Stone Cold Charade (A Stone Family Novel) by Kathleen Royce Read Free Book Online Page B

said to protect her.
Growling deep in his throat he spun around racing after her. There was no way
he was letting her just dismiss him without letting him explain. When she had
gotten half way across the room, he grabbed her by the shoulders and swung her
around to confront her.
    “Oh, no you don’t! You’re not leaving
until you hear me out,” he demanded his anger just as hot as hers.
    Her eyes flared, and he noticed the way
her pulse jumped at her throat and how heat rose in her cheeks. Breathing
ragged, she appeared panicked by the touch of his hands on her shoulders.
Trapping her eyes behind her glasses, he read her response in them, and he knew
she still wanted him. He recognized the look in her eyes. He’d had the
identical look in his eyes years ago when he looked in a mirror and thought
about the two of them together. That same desire almost consumed him once.
    Despite trying to lower her head, Alex
wasn’t swift enough to hide her reaction to his nearness. She took a deep
breath and let it out slowly to steady her shaky nerves before bringing up her
head.
    Her eyes blazed with contempt that she
wanted him to witness. “I don’t want to hear anything you have to say. If you
need anything, ask Martha. I’m sure she would be more than happy to help you.
Now, if you will excuse me, I have a headache. I’m going to go lie down.”
Bracing herself in case he was prepared for a physical fight with her to get
her to remain, she deliberately leaned back to make her point. If he was going
to continue with this ploy, she was willing to retaliate by raging a war to get
him to release her.
    It had wounded her pride, overhearing
him that night. His conscience paid a terrible price for it also; one he’d paid
every day since. She’d been getting too close, becoming an all-consuming fire
in his blood.
    Ty released her reluctantly, knowing
that in the mood she was in, it would be like talking to a brick wall. While he
was working on the ranch, one way or another, he would get her to see his side.
She couldn’t hide forever; from him or the past.
    “This isn’t over,” he warned her, as she
crossed the thresh hold of the room.
    “Wanna bet?” she declared coldly.
Turning in the doorway to look back, she saw his eyes narrow as they darkened
to an ominous shade. His eyes fell to her breasts, poignantly driving home the
point that her body thought otherwise. As he watched, she felt them shudder
under his dark gaze. Not wanting him to know the full effect he could still
bring out in her treacherous body, she folded her arms over her chest in an
attempt to hide her response to his embrace moments before. She knew her
breasts had tightened and swelled after he had drawn her against his muscled
chest.
    “Never bet with me, lady. You’ll lose, but
what a way to go-” He walked purposely towards her and she all but ran from the
room, fleeing from his threat.
    Earlier, he had thought getting Alex in
his bed would be easy. He now knew differently. Alex was still the same
spitfire she had always been. Well maybe this assignment won’t be so boring after
all. Smiling smugly to himself, he contemplated the possibilities. He let
her slip through his fingers six years ago; she wouldn’t be so lucky this time.
He would have her, and he was going to enjoy every minute of placing her in his
bed, no matter what Max thought or threatened. This time I’m going to be the
one to win.
    Alex heard his laughter as she raced up
the stairs to her room, her body shaking so badly she didn’t think she would be
able to reach the bed before her legs gave out. Ty had never shown her his true
feelings. He hid them from her. He had always remained in perfect control of
his emotions, except for the one night that had changed their friendship
forever, and consequently, changed the course of what she had hoped her life
would be. Up until a few moments ago, she had genuinely thought what she felt
for Ty was dead and buried. It has to be lust , she