lake, where a wood duck was landing on the glasslike surface—“this is where I belong.”
“I can change your mind,” he whispered, his mouth pressing against her parted lips.
“Never,” she replied, her voice caught somewhere between her throat and lungs. A voice inside her mind nagged at her, reminding her that Denver believed that she’d had an affair with his uncle—that her family had been involved in the fire. That the last time he’d been with her at the creek, he’d humiliated her. His words were as false as his love had been all those years before.
With all the strength she could scrape together, Tessa shoved him away and scrambled hastily to her feet. “It won’t work, Denver,” she said, breathing hard, seeing his expression turning from surprise to anger.
“What are you talking about?” he rasped.
Her eyes narrowed, though her heart was still beating traitorously. “I’m not about to give you the opportunity to humiliate me again.”
“I wouldn’t,” he said slowly, standing.
“You’re right,” she said quickly. “Because I won’t let you!” Then, before she could change her mind, she ran back to the house and took the steps two at a time.
Chapter Seven
She didn’t see Denver until the next day at dinner. Seated across the table from Tessa and wedged between her father and Len Derricks, a ranch hand who had stayed with John after the fire, Denver did his best to appear amiable and relaxed. He complimented Milly on the meal and made small talk as if he’d never set one foot off the ranch—as if he’d never accused Tessa or her father of starting the blaze in which his parents had died.
His shirt was open at the throat, his jeans faded but clean, the worn denim hugging his hips. Black hair curled enticingly from beneath his collar. A dark shadow covered his jaw, making his smile, a rakish slash of white, brighter in contrast. His clear blue eyes had lost their hostile shadows, and his thick eyebrows moved expressively as he spoke.
Tessa felt foolish and cowardly. She should never have run from him, and she vowed that she wouldn’t again. Unfortunately, she could barely drag her gaze away from the sensual curve of his lips, or the arch of a skeptical eyebrow.
“Delicious,” Denver pronounced to a beaming Milly.
“It’s only stew,” she replied, blushing in pleasure.
“The best stew I’ve ever eaten.”
Tessa’s eyes narrowed on him as he placed his elbows on the table and turned to Len, asking his advice on purchasing more cattle for the ranch.
“If we add more head, we’ll have to buy extra feed. We’re already goin’ through the hay we cut just two months ago.”
“Can we get more?”
“Don’t know,” Len said, rubbing his chin thoughtfully.
“Everyone around here is in the same fix. Except for Nate Edwards. He’s been irrigatin’ like mad, and from what I hear, he harvested more bales than he expected.”
“Then maybe we can buy from him.”
“Maybe,” Len agreed, grinning at the prospect of adding to the herd.
“I’ll give him a call. Now, tell me what kind of cattle you’d like to see on the ranch. We’ve got Herefords, right?”
“Ever since I can remember.”
“So what about a new breed? Angus or Charolais?”
Len launched into his favorite topic, and to Tessa’s horror, even her father and Mitchell added their two cents worth. Eventually everyone at the table was weighing the pros and cons of adding more beef to the stock. Why did Denver care? Tessa wondered. What was his angle? Wasn’t he going to sell the ranch to her—or had he lied again?
“So when did you get so interested in ranching?” she asked, finally unable to hold her tongue. She felt her father stiffen beside her, but she glared at Denver. “I thought you were leaving.”
Denver leaned forward, pushing his face across the table. “Until I actually sign on the dotted line,” he said slowly, “I intend to take part in all the decisions that affect this ranch.”
“From L.A.?”
“If need be.” His eyes glinted wickedly at the mention of California.
“Tessa—” Mitchell warned.
“Do we understand each other?” Denver asked.
“Perfectly,” she said, meeting the fire in his gaze with her own.
With a smile, Denver turned back to Len as if Tessa hadn’t even interrupted.
Her temper soaring to the stratosphere, Tessa could barely listen. Though she pretended interest in the conversation around her, she couldn’t concentrate. Not the way she should have. Not with Denver watching her through hard, calculating eyes. He wasn’t actually staring—he feigned interest in the entire group of hands and household helpers seated around