Only Hers by Francis Ray Read Free Book Online Page B

for the house at a faster pace. “Come on, Ferguson is waiting to see us.”
    She practically ran to keep up with his long-legged stride. “Us? When did he call?”
    “About twenty minutes ago.”
    Her eyebrows furrowed. “But how did he know I was here?”
    “I told him,” Matt said.
    She glanced up at the hard line of Matt’s jaw. Something wasn’t right. “Exactly when did you tell him?”
    “Yesterday” came the flat reply.
    She mentally called herself a naive fool for thinking for one second the stern-faced man dragging her back along a narrow path was kind. Arrogant, yes. Devious, positively. But kind, never.
    “So that’s the real reason you didn’t want Octavia to disturb me. You weren’t as concerned with my rest as my not seeing Arthur Ferguson and signing the final papers before you saw him. For a little while this afternoon I thought I might have misjudged you.”
    Apparently unconcerned by her opinion of him, he kept walking until he reached the side of the house where the fishing poles were kept. Without a glance in her direction,he replaced the gear, then dropped the canvas bag on the back porch steps.
    Incensed at being ignored and duped, she put her hands on her hips and stepped in front of him. “It appears I was wrong.”
    “I never implied any different,” he finally replied. Walking around her, he went to the front of the house where a dusty black truck was parked and opened the passenger door. “Get in.”
    Shannon folded her arms across her chest. “I prefer to drive my own car.”
    The door slammed shut. “Suit yourself, but you better be in Ferguson’s office in thirty minutes.”
    Outraged, she snatched her arms to her sides. “I can’t possibly get cleaned up and drive to town in that short a time.”
    “Look, la—
Miss.
I have a ranch to run in case you haven’t noticed. I don’t have time to sleep half the day and fish the other half.” Brushing by her, Matt went around the end of the truck and got in.
    She was right on his heels. “Sometimes I can’t believe Wade was related to you.”
    “Sometimes neither could he.” He started the motor and drove off leaving her staring after him.
    “Where is she?” Matt tossed over his shoulder as his booted foot struck the hardwood floor of Arthur Ferguson’s office. “I know she’s anxious to stake her claim.”
    Watching Matt over tented fingers pressed against his beaklike nose, Ferguson continued to rock back and forth in his chair behind his desk. “You said she had to get dressed.”
    From beneath thick black lashes Matt shot Arthur a quelling glance. “Might have known you’d make excuses for her.”
    The lawyer’s pensive expression never altered. “I’m merely making an observation. Like most women she probably just wants to make a favorable impression.”
    “She’d look good in a feed sack and she knows it,” Matt blurted in rising irritation. “She just wants to annoy me.”
    Ferguson stopped in midrock backward and sat up straighter in his chair. His vague gaze of a moment ago was replaced by one of keen speculation. “Ms. Johnson sounds more interesting by the moment.”
    “Why?”
    “In the years that I’ve known you since you came to live with Wade, I’ve never heard you compliment a woman or known you to let one take more than a fleeting thought in your mind. This one has done both.”
    “This one is trying to steal my heritage,” Matt told him.
    “I wouldn’t jump to such a conclusion until you have all the facts, Matt,” Ferguson said, and went back to rocking, all the time watching Matt as if seeking the answer to some difficult puzzle. “This is not her fault.”
    “Whose is it then? I need every cent to keep the ranch running until the beef can be sold in two months. I’m not paying off some little gold digger. The only thing I don’t understand is why my uncle didn’t want the bequest known to me until she and I were together.”
    “I’m sure he had good reasons.”
    Matt