Read Online Payton's Woman by Marilyn Yarbrough - Free Book Online Page B

doubted
anything could fluster him. From his attitude, she guessed he intended to be
difficult. “It’s very important that no one knows I was there that night.”
    “And why is that?” he
asked in an innocent tone.
    “It’s a little
complicated. Can I rely upon you not to say anything?” She held her breath and
waited for his answer.
    “Another favor, Angel? You
haven’t paid your last debt to me.”
    She cringed at the
reminder. “I’m sorry. I treated you shamefully after everything you’d done for
me. You most certainly saved my life and could’ve lost your own life by helping
me, but it wasn’t possible for me to stay another day.”
    “You could’ve told me
that at the time instead of running off without a word. What’s worse is you
knew you weren’t going to keep your promise when you made it. You just stood
there smiling, lying to my face.”
    “I know,” she said
softly. “I behaved horribly. I don’t blame you for being angry.”
    “Do you have to be so
bloody agreeable?” His voice came out gruff. “Most women I know would be
falling all over themselves, making excuses, and telling more lies about how
they’ll never do it again.”
    She smiled at his
concept of how women were supposed to act. “Would you prefer that I behave like
the other women you know?”
    “No.” His lips curled
into a seductive grin. “I like you just the way you are.”
    “How did you find me? You
didn’t even know my real name.”
    He stared into her eyes.
“If someone owes me something, I’d track them across all seven seas to collect
that debt.”
    Although his mouth
formed a smile, something glinted in his eyes. She believed his every word. “What
can I do to make it right?”
    “Right?” One dark eyebrow
arched. “Pirates never worry about what’s right or wrong. But I do know it’s
going to feel good—for both of us.”
    Her foot collided with
his when she missed a step, but she recovered. “What do you mean?” She was suspicious
of what he had implied. “I only agreed to have breakfast with you.”
    “It was suppose to be
for the entire day,” he corrected. “That was before you reneged on your promise.
You also want me to lie to your friend. Now the bargain has changed to include
the entire night.”
    Her mouth dropped
opened. She twisted her lips together as her temper flared. “You can’t force me
to spend the night with you.”
    “Well, if you want me to
lie to your friend...”
    Heat gathered in her cheeks
from anger, yet her conscious fluttered with a twinge of shame. He’d saved her
life that night and hadn’t demanded anything more than she’d willingly give. Her
reward for his gallant behavior had been to deliberately lie about spending the
day with him. But no matter what she owed him, she would not be coerced into a
man’s bed against her will.
    “That’s blackmail,” she
blurted out in a hushed voice. “I never thought you’d resort to forcing me to spend
the night with you.”
    The muscles in his jaw
bunched. His eyelids lowered as his gaze slipped away. “I’m sorry. I told you
once before that I’d never force you. I meant it.”
    Startled by his apology,
she stared at his face. Perhaps he truly was a man of his word. Her shame
deepened, for she hadn’t kept her promise.
    “Did you understand what
I said?” he asked when she didn’t answer. “I won’t mention anything to your
friend about where we met. My only payment will be that you spend the day with
me like you’d originally agreed.”
    “Thank you. It reaffirms
my belief that you truly are a man of honor and decency. I’m only sorry I didn’t
behave as honorably. You can be certain that this time I will keep my promise
to spend the day with you.”
    Her eyebrows furrowed. “Now
I’ll have to think of something to tell Sylvia. She’s bound to ask how we met.”
    “Tell her it’s none of
her business.”
    Laughter bubbled from
her lips. “Men always have such a simple solution for everything.