Debra Webb - In His Touch Box Set (Here To Stay, Up Close, Tempting Trace, Basic Instincts) Read Free

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    “I had a message on my answering machine about James. Seems he’s got a virus or something. Puking his guts out according to his wife.” He paused long enough for her to absorb the ramifications of his statement. “I’ll take care of his chores the next few days until he’s back on his feet.”
    “That won’t be necessary.” Paige could certainly handle things if Robert’s ranch manager couldn’t work for a couple of days. “I can do whatever needs to be done myself.”
    “I have a feeling you don’t know what you’re getting yourself into,” he said flatly.
    “I said I’d do it myself.”
    “There’s a lot more to it—”
    “What’s wrong with you, Blackrope?” she cut him off. “Don’t you understand English?” She’d had it with his arrogant, self-assuming attitude. Paige didn’t want him taking care of her.
    “I understand completely. I’m just not so sure you do.”
    “I spent every summer of my life on this ranch until college. I think I have a pretty good idea of what has to be done.”
    “I thought maybe you’d forgotten about those summers.”
    “I only forgot the parts I wanted to forget.” She didn’t miss the flicker of hurt in his dark eyes. The hurt reverted to contempt so quickly, she wondered if she’d imagined it.
    “All right, then.” His lips eased back into a firm, thin line. “If you decide you need help with anything, let me know.” He turned and started down the steps.
    Paige shook her head. That was a low blow and she knew it. “I’m sorry, Nathan. I do appreciate your offer to help.” She wanted to wring his neck, not hurt his feelings. She didn’t hate him... that much. No matter what he had done in the past, he didn’t deserve that.
    He hesitated and then looked back over his shoulder, his profile harsh and flinty. “Don’t thank me, Paige. I’m not doing it for you. I’m doing it for Robert.”
    Paige slammed the door shut in response to his stinging rebuke. She felt the tears well in her eyes. She wouldn’t cry. She had cried over Nathan Blackrope the last time she ever intended to. She closed her eyes and allowed the image of Jesse to envelope her. She’d never have put herself in this position if it weren’t for Jesse. Any other time she would’ve turned Robert’s invitation to come to Trinity down flat. But fate had forced Paige to see that she had no choice. So here she was in Trinity to try and settle the past with a man who didn’t know the meaning of compromise.
    Despite everything she had told herself, it only took one kiss for her to know that her feelings were still way too strong for Nathan. No matter. She and Nathan were over. She would never forgive him for what he’d done. Even if he got down on his arrogant Apache knees and begged her to forgive him for being the jerk he was—which he would never do—Paige would not forgive him.
    ~*~
    Nathan braced himself against the truck. He closed his eyes and tried to still the emotions raging inside him. He concentrated with all his might to erase from his mind the picture of Paige standing there in that skimpy undershirt, her face still flushed with sleep. Blue eyes clear and bright. Soft, blond hair flowing over her shoulders. Slender curves and long, shapely legs that could drive a man crazy. Just looking at her had awakened the long-buried hunger he’d never felt for anyone else.
    Why in the hell didn’t Robert tell him she would be here? Paige Weston was the last person on earth Nathan wanted to see. He didn’t like being reminded of the past. Robert, the old fox, had pulled one over on both of them. She had been just as shocked to see him as he was to see her.
    The way his body reacted to hers tonight proved beyond a doubt that he would never get over her, not even if he lived a dozen lifetimes. He’d tried every way known to man to forget Paige, but he couldn’t. She was part of him. She had been since the first time he’d seen her.
    Nathan had been ten at