Neal (Golden Streak Series) by Kathi S. Barton Page B

that your brother was going to get it for me? What did he do? Threaten him
with his cat, or did he just tell him what was going to happen and he did it?
And why is he suddenly giving me the building project? Because you fucked me in
the front seat of his car, or is it because of me being there when his kid
decided to make an appearance? Either way, I’m not taking it.” Neal pulled into
a large drive and waved to the man at the gate as it open. “This is not going
to work out.”
    He stopped the car and turned in the
seat to look at her. “Okay first question, yes I did know that he’d gotten the
money owed to you by Sanders, and I told him after the fact when I found out
that you’d be pissed. He said that he wanted to help you, and he’d done it
before I knew it. And he wants me to be your accountant. Secondly, if you’re
going to blame everything on you and I having sex on the front seat of this car,
I’m going to bend you over my knee and beat that luscious ass of yours until I
come all over you. He was already going to give you the project before any of
this. The others hadn’t worked out the way he’d wanted them to, and after
looking over your drawings, he could see what you’d come up with, and they both
decided to give it to the person who had what Ryland and Bronwyn wanted in mind,
not what the florist wanted.”
    Her mind had stuttered to a stop when he
said he was going to beat her butt. She looked at him, realizing what else he’d
said. “How did he get my drawings?”
    “I don’t know. Your mom maybe?” He
looked out the window and then back at her. “This is my home and I’d very much
like for you to come inside and meet Carl while I get some things gathered up.
I shouldn’t be more than twenty minutes.”
    “I’m sorry.” He nodded and got out. She
had hurt him, but it didn’t keep him from coming around to her side of the car
and opening the door for her. She looked up at him. “I am sorry.”
    “It’s fine, Rayne, I promise. But you
need to trust me, and when you fly off the handle like that, I have to work
hard not to pull you over my knee and….” He took a deep breath. “It’s me. I
should have told you when Ryland told me what he’d done. I think he spoke to
the others as well. You might be happy to know that he’s a good man and his
heart is in the right place, but he’s a pain in my ass too.”
    They went into the house by way of the
kitchen. She was overwhelmed when they entered the biggest room she’d been in
besides her showroom. She was just looking at the double-wide refrigerator after
Neal had left her there when a man stepped out of what she thought was a
pantry.
    “Well, hello there, miss.” He was as
wide as he was tall, but he didn’t frighten her like a lot of big men did. “I’m
Carl Winchester, cook and chief of this place. You’re the new mate.”
    She flushed, knowing just how he’d
figured that out. Neal’s scent would be all over her right now. She wanted to
take a long shower but was pretty sure from what her mom had told her a long
time ago that the scent of a mate would never wear off.
    “Rayne Morrow and yes, I guess I am. Neal
went to gather some things to wear at work in the morning. He said he’s going
to work for me, but I don’t really need him because my mom said she’d be there,
but there is no telling him that because he….” She took a deep breath and he
smiled at her. “I’m nervous.”
    “I can see that too. Are you hungry? I
was just about to toss together some dinner for me and the rest of the staff.
We thought that Mr. Neal was going to his mother’s for supper.”
    “He was, but Bronwyn had her baby and
they all went to the hospital.” He nodded as he put something on the counter. He
started pulling things from the refrigerator she’d been admiring.
    “I’d heard she’d had the baby. She’s a
lovely woman.” He handed her a knife and a head of lettuce. She sat them both
down. “You don’t wish to