Do You Take This Enemy? Read Online Free PDF

down her fork and braced for a storm. “Dad, I’m going out tomorrow night with Gabe Brant.”
    â€œDammit, Ashley,” Quinn snapped, dropping his fork and frowning. “Why? You can’t consider a sham marriage or any kind of marriage to that man.”
    â€œI think I should hear his arguments,” she said quietly, torn between agreeing with her father and trying to do what was best for everyone.
    â€œYou’re a grown woman now and a smart one, but you shouldn’t be going out with a Brant.”
    â€œIt’s just a dinner date.”
    â€œI’ve heard talk from Gus and the men. He lost his wife last year and he lost both his parents the year before that. Now all he has on his mind is expanding his ranch—with our land!”
    â€œWhat happened to his parents?” Ashley asked, curious, yet wanting to avoid asking Gabe.
    â€œOld Thomas died of a heart attack, probably because he was meaner than sin. Brant’s mother had cancer, I think. But don’t go feeling sorry for the man. They say he’s hard as granite. I’m sure he’s like his dad.” Her father’s eyes narrowed. “Where’s he taking you? How do you know you’ll even be safe with him?”
    â€œI’ll be safe,” Ashley answered, smiling. “I have my cell phone and besides, he doesn’t want my body. Like you said, he just wants my land.”
    â€œDon’t do this, Ashley. I hate the thought of you going out with him,” Quinn grumbled. “I can take care of myself and this ranch. We’ve just had a little setback. Marry him! The man has nerve. I’d like to take my shotgun and run him off the place and forget it.”
    â€œI don’t think that would be good for your blood pressure,” Ashley responded dryly. “I wish you wouldn’t even think about it.”
    â€œI think it would make me feel immensely better to run him off our ranch. I don’t want you to go out with him.”
    â€œAnd I don’t want to go, but I think I should hear himout. His offer may hold possibilities,” she reminded him, feeling as if she were arguing with herself instead of her father.
    â€œAshley, to be caught up in a marriage—any marriage—would still be hellish. That means dealing every day with someone you can’t stand to be around.”
    â€œI might manage to stand to be around him,” she answered quietly, thinking how sparks flew between them when they were together.
    Her father swore softly and she felt torn between conflicting needs. “I can’t stop you,” he admitted.
    â€œIt’s just a dinner. Only a few hours and I’ll be back home.”
    Her father stared beyond her and shook his head. He tossed down his napkin. “I have to get outside and walk around while I think about this.”
    â€œPlease don’t worry. Forty-eight hours from now the time with him will be history.”
    As Quinn left the room, Ashley rubbed her pounding head. She was half tempted to cancel the dinner date, but then she thought about her dad’s health, the debt that was accumulating, and she knew she had to go out with Gabe.
    After breakfast the next morning she went to her room and looked at her clothes. She waded through her dresses and finally decided on a dark blue, high-waisted sheath dress. Something simple and dark. She wanted to wear a hood over her head. The world grew smaller daily and the chances of running into someone they knew loomed large to her.
    She was on edge most of the day, and her nerves still jangled when she finally went to her bedroom to get ready for her date. Closing the door behind her, she looked at the room where she had grown up. It still held her maple four-poster bed, maple furniture with a rocker covered in blue cushions. An oriental rug covered the floor. As a girl, how many nights had she slept in that bed and dreamed of GabeBrant, fantasizing about a date with him?