“All right, let’s talk about us.”
“There is no us,” she said. “If you think withholding the workers will change things, you’re out of your mind.”
“Now, Jess.” He reached for her hand. When she tried to shake him off, his fingers cut into her wrist. “You’re just playing hard to get. You know we both want the same thing.”
“And what’s that?”
His face hardened. “Stone’s End,” he said bluntly.
“Is that all? Then why not just make an offer to buy it?”
“Your father refused, remember? If you’ll just stop fighting me, we can work things out. Why don’t we start with the summer help? Maybe I’ll cooperate, if you ask me nice.”
She gritted her teeth. “Will you send the crew back?”
His smile widened. “No.”
The heat of anger burned her face. “What do you want?”
“Must I spell it out? Stone’s End was all I wanted at first. Now I want you, along with your farm.” When she sputtered one of Fred’s favorite barnyard words, he chuckled. “We’ll date, all proper and respectable-like. That should please the parents.”
“Surely you wouldn’t marry me just to satisfy your father!”
“Why not? My father wants me to toe the line. And marriage is very much on his agenda. If it doesn’t work out, so what? What have we got to lose? You’re not holding out for some idiotic idea of falling in love, are you? And who knows, maybe we can arrange for that, too.”
Fall in love with Drew Pierce? Never! Too furious to speak, she climbed into the truck and started the motor.
When he held on to the door, she simply put the truck in Reverse and hit the gas.
“You damn little fool!” Drew yelled. He didn’t look amused when he had to let go or risk being dragged. He was still swearing when she drove away.
By the entry, a group of men had gathered. They parted to let her pass through. When Jessie saw Ramon among them, she pulled the truck over. He separated himself from the group and walked toward her. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
He clenched his fists. “Drew wouldn’t let us work. We’re losing a day’s pay.”
“I’m sorry.” Jessie hated feeling so helpless.
“One day, the Pierces will go too far,” Ramon said, his resentment of the system evident.
Jessie glanced around the run-down camp, the children playing in the dirt where there was no green grass, no hope. In addition to her own problems, she couldn’t run from the plight of the migrants. “I’ll do what I can,” she promised.
Debating her choices, Jessie drove home. The road bordered rich, cultivated fields. Long, neat rows of deep green plants stretched as far as she could see; they represented time and money invested. Without a high return this year, her father would go bankrupt. She knew it would kill him. They needed the workers; the workers needed them. Only Drew stood in the way.
Three black crows sat on the fence as she got home. Two flew away when she turned into the driveway. But one remained. It cocked its sleek black head and peered at her with soulless, glassy eyes. Jessie controlled a shudder and went inside. No one was home. Ben hadn’t come back from town. How could he solve her problems? He wasn’t even there. Apparently he’d taken his own warning—to stay out of her way—seriously. For how long? Would he come back? Had she driven him away?
Resisting the urge to check if his gear was still in his room, she waited on the porch for half an hour. Slowly, her anger drained. Ben wasn’t there. How could she believe in a man who had no intention of sticking around? Before she could change her mind, she went inside and dialed Drew’s phone number. He answered on the fourth ring. “Drew, about that date—”
“I’ll pick you up at seven,” he said, just as abruptly.
At six-forty-five that evening, there was a knock at Jessie’s bedroom door. “Yes,” she called out. “What is it?” To her horror, the doorknob turned. The door opened and Ben walked in. With a stifled gasp, she reached for her dress. Wearing only a half-slip, she clutched the thin fabric to her front, which still left far too much bare flesh exposed for her peace of mind. For Ben’s as well, apparently. He looked as shocked as she felt.
Her mouth went dry. “You shouldn’t be in here.”
His eyes darkened at her seminudity. She felt a blush steal up from her breasts. As his gaze roamed over her bare shoulders, she felt her nipples peak in response, as if his eyes could penetrate the cloth barrier.
When he spoke, she shivered at the lack of warmth in his voice. “You got a phone call. Your date will be late. Is this a mystery date? Or can I have a few details?”
She gulped. “Like what?”
“Like, who are you going out with?”
“You’re not my father!”
He braced his hand against the door. “What’s going on?”
“If you’ll excuse me, I have to get ready.” She took a step forward to show him the door, then realized she was in a more precarious position and one step closer to Ben. “Drew will be here in a few minutes.”
“Drew? You’re actually going out with him?”
“Yes, I am. He’ll be here any moment.”
His mouth tightened. “I thought you had better taste.”
She set her chin at an angle. “I know you don’t like him.”
“I don’t have to like him. It might help if you did. But then, perhaps I missed something.” His eyes flickered over her. “As a matter of curiosity, tell me—are you going to close your eyes and think of Stone’s End when he crawls into your bed?”
Tears of shame welled in her eyes. While she struggled for words, he said, “Of course, I’m assuming you intend to populate Henderson with lots of little Drews—or should I say ‘pollute’?”
“Why should it matter to you?” she asked, too shocked at the moment to feel insulted by his deliberate crudeness. She hated hard words, especially between her and Ben. She wanted…she wanted to love him. But he didn’t want that.
What did he want?
He took a step, then stopped just as abruptly when she retreated. Out of the corner of her eye, she caught her reflection in the mirror over the dresser. She closed her eyes, as if she could blank out the entire scene. He had had a full view of her naked back—from the moment he’d walked into her room.
Opening her eyes wide to find him still there, still large and male and dominating her bedroom, she pressed her back against the nearest wall. “Please, just get out.”
To her dismay, he didn’t leave. “Jessie, I hate to see anything wasted. You’re intelligent, independent. And let’s face it, only a silly little fool would tie herself to the likes of Drew Pierce. I know you’re ambitious for Stone’s End….”
She couldn’t bear his harsh judgment. In self-defense, she objected, “It’s easy for you to judge, but I have to continue living here after you’re gone.” Feeling torn by divided loyalties, she raised her hand and swept her tumbled hair from her face. “No matter how I wish things were different…”
Ben fastened his gaze on her inner wrist, then crossed the room and reached for her hand, turning it to expose the dark bruise marring her smooth wrist. He sucked in a harsh breath as he inhaled the scent of her lemon shampoo. At his suppressed oath, she looked down at their joined hands.
Ben knew the moment he touched her he’d committed a tactical error, but he couldn’t seem to stop. Instead, he compounded it by cupping the side of her cheek and turning her face up to him. The fabric of her dress caught between them slipped. He captured an enticing glimpse of shadowed cleft between delicately rounded breasts and knew one tug would remove the frail barrier; one seductive press of his lips against the vulnerable curve of her throat where it joined her shoulder would turn her into his arms.
Trying to control his response, he demanded, “Did Drew do this?” His voice was husky with restraint.
Her hand shook as she tried to pull away; he refused to release her. “Yes, but it’s nothing.”
Ben sta
red into her eyes and vowed, “He won’t touch you again.” Shocked at his own anger, he gently smoothed his thumb over the dark blemish marring the delicate veined smoothness of her inner wrist and felt her shudder.
“Please,” she pleaded with drowned eyes. “Will you leave?”
He went.
Chapter Ten
Ben closed her bedroom door and leaned back against it. He should have walked out at the first sight of Jessie’s partial undress. But he hadn’t. Looking feminine and vulnerable with her back bared—a long, smooth, unblemished, tanned expanse unbroken by swimsuit marks—she’d captivated him. She’d felt something; he’d seen it in her eyes. She was vulnerable.
If he took advantage, he would be no better than Drew Pierce. Walking out and leaving her untouched had to be one of the most difficult things he’d ever done. He was honor-bound to protect Jessie. How else could he face Ira? The man was practically on his deathbed! Despite everything, Ben felt a reluctant affection for Jessie’s difficult father. What a damnable situation!
Ben headed downstairs and made coffee. With his hands occupied and his temper cooled, he tried to think logically. He tried. But one fact kept getting in the way—Jessie had agreed to date Drew. Drew Pierce, of all people! Just the thought of it burned a hole in his gut. For the first time, he felt possessive about a woman. He had no right to feel that way about Jessie; he knew that. Against every intelligent reason, he’d let her creep under his skin.
Under his skin? He slammed a mug on the counter. Hell! With her shy come-hither smiles and rainwater eyes, she’d undermined his common sense and crept into a small corner of his heart. And what about Jessie’s heart? Did she have one? Had Ira’s Scottish tightfistedness affected her, too?
Ben knew the farm was in debt. Aligning herself with Drew Pierce would put an end to all Jessie’s financial woes. She alone could save Stone’s End, or so she obviously thought. In addition, Ben knew how much earning Ira’s love meant to Jessie. How much would Jessie sacrifice? Herself? Somehow he couldn’t believe she was mercenary and cold-blooded enough to marry Drew.
But he couldn’t be sure—not about Jessie. With all that stoic Yankee pride, she kept joy, sorrow and pain to herself. Maybe she preferred a cold bargain. And maybe he should get the hell out of Stone’s End while three-quarters of his heart still remained intact..
Fifteen minutes later, she joined him.
Ben glowered at the thin peach-colored fabric of her sundress. Her shoulders were bare, tanned to a golden color. She looked young, healthy, vibrant, ripe for the picking.
“All this for Drew Pierce?” He failed to keep an edge out of his voice.
She clenched her hands. “It’s just a date.”
“One date leads to two, then what? Do you think Drew will act the gentleman and drop you off at the door with a friendly peck? More than likely, he’ll be all over you like a rash.”
She swallowed a hard laugh. “That’s not funny.”
“He’s not going to keep his hands off you.”
“Unlike you,” she blurted, then flushed.
He laughed shortly. “Am I supposed to feel jealous?”
“At least I know Drew’s intentions are honorable.”
“Is that what all this is about?” Ben filled his words with accusation. “Are you holding out for a marriage proposal? Does the first man to come up with a gold ring win the prize?”
“No, no!” She closed her eyes. “I just…”
“Jessie.” He reached for her, his hands closing on her upper arms. She wrenched away from him, her eyes drowning in unshed tears. Shocked at the hunted expression in her eyes, he rasped, “Jessie, honey, I’m sorry. Look, I…” He reached for her hand and found it fisted. Outside, a car door slammed.
Drew had arrived.
“Let me go,” she whispered.
“Not yet.” He drew her closer. “Not until you tell me what’s wrong. And don’t give me some lame manufactured story about a harmless little dinner date.”
“It has nothing to do with you.”
“I think it does.” His eyes narrowed as she trembled at the sound of Drew’s footsteps on the wooden porch. “Has he threatened you? Tell me.”
She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. When she looked at him again, he could feel her tension. He felt it dissolve when she broke down and told him of Drew’s threats to ruin them if she didn’t go along with his plans to court her. “Dad wouldn’t survive losing Stone’s End,” she concluded.
“And that means everything?” he demanded in a hard tone. At the moment, he didn’t feel very sympathetic toward either of the Carlisles. He felt curiously let down. More than let down. The thought of her going with Drew for any reason made him see red. She stared at him mutely.
When a knock came at the door, Ben caught the flicker of distress in her eyes before she blanked it out. He gently set her aside. “I’ll take care of this. Will you trust me to handle him?”
“I can handle him,” she insisted.
He smiled tightly. “The way you always handle him, Jessie? The last time, he crushed a few plants. This time he used blackmail and left some bruises. What’s next?”
“What choice is there?” she retorted heatedly. “Dad can’t lose the farm.”
His mouth went taut. “Will you trust me to handle things?”
“How?”
His eyes darkened.
“Will you?”
She couldn’t look away. Jessie wondered, could she place her trust in Ben? It was asking a great deal. Men had never proved terribly reliable in her experience—Ben included. She might respect his discipline, the logical working of his brain, but she wondered about his heart. Unsure, she stared at him until he stirred impatiently.
“Jessie?”
She nodded after a long moment and went to answer the door.
Drew greeted her with confidence. “Are you ready?”
“She’s not going,” Ben said quietly.
“Stay out of it, Harding. This is between Jess and me.”
Ben smiled—a hard smile without a trace of humor. “But you chose to mix business with pleasure when you involved the farm in your negotiations with Jessie.”
“So, she told you.” Drew sent Jessie a furious look. “Jess knows I have the interests of the farm at heart. Besides, I intend to make it up to her. There’s nothing you can do about it.” He grabbed her hand. “Let’s go.”
“Not so fast.” Ben folded his arms and leaned back against the edge of the table. “Aren’t you forgetting the little matter of a contract? You agreed to provide all the workers we needed to get a crop to market.”
“A contract!” Jessie looked at Drew, who flushed red.
“It’s just a piece of paper,” he insisted.
“A piece of paper?” In the stress of her father’s illness, how could she have forgotten the contract? She glared at Drew until he released her hand. He’d been playing with her, using lies to make her fall in with his ambitions. In reality, he had no power over her, she realized with relief. “You lied to me.”
“Now, Jess, sweetheart.”
“Don’t ‘sweetheart’ me!” she raged. “I don’t want to hear it. I just want you off my property.”
“All right,” Drew said. “But I’ll be back. I know this looks bad, and I’m sorry. When you’ve had a chance to cool down, we’ll talk. You’ll see I’m right.” He threw a resentful glance in Ben’s direction. “Harding’s on hand now. Where will he be in six months when the snow flies? You planning to go with him and run out on Ira?” She shook her head, unable to deny Drew’s words. At her silence, he looked pleased. “In the end, I think you’ll see your future is with me, right here at Stone’s End.”
Drew was right about Ben, but wrong about her! She put ice in her voice. “I want you off my property.”
Ben inserted dryly, “By the way, that piece of paper will hold up in any legal courtroom.”
Drew ignored Ben. “That doesn’t change anything, Jess. My offer will
be open after Harding’s gone. You’ll need someone.”
“I think that’s my problem,” Jessie said, pulling the fragments of her dignity together. Why was she always making a fool of herself? And why was Ben always on hand to witness her humiliation? She was relieved when Drew gave up the argument and left.
After he’d gone, Jessie didn’t know what to say to Ben. Once again, he’d saved her from making a serious mistake. Evidently Drew was more unscrupulous than she’d realized. She should have listened to Ben’s warnings. She met his steady gaze.
“Thank you,” she said simply.
“You’re welcome,” he said just as solemnly. His eyes said even more. She felt grateful, but confused about his motives.
Jessie recalled the intimate scene in her bedroom. She’d clung to her anger and ordered him out—not that he frightened her. He wanted her. The intensity with which she wanted him back scared her witless.
“This doesn’t change anything,” she said, feeling threatened.
He lifted an eyebrow. “Of course not.”
Why didn’t she believe him?
The following day, Jessie felt awkward at the thought of facing Ben, so she simply avoided him. Their relationship had taken on a new edge. Unsure if he felt more than a sense of responsibility, she didn’t know how to react when she faced him before going to visit her father that evening.
Ben surprised her with the words, “I have something for you. A peace offering.” Ben held out a plain square box.
It wasn’t gift-wrapped.
“For me?” Jessie peered inside. Ben lifted out a dazzling blue motorcycle helmet; she blinked at it.
“You don’t like it,” he said at her lengthening silence.
She stared at him, then ran her fingertips over the smooth surface. She loved it; how could she tell him? A motorcycle helmet! It symbolized so many things—permission to be carefree, young; an invitation to share another wild ride. She swallowed an emotional lump in her throat. “Thank you. It’s just a surprise.” She placed the helmet on her head and fumbled with the chin strap.
Ben stepped closer and took it from her. She drew in a breath at his nearness and felt his tense response. He fastened the strap, then ran a long finger down her cheek. Unable to contain her shock, she looked up and encountered a wry gleam of humor in his dark blue eyes.
Just Jessie Page 13