Chase The Clouds. Lindsay McKenna

smiled savagely. “Nothing’s as simple as that, Mrs. Daguerre. Remember, there’s been a contract signed, and I’ll hold you to it if I have to.”

      Her nostrils flared with contempt. “You wouldn’t dare!”

      “What are you running from?” he asked, his voice suddenly lined with impatience. He reached out, grabbing her arm and drawing her near. “Sorry,” he breathed thickly, “but you’re too good a trainer and I need you for that horse out there. I don’t care what you’re running from, but you aren’t leaving this commitment. You’ll fulfill the obligations.”

      Dany muffled a curse, jerking her arm away from his branding fingers of fire on her skin. “You—you bastard,” she hissed. “All right,” she blurted out in reckless abandon, “I’ll stay! But keep away from me while I’m training that horse. Do you hear me? I don’t want a thing to do with you!”

      She rubbed her bruised arm, taking two more steps away from him. God, how she hated that composed, implacable look on his stony face. How had she led herself to think it was as simple as flying out to his ranch? His tenderness and care from the night before had thrown her off guard. Well, his true personality was now surfacing. He was just as arrogant and imperious as that stallion of his. Her lips curled away from her teeth. “I despise you for thinking you can run my life for me, Mr. Reese. You’re so used to molding everything to the way you want it. It’s obvious you come from generations of men who are used to getting their way. Well, you may get your way for a while, but as soon as I’m done with Altair, I’m leaving. And I don’t care if I have to run away in the dead of night to do it!”

      Sam smiled lazily, beginning to relax. He pulled the brim of the cowboy hat down across his eyes. “If you leave, you’ll find yourself in high country full of cougar, bear and bobcat. And at this time of year, they’re coming out of a hard winter and they’re hungry. So forget that idea.”