Read Dorothy Garlock for Free Online

understand what was going on.” Jill pulled on the hand still clamped to her arm.
    “You don't do your own dirty work. Is that it, dude? ”The tone of voice was clearly insulting.
    “Not if I don't have to.”
    “Well, send your bully boys in. After finding Jill here making a spectacle of herself, I'm in the mood to tear up a few of your dumb-ass flunkies.” His teeth snapped together.
    “Thad Taylor, you shut up! ”Jill shouted. “Thank you, Mr. Westfall, for thinking that I needed help. Thad is a friend of…my folks from back home. Come on, Thad, or I'll slap you into tomorrow.”
    Hunter hesitated, looking from Jill to the big angry man beside her and wondering what claim he had on her. He seemed to be pretty sure of himself.
    “Are you sure you'll be all right? ”Hunter asked gently.
    “Yes, thank you.”
    Jill turned, lifted her chin and, mustering the fragments of her self-possession, locked her gaze with that of the tall, angry man and refused to look away.
    “Are you ready to go? ”Martha touched her arm.
    “I'm ready. More than ready.”
    With Thad, silent and simmering with rage, walking beside her, they headed for the hotel at the end of the street.
    “You're dumb as a cob, ”Jill fumed. “Don't you have brains enough to know when to back off? ”
    Not another word was spoken until after Martha said good night and crossed the street to her restaurant. Jill and Thad had gone up the steps to the hotel porch when Jill turned and lifted a hand to slap him. He caught her hand in midair.
    “Slap me and I'll slap you back.”
    “That was going to be for calling me a slut! ”
    “You were acting like one.”
    “I was not! I was defending myself. Besides, how do you know what I am? I've not seen you for three or four years. And what are you doing here anyway? ”
    “I apologize for calling you a slut. But you sure as hell were acting like one out there, brawling on the street corner with a bunch of roughnecks.”
    “It wouldn't be any of your business if I was a slut. You have no claim on me.”
    “You think not? If you'd've sunk that low, it would've broken the heart of the best friend I ever had, and that would be my business, little
Miss Wildcat.”
He grasped her upper arms with large, strong hands. “And why were they calling you that? ”
    “Get your hands off me, ”she snarled. Then, ignoring his question, she asked again, “What are you doing here? ”
    He dropped his hands to his sides. “Joe got a letter from Eudora telling him that you were here. He can't get away right now. I came on ahead to see what you're up to. From the looks of things, it's a damn good thing I did.”
    “From the looks of what things, Thad Taylor? ”Jill refused to move. She stood on the step above him, her face level with his.
    “Good goddamn! Do I have to spell it out for you? And who was the dressed-up dude coming to your rescue like a highballing freight train? Is he your …protector? ”
    “No! He's a very nice man.”
    “Ha! No man is nice when it comes to a woman he wants.”
    “Speak for yourself. Not all men are like …that.”
    It was hard for Jill to believe that she was standing on the hotel steps in Rainwater, Oklahoma, talking to the boy she had known all her life. The Taylor farm in Missouri was a mere half mile from the Jones farm. Thad had been several grades ahead of her in school. He was the best friend of her older brother Joe and had been in and out of their house ever since she could remember.
    Thad had grown into a big man and was much better-looking than he had been when he was younger, not that it mattered to her how good-looking he was. He was as bossy as Joe and Jack, her brothers. And Jill had other memories associated with Thad Taylor that, at times, were too painful to recall.
    “How is Joe? ”
    “He's all right. He's laying pipeline. He'll finish the job in a week or two and be up here.”
    “You're staying until then? ”
    “Damn right. We're not leaving you here in