One Hot Texas Night

"Well, how about this?" Tate's eyes traveled the length of her body, scrutinizing her as if she were completely nude. "I didn't get a good look at you in Ryan's office. Someone's grown up since she got run out of town."

Again with the grown up. What was it with people here, anyway? Willing herself not to blush at his blatant scrutiny, Abby took a deep breath, exhaled and faced him squarely. It didn't help that she felt as if she'd been digging ditches all day, while he still looked like he'd just stepped out of an air-conditioned house.

"First of all," she began, "I didn't get 'run out of town', and I resent you saying that. We moved on to something that you wouldn't in your wildest dreams be able to handle."

"Oh, yeah? There's not much I can't handle, little girl."

"And don't call me that, you jerk." Deep breaths again. Control. Control. "Secondly, I'm not selling you anything. Your father left me this property and the interest in the ranch fair and square. For whatever reason, he wanted me to have it. So no deals."

He leaned back against the wall. Power radiated from him, and arrogance was evident in his posture and tone of voice. Tate Donovan owned the world, and she'd just invaded it, uninvited. "So what do you plan to do with it, city girl?"

"I haven't decided yet." She planted her hands on her hips and blew a stray curl from her forehead. "And I'm in no hurry to make up my mind."

He moved so swiftly he was almost body to body with her before she realized it, his bands biting into her shoulders. "You as good as stole this land from me, Abby. I won't stand for it. Why do you want it, anyway? I know you're not planning to live here."

The heat from his body enveloped her, and the spicy scent of his aftershave tickled her nose. Once that scent had tantalized a love-struck, ignorant teenager. Even now her skin burned where he touched her. Damn! She turned her head away from him.

"Actually, I am." Lord, why did she say that? The words had popped out before she could stop them. Closing her mouth after the fact didn't help at all.