Oh G.o.d, she was slipping fast. To keep focused, she dug her nails into the palms of her hand. "All right, run away then. Take a plane, a ship, a horse, a hunchback camel, I don't know, but you'll leave," she cried. "And then-"

He placed a finger to her lips to silence her. She jerked her head away. Gently, but with determination, he took her, struggling, into his arms.

"Stop it, Denise. I'm not going anywhere-unless you want me to."

Her chin shot up. "All right, go. Go! I want you to." But he continued to hold her and she could feel her resistance crumbling. "I want you to stop being so nice and wearing me down. I want you to stop making my daughter crazy about you. I want you to stop making me think that there's some kind of hope." Tears were glistening in her eyes. "Because there isn't."

He refused to let her go. Raw sympathy raked over his heat. "He must have done one h.e.l.l of a job on you." And he could have killed David for it.

She was past lies. "He did."

For a long moment, Will studied her face, gauging his thoughts. "He wouldn't have if you hadn't let him."

Maybe it was true, but the observation stung anyway. Her eyes grew into angry slits. "That's why I'm not letting you in close."

He'd bet the next ten years of his life that they were discussing a moot point. She'd already let him get close. Just as close as he'd allowed her to get. "Want to know what I think?"

"No, I don't." She didn't want to hear any words that would weaken her already weakening resolve.

Will continued as if she hadn't said anything. "I think that you've already let me in close and now you're afraid-"

The word was like a red flag being waved in front of her. "I'm not afraid."

His gaze held hers, daring her to be honest. "Then why are you running?"

"I am not running," she insisted. "I'm just being sensible."

There was that word again. And it was a lie. Will's mouth curved. "Turning your back on love doesn't strike me as being very sensible."

She hated it when he smiled at her that way, as if he could read her mind and had robbed her of all her defenses. "Who said anything about love?"

"I just did." He shook his head, still holding her to him. "Boy, twenty-six and losing your hearing already. You better hang on to me, Denise. In a few short years I might be the best you could do."

In her heart, she knew he was the best she could do now or ever. The very best. But she was so afraid that it wouldn't last That she would be hurt again and this time, there would be no pieces to pick up. Because if she loved him, if she gave her heart to him, she wouldn't hold back, not even the tiniest piece.

Denise was aware of blinking back tears. "What did you just say about love?"

Gotcha, he thought, pleased. "Oh, so now you want details?"

"Yes." She forced the word out between gritted teeth. "I want details."

His lips softly played along hers, nipping just a little. "Ask me nicely."

He'd almost succeeded in melting her completely, but Denise didn't have to let him know that. A woman had to hold on to some of her secrets, some of her dignity, even when she was in love. "I'm not separating your head from your shoulders, am I?"

He laughed. "Guess nice' is a relative term." And then the laughter died in his throat. Will smiled into her eyes. "I love you, Denise, despite the fact that you seem to love arguing more than anything else on the face of this earth."

"That's not true-"

He grinned, vindicated. "I rest my case. So what do you say? You said you had to sell the rides to pay your father's expenses. Why not sell them to the town council and insure your future as well? It's not charity." He second-guessed her objection before it was voiced. "They'll need someone who's experienced. There'll be work for the crew members who've stayed on with you as well. Cecil and Skip, Roy..." He let his voice trail off.

She bit her lip, torn. Wanting desperately to say yes, but still hesitant She was leading with her heart The last time she'd done that, she'd paid dearly.

"Zenith might give you a better price, but we can give you the better deal." His lips whispered another kiss along hers. "A place to stay."

Her heart was hammering so hard, it hurt. "They're throwing in a house?"

He'd won, he thought But he knew better than to let her see that he knew.

"No, but I will. I'll build a house for you and Audra and your father," he promised. "There's a little plot of land just outside of town that's just been begging to have something erected on it. As it happens, it's not too far away from where they plan to have the amus.e.m.e.nt park. What do you say?"

She pretended to hold out Denise already knew what she was going to say. "I've never had a house before."

He couldn't imagine not ever having a roof over your head to call your own. "Never?"

Denise shook her head slowly. "Never."

He gathered her closer. "Then it's high time you had one. A Will Cutler special. And while we're at it, have you ever had a husband before?"

She stared at him, afraid that she hadn't heard him correctly. "No," she breathed.

The grin was from ear to ear. "Then it's high time you had one of those, too."

"A Will Cutler special?" she asked.

"You read my mind. Now read my heart." Placing her hand over it, he looked into her eyes.

It was beating as hard as hers. The realization instantly erased all the doubts she'd had plaguing her. "What am I supposed to see?"

"That there's only one name on it. Yours."

She needed to hear the words, to know that she wasn't just dreaming this. "Are you asking me to marry you?"

"The only way I know how. Stay, Denise. Let me build that house for you."

She threw her arms around his neck. "For us," she said, correcting him. "Build that house for us, Will-on one condition."

He c.o.c.ked his head. "Which is?"

"That you call me Denny."

He'd made it to the inner circle, he thought with no small amount of relief. "Then it's yes?"

He was right, she could read his soul in his eyes. "If you're serious, it is."

"I am."

Her smile was broad and warm. "Then it is. C'mon, let's go tell Audra."

But he didn't release his hold on her. "Wait."

She searched his eyes for a telltale sign. "Cold feet?"

Slowly he moved his head from side to side, his eyes on her mouth. "Hot blood."

"Oh." For the first time, he saw laughter in her eyes. "Okay."

And as he kissed her, Denise felt herself being swept away again. And for once, she didn't resist. She had a very strong feeling that she was never going to have to resist again.

The saga of the Cutler family continues with THE LAW AND GINNY MARLOW, coming in January only in Silhouette Yours Truly.

eISBN 978-14592-6734-3.

Books by Marie Ferrarella.

Silhouette Yours Truly.

?The 71b., 2oz. Valentine.

Let's Get Mommy Married.

Traci on the Spot Mommy and the Policeman Next Door.

**Desperately Seeking Twin...

The Offer She Couldn't Refuse ??Fiona and the s.e.xy Stranger ??Cowboys Are for Loving.

??Will and the Headstrong Female Silhouette Romance The Gift #588 Five-Alarm Affair #613.

Heart to Heart #632 Mother for Hire #686 Borrowed Baby #730 Her Special Angel #744 The Undoing of Justin Starbuck #766 Man Trouble #815 The Taming of the Teen #839.

Father Goose #869 Babies on His Mind #920 The Right Man #932.

In Her Own Backyard #947 Her Man Friday #959 Aunt Connie's Wedding #984 ?Caution: Baby Ahead #1007 ?Mother on the Wing #1026.

?Baby Times Two #1037 Father in the Making #1078 The Women in Joe Sullivan's Life #1096 ?Do You Take This Child? #1145 The Man Who Would Be Daddy #1175.

Your Baby or Mine? #1216 **The Baby Came C.O.D. #1264 Suddenly...Marriagel. #1312 ??One Plus One Makes Marriage#1328 Silhouette Special Edition It Happened One Night #597 A Girl's Best Friend #652.

Blessing in Disguise #675 Someone To Talk To #703 World's Greatest Dad #767 Family Matters #832 She Got Her Man #843 Baby in the Middle #892 Husband: Some a.s.sembly Required #931 Brooding Angel #963.

?Baby's First Christmas #997 Christmas Bride #1069 Wanted: Husband, Will Train #1132.

Silhouette Desire ?Husband: Optional #988 Silhouette Intimate Moments *Holding Out for a Hero #496 *Heroes Great and Small #501.

*Christmas Every Day #538 Callaghan's Way #601 *Caitlin's Guardian Angel #661 ?Happy New Year-Baby! #686 The Amnesiac Bride #787 Serena McKee's Back in Town #808.

A Husband Waiting to Happen #842 Angus's Lost Lady #853 Fortune's Children Forgotten Honeymoon Silhouette Books In the Family Way Silhouette Christmas Stories 1992.

"The Night Santa Claus Returned"

?Baby's Choice ?The Baby of the Month Club.

*Those Sinclairs **Two Halves of a Whole ??The Cutlers of the Shady Lady Ranch ??Like Mother, Like Daughter.

Books by Marie Ferrarella writing as Marie Nicole.

Silhouette Desire.

Tried and True #112.

Buyer Beware #142 Through Laughter and Tears #161 Grand Theft: Heart #182.

A Woman of Integrity #197 Country Blue #224 Last Year's Hunk #274 Foxy Lady #315.

Chocolate Dreams #346 No Laughing Matter #382.

Silhouette Romance Man Undercover #373.

Please Stand By #394.

Mine by Write #411 Getting Physical #440.