Breath of Scandal(99)

the frozen frontiers of Alaska and into the teeming jungles of Central America. He had tried to drown it in gallons of whiskey, abuse it with meaningless sex, and kill it by taking unnecessary risks. Yet, he couldn't shake it off. It was like regenerative living tissue, a part of him as distinguishable as a fingerprint.

After days of contemplating Jade Sperry's proposal, it occurred to him that perhaps he could merge his two obsessions. If he accepted this job and performed it well enough, it might atone for his failure that had brought about the deaths of his wife and son.

"Everything is set."

Dillon jumped reflexively when Jade reentered the room, bringing with her a three-page contract. He studied it carefully, filled in the missing details, then signed his name.

She said, "As soon as you have a permanent address in Palmetto, please call it in for the records."

"If it's all the same to you, I'd like to live on the premises. "

"At the construction site?"

"I'd like to lease a trailer large enough to serve as an office and living quarters. "

"Suit yourself." Jade stood and moved toward the door. Dillon followed.

"I've notified Mr. Sefftin. His office is in another building, but he's on his way over.

"Mr. Stein heard that you were in the building and asked to meet you, too. Beforehand, there's another matter I feel we should clear up."

She lowered her eyes. From his angle, her black, curly eyelashes looked like they had been painted onto her fair cheeks with a fine brush. "You shouldn't have kissed me that night in L.A. Nothing like that can happen again. If you have a problem working under a woman's supervision, I need to know."

He deliberately waited to respond until she lifted her eyes back to his. "I would have to be a blind eunuch not to



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Sandra Brown



Breath of Scandal



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notice that you're a woman. You're a beautiful woman. But it wouldn't matter if you had a mustache as thick as mine. I want this job.

"You've also left no doubt in my mind that I answer to you. That's cool. I don't have any sexist hang-ups. Finally, you're safe from me. When I want a woman, I'll find one, but it'll be for the night only. I don't want one I have to look at or talk to the morning after."

Her deep swallow was audible. "I understand."

"No, you don't understand, but that's immaterial. Just rest assured that I haven't made a practice of romancing the people I work for."

"Then why did you kiss me?"

He smiled wryly, tilting up one half of his mustache. "Because you pissed me off."

"How?" "I wasn't having a very good day to begin with," he said sarcastically. "Then you came along, a real cool customer dressed fit to kill and flashing a Gold Card. I'm a grown-up. I don't appreciate being ordered around any more than you like being condescended to because you wear perfurne and pantybose. I don't know a man alive who likes being patronized by a woman.

"And vice versa."

"Then you should have slapped me when I kissed you." I 'You didn't give me a chance."

The conversation had lasted ten times longer than the Idss, and he was ready to drop the subject. It made him uncomfortable. He didn't know what had motivated him to kiss her. The only thing he was sure of was that he didn't want to know. Nevertheless, he couldn't let the matter drop without asking one more question of her.

"If that kiss bothered you so much, why'd you hire me?" "Because I've dedicated my life to the success of this project, Mr. Burke. Measured against that, one kiss is hardly important. " Her eyes turned a darker hue and, not for the first time, Dillon wondered what motivated her. "However, it mustn't happen again."

"As I explained, it wasn't sexually motivated."

"Good." Her smile indicated that she was as relieved as he that the topic was closed. "Before we go see Mr. Stein, is there anything else on your mind?"

"Yeah. Who is Mr. Stein?"

CHAPTER



Twmty



Palmetto, May 1991



The civic auditorium was packed to capacity that balmy first day of May. Jade was seated in a row of chairs that had been set up on the stage at the front of the room. it was rapidly filling up with a noisy, curious crowd.

Gradually word had gotten around that a large parcel of land had been purchased and rezoned for industrial use. Dillon had been in Palmetto for several weeks, obtaining the necessary building permits and arranging for public utilities to be accessible at the site, but he had kept as low a profile as possible and certainly had made no public announcement.

Gossip was rampant. Rumors circulated that everything from a theme park to a nuclear reactor was being built in Palmetto. Jade had requested that the city council-the members of which weren't even certain what GSS planned-call this town meeting to allay fears and to enthuse and involve the community.

Her speech had been thoroughly prepared, but there were butterflies in her tummy. To calm them, she thought about the house she had leased for as long as she, Cathy, and Graham would be living in Palmetto. it was an older house that had spacious rooms, hardwood floors, and ceiling fans. The owners had completely refurbished and modernized it