To Have and to Hold by Nalini Singh Read Free Book Online Page B

us over for a barbecue. Around seven.” She folded her arms. “I said we’d come.”
    â€œFine.” He reached out to tap her cheek with his index finger and the touch was so unexpectedly gentle, she didn’t know how to react. “Must’ve been a long phone call—your skin’s red here.”
    Jerking away, she wondered if he could read the guilt in her eyes. Because this time, she had done something she wasn’t proud of. But even that didn’t excuse the things he’d said to her and she wasn’t going to pretend otherwise. “Drop the act, Gabe. You feel more tenderness toward your bank balance than toward me.”
    Something changed in his expression, became harder. “Good thing isn’t it? If I didn’t have that bank balance, you’d have been left high and dry.” Giving her a grim smile, he went back to his interrupted conversation with Jim.
    Jess grit her teeth and told herself not to care. Easier said than done. The fact that he was right just rubbed salt into her wounds. She was no gold-digger but she’d needed what Gabe’s money could do. If money hadn’t been a factor, she’d never have made this devil’s bargain. But she had. And now she had to pay the price.
    Leaving the barn before she said something she shouldn’t, she headed to the house and decided to make a salad for the barbecue. Since the food preparation distracted her, at least for a little while, she baked a marble cake as well.
    By the time five-thirty rolled around, everything was ready to go and so was she. She’d chosen her clothes with care, needing to feel good about herself—a calf-length wool skirt and white angora sweater teamed with her favorite knee-high leather boots.
    Gabe hadn’t said a word upon entering the kitchen, where she was putting everything into a picnic basket. But now he fingered the damp strands of her hair. “I think I’ll get you to leave the boots on tonight.”
    She knew he was being deliberately provocative in response to her cool attitude, but her treacherous body wanted to shiver at the implied eroticism. Pulling away, she put several feet of distance between them.
    â€œCat got your tongue, Jess?” Wearing sand-colored corduroy trousers and a cable-knit sweater in dark navy, he looked both confident and intrinsically male. “Want me to find it for you?”
    Ignoring the taunt, she picked up the basket. “Let’s head off.”
    Gabe reached out and took the basket from her. She didn’t fight him, able to tell that it had been an instinctive act on his part. If she made a fuss, he’d figure out pretty damn quick that she was nowhere near as calm as she was attempting to appear.
    â€œIt’ll take us more than two hours to drive over to their spread. I’ll fly us instead.”
    â€œNo. I want to drive.” It was an impulsive decision—she needed the solid earth beneath her feet.
    Raising an eyebrow, he nonetheless walked out to the rugged Jeep he’d parked in front of the house. “Fine.” He put the basket in back.
    Opening the passenger door, she started to get in. “Merri said sevenish so that probably means it’ll be close to eight by the time most folks make it anyway.”
    Gabe grabbed her door when she would have pulled it shut. The scent of his aftershave wove around her like a net. “Try not to glare at me all evening. It’s hardly the impression I want to give people of our marriage.” Slamming the door, he walked around to the driver’s side and got in.
    â€œIf you’re going to blackmail me with the developers’ offer, then don’t expect me to be sweetness and light.”
    â€œSweetness and light?” He snorted and started the car. “Jessie, you’ve been sulking since you landed.”
    â€œDon’t call me that.”
    The tires squealed as he accelerated down the drive. “Why?