Free Divine Deception by Marcia Lynn McClure

emotions threatening to burst to the surface. She was to lose her mother at any moment, and the realization was like a million arrows piercing her heart.
    “ The rest will do her good, I’m sure,” he said. He seemed distracted. He paced the floor before the chair in which Fallon sat, his hands shoved tightly into the front pockets of his trousers. Suddenly, he turned to face her and ordered, “You’re to stay here, at the ranch, at all times for a while, Fallon.”
    “ What?” she asked, perplexed.
    “ I mean it. I don’t want you traveling to town for any reason until—”
    “ Oh, don’t worry. I’ll take Ben with me. I always do now, you know,” Fallon assured him.
    “ Not at all. Not ever, Fallon. With or without Ben. You’re to stay here with Patty. Do you understand?”
    “ I understand that you’re handing me such command with no explanation,” Fallon said, rising from her chair and stepping up to stand directly before him.
    “ I am,” he stated. “And for reasons I choose to keep to myself for the time being.”
    “ I’ll accept that, for the time being. Only because I’ve stumbled into trouble before when I’ve ignored your suggestion. But if I’m to be made a prisoner, I expect to eventually be told why I’ve been sentenced.” Fallon was distracted then as Trader folded his powerful arms across his broad chest. Her thoughts traveled back to the few, but magnificent, moments she had spent embraced in those arms, held solidly against the same chest. Goose bumps covered her flesh at the memory.
    As Fallon attempted to rub them from her forearms, he said, “Are you catching cold?”
    “ No. No, of course not,” she stammered.
    “ Very well, then. I’m off to Julia’s. I’ll be back before dark.” And he turned to leave.
    “ Why?” Fallon asked angrily.
    He turned to face her once more and muttered, “What?”
    “ Why?” she repeated. “Why must you forever be running to Julia Salazares? One night it’s the cattle are out. The next time it’s a worm in her corn. Tell me the truth of it, Trader,” she begged.
    “ She’s sent for me. She has a prize mare delivering a foal at any moment. I’m good with cattle and horses. She doesn’t want to lose the mare or the foal,” he explained.
    “ Doesn’t she keep ranch hands for that? Why do you have to do everything for her?” Fallon asked.
    A low chuckle emanated from within the hood. “You’re jealous.”
    “ What do you mean?” Fallon asked defensively, though she knew she was, indeed, insanely jealous. She knew Julia spent a great deal of time in Trader’s company. She further knew he did it without his concealing hood. In a sense, he was more intimately acquainted with his female neighbor than he was with his own wife.
    Trader took several steps toward Fallon. As he stopped directly before her, she dropped her eyes to the floor and covered her blushing cheeks with her hands. “Your concern is sweet, Fallon—completely unfounded but sweet all the same.”
    As Fallon drew back her hands, intending to plant them firmly on his chest, thereby shoving him backward as she had done on other occasions, Trader simply caught her wrists in his powerful hands.
    Chuckling, he asked, “Why are you always shoving me away, Fallon?”
    Wrenching her wrists from his grasp, she answered, “Because I wouldn’t dare try to slap your face!”
    He chuckled and turned to leave. “It’s quite childish, you know, Fallon, shoving your husband at every turn.”
    As indignant anger and jealousy swelled within her bosom, Fallon lifted her skirt and petticoats and planted one petite foot firmly in the seat of Trader’s trousers. He stumbled forward and then turned toward her once more. “I’m surprised your uncle had the nerve to treat you as he did. I’ll be back before dark,” he said, chuckling to himself and dusting off the seat of his pants as he left the room.
    But Trader did not return before dark. Nor did he return before dinner.