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notice. That wasn't what he wanted from her, after all.
And in the days that followed, it did seem that he wanted nothing more than companionship. The night
before they were to be married in a quiet ceremony at the small country church nearby, Maggie was
living on her nerves. Gabe hadn't even touched her since the morning he'd taken her and Becky
fishing.
He'd been roughly affectionate and polite, but nothing more.
"When do the Durangos get here?" she asked him after supper, when Janet had taken Becky upstairs to
read a story and Jennie had left.
"In the morning," he told her. "They'll fly up and back the same day. John's in the middle of some
financial manipulating. Oil's about hit rock bottom, you know. He's had to diversify pretty quickly."
"Too bad," she murmured. She sipped her coffee, oblivious to the quiet, steady look he was giving
her.
"Suppose I lose everything one day," he asked suddenly, leaning back in his chair. "What would you
do?"
Her eyebrows shot up. "Get a job, of course."
He burst out laughing. "Always the unexpected." He shook his head. "Get a job. Would you leave
me?"
"No, I wouldn't leave you," she said reasonably. "Why should I?"
"Forget it. I suppose I'm thinking out loud." He drained his coffee cup and stood up. "You'd better get
some rest. Tomorrow's the big day. Got the rings?"
He'd given them to her the day before, a small diamond and a matching gold band. Nothing fancy at
all, and she'd been a little disappointed because he'd only given her the box and walked off without
bothering to put the engagement ring on for her.
"Yes," she said, her voice sounding hollow. "I have them."
"You aren't going to back out on me, are you, Maggie?" he asked suddenly, pausing at her chair.
"No." She looked up. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"Not at all. Why?"
"I just wondered," she said, staring at her mauve slacks. "You don't seem to..." She hesitated, glancing
up at him. "Well, to want me anymore."
"Not want you!" The words were half-amused, half-angry. "Why?"
She was embarrassed now, shy of him when he looked at her with that vaguely superior, very adult
expression on his hard face. What was she supposed to tell him? That since he never made any
advances, she'd decided he was regretting his decision? She couldn't!
"Why?" he repeated.
Her face went rigid. "You don't touch me."
"Sure I do," he argued gently. "I touch you all the time."
"Well, not like you did before," she muttered.
"You haven't been all that approachable," he said. "I thought you didn't want it."
She threw up her hands. "Since when did that ever stop you? Weren't you the one who was backing
me up against trees when I'd barely gotten here in the first place?"
His eyebrows arched. Maggie in a temper was a new and tantalizing proposition. He tilted his chin
up, pursing his lips as he gazed down at her. "My, don't we sound frustrated, though?"
“We aren't frustrated." She threw her napkin down and got to her feet. "I think I'll go to bed.""So
early? It's barely seven o'clock," he remarked with a glance at his watch.
"I'll need plenty of rest to cope with tomorrow," she said, turning.
"Maggie."
She stopped with her back to him. "Yes?" He moved closer. He didn't touch her, but she could feel
the warmth of him behind her. "If you want me to make love to you, all you have to do is tell me. Not
even that. Cut your eyes around, smile at me, flirt with me.... Men need a little encouragement. We
don't read minds."
"I've done everything except take my clothes off for you," she said through her teeth.
"No, you haven't. You've managed to keep right out of my way all week. I haven't been avoiding you,
honey. It's pretty much the other way around."
She drew in a slow breath. He was right. She hadn't realized it, but he was right. "I'm sorry, Gabe,"
she murmured. "I've been worried—about Dennis, and if we're doing the right thing to marry.... I've
been worried about a lot of things."
"Want to talk?" he asked gently.
She nodded without turning her head.
"Come on, then. The cattle can live without me for a while." He caught her hand in his and led her
into his study, closing the door behind them. "I won't lock it," he said dryly, letting go of her hand.
"Does that make you feel more secure?"
"I'm not afraid of you that way," she told him, surprised that he should think so. "You're nothing like
Dennis. I know you won't hurt me."
"I suppose that's something," he said gently. He held her gaze for a long moment, feeling the
electricity all the way down to his toes. He laughed because it disturbed him, and he turned away to
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