Don't Tell Me You Love Me (Destiny Bay Romances~The Ranchers Book 6) Read Online Free Page B

nothing like that can ever happen between us again.”
    When had that been decided? He didn’t remember making any promises. But her huge eyes were imploring him to confirm it, and he muttered obligingly, “Of course not.”
    She looked relieved. Did she actually think he meant it?
    “Next Saturday I’m marrying Frank,” she said, as though to make sure he got it.  
    He winced and she looked at him harder, exploring any evidence she could find behind the cool facade of what he was really thinking.  
    “Why?” he asked simply.  
    The question startled her. “Why?” she repeated.  
    He took a step closer and touched her arm. “Yes. Why?”
    She took a step back, avoiding his hand. “I…he’s a very good man. You know that.”
    His mouth twisted. “Sure. That’s an established fact.” She hadn’t said anything about loving Frank, and that was what he wanted to know. Did she love the man? He doubted it. Even if she’d said the words, he wouldn’t have believed her. On some level, somewhere inside her, she was still his Cheyenne. She trembled when he touched her. It could be fear. But he didn’t think so.
    “Frank’s a prince of a guy. He always has been.” He moved restlessly. “But what does that have to do with you marrying him?” he asked her. “Why do you feel the need to do this thing?”
    She took a deep breath. She knew what she was going to say wouldn’t go over well with him. But she also knew she owed him the truth.
    “Zachary needs an intact family. He needs a mother and a father who is always around.”
    His face seemed to harden and there was the hint of a throbbing at his temple. “I’m his father.”
    She looked up at him, surprised he would say such a thing. Didn’t he know how absurd that was? She folded her arms tightly, as though she were cold.  
    “Not in any way that counts. When have you ever been here for him? When have you ever acted as though you even knew he existed?”
    Anger was swelling inside him but he was going to hold it back if it killed him. He shoved his hands into the pockets of his jacket, just to keep from forming fists in front of her. “Where is the kid?” he asked.  
    “’The kid’?” Her eyes flashed with outrage. “Are you referring, perhaps, to your son? His name is Zachary. He’s a real live boy, not some sort of….”
    He moved impatiently. “Okay, okay. I’ll get the terminology down in time. But I want to see him.”
    She felt like she needed to hold her breath. “When?”
    His eyes were hard as stone. “Now.”

Chapter Three

    Johnny wanted to see Zachary right now. That was impossible. He was asleep upstairs. The timing was all off. Adrenaline pumped through her. Her hands twisted in the fabric of her skirt. She didn’t want him anywhere near Zach. She didn’t want him anywhere near her, either. There had to be some way to get him to go away again. She wanted yesterday back. Today was too hard.  
    “You’ve never seen him. Never.”
    He frowned. “What does that have to do with anything? I’ve been overseas. How could I see him from Kuala Lumpur?”
    Her head rose and she held his gaze with a fierceness that startled him. “You’ve never made the slightest effort to see him. You’ve never cared about him. And now you think you’re going to swoop in here and….”
    He raised an eyebrow. “I’d like to point out,” he said, his tone clipped, “that I am making an effort to see him right now and you’re not being very cooperative.”
    “Cooperative?” She glared at him. “Oh, listen. I can be cooperative. I can be so darn cooperative, you’ll think you found Mary Poppins raising your son.” The moment the last few words were out of her mouth, her hand went to cover it, as though to hold them back. Why had she said it that way? By her words she’d admitted he had a say in this, that he had a stake. She couldn’t let him think that.  
    Quick, before he realized what she’d done, she had to go on the attack