Mail-order Bridegroom Part 3

Or the unhinged door. They might have taken me, but I didn't go easy.""I don't know..." She struggled to remember. Had the window and furniturebeen broken?

"Things were a bit of a mess, but--' He didn't give her a chance to finish.

"I guess you were so busy staring at the stars you didn't notice." Catchinghold of her long, silver braid, he wound it around his hand, pulling herclose. His mouth hovered a hair's-breadth above hers.

"Or maybe you didn't notice because every word you've uttered is a lie.Admit it. You were never at that line-shack."

"I was there!"

"Not a chance. Only two people knew about our meeting. You... and me.

I didn't tell a soul. But, since the sheriff came in your place, there'sonly one explanation. You changed your mind. And, afraid of how I'd react, you spilled your guts to Daddy and begged him to get you out of a sticky situation. "

"No! It didn't happen that way.""Didn't it? Tell me this. If we had met that afternoon, would you have comeaway with me? Well...?" He pinned her with a hard, savage gaze.

"Would you?"

She'd never lied to him in the past and she wouldn't start now. No matter

how it might look to him, no matter how he might react, she'd tell him the truth.

"No. I wouldn't have gone with you."

For an instant his grip tightened and she waited for him to master his anger,

unafraid, knowing with an absolute certainty that he'd never physically harm

her.

"I didn't think so," he said. He released her and stood, and she sensed that he'd set himself apart, distancing himself from her.

Her explanation wouldn't change anything, but she had to try. For the first time she deliberately touched him, placing a hand on his upper arm, feeling the rock-like muscles clench in reaction.

"There's a reason I wouldn't have gone away with you--' " Enough, Leah. " He turned flat, cold eyes in her direction.

"I've heard enough. It's water under the bridge. And, to be honest, your excuses don't interest me."

There was no point in trying to force him to listen. Not now. Maybe not

ever.

"Then why are you here?" she asked. "Why cause more grief--grief neither of us needs?"

"Because what's important is today. Here and now. Your ranch and that ad."

"I won't let you get your hands on this ranch ... or on me," she informed him fiercely.

"You might as well give up and move on, because I won't marry you."

He laughed, the sound harsh and mocking.

"I don't recall asking, sweetheart."

A tide of color washed into her face at his biting response.

"I.

a.s.sumed that was why you'd come. You had the ad and you implied--' He lifted

an eyebrow.

"Implied what?"

"That you were interested in marrying me," she maintained stubbornly.

"You came in response to my notice, didn't you?"

"Not to offer marriage, that's for d.a.m.ned sure. I came because you wouldn't

have placed that ad if you weren't desperate, which makes it a powerful bargaining chip. So let's bargain. I want the ranch, Leah, and I mean to get it."

They stared at each other for an endless moment. Before she could respond, a car horn sounded out front, and Hunter glanced towards the windows.

"Someone's here. Another applicant, perhaps?"Slipping past him, Leah crossed to the window, recognizing the pick-up parkedin front. The occupant leaned on the horn again and her mouth tightened inresponse.

"It would appear this is my day for surprises," she murmured. "Unpleasantsurprises, that is." She crossed to the picture wall where Hunter had lefther rifle and s.n.a.t.c.hed it up.

"What's going on, Leah?" Hunter demanded, picking up his hat."Who's your company?"Intent on reloading, she spared him a brief glance."His name is Bull Jones. He's the foreman of the Circle P."Hunter's eyes narrowed."The Circle P?""A new outfit. Actually, they're now the only outfit in these parts, except for us. They're owned by a big conglomerate, Lyon Enterprises, and they'renot particularly friendly. So do me a favor and stay out of this, okay? It doesn't concern you."

He looked as if he might debate the issue. Then, with an abrupt nod, hefollowed her out to the porch. Propping his shoulder against a pillar, hetipped his hat low on his brow, his face thrown into shadow. Satisfied byHunter's apparent compliance, Leah turned her attention to the more immediateand far more menacing problem confronting her.

Bull Jones leaned negligently against the door of his pick-up--a pick-upparked directly in the middle of the tiny strip of flowerbed Grandmother Rosehad painstakingly labored over these past three weeks.

"Afternoon, Miz Hampton," he said, grinning around the stub of a thick cigar.

She ignored his greeting, taking a stand at the top of the porch steps.

"Get off my property, you thieving rattlesnake," she ordered coldly, 'before

I call the sheriff. "

"In one of your feisty moods, are you?" She didn't bother responding and hesighed."Call the sheriff if it'll make you feel any better.But you know and I know he won't be coming. He's tired of all your phone-calls. "

She couldn't argue with the truth. Instead, she brought the rifle to her

shoulder and aimed the hurting end exactly six inches below Bull's ma.s.sive silver belt buckle.

"Spit out why you came and get the h.e.l.l off my land before I send you home

with a few vital parts missing," she said.

He didn't seem the least intimidated. In fact he laughed in genuineamus.e.m.e.nt."You do have a way with words." He jerked his head toward Hunter."This hombre one of your prospective suitors? Doesn't have much to say for himself."

Hunter smiled without amus.e.m.e.nt.

"Give it time, friend."

Leah couldn't conceal her surprise. If Bull considered Hunter a potential

suitor, then he knew about her advertis.e.m.e.nt. But how had he found out?Before the two men could exchange further words, she hastened to ask,"Is that it, Jones? That's what you came about? My ad?"

"One of the reasons," Bull acknowledged.

"I even considered offering myself up as a possible candidate. But I didn'tthink you'd go for it.""You thought right.""As to the other matter...." He paused to savor his cigar, puffing contentedly for a long minute. She knew it was a deliberate maneuver on hispart--an attempt to drive her crazy. Unfortunately it was working.

"Out with it, Jones."

"My, my. You are in a hurry." He shrugged, a quick grin sliding across his face.

"You want it straight? Okay. I'll give it to you straight. I came to offera friendly little warning."TriendlyT "I'm a friendly sort of guy." He took a step in her direction.

"You give me half the chance, you'd find just how friendly I can be."

She didn't know whether it was the sound of her pumping home the sh.e.l.l in her rifle or the fact that Hunter suddenly straightened from his lounging position that stopped Bull in his tracks. Whichever it was, he froze. Then she glanced at Hunter and knew what had checked the fore- man's movements.

She'd always found Hunter's eyes fascinating. One minute the blackness appeared, cold and remote, the next minute glittering with fire and pa.s.sion.

For the first time she saw his eyes burn with an implacable threat and for the first time she realized how intimidating it could be.

He leveled that look on Bull.

"If you have something more to say," he informed the foreman softly, "I suggest you say it. Fast."

Bull Jones shot Hunter a look of fury, but Leah noticed he obeyed.

"Seems Lyon Enterprises is getting tired of playing games over this place."

His gaze s.h.i.+fted to Leah. "Thought you should know they've decided to call in the big guns."

"I'm shaking in my boots," she said.

He removed his cigar from between his teeth and threw it to the ground. It landed amongst a clump of crushed pink begonias, wisps of smoke drifting up from the smoldering tip.