Til Death Do Us Part Read Online Free Page A

And then, you go crazy and brandish a gun in my face.”
    He was right. She had enjoyed his touch, had gloried in the feelings of desire he created within her, even though those strong emotions had also frightened her…frightened her enough to make her threaten him.
    Had she overreacted? This wouldn’t be the first time. For nearly a year after the rape, she hadn’t been able to bear for a man to even shake her hand. But it had been well over three years since she’d allowed a man’s nearness to scare her into acting like an idiot. Dear God, she had thought all the irrational fear was over, that she had truly put the past behind her, that she was in control. But J. T. Blackwood had shown her that she was still a rape survivor; a woman who could not trust any man.
    â€œMaybe I did overreact,” Joanna said, then immediately qualified her admission. “I’m not saying I did, just that I might have. I don’t like your type. I never have and I never will. You think women are fair game, don’t you? That all you have to do is show an interest and a woman will automatically succumb to you.”
    â€œCan you stand there and tell me that you weren’t just as turned on as I was?”
    Lifting her downcast eyes, she glared at him, wanting to scream, no, no, no, a thousand times no! But she knew it would be a lie. And he would know she was lying. J. T. Blackwood was a man of the world, a man who’d known a lot of women.
    â€œLook, if it makes you feel any better, I’m not any happier about the situation than you are,” he said. “I don’t want to be attracted to you. You’re not my type, either.”
    â€œThat’s good to know.” Joanna couldn’t seem to stop herself from glancing down at the zipper in his jeans. Feeling the burning sting of a blush warming her neck, she turned her head.
    â€œA guy can’t hide it very well when he’s aroused,” J.T. told her. “But you’ve got my word that while I’m at the ranch, I’ll steer clear of you. We’ll forget about what happened today. If we run into each other, we’ll be cordial, but keep our distance. Agreed?”
    â€œAgreed.” She watched him walk over, reach down and pick up her gun. Holding her breath, she waited until he came over and handed it to her. “Thank you.”
    â€œPut it away, Ms. Beaumont. Guns should be used only by people who know how to use them.”
    â€œI know how to use my gun,” she said.
    â€œFine. Just don’t ever try to use it on me again.”
    â€œDon’t ever make me think you’re going to attack me.”
    â€œThat’s a promise.”
    â€œFine,” she said. “Will you take me back to the ranch, now?”
    â€œWhy not?” He grunted. “You’ve ruined any chance for me to enjoy this place. Whenever I come home, I always ride up here to this stream. It’s been a favorite place of mine since I was a kid.”
    â€œI’m sorry I ruined your homecoming, Mr. Blackwood, but I didn’t plan on our meeting the way we did.”
    â€œCall me J.T.”
    â€œI’d rather not, since it’s obvious we aren’t going to be friends.”
    â€œOr lovers.”
    Every nerve in Joanna’s body quivered with awareness. “Or lovers,” she repeated.
    â€œCome on. Let’s head back to the ranch.”
    She followed him to the big Appaloosa, waited for him to mount, then hesitated when he offered her his hand.
    â€œYou can sit behind me,” he told her.
    â€œAll right.” She mounted the horse, sitting behind him, relieved that she wouldn’t have to endure the hard pressure of his body against her hips on the ride back to the ranch.
    Within a few minutes, Joanna slipped her arms around J.T.’s waist in order to keep her balance as they rode down the side of the mountain. She found herself wanting to lay her head against his broad