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His tongue sought and danced with hers and she didn’t protest, but linked her arms around his neck, moaning his name as he unbuttoned her blouse and caressed her breast in slow, sensuous circles that awakened dangerous fires deep within her soul. His hands were warm and comforting against her skin and a fine tremor in his touch told her just how easily his control could slip.
He kissed the top of her breast, letting his tongue wet the lacy edge of her bra and the warm skin peeking through the sheer fabric.
“Please, Chase,” she whispered brokenly, knowing she should break off the embrace but unable to find the strength to do anything but surrender to his lovemaking.
Looking up, he saw the doubt in her eyes. He groaned and rolled away, closing his eyes and mind to the thundering desire.
Dani felt suddenly cold and very much alone.
“Oh, Dani,” he whispered hoarsely, lying on his stomach and willing the swelling in his jeans to subside. “If you only knew what you do to me.” Though his eyes were still closed, he rubbed them with his thumb and finger and massaged the bridge of his nose. “I don’t know how much more of this I can take.”
She swallowed the lump in her throat along with her pride. “Why are you trying to confuse me?” she asked, her voice raspy as she buttoned her blouse.
“I’m not.”
“Then why don’t you make up your mind?”
“I don’t understand.”
“Neither do I, Chase. But it sure looks like you’re playing both ends against the middle.”
“Meaning?”
“That one minute you’re telling me that your only allegiance is to Caleb Johnson, a man who’s tried everything he can think of to ruin me, and the next minute you’re . . . you’re . . . acting like you care for me!”
“It’s not an act,” he admitted. “I do care for you. Too much, I think.”
She smiled sadly. “I wish I could believe you.”
“Just trust me—”
The same old words! Trust me! Sadness sizzled into anger. Anger at her twisted emotions and anger at him for confusing her. “Trust you? How can I? I don’t believe in blind trust, Chase.” Not since Blake left me. “You promised that you’d stay off my land and leave me alone. The minute my back was turned you were here again, digging in the mud and taking water from the creek.”
“Dani—”
“I’m not through!”
“Just wait a minute! Listen to you! Why do you care if I’m on your land? I’m not hurting a damned thing!”
She was trembling with passion and rage, confusing the two, wishing that she’d never laid eyes on the enigma that was Chase McEnroe. “Not hurting anything?” she repeated. “Well, maybe not yet! But you’re working for Johnson and God only knows what he’s got up his sleeve!”
She started to get up but he grabbed her wrist, pulling her close to him. “You know, you act like you’ve got something to hide.”
“Me!” She laughed at the absurdity of the situation but couldn’t help being mesmerized by his gaze. “Why don’t you go track down your boss? Ask him about my dead cattle. Ask him about the time I was going to sell off part of the property to him. Ask him about my hay baler! And ask him about the time he tried to siphon off all the water in Grizzly Creek for his private lake!”
She wrenched her arm free and stood staring down at him. She was shaking with rage. “For all I know, you’re just part of one of Caleb’s schemes. I wouldn’t put it past him. He probably asked you to come over here and try to work your way into my confidence by any means possible!”
Chase’s square jaw tightened and his clear eyes clouded when he remembered Caleb’s suggestion that he bed Dani. He tried not to let his thoughts show, but his very silenc
e was incriminating.
“Oh my God, Caleb is behind this, isn’t he?” she guessed, feeling suddenly sick. She could read the evidence in Chase’s eyes. Bitterly she turned away in disgust and self-loathing overwhelmed her. “And it’s laughable what easy prey I am!”
“What happened between us has nothing to do with Johnson,” Chase said, rising to his feet.
“Like hell!” She backed into a tree and stood looking at him. Her face was pale, her expression stricken. “Just get off my property and don’t ever come back!”
“Dani—”
