Free Yours Again (River City Series) by Dee Burks

transferred to Samantha Kay James upon her marriage or directly
to her heir.”
    “You’ll
see that there is no room for any other alternative unless you marry.” Taos
stated.  “I’m curious to know how quickly you were planning the wedding, since
there is no other way to get your hands on the land.”
    Her
irritation with this insufferable man grew in leaps and bounds. How could she
have ever kissed those snarling lips?
    “First
of all, I don’t need or want the ranch. That’s not why I came here.”
    “Right,”
his sarcastic tone made her want to smack that chiseled chin.
    “And
just to be perfectly clear, it doesn’t say here that I have to be married.” She
stared right
    through
him, dashing away tears with the back of her hand.
    He
talked with slow and deliberate words like she was slow witted just as he had
at the mine last night. “It is in black and white right in front of you. Just
because you are pretending you don’t want it that way doesn’t mean it will
change. Why don’t we get down to what you’ve already planned and stop this little
game?”
    It
took all her willpower to stay seated. She growled instead. “It says right here
in black and white that I can either be married or have an heir.” Really?
Why did men assume a woman couldn’t read a basic legal document? “It’s an
either/or statement, not a both/and requirement.”
    Confusion
crossed his face, followed by anger.
    “Do
you mean you are planning to . . . You can’t do that, I won’t allow it.”
    Her
eyes flew open as she realized that he thought she was planning to get
pregnant! Ridiculous! She covered her mouth to keep from laughing out loud. He
didn’t know her at all, and that just might work in her favor. It really didn’t
matter what he thought of her as long as she could get the protection she
needed for a few weeks. She had to think quickly.
    He
leaned forward and his voice shook. “I’ll make sure no man comes near you.”
    She
matched his angry stare without blinking. “How? You said I won’t be staying
here.”
    “Yes,
you will. I’m not letting you out of my sight until I know exactly who is up to
what.” His voice vibrated around the room. “And until I find out, I run both
ranches and everyone on them.”
    She
needed to push him just a bit farther, make him believe she just might go to
extremes. “Charlie, how many men would you say go to Miss Sadie’s in a week’s
time?” She arched a suggestive eyebrow toward Taos.
    “Uh,
I uh,” Charlie clearly wasn’t ready for that kind of question. “Well, probably
forty or more. Why?”
    “Looks
like you’re going to be very busy, aren’t you?” she dared Taos.
    “You
will not become a whore!” His growl rumbled through her, making the hair on her
neck stand up.
    “I
have no intention of being a whore. Although you made it clear you thought I
had some talent in that respect.” She saw a blush creep up his neck as his
brothers glared at him. “And I believe I would just need what you cattlemen
call ‘stud services.’ Hardly the same thing.”
    Taos
looked ready to explode.
    She
shrugged, “You’re the one who suggested it.”
    “This
is a ridiculous conversation,” Taos’s irritation was getting the best of him
and he stood, clearly wanting to be done with this.
    Samantha
agreed this was ridiculous. It was so simple. She just needed to stay here for
a few weeks, why was this so hard? Something in her wanted to give him another
chance to believe her. Last night clearly wounded his pride and this morning
they’d all had some fun at his expense as well. She walked over and stood right
in front of him, her head titled back so she could see his face. He was looking
at anyone or anything in the room but her.
    “Taos
. . .” She waited. Finally he glanced down at her. “I told you the truth. I
just need to stay her for a few weeks, then I’ll leave. I don’t want or need
anything else from you, nor do I plan on doing anything with the