Giant of Mesabi

"You never do anything without a reason, do you?" she declared, and immediately wondered what his true reason had been for meeting her at the airport.

"I wouldn't say 'never,'" mocked Rolt, subtly reminding her of the last time he had reproved her usage of the word. "It is convenient, though, when the desire for creature comforts also fulfills a practical purpose."

"I wouldn't have guessed that you were vulnerable to human needs," Alanna replied tartly.

His gaze raked her with slow thoroughness from head to toe. "Do you doubt it?" his low voice inquired in a lazy, suggestive question.

Nearly fifteen feet separated them, yet the caress of his enigmatic blue eyes had been almost a physical touch. It was as if he had personally explored every intimate detail of her figure. Tension stretched between them, taut and vibrating, tingling down Alanna's nerve ends.

A slow warmth crept up her neck, and she turned away before it reached her cheeks and was revealed to his discerning gaze. She refused to make any comment to his suggestive question.

Seemingly of her own volition, her legs carried her forward, putting more distance between herself and Rolt. The closed drapes offered her a destination and she took it. Before her hand could lift the knobby material aside, the roll of a cord opened them.

Her startled look sought the reason and found Rolt, the thick carpet muffling his footsteps as he had joined her at the window. Quickly Alanna looked back to the window, her heart beating rapidly in unknown alarm.

"It's quite a view of the countryside when you can see it." His voice came from just over her right shoulder. Alanna stiffened, trying to judge how close he was to her without glancing around. Too close, her radar told her. "Unfortunately the dust usually leaves a film an inch thick on the glass. That's why I generally leave the drapes closed unless it's after a hard rain. It's a waste of time to have the windows washed."

The hazy view obscured the landscape, turning it into indefinable shapes and silhouettes. Yet Alanna's gaze remained steadfastly fixed on the dust-covered panes. The musky scent of his after-shave lotion drifted in the air, nearly suffocating her with its heady aroma. She longed to move away, but to turn in any direction ultimately meant facing Rolt.

And Alanna felt uncomfortably vulnerable. It was as if he knew the havoc he was wreaking on her senses and delighted in shattering her poise. The knowledge added fuel to her fire of dislike.

"How much longer will Kurt be?" she demanded tersely.

"Does it matter?"

His hand touched her forearm. His intention was obviously to turn her around, probably into his arms. But Alanna was having none of it. Pivoting away from his touch, she violently pushed his outstretched hand away from her, eyes flashing her fury.

"Yes, it matters," she hissed. "If it will be very much longer, I prefer to wait for him outside."

Rolt towered above her, strangely remote as he looked down at her in a narrowed gaze. Inwardly intimidated by his poised attitude of retaliation, Alanna didn't back down under his piercing look. A flicker of a smile touched the corners of his mouth.

"That won't be necessary," he replied smoothly. "He's cooled his heels long enough in the outer office."

"He's here?" she breathed in frowning disbelief.

"Mrs. Blake notified me of his arrival a few minutes ago." There was a complacent gleam in his eyes.

That was impossible. She had been with him every minute. "How?"

Briefly inclining his head, he indicated the table behind them. The movement highlighted the golden cast to his coffee-brown hair. "The small light illuminated on the telephone," he explained. "I dislike buzzers."

Her fingernails dug into the palms of her hands. "Do you mean Kurt has been out there all this time I've been waiting for him?"

"Not quite all of the time," Rolt qualified, and turned away to walk to the phone. Picking up the receiver, he punched a button and spoke into the mouthpiece. "You can send Kurt in now, Mrs. Blake."

The audacity of the man infuriated Alanna beyond measure. Strangled by her inability to express it, she could only glare at him. There was no time for any joyous anticipation of Kurt's arrival. The interconnecting office door opened and he walked in.

"You wanted to see me." Kurt's attention on entering was naturally focused first on Rolt. He was several feet inside the room before he noticed Alanna standing at the window. The handsomely masculine face was immediately wreathed in a beguiling smile. "Alanna!"

This was not the way she had visualized their meeting with her trembling in impotent rage at his brother, thus unable to respond with the same degree of gladness that had been in Kurt's voice.

"Hello, Kurt." Her answering smile was stiff and insincere.

He walked toward her, tall and darkly handsome, the light in his eyes warmly admiring. A part of her wanted to rush into his arms, knowing she would be welcomed, but she was too aware of the silent and mockingly observant Rolt. She didn't move, awkwardly waiting for Kurt to come to her.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to meet you at the airport." His gaze inspected the lavender thunderclouds still lurking in the shadows of her eyes.

"It's all right." Alanna shook her head, trying to relax. "R—your brother explained the problem."