Luke at that moment.

He’d flopped backward into his armchair with an audible sigh, his clenched hands slowly relaxing against the arms. His head lay against the seatback, his eyes closed.

He’s been worrying, too.