Mad About The Man by Stella Cameron Read Free Book Online
Authors: Stella Cameron
succeeding masterfully.
Gaby wrapped her arms around her ribs and drew herself up. "I heard some of what you said at Sis's."
"Did you?"
"Yes. Goldstrike doesn't want what you're peddling." Her heart pounded.
"Doesn't it?"
"No. These people like the way of life they lead. They're simple and kind… like this land. They don't need discos and—and strobe lights and mining displays and resorts. They don't—"
"They do need them. And they will want them. If something doesn't happen around here there won't be a Goldstrike. Where will all these simple, kind people be then?"
"It won't happen. I—"
"You are a very special, one-of-a-kind woman. But you don't know what you're talking about. Keep on being special. Especially around me. But leave business to business people."
She made fists and had to quell an urge to pummel him wi th them. "What do you think I… Scratch that. I know what you think I am. Who do you think you are?"
"I'm Jacques Ledan and I've been driving through Goldstrike since I was a kid. My best times have been right here. I'm a Californian, Gaby. I was born in this state. Its history is important to me—preserving the past for future generations. The pioneer culture that founded places like Goldstrike, molded me."
"But it didn't make you want it for what it is, did it? You want to change it and make a lot of money in the process."
"I want to help it stay alive." He turned and rested his back on the tree. His eyes were blue ice now. "Sure there are going to be dissenters, but they'll be a minority and they'll dissent out of pride."
She took an involuntary step toward him. "What's wrong with a little pride? It makes people strong and focused."
"What's the point of being strong and focused while what little you have falls down around you?"
"They won't be happy, Jacques." The tears of pas sion that sprang into her eyes weren't welcome. "You're going to take away their identity."
"I'm going to give them a way to preserve it. You see this land we're standing on?"
"Yes." Gaby hugged herself tighter.
"I've bought this farm. And the one behind me. And I intend to get one or two more in the same block. This is going to become a theme park that peo ple will come to from all over the country—damn it, from all over the world."
Gaby raised a hand to her mouth, but Jacques caught her wrist.
"People resist change," Jacques said. "But when they get used to it, they love what it can do for them. I'm going to find a way to bring water in here. There'll be a huge waterslide area—bigger than anything like it anywhere. When people are deciding where to vacation, they'll be considering going for the gold in Goldstrike. This isn't a tacky joke. This is big business. And we're all going to benefit fro m i t.''
Gaby drew in a breath that burned. "You're going to turn our little town into another resort area? I got out of Los Angeles because I wanted some peace. Everyone who chooses to stay here wants peace."
" According to you."
With her free hand she gra bbed his shirt. "I… I… "
She never finished the thought or the sentence. Jacques yanked her against him and his mouth came down on hers. His lips were warm and firm and sup ple. His eyes closed and he wrapped her in big, strong arms from which she'd only escape when he chose to let her go. The kiss was forceful, wild and possessive. Gaby's legs weakened and her grip on his shirt became the anchor that stopped her from falling.
Jacques groaned and his hands slid down to cross over her bottom. Spreading his legs, he pressed her hips into his pelvis. He was hard. And the fit was right.
This kiss softened to a nipping, nuzzling, searing thing that rocked Gaby's face from side to side. She ran her palms up his chest and around his neck until she could tangle her fingers in his hair.
She smelled his clean scent, felt his hard chest crushing her breasts and wanted to feel his hands there—his lips.
"Gaby," he whispered, kissing her cheek, her closed eyes, her
Gaby wrapped her arms around her ribs and drew herself up. "I heard some of what you said at Sis's."
"Did you?"
"Yes. Goldstrike doesn't want what you're peddling." Her heart pounded.
"Doesn't it?"
"No. These people like the way of life they lead. They're simple and kind… like this land. They don't need discos and—and strobe lights and mining displays and resorts. They don't—"
"They do need them. And they will want them. If something doesn't happen around here there won't be a Goldstrike. Where will all these simple, kind people be then?"
"It won't happen. I—"
"You are a very special, one-of-a-kind woman. But you don't know what you're talking about. Keep on being special. Especially around me. But leave business to business people."
She made fists and had to quell an urge to pummel him wi th them. "What do you think I… Scratch that. I know what you think I am. Who do you think you are?"
"I'm Jacques Ledan and I've been driving through Goldstrike since I was a kid. My best times have been right here. I'm a Californian, Gaby. I was born in this state. Its history is important to me—preserving the past for future generations. The pioneer culture that founded places like Goldstrike, molded me."
"But it didn't make you want it for what it is, did it? You want to change it and make a lot of money in the process."
"I want to help it stay alive." He turned and rested his back on the tree. His eyes were blue ice now. "Sure there are going to be dissenters, but they'll be a minority and they'll dissent out of pride."
She took an involuntary step toward him. "What's wrong with a little pride? It makes people strong and focused."
"What's the point of being strong and focused while what little you have falls down around you?"
"They won't be happy, Jacques." The tears of pas sion that sprang into her eyes weren't welcome. "You're going to take away their identity."
"I'm going to give them a way to preserve it. You see this land we're standing on?"
"Yes." Gaby hugged herself tighter.
"I've bought this farm. And the one behind me. And I intend to get one or two more in the same block. This is going to become a theme park that peo ple will come to from all over the country—damn it, from all over the world."
Gaby raised a hand to her mouth, but Jacques caught her wrist.
"People resist change," Jacques said. "But when they get used to it, they love what it can do for them. I'm going to find a way to bring water in here. There'll be a huge waterslide area—bigger than anything like it anywhere. When people are deciding where to vacation, they'll be considering going for the gold in Goldstrike. This isn't a tacky joke. This is big business. And we're all going to benefit fro m i t.''
Gaby drew in a breath that burned. "You're going to turn our little town into another resort area? I got out of Los Angeles because I wanted some peace. Everyone who chooses to stay here wants peace."
" According to you."
With her free hand she gra bbed his shirt. "I… I… "
She never finished the thought or the sentence. Jacques yanked her against him and his mouth came down on hers. His lips were warm and firm and sup ple. His eyes closed and he wrapped her in big, strong arms from which she'd only escape when he chose to let her go. The kiss was forceful, wild and possessive. Gaby's legs weakened and her grip on his shirt became the anchor that stopped her from falling.
Jacques groaned and his hands slid down to cross over her bottom. Spreading his legs, he pressed her hips into his pelvis. He was hard. And the fit was right.
This kiss softened to a nipping, nuzzling, searing thing that rocked Gaby's face from side to side. She ran her palms up his chest and around his neck until she could tangle her fingers in his hair.
She smelled his clean scent, felt his hard chest crushing her breasts and wanted to feel his hands there—his lips.
"Gaby," he whispered, kissing her cheek, her closed eyes, her