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swiftly in and out of her lungs as she tried to control the outrage that burned in her at the insult. She had to control it; she couldn’t afford to fall apart now.
    â€œI’m glad, because I’ve changed my mind,” he said lazily.
    â€œGosh, that’s big of you!” she snapped.
    â€œYou’ll go to bed with me, all right, but it won’t be because of any money you owe me. When the time comes, you’ll spread your legs for me because you want me just the way I want you.”
    The way he was looking at her made her shiver, and the image his rough words provoked shot through her brain like lightning. He would use her up and toss her away, just as he had all those other women, if she let him get too close to her. “Thanks, but no thanks. I’ve never gone in for group sex, and that’s what it would be like with you!”
    She wanted to make him angry, but instead he cupped her knotted-up hands in his palm and lightly rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. “Don’t worry, I can guarantee there’ll just be the two of us between the sheets. Settle down and get used to the idea. I’ll be back out tomorrow to look over the ranch and see what needs to be done—”
    â€œNo,” she interrupted fiercely, jerking her hands from his grip. “The ranch is mine. I can handle it on my own.”
    â€œHoney, you’ve never even handled a checkbook on your own. Don’t worry about it; I’ll take care of everything.”
    His amused dismissal set her teeth on edge, more because of her own fear that he was right than anything else. “I don’t want you to take care of everything!”
    â€œYou don’t know what you want,” he replied, leaning down to kiss her briefly on the mouth. “I’ll see you tomorrow.”
    Just like that he turned and walked out of the room, and after a moment Michelle realized he was leaving. She ran after him and reached the front door in time to see him sprinting through the downpour to his truck.
    He didn’t take her seriously. Well, why should he? Michelle thought bitterly. No one else ever had, either. She leaned on the doorframe and watched him drive away; her shaky legs needed the extra support. Why now? For years she’d kept him at a distance with her carefully manufactured hostility, but all of a sudden her protective barrier had shattered. Like a predator, he’d sensed her vulnerability and moved in for the kill.
    Quietly she closed the door, shutting out the sound of rain. The silent house enclosed her, an empty reminder of the shambles of her life.
    Her jaw clenched as she ground her teeth together, but she didn’t cry. Her eyes remained dry. She couldn’t afford to waste her time or strength indulging in useless tears. Somehow she had to hold on to the ranch, repay that debt, and hold off John Rafferty… .
    The last would be the hardest of all, because she’d be fighting against herself. She didn’t want to hold him off; she wanted to creep into his iron-muscled arms and feel them close around her. She wanted to feed her hunger for him, touch him as she’d never allowed herself to do, immerse herself in the man. Guilt arose in her throat, almost choking her. She’d married another man wanting John, loving John, obsessed with John; somehow Roger, her ex-husband, had sensed it, and his jealousy had turned their marriage into a nightmare.
    Her mind burned with the memories, and to distract herself she walked briskly into the kitchen and prepared dinner for one; in this case, a bowl of cornflakes in milk. It was also what she’d had for breakfast, but her nerves were too raw to permit any serious cooking. She was actually able to eat half of the bowlful of cereal before she suddenly dropped the spoon and buried her face in her hands.
    All her life she’d been a princess, the darling, pampered apple of her parents’ eyes, born to them when they were