Free Long, Tall Texans: Calhoun by Diana Palmer

it's your decision."
    "You're a nice man."
    "I'm glad you think so. Obviously my brother thinks I'm as big a rake as he is." He chuckled.
    "Thank God you aren't," she sighed. "One in the family is enough!"
    "If you're going out, you'd better wear a jacket," Justin warned. "I stepped out to get the paper and almost froze in place."
    Abby sighed again. "And they keep saying spring is just around the corner."
    She finished her breakfast and called Misty to tell her she'd be right over. Then she returned to her room to get her burgundy velour jacket. She was looping the last button when she turned to the open door and found Calhoun standing there, looking at her broodingly.
    He'd just showered. He was bare chested, and his blond hair was damp. But Abby's eyes stopped at his brawny chest in helpless appreciation of the sheer masculinity of him. He leaned idly against the doorjamb, and muscles rippled under the wedge of thick brown hair that ran down into the wide belt around his slender hips. He didn't smile, and his dark eyes had heavy circles underneath them. He looked as tired as Abby felt.
    "Where are you going now?" he asked coldly.
    "Out to look at apartments," she said carelessly. "In a little over two and a half months I'll be needing one."
    "How does Justin feel about that?" he asked, his eyes narrowing angrily.
    "Justin isn't the one who's trying to keep me in a cage," she replied. She was tired of the whole thing, of his unreasonable anger and even of Justin playing cupid. "Look, Justin just took me out for a meal. He didn't park the car and try to make love to me. He isn't that kind of man, and you should be ashamed of yourself for thinking he is. Justin's like a brother to me. Just...as you are," she finished, averting her eyes. "I don't have romantic thoughts about either one of you."
    "And that's a damned he," he said in a cold tone. He jerked away from the door, slamming it behind him, bringing her shocked eyes to him as he advanced toward her. "I'm no more your brother than I'm your great-uncle."
    She backed up into a chair, swerved and made it to the wall. He looked dangerous, and she didn't know how to handle this lightning mood switch.
    "That's what you want me to be," she said accusingly, pressing against the cold wall. "You want me to be a kid sister and not get in your way or make eyes at you—"
    "My God, I don't know what I want anymore," he ground

    out as he placed his big hands on either side of her head, his body too close, too sensuous, too deliriously masculine. The scent of him filled her nostrils, excited her senses. She could see the tiny golden tips of the hair on his chest now, glittering in the light. Glittering...like the dark, intent eyes that caught hers and held them.
    "Calhoun, I have to go," she said, her voice faltering.
    "Why?" he asked.
    She could see him breathing. His chest rose and fell roughly, as if he were having a hard time getting air in and out. She felt that way herself. He was too close, and her vulnerability was going to start showing any minute.
    She couldn't bear to have him see her weakness and make fun of it.
    "Stop it," she whispered huskily, closing her eyes. "Damn you, stop...oh!"
    He had her mouth under his so smoothly and easily that her heart seemed to stop beating. He wasn't gentle, either. It was as if the feel of her soft body under his made him wild, made him hungry.
    In fact, he was starving for her. He leaned down so that his hips and thighs were fully against her, so that his bare chest was against the velour of her jacket. He didn't like not being able to feel her breasts, so he snapped open the buttons of the jacket and pushed the material aside. He felt her gasp as her breasts pressed against him, and he groaned, marveling at the warm softness of her. Nudging her lips apart, he nipped sensuously at the lower one. That was arousing, too, and he wanted her. He wanted her mouth as he wanted her soft, sweet young body. His tongue pushed into her mouth, past