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.”“It’s nothing.Forget it.” He turned his horse around and started moving again, staying far enough ahead of her that she couldn’t hitch Paradise into a gallop without forcing the poor tethered calf into running to keep up.Asshole.He’d turned a nice time between them into something unpleasant.Why did sex have to be so complicated?walker rode far enough ahead of jolene that she wouldn’t be able to catch up, but not too far ahead.He still had sight of her, and still heard the calf, though he paid no attention to the noise.His thoughts centered on Jolene.What kind of a sissy-assed weakling was he, anyway? He had no willpower.He should have said no.Sure, she’d been naked and all, but he was a grown man.He’d seen plenty of naked women before.Didn’t mean he had to go jump on every one he saw.He was hardly a horny teenager who had to fuck a woman just because she offered it up.Not that he was God’s gift to women, but he got his share of offers from eligible women in town.He could have turned Jolene down.Instead, he’d let her climb on and he’d enjoyed one hell of a ride.And even worse, he’d held her after.Like he.cared.Shit.It wasn’t going to happen again.He liked this job, had fought hard to get it when no one else would hire him after what had happened at the last ranch.The last thing he needed was another scandal.He was so dumb.And even dumber was that even now his body still craved her.He’d only scratched the surface of his desire for Jolene.There hadn’t been enough time, it hadn’t been the right place.There was so much more he wanted to do with her.Too bad.What he wanted and what he was going to get were worlds apart.fiveone week.one whole friggin’ week, and walker had done his best to avoid her.Jolene paced the kitchen.It was well before dawn, and she’d already had four cups of coffee.She was as agitated as an unbroken horse and ready to do some damage.“You’re going to wear a hole in the floor stomping your boots like that.”Valerie yawned and padded into the kitchen on bare feet, still in her pajamas.Her hair was a mess—great sex, no doubt—and she had pink cheeks.Jolene was profoundly jealous.Valerie was sleeping with someone.Jolene was sleeping alone, through no fault of her own.Valerie grabbed a cup of coffee, pulled up a chair, yawned loudly and stared at Jolene through half-opened eyelids.“Do you have to look so damn content?”Valerie cocked her head to the side.“What’s got you in a lather this early?”“Walker.”“Ah.And what’s he done this time? Or not done?”Jolene leaned against the kitchen counter and palmed the hot mug of coffee.“I don’t understand men.”Valerie lifted her mug in salute.“Welcome to the club, honey.They’re as mysterious to us as, I’m sure, we are to them.”Jolene’s only response was to grumble and take a long swallow of coffee.“So what’s the specific problem?” Valerie asked.“We had sex.”Valerie laughed.“That doesn’t sound like a problem.”“He’s avoided me for a week.”“Yeah, that is a problem.I’m sorry, honey.”“Oh, it’s not that he dumped me.He liked it.I liked it.He wants to do it again.I know he does.”Valerie sipped her coffee and studied Jolene, then shook her head and smiled.“You are nothing if not humble, little sister.”“That’s not what I mean.I know he didn’t dump me because he didn’t feel anything or the sex was lousy.I know he isn’t seeing anyone else.I mean I was there.I know what went down.It was good for both of us.We connected.So I just don’t get what his problem is.”“Men are notorious noncommunicators.”Jolene sighed.“Tell me about it.”“But you don’t strike me as someone who backs down, Jo.If you want him, and you say you’re pretty sure he wants you, then go after him.”“Normally, I would.But honest, Valerie, I’m getting tired of the chase.I’ve already done it.I’ve been doing it.I think it’s time he came to me.”Valerie shrugged.“Up to you.But don’t be surprised if he doesn’t.There’s something holding him back.”“I know.” Jolene studied her coffee, looking for answers in the black brew and knowing she wouldn’t find them there.“I wish he’d open up and tell me what it is, but he’s pretty tight-lipped about it.”“Then you’re either going to have to wait for him, or go after him.”“I went after him the first time.” Jolene lifted the pot and watched the steaming brew slide into her cup.“The ball’s in his court now.”walker was beyond stupid.this was a huge mistake.He was going to get fired, just like last time.Only last time he hadn’t deserved it.This time, he would.But he couldn’t help himself.Jolene was like a drug in his system and he was addicted.He’d ignored her for over a week now, made sure he volunteered to work on whatever Mason was working on.Since Mason was the foreman, he and Jolene generally split up and didn’t work together.Which meant if Walker worked with Mason, he’d be far away from Jolene.And Walker figured lack of proximity would help.It didn’t.He also figured she’d chase after him like she usually did.She hadn’t.It had been more than a week, and he’d barely seen her.That bothered him.It actually pissed him off that she hadn’t come after him when he’d done everything he could to ignore her, to create distance between them.What kind of an asshole did that make him?A huge one.And now he stood at the back porch door to the main house at one in the morning, knowing that back door was unlocked, knowing the place was dark, knowing Jolene was in there.And knowing he was going to sneak into her room.He was a hundred kinds of crazy for doing this, but he turned the knob and he stepped into the mudroom, quiet as could be as he tiptoed past the kitchen and into the hall.He looked up the stairs.Last chance to change his mind, to come to his senses and realize this was a really bad idea.Instead, he held on to the banister and headed upstairs, just waiting for the steps to creak.They didn’t.He got to the top of the stairs, turned left and headed toward the door to Jolene’s room.He turned the knob, quiet as he could, inched open the door, slid inside and closed it behind him.And heard the unmistakable click of a round being slid into the chamber of a revolver.Hard metal pressed against his side.Shit.“You are so damn lucky I’m a light sleeper and I see well in the dark, Walker Morgan.And that I don’t shoot without knowing who or what I’m shooting at [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]