"Then you know why I hired them."

"Leah--' " Don't say another thing. Hunter! For once you're going to listen

and I'm going to talk. " She fought to find the words to convince him,

desperate to protect her workers."Not a single one of my employees has been able to find jobs anywhere else.The Arroyas were living out of a station wagon when I found them. Lenny's aveteran who doesn't care to sit around collecting government handouts. And Patrick risked his own life to save a child about to be run down by a drunk driver. He shattered his ankle doing it. A week later he got a pink slip because Lyon Enterprises didn't want to be bothered with an employee who might not be able to pull his own weight."

Hunter shot her a sharp glance."He worked for Lyon Enterprises?""He used to be foreman of the Circle P. Bull Jones replaced him.""And you took Patrick in.""I've given them all a home," she acknowledged."I've given them a life. And, as a result, they earn a living. More importantly, they've regained their self-respect. So their work isn't alwaysperfect. I can a.s.sure you that it's the best they're capable of doing. But if you ask for more they'll do everything in their power to give it to you.That's how much working here means to them. They're family.

Don't ask me to turn my back on family, because I can't do it. "

He stared out across the pastureland.

"You always were a sucker for an underdog. I often thought that was what

attracted you to me."

"That's not true." She stopped, afraid of revealing too much. She'd never

seen him as an underdog. A champion, a man of drive and determination, someone filled with an intense pa.s.sion and strength.

But not once had she ever seen him as an underdog.

His mouth tightened, as though he'd mistakenly allowed her to get too

close--revealed too much of himself.

"That still doesn't change the facts. And the facts are that you can't run aranch without competent help.""Hunter," she pleaded."Give them a fair chance. No more, no less. I swear I won't ask you for anything else."

His expression turned skeptical.

"Won't you?"

"No. I won't. Because saving the ranch isn't worth it to me if I can't save them as well."

That caught his attention.

"You'd give up the ranch if it came to a choice between running at a profit or replacing the help?"

She considered his question at length, a frown creasing her brow.

"I.

suspect I would," she admitted at last.

"Because otherwise I'd be no better than Lyon Enterprises. And if I wanted

to be like them, I'd have sold out long ago.""You're that serious about it?"She nodded."I'm that serious."It was his turn to consider. Slowly he nodded."Okay. We'll do it your way. For now. But I can't make any guarantees about the future.

Will that do? "

"I guess it'll have to," she said with a shrug.

"Why don't we swing south next, and inspect that side of the ranch?

Then we'll call it a day. "

"I'm ready," she claimed, happy to agree now that she'd been granted a

reprieve.

"Let's go."

He shook his head.

"Not yet. There's just one more thing I want before we head out. And I want

it from you."

"What?" she asked warily, his tone warning her that she wouldn't like his

request.

"I want you to kiss me."

"What?" she repeated in a fainter voice.

"You heard me. I want a kiss. I'm willing to wait until you're ready before

we go any further, but there's no reason we can't enjoy a preview of comingattractions." He held her with a searing gaze."Come on, Leah. It's not a lot to ask."It wasn't, and she knew it. Not giving herself a chance to reconsider, she leaned closer, resting her hands, on his chest. She stared up at him, at the features that were almost as familiar as her own. The changes time hadwrought were few, more of a strengthening, a fulfillment of what was once apromise. The lines furrowing his brow and radiating from the corners of hiseyes reflected a deepening of character that had come with age and experience.

Tenderly she cupped his face, exploring anew the taut, high-boned planes of his cheeks. It had been so long, so very long. Slowly, she allowed her fingers to sink into his thick black hair and, tilting her head just slightly, she feathered a soft, teasing kiss across his mouth. She half expected him to grab her, to crush her in his arms and take what he so clearly wanted. But he didn't. He remained perfectly still, allowing her to set the pace.

She continued to tease, dropping tiny kisses across his jaw and neck before returning to explore his lips. And then she kissed him, really kissed him, the way a woman kissed her man. And for the first time he responded, not with his hands and arms, but with his mouth alone, returning her urgent, eager caresses with a mind-drugging thoroughness that left her shaken and defenseless. He had to know how she felt---had to be aware of how much she gave away with that kiss, how her protective barrier lay in total ruin. At long last his arms closed around her, enfolding her in the sweetest of embraces, and she knew in that moment that she'd willingly give him anything he asked.

How much time pa.s.sed, Leah wasn't sure. One minute she existed in a sensual haze, secure in his arms, the next Hunter thrust her from him, tumbling her to the ground. In a move so swift that she barely registered it he spun around, crouching protectively in front of her.

To her horror, a wickedly curved knife appeared in his hand.

"You're trespa.s.sing, Jones. What's your business here?" Hunter demanded.

It wasn't until then that Leah noticed the foreman of the Circle P, mounted on a bay, not more than fifteen feet away. She hadn't heard his approach.

But Hunter had.

"Tell your guard-dog to drop the knife, Leah," Bull Jones called, his gaze

riveted to the glinting length of steel in Hunter's hand.

"Or I'll have to get serious with some buckshot." His hand inched toward his rifle.

"You comprende what I'm saying, hombre? You have no business threatening me.

I'd only be defending myself if I was forced to shoot."

The expression in Hunter's eyes burned with unmistakable menace.

"You'll feel the hurting end of this blade long before that Remington clears your scabbard. You comprehende me, muchachol Play it smart.

Ride out now. "

For a minute Leah feared that Bull would pull his gun. His hand wavered over the rifle b.u.t.t for an endless moment, before settling on his thigh.

"Since you're new to the Hampton spread I'll cut you some slack," he

addressed Hunter.

"But n.o.body threatens me. Ever.

Somebody'd better explain that to you p.r.o.nto, because next time I won't let

you off so easy. ""Last warning." The blade quivered in Hunter's hand. "Ride. Now.""You'll regret this, Leah," Bull hollered. Swearing beneath his breath, he sawed at his mount's bit and rode off.

"Oh, G.o.d," Leah moaned, and she began to tremble. In one supple move, Huntersheathed his knife in his boot and pulled her into his arms."It's okay," he murmured against the top of her head. "He's gone."She clung to him, unable to stop shaking, reaction setting in fast and hard.

He didn't release her, just stood silently, enveloping her in a tight, inviolable hold. Yet she'd have

had him hold her closer if she thought her ribs would stand the strain. Slowly the warmth of his body and the strength of his arms calmed her, soothing her terror.

"He could have shot you," she whispered, fighting to hold back her tears.

He tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.