|
|
|
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
She looked up, curious, with her key card inserted into the slot. "Why?"
"You've got more hang-ups than you realize," he said softly. He shook his head. "It will take a patient
man to get through all of them."
"Something nobody would ever accuse you of being," she replied sweetly.
He pursed his lips. "Oh, I don't know, I thought I was doing pretty good for a while today."
She got his meaning and glared at him. He was grinning, the beast!
For the first time in memory, he gave her slender figure a speaking, sensual scrutiny. "You have a
beautiful body," he remarked. "You're slender, but your breasts are just right..."
"You stop talking about my breasts!" she exclaimed, folding her arms over them defensively.
"It's better than doing what I'm thinking," he replied with a long, meaningful glance at them with
pursed lips.
She felt the heat go through her like a jolt of lightning. It showed, too.
He smiled slowly. "I see you know what I'm talking about," he chided.
"I do not!"
His gaze fell to her mouth. "I'd love to kiss you good-night, Maggie," he said in a tone that curled her
toes. "But I don't think I'd ever get out the door if I did."
She couldn't manage a snappy reply. He disabled all her defensive skills when he spoke in that low,
velvety tone.
He knew it. His eyes met hers, and the smile faded. "You just went on the endangered list," he said
abruptly. "I won't come at your blind side, and I won't pressure you. But I want you."
"I've told you...!"
"It's reciprocal. You can have me whenever you want me," he continued, as if she hadn't spoken, his
voice deep and soft and slow. His gaze was relentless, sensual. "Wherever you want me. On a bed, in
the floor, standing against a wall, I don't care. But it will be your decision, and on your terms. From
now on, I won't even touch you unless you tell me you want me to," he added quietly.
"I ... don't understand," she stammered.
He reached out and touched her cheek, his eyes narrow and quiet. "I spent a good part of my life in
law enforcement. I know an abused child when I see one," he said bluntly. "Even if it took me years to
realize it."
She winced.
"Don't do that," he said roughly. "It's nothing to be ashamed of! A child can't help what happens to her
or him!"
Tears welled up in her eyes. She felt dizzy. The hall started spinning around as sickening memories
flooded into her mind, crippling her, terrifying her. "Cord," she whispered, and fainted at his feet.
When she came to, she was lying on the coverlet of her bed. Cord was sitting beside her with a glass
of water in his hand, his other hand behind her head, coaxing her lips to it. His face was white under
its tan.
She managed a sip and choked. He put the glass down and helped her to sit up. He smoothed her hair
while she fought for breath and sanity again.
"I'm sorry," he said. "I should have kept my mouth shut."
She swallowed and swallowed again. He had no idea what sort of memories he'd resurrected. They
weren't as simple or direct as his assumption of what had happened to her as a child.
"Are you going to be all right?" he persisted.
She forced a smile. It wasn't his fault. He didn't know about her past. He made assumptions. So many
people did, without a clue as to the depravity to which some men could stoop in their pursuit of the
good life, the fast buck.
"It's all right, Cord," she said in a wan voice. "I've had a hard week. Maybe it just caught up with me.
Delayed jet lag."
His eyes were worried. He wasn't buying it. "Don't you want to come back to the ranch with me?" he
asked.
"June could stay with you."
She shook her head. "You don't understand. It was all a long time ago. I've come to grips with it.
Really."
He nodded and gave her an impatient stare. "Of course you have, sweetheart. That's why you fainted."
Her eyelids flashed at the endearment. She'd known Cord for eighteen years. He'd never called her by
a pet name.
He seemed to realize why she was shocked. He chuckled softly. "Is that a weak spot? I'll have to
exploit it."
"It won't work twice," she said firmly. "Right. Honey," he drawled softly. She flushed.
His eyes sparkled with delight. "I'll think up a few more before I come back next week. I'm free
Wednesday or Thursday. You can pick the movie and the restaurant."
She was worried. "Cord...?"
"I won't touch you," he repeated. "Dinner and a movie. Period."
"But, I'm going away," she continued. "It will just make things worse..."
"Worse for who, you or me?" he asked.
"All right, for me," she said, hating the fact that he knew how she felt about him. "Don't torment me&
He hesitated. She did look tormented. He took one of her hands in his and held it tight. His thumb
smoothed over her neat fingernails. "You've got every right to feel the way you do. I don't blame you.
But don't push me completely out of your life, Maggie," he added, lifting dark eyes to hers. "I can
even settle for friendship, if that's all you have to offer."
The remark was surprising. She didn't really trust it, either, because she'd felt his hunger for her. How
ironic, that she loved him but couldn't imagine making love to him, and he wanted her but without
loving her.
"We could go back to being foster children," she said.
"Foster brother and sister?" he asked, and he didn't smile.
She nodded.
He let go of her hand and got to his feet. "If that's what you really want, okay," he said with cold pride.
"But be sure, Maggie. Be very sure. There are plenty of women in the world, some of whom wouldn't
consider it an ordeal to be my lover."
That hurt, as it was meant to. She picked up the glass of water and sipped it. She didn't speak. Words
would choke her. She knew he was giving her an ultimatum. It was the old game, all over again, strike
out before you were hit. But she wasn't going to play any more.
"No reply?" he taunted.
She sipped the water again.
He swore roundly, turned on his heel, went out the door and slammed it. A second later, he opened it
again.
"Keep this damned thing locked," he said shortly, dark eyes blazing. "I told you before, I have an
enemy, and he may try to target you. Don't take chances."
"Okay."
He waited with visible impatience until she got up and started toward the door. He glared at her. His
body ached just looking at her, and she was closing doors before he even got the key in the lock.
"Don't worry, you made your point. Bodies are cheap," she said as she met his eyes. "You can find one
anywhere."
His jaw clenched. "That was a low remark," he replied.
She shrugged. "You've already told me I'm not in the running unless I'm willing to jump into bed with
you.
There are women lined up, waiting. I get the point." She smiled. "Lucky you!"
He looked as if he wanted to bite off part of the wall. "That wasn't the point!"
"Good night, Cord."
He stepped out into the hall, but he turned almost at once. She'd fainted because he mentioned her past.
She had hidden terrors because of it. And here he was, pressuring her, when he'd promised not to. It
was frustration talking, not his heart.
He stared down at her with regret eating at him. "I tell lies," he muttered. "I make promises I don't
keep." He shrugged. "I wouldn't want to go out with me, either, after the way I've behaved tonight. But
keep your door locked, okay?"
"Okay."
He shrugged and started down the hall, both hands in his pockets.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
zanotowane.pldoc.pisz.plpdf.pisz.plkwiatpolny.htw.pl
|
|
| Cytat |
Dobre pomysły nie mają przeszłości, mają tylko przyszłość. Robert Mallet
De minimis - o najmniejszych rzeczach.
Dobroć jest ważniejsza niż mądrość, a uznanie tej prawdy to pierwszy krok do mądrości. Theodore Isaac Rubin
Dobro to tylko to, co szlachetne, zło to tylko to, co haniebne.
Dla człowieka nie tylko świat otaczający jest zagadką; jest on nią sam dla siebie. I z obu tajemnic bardziej dręczącą wydaje się ta druga. Antoni Kępiński (1918-1972)
|
|
