“It wasn’t all bad.”
Abe caught Mitch’s smile. His frustration built to the breaking point, impotence churning in his gut.
Dee laughed. “I find that hard to believe.”
Mitch opened his mouth, but Abe shot him a look that said shut up, or you suffer.
“Leave me out of this. I’m heading home.” Mitch threw up his hands. He slid off his hat and held it against his chest as he bid Dee goodbye.
Alone with Abe, Dee said, “He seems like a very nice man.”
Abe picked at the label on his beer. “I used to think so.”
Mitch had fancied up to Dee as if she was the next best thing to sliced bread. Mitch was a man. Abe guessed any red-blooded man would find her appealing. He slid a subtle glance over her.
Although the changes were faint, he could the differences in her. Five years ago she’d been young, unmarked and green when it came to life, especially on a farm. She’d tried fitting in by helping with the chores, and she’d done a lot of the work inside the house. She’d even given the place a homier feel, with modern decorations and feminine touches. He’d never admitted it, but he’d liked her personal touch in the old house.
Seeing her now with her fancy manicure, long hair and perfect make-up, he doubted she’d be any help. Her attempt at knocking off casual with the new jeans, simple red tee and boots bombed.
“Was Mitch supposed to be mean and cold to me too?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Abe averted his eyes.
“Well.” She reached down beside him, grabbed a bottle, opened it and took a long drink. “You’ve been a total ass, and Mrs. Graves has been eyeing me like I’m the devil’s child. Is this your plan to chase me off?”
“I see I’ve made myself clear.” He glowered at her, though in truth he was more upset that she’d taken his last beer. He emptied his own bottle. “I can’t speak for Mrs. Graves. I will say she has an uncanny ability to see right through people.”
“If you say so.” She plopped down on Mitch’s vacated bale of hay and gave Abe a steady, determined stare. “You have only two horses in here? Do you ride them?” She peered into the stalls.
“No. One bites and the other kicks.”
“Are you serious?”
“And at feeding time, we stand back and throw the food into the stall. Otherwise, we might get too close and lose an arm.”
Her skin paled. “I know you get a kick out of tormenting me, but I’m not leaving, Abe,” she said with a defiant tilt to her chin.
“You will,” he replied, with more confidence than he really felt.
“No, I won’t, not unless I decide to leave on my own terms. I won’t let you decide my future for me. At least, not this time.”
He tossed the empty bottle into the trashcan. The sound of breaking glass penetrated the air.
He glared at her. “Are you implying that I’ve done something to hurt you?” He didn’t want to have this conversation with her. Any conversation with her. If not for the four beers in him, he’d walk out. That was more than his limit in two months, and he was feeling just a little...loose.
She studied her beer bottle and skimmed the pad of her finger around the top. “Of course not.”
Dee didn’t look at him. He couldn’t look at her, either. He’d lived with the weight of shame, embarrassment and pain for years. He’d done a good job molding those emotions into something more useful, more productive: anger. The latter was far better than sorrow. Abe had convinced himself of her faults long ago. He wouldn’t allow her to unravel him again.
“You’re not welcome here, Dee.”
She set her bottle on the floor. It fell onto its side. Beer spilled out in a foamy puddle; both ignored it.
Tension enveloped him. What would she say?
“Let’s get past that, Abe. The reality is, Jacob wanted me here. I don’t know why he did, but I trusted him.”
He smirked. “You don’t belong here. Did you change your clothes to prove a point to yourself, or just to impress me?”
One thin brow curved in challenge. “It’d make you happy to think I was trying to impress you.”
“No.” He wrinkled his nose. “No, it wouldn’t.” He dropped his feet to the floor with a thud.
“Oh, forgive me.” Her tone teetered on mockery. “You’re into engaged women, right? I’m only a single girl now.”
Her bitter words hit home, striking as hard as a blow to the gut. He rose so quickly she stumbled back. He stalked toward her. Agitated, the horses kicked at the doors of their stalls as if they shared his tension.
Her lips trembled. “Did I touch a sensitive chord?”
Chord? Hell, she’d unleashed a flood. He caught her wrist in a solid grip. He didn’t want to hurt her, but he dragged her close and bent low to her ear. “You wanna stay?” His voice was dangerously low. “Stay. But don’t cross my path, or I’ll throw your ass off my farm quicker than you can throw Jacob’s name in my face again. Ownership rights or no ownership rights, that’s my word. Got it?”
She tilted her head back and looked up at him. Her face was devoid of emotion, but the damp mist in her eyes made her a liar. “Got it,” she whispered.
He dropped her wrist and pivoted on his heel, heading for the exit.
Her shaky voice stopped him. “I know you, Abe, probably better than Jacob did. If I didn’t already realize you’re a kind man, I’d run as far away from you as I could. You’re angry and you’re feeling guilty. I know, because I feel the same. I’ve dealt with those same emotions since Jacob died. You may hate me and I don’t know if I still...if I like you much either, but we share one thing. We both lost someone we loved.”
He kept his back to her, but as the last word left her lips he nearly fled outside. Sucking in fresh air, he shoved his hands into his pockets. Damn it. Damn her.
She’d leave...eventually.
Chapter 3
Smooth, warm lips moved across the sensitive skin of Dee’s bare neck and shoulders. She threaded her fingers through Abe’s thick, long hair. Her nails skimmed his scalp. She arched her back. Her erect nipples pressed against his chest. The crisp hair tickled her breasts.
The sensation brought her to new heights. She wanted this feeling to go on forever. She needed him with a penetrating, undeniable desire. Consumed by it, she bucked her hips.
He pulled back and stared down at her. His mocha eyes reflected what she yearned for. Dee whispered his name, “Abe...”
And then he was gone as cold air swept across her bare skin.
Lifting up on her elbows, Dee blinked gritty eyes and stared into the pitch-black bedroom. Her cheeks burned, and her cotton gown clung to damp skin. Her tangled hair stuck to her cheeks. She pushed the tresses aside. Only a dream, but her body tingled, rousing cravings that left an aching wetness between her legs.
As her eyes adjusted, she scanned the dark room. She was alone. Good...maybe.
She sighed and buried her face into her clammy palms. Her breaths raced; she tried to pace them. The lingering intimacy and sensuality left a distressing quiver in her gut. The worst part? That had been the best sex she’d had in years.
The mattress welcomed her body as she buried her head in the soft pillow. Memories flooded her sleepy mind. She forced herself