by Nora Roberts
“The way I do it does. When we get back—”
“Get back from where?”
“From any place where we can be alone,” he told her. “We’re going to start making some plans.”
She reached for his cheek. “So far I like them. Aaron, say it again, while I’m looking at you.”
“I love you, Jillian. A good bit of the time I like you as well, though I can’t say I mind fighting with you.”
“I guess you really mean it.” She closed her eyes a moment. When she opened them again, they were laughing. “It’s hard to take a Murdock at his word, but I’m going to gamble.”
“What about a Baron?”
“A Baron’s word’s gold,” she said, angling her chin. “I love you, Aaron. I’m going to make you a frustrating wife and a hell of a partner.” She grinned as his lips pressed against hers. “What about those plans?”
“You’ve got a ranch, I’ve got a ranch,” he pointed out as he kissed her palm. “I don’t much care whether we run them separately or together, but there’s a matter of living. Your house, my house—that’s not going to work for either of us. So we’ll build our house, and that’s where we’re going to raise our children.”
Our. She decided it was the most exciting word in the English language. She was going to use it a dozen times every day for the rest of her life. “Where?”
He glanced over her head, skimming the pool, the solitude. “Right on the damn boundary line.”
With a laugh, Jillian circled his neck. “What boundary line?”
Also by Nora Roberts
Hot Ice • Sacred Sins • Brazen Virtue • Sweet Revenge • Public Secrets • Genuine Lies • Carnal Innocence • Divine Evil • Honest Illusions • Private Scandals • Hidden Riches • True Betrayals • Montana Sky • Sanctuary • Homeport • The Reef • River’s End • Carolina Moon • The Villa • Midnight Bayou • Three Fates • Birthright • Northern Lights • Blue Smoke • Angels Fall • High Noon • Tribute • Black Hills • The Search • Chasing Fire • The Witness • Whiskey Beach • The Collector • Tonight and Always • The Liar • The Obsession • Come Sundown • Shelter in Place • Under Currents • Hideaway
Series
Irish Born Trilogy
Born in Fire • Born in Ice • Born in Shame
Dream Trilogy
Daring to Dream • Holding the Dream • Finding the Dream
Chesapeake Bay Saga
Sea Swept • Rising Tides • Inner Harbor • Chesapeake Blue
Gallaghers of Ardmore Trilogy
Jewels of the Sun • Tears of the Moon • Heart of the Sea
Three Sisters Island Trilogy
Dance Upon the Air • Heaven and Earth • Face the Fire
Key Trilogy
Key of Light • Key of Knowledge • Key of Valor
In the Garden Trilogy
Blue Dahlia • Black Rose • Red Lily
Circle Trilogy
Morrigan’s Cross • Dance of the Gods • Valley of Silence
Sign of Seven Trilogy
Blood Brothers • The Hollow • The Pagan Stone
Bride Quartet
Vision in White • Bed of Roses • Savor the Moment • Happy Ever After
The Inn Boonsboro Trilogy
The Next Always • The Last Boyfriend • The Perfect Hope
The Cousins O’Dwyer Trilogy
Dark Witch • Shadow Spell • Blood Magick
The Guardians Trilogy
Stars of Fortune • Bay of Sighs • Island of Glass
Chronicles of The One
Year One • Of Blood and Bone • The Rise of Magicks
The Dragon Heart Legacy
The Awakening
eBooks by Nora Roberts
Cordina’s Royal Family
Affaire Royale • Command Performance • The Playboy Prince • Cordina’s Crown Jewel
The Donovan Legacy
Captivated • Entranced • Charmed • Enchanted
The O’Hurleys
The Last Honest Woman • Dance to the Piper • Skin Deep • Without a Trace
Night Tales
Night Shift • Night Shadow • Nightshade • Night Smoke • Night Shield
The MacGregors
The Winning Hand • The Perfect Neighbor • All the Possibilities • One Man’s Art • Tempting Fate • Playing the Odds • The MacGregor Brides • The MacGregor Grooms • Rebellion/In from the Cold • For Now, Forever
The Calhouns
Suzanna’s Surrender • Megan’s Mate • Courting Catherine • A Man for Amanda • For the Love of Lilah
Irish Legacy
Irish Rose • Irish Rebel • Irish Thoroughbred
Jack’s Stories
Best Laid Plans • Loving Jack • Lawless
Summer Love • Boundary Lines • Dual Image • First Impressions • The Law Is a Lady • Local Hero • This Magic Moment • The Name of the Game • Partners • Temptation • The Welcoming • Opposites Attract • Time Was • Times Change • Gabriel’s Angel • Holiday Wishes • The Heart’s Victory • The Right Path • Rules of the Game • Search for Love • Blithe Images • From This Day • Song of the West Island of Flowers • Her Mother’s Keeper • Untamed • Sullivan’s Woman • Less of a Stranger • Reflections • Dance of Dreams • Storm Warning • Once More with Feeling • Endings and Beginnings • A Matter of Choice
Nora Roberts & J. D. Robb
Remember When
J. D. Robb
Naked in Death • Glory in Death • Immortal in Death • Rapture in Death Ceremony in Death • Vengeance in Death • Holiday in Death • Conspiracy in Death • Loyalty in Death • Witness in Death • Judgment in Death • Betrayal in Death • Seduction in Death • Reunion in Death • Purity in Death • Portrait in Death • Imitation in Death • Divided in Death • Visions in Death • Survivor in Death • Origin in Death • Memory in Death • Born in Death • Innocent in Death • Creation in Death • Strangers in Death • Salvation in Death • Promises in Death • Kindred in Death • Fantasy in Death • Indulgence in Death • Treachery in Death • New York to Dallas • Celebrity in Death • Delusion in Death • Calculated in Death • Thankless in Death • Concealed in Death • Festive in Death • Obsession in Death • Devoted in Death • Brotherhood in Death • Apprentice in Death • Echoes in Death • Secrets in Death • Dark in Death • Leverage in Death • Connections in Death • Vendetta in Death • Golden in Death • Shadows in Death
Anthologies
From the Heart • A Little Magic • A Little Fate
Moon Shadows
(with Jill Gregory, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Marianne Willman)
The Once Upon Series
(with Jill Gregory, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Marianne Willman)
Once Upon a Castle • Once Upon a Star • Once Upon a Dream • Once Upon a Rose • Once Upon a Kiss • Once Upon a Midnight
Silent Night
(with Susan Plunkett, Dee Holmes, and Claire Cross)
Out of This World
(with Laurell K. Hamilton, Susan Krinard, and Maggie Shayne)
Bump in the Night
(with Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)
Dead of Night
(with Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)
Three in Death
Suite 606
(with Mary Blayney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)
In Death
The Lost
(with Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Blayney)
The Other Side
(with Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)
Time of Death
The Unquiet
(with Mary Blayney, Patricia Gaffney, Ruth Ryan Langan, and Mary Kay McComas)
Mirror, Mirror
(with Mary Blayney, Elaine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, and R. C. Ryan)
Down the Rabbit Hole
(with Mary Blayney, Ela
ine Fox, Mary Kay McComas, and R. C. Ryan)
Also Available …
The Official Nora Roberts Companion
(edited by Denise Little and Laura Hayden)
About the Author
NORA ROBERTS is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of more than 200 novels, including The Awakening, Hideaway, Under Currents, Shelter in Place, Of Blood and Bone, Year One, and many more. She is also the author of the bestselling In Death series written under the pen name J. D. Robb. There are more than five hundred million copies of her books in print. You can sign up for email updates here.
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Contents
Title Page
Copyright Notice
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Also by Nora Roberts
About the Author
Copyright
This is a work of fiction. All of the characters, organizations, and events portrayed in this novel are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
Published in the United States by St. Martin’s Paperbacks, an imprint of St. Martin’s Publishing Group.
BOUNDARY LINES
Copyright © 1985 by Nora Roberts.
All rights reserved. For information, address St. Martin’s Publishing, 120 Broadway, New York, NY 10271.
www.stmartins.com
Cover design: Michael Storrings
Cover images: cattle © Keith Szafranski / Getty; sky © Steve Cole Images / Getty; wildflowers © Don White / Alamy Stock Photo; fence © Robert Rosenblum / Alamy Stock Photo; trees © David R. Frazier Photolibrary, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo
Author photo © Bruce Wilder
eISBN 9781250775290 (ebook)
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First eBook Edition: 2020