Читать книгу The Proposal / To Tempt a Sheikh: The Proposal - Brenda Jackson - Страница 13

“I like Bella, Jason.”

He glanced over at his cousin Zane. It was early Monday morning and they were standing in the round pen with one of the mares while waiting for Derringer to bring the designated stallion from his stall for the scheduled breeding session. “I like her, too.”

Zane chuckled. “Could have fooled me. Because you weren’t giving her your attention at dinner Friday night. We all felt that it was up to us to make her feel welcome, because you were ignoring the poor girl.”

Jason rolled his eyes. “And I bet it pained all of you to do so.”

“Not really. Your Southern Bella is a real classy lady. If you weren’t interested in her I’d make a play for her.”

“But I am interested in her.”

“I know,” Zane said, smiling. “It was pretty obvious. I intercepted your dirty looks loud and clear. In any case, I hope things get straightened out between you two.”

“I hope so, too. I’ll find out in five more days.”

Zane lifted a curious brow. “Five days? What’s supposed to happen in five days?”

“Long story and one which I prefer not to share right now.” He had intentionally not contacted Bella over the past two days to give her breathing space from him to think his proposal through. He’d thought it through and it made perfect sense to him. He was beginning to anticipate her answer. It would be yes; it just had to be.

But what if yes wasn’t her answer? What if even after the other night and the sample lovemaking they’d shared that she thought his proposal wasn’t worth taking the chance? He would be the first to admit that his proposal was a bit daring. But he felt the terms were fair. Hell, he was giving her a chance to be the first to file for a divorce after the first year. And he—

Zane snapped a finger in front of his face. “Hellooo. Are you with us? Derringer is here with Fireball. Are you up to this or are you thinking about mating of another kind?” Zane was grinning.

Jason frowned when he glanced over at Derringer and saw a smirk on his face, as well. “Yes, I’m up to this and it’s none of your business what I’m thinking about.”

“Fine, just keep Prancer straight while Fireball mounts her. It’s been a while since he’s had a mare and he might be overly eager,” Zane said with a meaningful smile.

Just like me, Jason thought, remembering every vivid detail of Bella spread out on her kitchen table for him to enjoy. “All right, let’s get this going. I have something to do later.”

Both Zane and Derringer gave him speculative looks but said nothing.

Bella stepped out of the shower and began toweling herself dry. It was the middle of the day but after going for a walk around the ranch she had gotten hot and sticky. Now she intended to slip into something comfortable and have a cup of tea and relax … and think about Jason’s proposal.

The walk had done her good and walking her land had made her even more determined to hold on to what was hers. But was Jason’s proposal the answer? Or would she be jumping out of the pot and into the fire?

After Friday night and what had gone down in her kitchen, there was no doubt in her mind that Jason was the kind of lover women dreamed of having. And he had to be the most unselfish person she knew. He had given her pleasure without seeking his own. She had read enough articles on the subject to know most men weren’t usually that generous. But he had been and her body hadn’t been the same since. Every time she thought about him and that night in the kitchen, she had to pause and catch her breath.

She hadn’t heard from him since that night but figured he was giving her time to think things through before she gave him her answer. She had talked to her attorney again and he hadn’t said anything to make her think she had a chance of getting the hold on her trust fund lifted.

She had run into her uncle yesterday when she’d gone into town and he hadn’t been at all pleasant. And neither had his son, daughter and two teenage grandsons. All of them practically cut her with their sharp looks. She just didn’t get it. Jason had wanted her land as well but he hadn’t been anything but supportive of her decision to keep it and had offered his help from the first.

She understood that she and her Denver relatives didn’t have the same bond as the Westmorelands but she would think they wouldn’t be dismissing her the way they were doing over some land.

She had dressed and was heading downstairs when something like a missile sailed through her living room window, breaking the glass in the process. “What on earth!” She nearly missed her step when she raced back up the stairs to her bedroom, closing the door and locking it behind her.

Catching her breath she grabbed her cell phone off the nightstand and called the police.

“Where is she, Marvin?” Jason asked, walking into Bella’s house with Zane and Derringer on his heels.

“She’s in the kitchen,” the man answered, moving quickly out of Jason’s way.

Jason had gotten a call from Pam to tell him what had happened. He had jumped in his truck and left Zane’s ranch immediately with Derringer and Zane following close behind in their vehicles.

From what Pam had said, someone had thrown a large rock through Bella’s window with a note tied to it saying, “Go back to where you came from.” The thought of anyone doing that angered him. Who on earth would do such a thing?

He walked into the kitchen and glanced around, dismissing memories of the last time he’d been there and his focus immediately went to Bella. She was sitting at the kitchen table talking to Pete Higgins, one of the sheriff’s deputies and a good friend of Derringer’s.

Everyone glanced up when he entered and the look on Bella’s face was like a kick in his gut. He could tell she was shaken and there was a hurt expression in her eyes he’d never seen before. His anger flared at the thought that someone could hurt her in any way. The rock may not have hit her but she’d taken a hit just the same. Whoever had thrown that rock through the window had hit her spirit and left her shaken.

“Jason, Zane and Derringer,” Pete said, acknowledging their arrival. “Why am I not surprised to see the three of you here?”

Jason didn’t respond as he moved straight toward Bella and, disregarding the onlookers, he reached out to caress the soft skin beneath her ear. “Are you all right?” he whispered in a husky tone.

She held his gaze and nodded slowly. “Yes, I’m fine. I was on my way downstairs when that rock came flying through the window. It scared me more than anything.”