Read Online To Love and Cherish by Diana Palmer - Free Book Online

she cried, horrified.
    â€œThe hell it isn’t.” His gaze dropped to her mouth and an unreadable expression flickered for an instant in his eyes. “If it wasn’t for the respect I have for my brother, you’d be in my bed right now, and you damned well know it!”
    Her eyes closed under a wave of anguish, because she did know it. Her small hands clenched at her sides and she felt a wave of shame washing over her in the silence that throbbedbetween them. She could feel King’s eyes on her downcast face.
    â€œYou think of some way out of this farce of an engagement, Shelby,” he told her, “and you do it before you and Danny leave the ranch. You know by now that I don’t make threats. If you don’t break the engagement, I’ll tell him the truth. And you won’t like what comes next.”
    Mutinously, her big dark eyes met his with a rare flash of spirit. “And what’s that?” she asked bravely.
    â€œI’ll finish what we started here tonight,” he replied with deadly confidence. “And I promise you he won’t want what I leave of you.”
    Her face went beet red. “You brute!” she whispered brokenly.
    â€œEven when you fight back, you’re lukewarm,” he scoffed. “Is that the most insulting thing you can think of to call me?”
    â€œNo!” she replied.
    He smiled unpleasantly. He crushed out his cigarette in the ashtray on his desk. “I may make a woman out of you yet,” he laughed softly. “Come on, Shelby, bed. I’m tired even if you aren’t, and I’ve got a hard day ahead of me.”
    She flushed. “I won’t!”
    â€œWhy, Miss Kane,” he said with mock surprise, “what did you think I was suggesting?”
    Flushing, she whirled and ran out of the room and back up the stairs, hating him as she’d never hated anyone before.

Five
    S helby didn’t see King all the next morning. Danny remarked casually that his big brother had flown to Austin on business and wouldn’t be back for at least a couple of days.
    Shelby breathed a sigh of relief. After last night, it was going to take some time for her to even be able to look King in the face again. How could she have yielded to him so eagerly? Surely she could have held out against his charm if she’d tried…
    Who was she kidding? She fell into step beside Danny as they walked through the rose garden behind the house, heading toward the river. She wanted King in a way she’d never be able to want another man, and he knew it. Even now she could feel the hard, warm crush of his mouth, the strength of his arms, and she felt as if she’d been torn in half, missing him already. Was it going to be like this from now on when he was out of her sight? Why did she feel this way? It was almost as if she was in love…
    In love. A torrent of emotion raged through her as she savored the words. In love. With King? With a man who’d been nothing but an enemy from the day they’d met, who’d hurt her at every turn, who’d admitted that he’d do anything to keep her from marrying his brother. Last night hadjust been part of his overall plan to tear her away from Danny. He’d admitted as much. So why did she feel this aching hunger to be in his arms again?
    â€œOh, King,” she whispered breathlessly as the pain surged up in her.
    â€œWhat?” Danny asked absently.
    â€œNothing,” she replied. “Tell me about the flood they had here last year.”
    But before Danny could open his mouth, a familiar honeyed voice called out, “Oh, there you are, Danny! Do you think your fiancee would let me borrow you for a few hours?” Mary Kate Culhane asked with a cold glance in Shelby’s direction. “I need some legal advice.”
    â€œI really shouldn’t leave the ranch, Mary Kate,” Danny said with a smile. “King’s flying back just for a few