Destiny Blaine [Branded 03] Branded by Love (pdf)(1)

[ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

word. Pregnant? He had a pregnant woman? The
tears threatened to burn her eyes to where she d
never see again.
I& I& She wanted to be strong, she didn t
want him there. She didn t want him anywhere
near her. Well, she tried again.
Congratulations, Daddy. I hope you and the little
family will be very, very happy. She turned to
run and he caught her around the waist before she
47
Destiny Blaine
could make her escape.
Let me go! And the tears came, defiantly
staining her cheeks and then his when he pressed
his face next to hers and held her around her torso
as she withered away, falling to the ground and
kneeling. She found herself sandwiched between
the old planks boarded up across the barn door
and the man squatting down behind her.
Carly, he whispered, nuzzling her hair and
inhaling the scent of her. The scent she felt sure
was a mixture of manly sweat and feminine
arousal, the scent of sex and heartache, destruction
and lust.
Get away from me! she shouted.
I can t, he admitted. God help me, I want to
run as far as I can and never turn back, but I can t.
I& I m in love with you as much today as I was the
first day I held you in my arms. I can t walk away
again, Carly. You have to help me sort things out.
Carly placed her palms on the dirt floor and
rolled her shoulders back. When she stood, she
regained her composure and her posture, though
it proved difficult. Then I can make it easier for
you. Spotted Cloud is waiting for me. I asked him
not to leave. I don t want to keep him waiting and
if you re smart, you won t ask me to. Get out of
here, Preston, and don t you come back. You have
a new wife now, one who is going to have your
bastard child. Go home to her and love her like the
48
Branded by Love
devil because out of her, the devil s spawn will be
born and, with any luck, he ll do you proud, just
like Slim and your pathetic daddy. Anyone having
your child is bringing into the world a legacy of
men who didn t deserve the lives they lived.
* * * *
Preston felt like he took a swift kick to the gut and
he grabbed her before she got away with the
lowest of blows. My daddy and Slim put us here
and I ll be damned if they re going to win after
they re dead and gone. I ve had a lot of time to
think, Carly. A lot of time. I want you back
and& we ll just work around Laura and the baby
on the way.
She swiped away fallen tears. Oh, so her name
is Laura? She forced a peculiar chuckle, a hearty
and sickening laugh and then choked out, Well,
how nice, what a pretty name. I bet Laura doesn t
know anything about me, does she?
She knows about you, he said. She s a nice
person, Carly. You d like her.
I doubt it, she countered. And you know
what, Preston? I don t want to like her. I don t
want to know or like anything or anyone that has
anything to do with your life. Do you understand
me?
Preston inched closer, closing in the space, the
49
Destiny Blaine
distance that threatened to keep them apart
forever if he didn t jerk her closer and show her
how to love him again. Carly, you still want me.
It s why you re crying now. I still love you. Why
do we keep hurting one another when it doesn t
have to be this way?
She looked at him dumbfounded. What? What
did you say? Her tone changed, a little too
drastically for his liking and she kicked him in the
shins. It sort of hurt, but the pain didn t compare
to the ache in his broken heart.
How dare you, Preston Evans! How dare you
leave me out here alone in the middle of the very
place where so much death took place and then
ride out without a word! The first I hear about you
is that you ve been in Dodge City and you ve met
a woman, not just a whore, but a woman you re
bringing back here. Now, you re telling
me& telling me that&
I love you, he said looping his arms around
her middle and holding her tight.
She threw her fists against his chest and
screamed. You don t have the right to love me!
The hell I don t, he said before his lips
crashed against hers and he pushed her against
the barn and kissed her like he d never leave her
mouth again.
* * * *
50
Branded by Love
Damn him for doing this to her body again. She
drew him close, drawing his lips down on hers as
she reached for him. After locking her wrists
behind his neck, she parted her lips and welcomed
his capable tongue, the kind of tongue that
reminded her of what he could do when he was
between her legs. Oh sure, other men could work
their women, but Preston knew how to make his
woman cry for a man, beg him.
She was dizzy. Her head was spinning and she
couldn t stop kissing him, regardless of the
thoughts jumbled in her brain. She wanted
Preston to keep his mouth on hers and kiss her
until she didn t feel, couldn t remember, refused
to acknowledge everything standing in their way.
That s when she backed away from him. There
were too many things standing in between them
now and with a child on the way, one counting on
him for his or her livelihood and parental
guidance, she couldn t. She knew what it felt like
to grow up without parents. She understood the
loneliness a child felt when parents were taken
away. She lost hers at a young age and she
couldn t do it to someone else, especially Preston s
little one.
I want you to go, Preston.
Carly, please. Be with me, baby. Let me make
love to you, hold you. Be mine for the night, just
51
Destiny Blaine
tonight.
I have clients waiting, she snapped.
Yeah, he said, rubbing his chin. I saw how
quickly they headed for the whorehouse, too, [ Pobierz całość w formacie PDF ]

Linki