[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]
"Well?" Annie stared at him, waiting for a response.
Matt shrugged. "I really didn't notice.
Would you marry her if she had big boobs?
Enough about Ruth, Matt snapped. And no, I don't plan to marry her. It's gonna be just you and me,
kiddo, like it's always been. Satisfied?"
Annie shrugged. "I guess."
Matt got the distinct impression that Annie was disappointed. One day soon, he'd remind her that Ruth
was just another nanny who'd leave them both when a better offer came along.
But the fact was, Ruth wouldn't find a better offer than what he could give her at the Kincaid as his....
As his what? Just feed your pup," he mumbled to Annie.
Annie looked up at him, puzzled, and Matt realized that feeding the pup was precisely what Annie
was doing.
***
During the quiet, solitary hours just before daybreak, when even the house seemed to be slumbering,
Ruth lay in bed, eyes fixed on a ceiling painted with the eerie, bluish light of dawn, and asked herself
how she could have come so close to giving herself to the man whose daughter she might ultimately
take away, a man who lusted after her, but didn't love her, a man who had no intention of marrying
again. She tried to convince herself that she'd allowed things to get out of hand in order to avoid
answering Matt s questions about Beth, but she knew it was a barefaced lie. Nor could she clear her
mind of the brazen smile she'd offered him as she stood on at the edge of the water, urging him to
come take her.
But it was the sight of him racing after her, naked and aroused and completely uninhibited, and
scooping her up in his arms and holding her against a body about as perfect as a man could have, that
taunted her now. The fact was, she d wanted to give herself to Matt for the pure, hedonistic reason
that she wanted him. Just as she knew he wanted her. And the only way she could check her unleashed
desire for him was to continue avoiding him, just as she had, ever since she d rushed out of the
kitchen in her bathing suit six days ago. She'd even skipped dinner that night, eating leftovers in the
kitchen after Edith retired to her room for the evening, though she'd made sure Annie went down and
joined the men for dinner, as usual.
For the rest of the week it was easy to avoid Matt. He and the men had been away rounding up
mavericks to bring in for branding. But now he was back, and again she'd skipped dinner. But
eventually he d come looking for her, and she'd have to face him. Yet, how could she bring herself to
do that now? She d always tried to be modest in her dress, but standing near-naked in front of his
voluptuous, strikingly beautiful ex-wife had been the most degrading and humiliating moment in her
life. And it all happened because of a whim, and a skimpy bathing suit. If it were not for resolving the
issue of whether Annie was Beth, she'd leave this place and the physical effect Matt had on her. But
she didn't have that choice. So, no matter how driven she was with need for Matt, she would not let it
happen again...
And then the bedroom door opened and she saw him standing there, barefoot, stripped to the waist
and wearing pajama bottoms. He walked to the bed and peered down at her. She closed her eyes and
willed him to leave, hoping he'd think she was asleep, but he didn't buy it. Instead, he said, "We have
to talk."
"Just go away."
"Not until I get some answers. The bed settled down beneath Matt's weight, and Ruth could feel his
eyes on her. Why have you been avoiding me?
Ruth attempted to draw the covers up around herself, but they were trapped under him.
Turning onto her side and presenting her back to him, she said, "You should know why. Now, please
leave. Annie will hear us."
"Annie's downstairs sleeping in Edith s room so she can be near her pup." Placing his hand on Ruth's
shoulder, Matt said in a low, quiet voice, "Okay, honey, what gives? Ruth yanked the covers from
under him and scooted back against the headboard. Drawing her knees to her chest, she said. "What
gives is that nothing like this has ever happened to me and it makes me feel cheap and ashamed. I
don't normally go running around half naked, teasing men, and I have no explanation for my behavior."
Matt drew in an audible breath. "So you ve decided to hide from me? Until when?
I don t know. I m very confused
Then I ll clear some of the confusion. You behaved the way you did because you simply allowed
yourself to feel what I feel, and to act on it. And your behavior wasn t shameful, honey.
Standing in that skimpy suit and smiling at me over your shoulder, and teasing me the way you did... it
was about the sweetest thing that ever happened to me because I know you're not that kind of woman."
He reached out and trailed a finger along her bare shoulder and down her arm.
[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]