Free Dream's End by Diana Palmer Page B

touch you,” he replied quietly. “And, yes, it’s usually gentle. But a man…kissing is something entirely different for a man, Eleanor. A tightly closed little mouth becomes a challenge; he needs to taste a woman, not just feel the softness of her mouth against his. It’s damned hard to explain,” he said finally and with soft laughter. “I suppose it all goes back to the basics, to passion. A man my age likes to arouse a woman more than he likes to simply kiss her, because it usually ends up in a bed. That’s one reason I never take out a woman who doesn’t already know the score. Until Amanda came along,” he added gruffly. “And by the time I realized how innocent she was, I was hooked.”
    â€œI still think it will work out,” shesaid in a soothing tone, turning to look at him. He wanted the woman, and if he loved her, all Eleanor wanted for him was to see him happy.
    He met her soft gaze and his silvery eyes studied her for a long time, from her face to her slender body and back up again. “You’re lovely, little girl,” he said softly. “As lovely as a dream, and I can’t think of anything I’d like better than to draw you down with me on this sofa and teach you how to make love.”
    She felt her eyes going wide with fear as she set the glass down quickly. He’d had too much to drink, apparently, and she didn’t feel like being a stand-in for the woman he really wanted.
    â€œI…I’m very tired,” she said quickly, moving toward the door. “And sleepy. And I’ve got a lot to do tomorrow.”
    â€œAfraid of me, Eleanor?” he asked patiently.
    She turned at the door, her whole look puzzled and uncertain. “I’m terrified ofyou, Curry, and that’s God’s own truth,” she admitted. “Please don’t make it any harder for me. I don’t want to be used, like a toy to amuse you when Amanda’s not around. I don’t want to be flirted with. I’m your secretary and you’re my boss, and if it’s going to be any other way than that, then please let me go now. I can’t bear being played with,” she finished on a pained whisper.
    â€œHoney,” he said quietly, “what makes you think I’m playing?”
    She whirled and left him sitting there, feeling her heart bursting against her ribs as she made her way quickly up the stairs. And when she finally got into her room and ready for bed, that last gentle question kept her awake for another hour despite the fact that her senses were exhausted.
    Â 
    He was at the breakfast table when she went down only hours later, her eyes still bloodshot from lack of sleep, and shewondered idly why he hadn’t gone out with the hands.
    His pale eyes shivered over her as she sat down across from him, and a hint of a smile curved his mouth.
    â€œIt’s about time you crawled out of bed,” he told her, sipping his coffee as he eyed her. “I want you to come out with me today.”
    She stared at him uncertainly. “Where?” she asked.
    â€œRoundup starts this morning.”
    â€œOh!” She couldn’t hide the surge of excitement that statement created. Every year she’d begged to be taken along when the first of the cattle were brought in from winter pasture to be moved to summer quarters. New calves were branded, and the vet was around to check for disease. It was the most exciting time of the year on a cattle ranch.
    â€œYou love it, don’t you?” he asked with narrowed eyes. “Every bit of it, from the branding to the culling, eventossing hay to the horses. Yes, Miss Priss—” he nodded at her start of surprise “—I hear what goes on around here. You conned Johnny into letting you feed the horses in the stalls. Or didn’t you think he’d tell me?”
    â€œI thought ranch managers were supposed to keep their mouths shut,” she