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‘I just did.’
‘But——’
‘Out!’ Josh snapped tautly.
Mike staggered to the door. ‘I meant it about your going,’ he snarled at Erin’s bent head.
‘Neither of us will be staying,’ Josh answered for her. ‘As soon as Erin has her things together we’ll both be leaving.’
‘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——’
‘No, I didn’t!’ she snapped, and explained how Mike came to have a key to her room.
‘The bastard!’ Josh muttered.
‘Yes.’ They were still walking, apparently with no purpose in mind. ‘Where are we going?’
‘I told you, to have breakfast. Here we are,’ he stopped outside one of the restaurants she never seemed to have the time to try. ‘I hope you’re hungry,’ he said before going inside.
Erin had the feeling that even if she weren’t he would still make sure she ate. She had no choice but to follow him in, her case, with all her worldly possessions, still held firmly in his hand.
He was greeted like a regular, obviously well known by the waitress who came to seat them. ‘Table for two, Josh?’ she looked speculatively at Erin.
And no wonder! It was only nine-thirty in the morning, and Josh was still carrying her suitcase.
‘That’s right, Marie,’ he grinned at the young girl, her open, fresh prettiness obviously appealing to him. ‘And do you have somewhere to stow this until after we’ve eaten?’ he indicated the suitcase.
‘Sure——’
‘Oh, but——’
‘Something wrong, Erin?’ Josh quirked one black eyebrow at her.
She reached for the case, anxious not to let it out of her sight. ‘I’d rather keep it with me.’ It was all she had in the world.
‘Okay,’ but he kept a firm grip on it. ‘Table for two people and a suitcase, Marie,’ he requested tauntingly.
Erin waited until the other girl had poured their coffee before lashing out at him. ‘It’s all right for you to laugh at me,’ she snapped, ‘but everything I own is in that case.’
He pulled a face. ‘It doesn’t weigh much.’
‘That’s because I don’t own much!’
‘Drink your coffee,’ he instructed. ‘It’s good and strong. You’ll feel better for it.’
‘How do you know that?’ she asked in a disgruntled voice. ‘I may not even like coffee. Did that occur to you when you were accepting on my behalf?’
‘You should have said——’
‘As it happens, I like coffee,’ she told him coldly. ‘What I don’t like is someone making my mind up for me.’
Green eyes narrowed with impatience. ‘I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Is this place to your liking, Your Highness?’
She blushed at his sarcasm, pretending to look around consideringly. Compared to the eating-house she had worked in this was really good, very clean, the booths and tables all fitted out in green crushed velvet, the staff all smartly dressed in black and white.
The two of them were seated in a side booth, the hot sun from outside not filtering through the small set-back window and so making it hot and uncomfortable to eat.
‘Well?’ Josh prompted.
Erin looked back at him. He was easily the most attractive man in the room; most of the other tables were full. He had taken off his hat now that they were inside, and his hair appeared even blacker, slightly ruffled where he had run a casual hand through it. The denim jacket and trousers were just as casual, the boots just as dusty, and yet he stood out from the similarly clad men in the room.
‘It’s all right,’ she shrugged, annoyed with herself for noticing how attractive Josh was. Enough men had hurt her lately, without her falling for this man.
Marie came back to take their order, and Erin half-heartedly ordered eggs and bacon, making sure her request for her eggs to be ‘flipped over’ went in, the thought of the near raw eggs she would be served if it didn’t making her feel nauseous. She had made that mistake once, but she had never made it again. Josh ordered everything—eggs, bacon, sausages, and wheatcakes.
‘Like some?’ he asked as he requested the latter.
‘No, thank you,’ she grimaced. She would have enough trouble getting the eggs and bacon down her. Since she had stopped eating so much she had been unable to take in great amounts when she did get around to having a meal.
‘Hash browns?’ he asked hopefully.
She rather liked this form of fried potato, so she nodded acceptance. ‘Please,’ she added politely, sitting back as her coffee cup was refilled. She had learnt that wherever you went they would just keep filling your cup up with coffee unless you asked them to stop, and they never seemed to charge any more for it. She knew, because sometimes these gallons of coffee were all she could afford on the budget she had allowed herself.
‘At last we’ve found something the lady likes,’ Josh taunted, sitting back in his seat as he watched her through narrowed eyes.
