The Borrowed Bride Read Online Free

her breath as the dart struck home.Though Dan knew it wasn’t her fault, she had turned away from the part of her that was like Dan—the Native American part.
    “I moved on, Dan,” she said. “I moved past that. It’s known as growing up.”
    “I’m sorry. I didn’t find you again to hurt you. I did it to ask you for a second chance.”
    She brushed at her cheeks with the back of her hand. “It’s no good. I can’t. You—you bring up a darkness in me. I get all twisted around inside when I’m with you. I can’t live like that.”
    “There are those who say you should seek out your darkest places. Explore them. Find the sunshine that will burn the shadows away.”
    “Don’t you see? That’s what I’m trying to do.”
    “You’re running away, Isabel.”
    She crossed to the door and went out onto the porch to stand, glaring at a magnificent view of Mount Adams. “It’s my choice.”
    He came out and stood behind her, placing his hands lightly on her shoulders. She didn’t pull away.
    At length, she said, “Take me back to the city, Dan.”
    “I’ll take you back this instant,” he said, “if you can say you really mean it when you tell me it’s all over between us.”
    He turned her in his arms. He saw the truth written all over her face. She had been just as aroused by the kiss as he had.
    But he could see that she was close to breaking. It was time to back off, to give her space, to let it all sink in.
    “I have to feed the horses,” he said. “They’ve gotinternal clocks that tell them exactly when five o’clock rolls around.”
    “I can’t believe you have horses. You wouldn’t even keep a goldfish in your apartment in Seattle.”
    He grinned and spread his arms. “Hey, I’m a responsible citizen now.”
    She eyed his earring, his black ponytail, his T-shirt with the slogan Question Authority. “Yeah, right.”
    Whistling, Dan jumped down the porch steps and headed for the stables. “Believe what you like. You’re stuck with me for one more night.”

Three
    I sabel watched his long, lanky frame disappear down a wooded path. He strode gracefully, showing the same ease with which he used to walk onto a stage in front of a crowd of fans. He didn’t look like a crazy man.
    But she knew better. And he made her crazy when she was with him.
    She touched her lips and closed her eyes while warm pulsations of remembrance passed through her. Why did he have to kiss her? Why did he have to bring back all the glory and pain and messy, magical moments that used to make each day with him an adventure?
    Why did he have to remind her that she felt none of this savage, dangerous passion with Anthony?
    The thought of her fiancé jolted her into action. She pushed open the screen door and grabbed her purse from the bar. Slipping the strap onto her shoulder, she marched down the steps.
    If Dan wouldn’t take her off this mountain and back to the city, she would do it herself. Rope-soled espadrilles notwithstanding, she would walk to the nearest phone, wherever that was.
    Why hadn’t Anthony just said no when she had called him from the ferry terminal? As in, I think it’s a lousy idea to spend the day with your old boyfriend. Get the hell back here right now.
    But no, not Anthony. “Sure, babe,” he’d said in his breezy way. “If it’s something you think you need to do, go for it.”
    Part of her wished he had just enough of the caveman left in him to stake his claim. To sling her bodily over his shoulder and take her off to his lair.
    As Dan Black Horse just had.
    But Isabel had to remind herself that Dan’s methods had been worse than primitive; they’d been downright manipulative. Mentioning their lost baby had really hurt.
    She tossed her hair back and continued down the path—if this faint indentation was indeed a path. The cleared area around the lodge gave way to old-growth forest so dense and primitive that she felt like Eve in the Garden of Eden.
    She tried to get her bearings.