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other people be bitter—there were
    too many opportunities ahead of her. After a while she broke the silence.
    “It was a dirty trick to lie to me about this trip,” she said. “Especially since I would
    have come, anyway. I’m not afraid of you, Wade.”
    “I didn’t think you were,” he replied. “So far as I can tell, you aren’t afraid of
    anything. It’s always fun to rile you up, though. You look pretty when you’re mad.”

    27

    Joanna Wylde
    “You shouldn’t talk like that,” she snapped at him automatically, but the
    compliment made her glow a little inside. Like the land around her, his touches
    yesterday had awakened something within her after a long winter. She raised her arms
    up and sighed happily, thrusting her chest out a bit as she stretched.
    “You’re the one who chickened out last night,” she replied. “I don’t remember
    saying no to you. Like I said, I’m not afraid.”
    “Aren’t you worried about your reputation? I thought you said the school board
    wouldn’t hire a loose woman.”
    “I know you too well, Wade,” she said, smiling. “Anything that might happen
    between us would stay between us, as long as we weren’t obvious and it didn’t last for
    long. You don’t tell tales about women.”
    Unlike Ryan.   The words hung unspoken between them.
    “I think I made my position clear last night,” Wade said. “I’m looking for a wife,
    not a mistress. But that doesn’t mean I’m not going to do my best to convince you to
    marry me.”
    “Well, I don’t see quite what you have to offer,” she replied, laughing. “I already
    have access to the ranch, and so far as I can tell, being your wife would be a lot of work.
    Work I already do.”
    “You do the work, but you don’t get to do the playing that comes with it,” he
    replied, his voice dropping in tone. “I know how to make a woman happy, Catherine.
    Very happy. You should let me show you sometime.”
    “I’m game if you are,” she replied, turning to grin at him. The look in his eyes
    stopped her, though. Their banter might have been light, but the expression on his face
    was dead serious.
    “I’m going to have you, Catherine,” he said. “Don’t mistake me. And when I do,
    you’ll be begging for it.”
    “At least you aren’t short on ego,” she replied.

    28

    Catherine’s Awakening
    “No true Texan is.”

    * * * * *

    They stopped for lunch at midday, and even Catherine had to admit the visit at the
    Watson ranch had been nice. Hope Watson was a plump, happy young woman with
    three little children hanging from her skirts, and the two of them had enjoyed a cup of
    tea together while the men looked at the stock.
    They ate lunch beside a little stream that she’d gone swimming in as a child—
    swimming with Wade and Ryan, actually. About a mile outside town, it was a magnet
    for kids on hot summer days. There was even a swimming hole and a rope swing. It
    was still far too cold for swimming, though, so they had the place to themselves.
    Catherine spread their picnic blanket on the ground and pulled out the basket she’d put
    together for them. Nothing too exciting, just thick slices of her own bread spread with
    jam, a couple of boiled eggs and some cheese, but they both enjoyed it.
    “That was good,” Wade said, leaning back on the blanket. Catherine looked over at
    him, secretly admiring the view. Wade wasn’t a pretty man, but his features were
    strong and clear. And those penetrating green eyes… Every girl in town had been in
    love with him at one point or another. Even her, although she didn’t like to admit it.
    She’d had a huge crush on him before he left for the war.
    Heck, she had a pretty good crush on him right now. Her eyes wandered down his
    body, noting how well his faded wool pants outlined his figure. Between his legs in
    particular. There was bulk there, enough to make a girl wonder, and she felt her cheeks
    heating up. Of course he chose that moment to look over at