The Dangerous Gift by Jane Hunt Read Free Book Online Page A

generous glass of his father’s single malt whiskey. He’d intended to give Jen a brief kiss of comfort and friendship, not the incendiary device he detonated when her soft lips had tentatively parted and kissed him back. He’d been rock hard as Jen’s curvy body caressed his muscular frame, until his father’s voice echoed in his mind. Overwrought from the day’s emotion, Jared had pulled back.
    His father had lain down the law in no uncertain terms as soon as Jen blossomed. Jared was to leave her alone, however provocatively she acted. Ralf had seen the signs; Jen’s hero worship of Jared had deepened as she matured into her late teens. She thought she loved him, and Ralf wouldn’t let his son take advantage until she knew her own mind. Maybe in a few years after college, he’d said, after Jen met other boys her own age and experienced more of life it would be different. If she felt the same about Jared then, Ralf would give them his blessing. Until then, their relationship would be platonic.
    Jared couldn’t ignore his dead father’s wishes. He must repair the boundary he’d breached with Jen, or he would hate himself. When the sting of their grief dulled in a few months, Jared would let her see how much he loved her.
    Inebriated, Jared toasted his father. So come on, Dad, I did as you asked. I kept my distance. Hell, I even ruined her eighteenth birthday. She’s a woman now and still wants me. Surely, it’s our time now? Jared poured another drink and downed it in one gulp. Oblivion beckoned. Jared fell into an uneasy sleep, the empty bottle of malt whiskey at his feet.
     
    ***
     
    Intruder
     
    The horse shifted its weight as it dozed in the cold night air. Its rider stared at the distant ranch. Nothing was extraordinary tonight. Horses munched hay in their enclosures; longhorn cattle lowed in the pastures beyond the ranch buildings; and light spilled from the numerous windows. Each one showcased a cameo of family life. An unwanted pang of longing, ruthlessly suppressed. The main ranch house was in darkness now. Clenched fingers pressed into the reins’ thin leather and then relaxed. Time enough for retribution. Satisfied, the rider eased the patient horse into a walk and rode into the night.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 4
     
     
    Jared
     
    Catapulted out of slumber by the sound of running water, Jared felt as though someone had taken a skillet to his pounding head. The waves of nausea and moving walls made the journey to the office window difficult. He held on to the windowsill and blinked at the water flooding from the new bunkhouse’s double doors. He closed his eyes for a moment, then refocused them. No mistake. The paddocks and yard would be waterlogged too if he didn’t act now.
    Jared stumbled outside. The ranch manager and several hands were already hard at work. “What’s the damage, Rod?”
    “You okay, boss?” Rod’s expressive, weathered face didn’t hide his disgust.
    Jared’s temper spiked. Hired hands didn’t judge him. He bit back his angry retort. Rod’s support after his parents’ deaths had gone far beyond his job role. Besides, he knew he looked like hell when he collided with the hall mirror on his way outside. “Too much whiskey. Is anything salvageable?”
    The manager shook his head. “The main water pipe sprang a leak. Everything’s soaked. The floors and wooden furniture will dry out. The soft furnishings are ruined.”
    Jared threw up in the dirt. The curtains, cushions, and quilts his mother made, destroyed. They were replaceable but not by her. His vision blurred, and Rod reached for him as he swayed.
    Jared pushed past him and ran towards the house and Jen. The door slammed against the wall as he raced into her bedroom, and Jen stirred. He shouldn’t disturb her. Last night, he’d left her alone, unable to face his emotions. Now, despite what lay unsaid between them, he needed her comfort. At this moment, his emotional survival depended on