Sensual Confessions - Brenda Jackson [19]
“Okay, it’s time to get down to business,” Mac said.
Sam put her case files on the table. Mac was right. It was time to get down to business and that meant eliminating any thoughts of Blade Madaris.
Blade drove the rental car to the rodeo construction site. After he parked the car, he turned his attention to the men from Madaris Construction who were hard at work on what would be Luke’s rodeo school.
Weather permitting, the project would be completed on time, and Luke’s school would be finished by the end of the month. Mac was hoping to host a grand opening the first of June, which meant landscape work had to be finished by then, as well. The timing was good, since some of the same men on Luke’s project would be working on the Mosley Building.
Blade got out of the car and pushed his Stetson back off of his forehead with his thumb. He hadn’t had time to drop by and check on the progress at the site when he’d been in Oklahoma City a couple of weeks ago. In fact, he hadn’t been to the construction site since the foundation had been poured.
The building was huge and consisted of two floors, which would give Luke all the space he needed to teach others what he had been taught. From what Blade had heard, there was already a waiting list of eager rodeo students.
“You’re back?”
Blade turned and saw Luke coming out of the barn. He couldn’t help but chuckle and say, “Hey, you could act like you’re glad to see me.”
“Whatever,” Luke said, giving him a bear hug. “Like I don’t know the real reason you returned.”
Blade looked away and observed one of the men installing a window on the second floor. His cousin was the last person he would have told that he hadn’t been himself lately. He’d done what he always did when he’d returned to Houston and had gone out with Wyatt and Tanner to their usual spots. But he hadn’t had a burning desire to sleep with any of the women he saw there. He actually thought he was coming down with something until he’d figured out just what was wrong with him. The kiss he’d shared with Sam had done him in. He’d never kissed a woman that way without the two of them ending up in bed. That meant that he and Sam had unfinished business. In order for him to move on, he needed to get her out of his system.
“Any news from the home front?” Luke asked, prompting Blade to turn around and look at him.
Blade couldn’t help but smile. “I’m sure you’ve heard about Ashton and Slade.”
Luke nodded.
“And I don’t know if you’ve heard about it yet, but Reese got a promotion,” Blade added.
“No, I hadn’t heard,” said Luke. “A promotion to what?”
“He’s foreman of Madaris Explorations.”
Luke frowned. “But that’s Trevor’s job.”
Blade chuckled. “Not anymore.” Trevor was a family friend and had worked as their cousin Dex’s foreman for years.
“Trevor is opening a facility to train ex-military men. It’s for those interested in tactical military operations.”
“Sounds deep.”
Blade laughed as he shoved his hands into his pockets. “Knowing Trevor, it will be. And I understand Drake Warren might be working with him at some point. And if Ashton ever decides to retire from the military, he’ll be joining them, as well.”
Luke leaned back against the post. Blade could feel his cousin studying him. He looked at him. “What’s wrong?”
“You tell me. Why are you back?”
Blade took a breath and looked away momentarily to where three of his men were working on the roof of the building, installing shingles. There was no way he was going to confess to Luke the real reason he was back in town, especially since Sam was Mac’s best friend. Since getting married, Luke had become a damn knight in shining armor.
He glanced back at his cousin. “I told you I would be coming back.”
“You said in three weeks, not two.”
Blade leaned against the post that was supporting Luke’s weight. “There are more permits I need to file at the courthouse for the Mosley Building,” he said. He didn’t