The Unexpected Partner

Chapter 23

Claire continued to hang up her laundry, as if no one was there. After a minute of still feeling his silent presence, she turned around and faced him.

"Didn't you hear me? I said leave. I don't need or want your help."

She never realized how much the anger had built up inside her until he was standing a few feet away. The night she was exposed, she blamed herself for everything, but the past few months really gave her time to think, making her conclude that Shane was completely in the wrong for the way he treated her. The past three months, realization hit her that she should have been the angry one. The long scar on her forearm made her even more angry that Shane had kicked her out in the middle of the night!

Shane stood there, gaping at her. For the most part the gaping was at her brazen words but there was another part that was gaping because he just couldn't take his eyes off of her.

She repeated her words again, this time in a calmer tone and with her index finger pointed in the direction towards town. "If you would kindly get out of my presence, I would greatly appreciate it." The words were followed with a sarcastic smile.

"I just want to help."

Claire pinned the last white shirt to the clothing line and then turned to him, not feeling calm anymore. "You want to help? Why would you want to help a liar? A thief? Isn't that what I am? Why would you help someone you wanted gone? Forever." She repeated the way he had told her forever back in the cabin, in a loud tone.

Her words became louder the more she talked. She was filled with rage. Maybe her rage was also due to the fact that she had not seen him for three months. The only thing that stopped her from going back to the saloon was the money she had saved; she had saved enough money to pay back the gambling debt but there was only so much before it ran out. The money was running low, and she knew it would finish in a couple weeks, leaving her with some of her father's debt unpaid. She dreaded the day she did not put money in the bank for those wretched men. God knows what they would do.

Shane jumped to his own defense. "I didn't mean to say that! Surely you understand; I was so shocked at that moment. I was shocked to realize that you were far from who I knew."

Ignoring him, Claire walked towards the front of her house. Shane looked in front of him where Fancy was tied and eating her hay. He smiled at the horse and then quickly turned around to follow Claire.

"What else can I do to make it up? I said I didn't mean it."

"All right," Claire said as she continued to walk with the man following her. "No worries; I forgive you... Can you leave now?"

When Shane began to talk, they had reached the porch. "No!" He said sternly. "I want to help you. I am going to help you."

She looked at his serious face and her mouth broke out into a fit of sarcastic laughter. "After all this time, you're still the same arrogant man that thinks everything he does and says is perfect. You still think I am incapable and that I would be nothing without you. Well guess what? You can't force your help... cause I don't want it!"

How can someone be so damn stubborn? Shane thought as he glared at her. "You don't even know what my help is. Maybe you're too stubborn to admit that you need my help. You're so quick to talk about me being arrogant and thinking I'm perfect that you can't admit when I'm right."

"Sure, I might need help," Claire conceded. "But I sure as hell don't need it from you." She turned on her heels and walked two steps to the front door but before she could grab the handle, a sturdy hand grabbed her wrist.

With little effort, Shane pulled her closer towards him, making her turn around in the process. His hand was still wrapped around her wrist. To say that Claire had trouble breathing was an understatement. She was palpitating, just from a single touch from the man. Both of them were breathing heavily after their heated argument.