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again, with small town kindness or friendly overtures from handsome men with designs on her family’s property.
    â€œNo, thanks,” she said politely.
    â€œSure?” His genial expression didn’t falter.
    Ally chose the one avenue she knew would turn him off—a hit on his legendarily fine character. Ignoring the flutter of her pulse, she stepped away from him and stated in a coolly indifferent tone, “Supplying me with dinner will not give you an edge over any other prospective buyer.”
    As she expected, he remained where he was. The room was suddenly still enough to hear a pin drop.
    His irises darkened to the color of midnight. He stepped closer. “Is that so?” His voice was silky-soft, contemplative. And somehow dangerous in a deeply sensual way.
    Ally could see she had insulted him—just as she had intended—and created a real rift between them, simply by making the allegation. Refusing to back down, she folded her arms in front of her. “Yes.”
    â€œThen how about this?” Hank demanded.
    Before she could do more than draw a quick, startled breath, he had pulled her into his arms. One hand pressed against her spine, aligning the softness of her body to the hardness of his. His other hand threaded through the hair at the back of her neck and tilted her face up. Slowly, he lowered his head toward hers. “And this?” he dared softly, a wicked grin curling the corners of his delectably firm and sensual lips.
    As his breath warmed her face, she drew in the scent of wintergreen, and beneath that something masculine… brisk…like the chill winter rain falling outside. His mouth dipped lower still, until it hovered just above hers. “Will this give me an edge?” he taunted.
    More like a demerit.
    Refusing to let him know how much the near caress was affecting her, Ally smiled at him cynically and narrowed her gaze. “Go ahead and kiss me,” she challenged sweetly. “It won’t matter, either way.”
    â€œGood to know,” Hank murmured, lowering his head all the more, until the only way to get any closer was to kiss her. “Because if I wanted to seduce you into selling the ranch to me,” he informed her softly and patiently, “I’d do this.” His lips brushed hers. Tentatively, then wantonly, as a thrill unlike anything Ally had ever felt swept through her.
    â€œNot just once,” he promised, kissing her hotly, “but again and again and again.”
    Hank kissed her with the steady determination of a marine, and the finesse of a cowboy who knew how to make happen anything he wanted. He was at once masculine and tender, persuasive and tempting. Seducing her in a way that left no room for denial. Ally caught her breath as her hands moved involuntarily to his shoulders and she tilted her head beneath his….
    Hank hadn’t figured he’d be putting the moves on Ally Garrett, now or ever. It wasn’t that he wasn’t physically attracted to her—he was. But he knew the two of them were all wrong for each other. And always would be. Yet the coolly provoking way she stared into his eyes, combined with the way she was testing him, made him want to haul her into his arms, and challenge her right back. And damned if instead of getting angry and slapping him across the face—and putting an end to this ludicrousness—she was pressing her body against his and kissing him.
    As if she meant it.
    As if she hadn’t been kissed in a good long while.
    As if she needed to feel close to someone again.
    And wasn’t that the kicker? Hank thought, as his lingering kisses continued to knock her for a loop.
    They shouldn’t be doing this, and yet he couldn’t seem to summon up the urge to put an end to it, either. Not without indulging for a few minutes more….
    Â 
    W HO WOULD HAVE THOUGHT a totally ill-advised makeout session with a self-serving cowboy could make her feel