Mail-order Bridegroom Part 20

Then he looked around for his next victim. At long last, he spied the open gate and, to Leah's eternal relief, he barreled through it, racing into the pasture.

Leaving her side. Hunter carried the dog over to the Arroya children and dropped to one knee in the dirt in front of them. Leah watched anxiously, wondering what he intended to say to them, hoping he wouldn't be too rough.

"Is this your puppy?" he asked the children.

"Yes, sir." The oldest, Emesto, stepped forward, swallowing hard.

"She sort of got away from us. We're sorry."

"You know what could have happened?"

Every last one of them nodded. The youngest, Tina, clung to Emesto, tears streaking her cheeks.

"We'll be more careful next time," the boy said solemnly.

"I promise."

"Promise," Tina repeated. After a brief hesitation, she held her arms out for Silkie.

Hunter handed over the dog.

"Tie her up until she's old enough to mind. Okay?"

Tina wrapped her arms around the puppy, burying her face in the dog's fluffy coat. With a playful yip, Silkie washed the dirt and tears from the little girl's face. Satisfied that her pet was indeed safe, she peeked up at Hunter from beneath long, dark lashes.

"Promise,"

she repeated and offered a gap-toothed smile.

Hunter ruffled her hair and stood. He glanced at Leah and lifted an eyebrow.

Without a word, she ran to his side and threw her arms around him, blinking back the tears that threatened to fall. His skin felt warm and hard beneath her hands, and she drew in a ragged breath, picturing what he might havelooked like had he not been quite so agile. She clung to him, not wantingever to let go.

In that instant she realized that she loved him. had always loved him andalways would. If he'd died beneath the bull's horns, a part of her wouldhave died as well. For weeks now she'd held him at a distance, reluctant tocommit herself fully, because deep in her heart of hearts she knew that, onceshe did, he'd own her body and soul.

Held in the safe harbor of his arms, she surrendered to the inevitable.

"You do anything that stupid again and / won't be responsible for myactions," she whispered fiercely, repeating the words he'd so often used whentaking her to task.

"You hear me. Hunter Pryde?"

He held her tight against him.

"I didn't have a choice. You and the children were counting on me to savethat d.a.m.ned dog."

And suddenly she realized he was right. As frightened as she'd been, shehadn't doubted for a minute that he'd save Silkie. Nor had the children. She glanced over Hunter's shoulder, seeing the men laughing and slapping eachother on the back. The men hadn't doubted either.

They all trusted him, all believed in him. Every last one.

"And you did save her. But then, I... I knew you would," she confessed. ^ He stiffened.

"Blind trust, Leah? You?" She lifted a shaky hand to swipe at an escapedtear.

"A temporary aberration, I'm sure."

A laugh rumbled deep in his chest.

"Of course. Come on. Let's get that fence fixed. We've got a bull to bringin."

Reluctantly, she slid her arms from around his neck and stepped back.

"I'll be right there." She watched him return to the corral and snag his hat from the dirt. She did trust him, she realized. She trusted him every bit as much as she loved him.

Blindly. Totally. Completely.

And she'd never been more frightened in her life. For Hunter had it all now.

the ranch and her heart. The only question was. what would he do when he found out?

CHAPTER EIGHT.

early the next morning Lyon Enterprises' latest offer arrived by special messenger. Gazing in fury at the papers, Leah knocked back the kitchen chair

and went in search of Hunter. Eventually she tracked him down in the barn,running a curry-comb over his buckskin."Look at this," she said, holding out the white embossed envelope.He set aside his equipment and took the papers, scanning them. His mouth tightened briefly, then he shrugged.

"So? Either write your acceptance or trash it."

She stared in disbelief as he guided his gelding from the grooming-box and

returned the horse to his stall.

"That's it? That's all you're going to say?" she demanded, trailing behind.

He shouldered past her and crossed the barn aisle to a stack of hay bales.

Using two large hooks, he lifted a bale and carried it to the stall.

"What do you want me to say?"

She regarded him with frustration.

"Something more than what you have. I'm tired of their pestering me. I'd

think you would be, too.

Or don't you care if I sell out to them? "

He released a gusty sigh and glanced^ over his shoulder at her.

"Is that what you want? To sell? I thought the whole point of marrying was

to prevent Lyon from getting their hands on your ranch.""It was, but you seem so..." She shrugged."I don't know. Detached.""I am. It's not my ranch."

She wasn't sure why she kept pushing it. But something about his carelessindifference didn't quite ring true. After all, he'd also married in orderto secure the ranch. She didn't believe for one minute that he was asunconcerned about her accepting Lyon's offer as he claimed.

"So you wouldn't object if I sold to them."

"No." He paused in his labors.

"Though legally you can't without offering me first refusal."

She blinked, momentarily sidetracked.

"Come again?"

He rolled up his sleeves and leaned his arms on the stall door, exposing the

powerful muscles of his forearms.

"The prenup, remember?

You retain t.i.tle of the ranch in the even) of a divorce. But if you choose

to sell, I have right of firs refusal. " He frowned at her, tilting his hat

to the back o his head.

"You're the one who insisted we sign the dam ne thing. Didn't you even bother to read it?"

"Yes." No. She'd just signed where her lawyer had tol her in order to get it over and done with.

"Yeah, right," he said, clearly not believing her."Yo should have read it, Leah. There are one or two other in port antclauses in there that you should be familiar with. that's the way youconduct all your business, it's a wond you weren't bankrupt years ago."

She hadn't come to argue. She'd come to vent her ang over Lyon Enterprises'

non-stop hara.s.sment an anger It had finally reached the boiling point.

"That's not what's issue," she said, determined to get the conversation back track.

"I'd like to discuss this offer."

"So discuss it. I'm listening."

She took a deep breath.

"I plan to drive to Houston t week and talk to them."

That stopped him.

"You whatT

" I want to have it out once and for all tell them I won't sell.

He stared at her as though she'd lost her mind."If you don't want to sell, just trash the thing. You don't need to driveall the way to Houston to do that. Last time I looked you kept a wastebasketin the study. Use that one."

"Very funny. I have to go to Houston."

"Why?"

"So I can address the Lyon Enterprises board."

He froze for a split-second, the check in his movements so brief she almost