Mail-order Bridegroom Part 4

"You will be. From what I hear, this new guy's tough. You don't stand a

chance."His words terrified her. But she refused to crack. She wouldn't allow herfear to show. Not to this b.a.s.t.a.r.d. "You've been saying that for a full yearnow," she said calmly enough.

"And I've managed just fine."

"That was kid-glove treatment."

Anger stirred. The temptation to pull the trigger and be done with it was all too inviting.

"You call fouling wells and cutting fence-line and stampeding my herd

kid-glove treatment?"

He shrugged.

"We were having a little fun, is all. But now the gloves are off. Don't say

I didn't warn you."With that, he stomped through what remained of Grandmother Rose's flowerbedand climbed into his pickup. The engine started with a noisy roar and hegunned it, a rooster-tail of dirt and gra.s.s spraying up from beneath his rearwheels. They watched in silence as he disappeared down the dirt drive. A minute later all that remained of Bull's pa.s.sing was a tiny whirlwind ofdust, spinning lazily in the distance. Leah eyed it with a thoughtful frown.Hunter slipped the rifle from her grasp and leaned it against the porch rail."Something you forgot to tell me?" he murmured sardonically.She lifted her chin."There might be one or two minor details we didn't get around to discussing.Not that it's any concern of yours.""I don't agree. I suggest we go back inside and discuss those minor details.""No!" She rounded on him. First t.i.tus T. " then Bull and now Hunter.

This definitely wasn't her day."You know full well that there's nothing left to talk over. You want theranch and I won't let you have it. Even if you were interested in respondingto my ad--interested in marriage--I won't choose you for the position. Howcould you think I would?"

He raised an eyebrow."Position? I thought you wanted a husband.""That's right, I do. But since you aren't interested..." Fighting to keep the distress from her voice, she said, "You've had your fun. So why don't you leave?"

He shook his head.

"We're not through with our conversation, and I'm not leaving until we are.

If that means applying for your... position, then consider me applied."

"Forget it. You don't qualify," she insisted."That ends the conversation as far as I'm concerned.""I qualify, all right. On every point."She didn't want to continue with this charade but, aside from picking up her rifle and trying to force him off her property at gunpoint, she didn't see any other option available to her. Especially considering how far she'd gotten the last time she'd turned her rifle on him.

"Fine. You think you qualify? Then prove it," she demanded."A challenge? Not a wise move, Leah, because once I've proven myself we'll finish that discussion." He tilted his head to one side, his brow furrowedin thought."Let's see if I can get this right... Number one. You want a man between

the ages of twenty-five and forty-five. No problem there.""You should have read the ad more carefully, Hunter! It says a kind andgentle man. You are neither kind nor gentle."

His gaze, black and merciless, met hers.

"You'd do well to remember that."

Tempted as she was, she didn't back down.

"I haven't forgotten. The ad also says applicants should be looking for a

permanent type of relations.h.i.+p." She shot him a skeptical glance."Don't tell me you're finally ready to settle down?""That isn't my first choice, no. But I'd consider it if the right offer came along. Number two. As I recall that concerns ranching experience." Hefolded his arms across his chest."You planning to debate my qualifications there?"She shook her head. After all, there was nothing to debate."I'll concede your ranching abilities," she agreed.

A grim smile touched his mouth."You'll concede a h.e.l.l of a lot more before we're finished. Number three.He should also have solid business skills--particularly those skillsnecessary to please a bullheaded banker." He settled his hat lower on hisforehead.

"You've tipped your hand with that one."

"Have I?" Something about his att.i.tude worried her. He acted as though this were all a game, as though she'd already lost the match but didn't yet know

it. What she couldn't figure was. how? How could she lose a game that she wasn't even playing?

His smile turned predatory.

"You're having financial difficulties and the bank won't help without a man

backing you. Close enough?"

She gritted her teeth."Close enough," she forced herself to confess."But you aren't that man. End of discussion.""Far from it. There isn't a bank in the world who wouldn't back me."That gave her pause."Since when?"He closed the distance between them, crowding her against the porch rail."It's been eight years since our last meeting. A lot has happened in that time. I'm not the poor ranch-hand you once knew. You need me, Leah. Andsoon very soon I'm going to prove it to you.""I don't need you!" she denied pa.s.sionately.

"I'll never need you." "Yes, you will." His voice dropped, the timbre soft and caressing, but hiswords were as hard and chipped as stone. "Because you won't get anycooperation from the bank without me. I guarantee it. And by tomorrowyou'll know it, too."

She caught her breath.

"You can prove that?"

"I'll give you all the proof you need. Count on it." He lowered his head,

his mouth inches from hers.

"Seems I've qualified after all."

She glared, slipping from between him and the rail.

"I disagree.

You've already admitted that you aren't kind or gentle. And since that is

one of the qualifications. " She shrugged."Fraid I'll have to pa.s.s.""And I'm afraid I'll have to insist. In the business world all negotiations are subject to compromise. You'll have to compromise on " kind and gentle".""And what will you compromise about?" she shot back."If I can get away with it... nothing." He edged his hip on to the rail and glanced at her.

"Tell me something, Leah. Why haven't you sold the ranch?"

She s.h.i.+fted impatiently."I think you can guess. Hampton Homestead has been in our family for--' "Generations. Yes, your father made that point quite clear. Along with thepoint that he wouldn't allow his ranch or his daughter to fall into the hands of some penniless mongrel whose bloodlines couldn't be traced past theorphanage where he'd been dumped. "She stared at him, genuinely shocked."He said that to you?""He said it. But that's not the point. You're out of options, Leah.Soon you won't have any other alternative. My sources tell me that either you sell or you go bankrupt. At least if you sell you'll walk away with enough money to live in comfort. "

She lifted her chin.

"There is another alternative."

His mouth twisted.

"The ad.""Don't look at me like that! It's not as foolish a decision as you mightthink. The banks will loan me the money I need to stay afloat if I have ahusband who's both a businessman and a rancher."

He stilled.

"They've guaranteed you the money?"

She shook her head.

"Not in writing, if that's what you mean. But Conrad Michaels is the senior

loan officer and an old family friend.And, though he hasn't been in a position to help us in the past, he feels ourbusiness reversals are correctable, with some work. He's a bit.old-fas.h.i.+oned. It was his idea that I find an appropriate husband. He hasn't been able to get the loan committee to approve financing so far, but he's positive he can if I marry. "

She'd never seen Hunter look so furious.

"Are you telling me that this Michaels instructed you to advertise in the

paper for a husband and you went along with his harebrained notion?"

"It's not a hare-brained notion," she protested.

"It's very practical. Conrad simply suggested I find a husband with the

necessary qualifications as quickly as possible. Once I'd done that, he'dget the loan package put through.""He suggested that, did he? In his position as your banker?" Hunter didn't bother to conceal his contempt.

"Did it ever occur to you he could have trouble living up to that promise?

He has a board of directors to answer to who might not agree with him any more now than before. And then where would you be? Bankrupt and married to

some cowpoke who'll take whatever he can lay hands on and toss you over when the going gets tough."

"You should know," she shot back.

"You're a past master of that fine art."

"Don't start something you can't finish, Leah," he warned softly.

"I'm telling you--marry the next man who responds to your ad and you'll

sacrifice everything and receive nothing but trouble.""You're wrong," she said with absolute confidence."I have faith in Conrad. He'll put the loan through."She could tell Hunter didn't agree, but he kept his opinion to himself."What about the ad?" he asked."The ad was my idea. I needed results and I needed them fast." She folded her arms across her chest in perfect imitation of his stance.

"And I got them."

He laughed without amus.e.m.e.nt.

"If you got " kind and gentle" I'm less than impressed."

"It's not you who has to be impressed," she retorted defensively.

"It's Conrad whose approval I need."

"I don't doubt your banker friend will make sure your prospective husband is

qualified as a rancher and a businessman," he stated with marked disapproval.

"But what about as a husband and lover? Who's going to make sure he qualifies in that area?" Hunter's voice dropped, the sound rough and seductive. '"Kind and gentle" couldn't satisfy you in bed in a million years. "