Dallas chose Ruben’s favorite chair and took a big swallow of his lemonade. “This is good. Getting back to Travis, he sure seems focused on being tough—like his grandfather and uncle.”
Maggie groaned. “He wants to be tough so badly, and I don’t think he even knows the true meaning of the word.”
“He’s all boy, Maggie. Let me ask you something. Would you mind if I took him riding sometime?”
“He’s never been on a horse, Dallas. Papa told him he would teach him to ride, but he hasn’t had the time yet.”
“I’d put him on our most gentle horse, Maggie, and guarantee his safety. For that matter, you could come with us and see for yourself that he’s all right.”
While she was trying to think of a response to that somewhat troubling invitation, Dallas’s expression became caressing and intimate. “Know what I’d like to do right now?” he said softly. “Make love to you, Maggie. You’re just about the only thing I’ve thought of since we talked yesterday.”
She knew she should feel insulted: no man had ever spoken his mind so clearly to her before. But she was stunned because instead she felt overheated and achy in personal places.
“You—you don’t mean what you just said,” she whispered hoarsely. “We don’t even know each other.”
“We grew up together.”
“Knowing each other as kids doesn’t mean we know each other now.”
“You’re evading the issue. Will you go out with me tonight?”
Maggie felt as though a steel band around her chest was cutting off her air supply. “So we—we can make love? How dare you even suggest such a thing!”
“You’re trying very hard to be angry, aren’t you? Surely you don’t prefer that a man hide his true feelings and seduce you when you’re not looking.” Dallas set his glass on the table next to his chair and then leaned forward. “Maggie, with you I think everything should be out in the open. I was struck dumb by you yesterday. You’re one of the most beautiful women I’ve ever seen, but there’s more to you than an incredible face and body. You hit me precisely where it counts for a man, and I thank you with all my heart for that.”
“So I should sleep with you just because you—you feel grateful for something I didn’t even know I did?”
“Not sleep, Maggie. I doubt that we’d be doing much sleeping. I need to know something. Where’s your husband?”
“You don’t even know I’m divorced—and you’re asking me to go to bed with you? That does it!” Jumping to her feet, Maggie angrily advanced on the crudest man she’d ever known. “So you want to take Travis riding? You louse, you actually have the gall to use my son as an excuse to get to me! Well, read my lips, Mr. Fortune. I will never, let me repeat, never, have one personal moment with you! Is that clear enough?”
She’d made a tactical error. Dallas recognized it, Maggie didn’t. In her fury she’d gotten close enough to Dallas that it was a simple matter for him to reach out, take her by the waist and pull her down on his lap. She didn’t want to scream and risk scaring Travis outside, but she wiggled and fought and did her best to scratch out Dallas Fortune’s whiskey-colored eyes!
“So you’re a little wildcat,” Dallas said with a satisfied laugh after catching her flailing hands in his. “I figured you were. Come closer, little wildcat, and let me tame you.”
Maggie never did know how he managed to hold both her hands and press on the back of her head at the same time, but the next thing she did know was that his mouth was devouring hers. Fighting him did no good, so she did exactly the opposite. She sat statue-still until he stopped kissing her and looked at her with puzzled eyes.
“You didn’t like being kissed like that?” he asked.
“I don’t like anything about you!” she shrieked loudly enough to endanger his eardrums. Remembering Travis just outside, she lowered her voice. “Take your hands off of me and get the hell out of this house, you…you Fortune!”
Dallas’s heart sank clear to his toes. He’d completely misread Maggie Perez. She might look sexy as sin, but she obviously preferred a more gentlemanly approach from a man.
“Maggie, I— I’m sorry,” he stammered, red-faced and embarrassed over the way he’d talked to her. “Look, I can explain everything I did and said here today.”
“Are you going to let go of me?”
Dallas quickly released her hands and held up his own. “Whatever you say.”
Maggie leaped off his lap, crossed to the other side of the room, then turned around and hit him with a murderous look. “I have never been treated so—so boorishly by a man in my entire life. You Fortunes think you can do anything you want, don’t you? Well, your caveman tactics leave me cold, and I’d just as soon never set eyes on you again.” She took a breath. “And to think my mother believes you’re an honorable man!” she spat scornfully.
Dallas got up. “Maggie, I am an honorable man. If you’ll let me explain—”
“Not today!” Maggie pointed at the door. “Get out!”
With a hangdog expression, Dallas walked to the door. But he couldn’t leave without one more stab at making her understand. He looked at her pleadingly.
“I wasn’t conning you about how I feel about Travis. He’s a great little kid, and I really would like to be his friend.”
“Go to hell! If I told my dad or brother what you tried, they’d…they’d—” She stopped herself. This man’s family was her father’s employer. Her mother’s, too. And Dallas himself was her brother’s business partner. Oh, God, she thought miserably.
“What did I try, Maggie? Was kissing you really that terrible?”
She didn’t yell again, but the disdain in her voice was thick enough to slice. “You didn’t just kiss me. You asked me to go to bed with you.”
“Well, obviously I shouldn’t have spoken so plainly, and I apologize. But I can’t help wanting you,” he said quietly. “You’re the first woman who’s made me feel like a man since my wife died. That was two years ago.” Dallas took a deep breath. “Guess I’d better go. If you change your mind about anything—”
“Good Lord, I’m not going to change my mind! Just go!” Maggie threw up her hands.
“Okay. Don’t get mad again. See ya, Maggie.” Dallas went out the door.
“Not if I see you first,” Maggie fumed under her breath, then dashed to the window to make sure he didn’t do something else crazy when Travis was out in the yard alone.
Dallas walked up to the boy. “Trav, would you like to keep that hat?”
It was way too big for a child, but Travis beamed. “Could I? I’ve been wanting a hat like this one, Dallas.”
“It’s yours, son. I’ll be going now.”
“Will you come and see us again?”
Dallas glanced at the house and sighed. “I’d sure like to, Trav. I’d sure like to.”
The second he’d driven away, Maggie ran outside. “Travis, why didn’t Dallas take his hat?”
“He gave it to me, Mama. He said I could keep it.”
“Oh.” Maggie slowly turned and went back inside. Had she ever been more disappointed in a person than she was in Dallas Fortune? How could he have been so nice yesterday and so awful today? Oh, the things he’d said!
Maggie paced the house with her arms wrapped around herself. Something was wrong with her; she felt hot and cold at the same time.
Finally her emotions got the