Against the Rules Read online

  “You were jealous?” She still couldn’t make herself comprehend everything he was telling her, and she pinched herself surreptitiously; the small pain was real, and so was the man who lay beside her.

  The look he gave her spoke volumes. “Jealous isn’t the word for it. I was insane with it.”

  “You love me,” she whispered in wonder. “You really love me. If only you’d told me! I had no idea!”

  “Of course I love you! I need you, and I’ve never needed anyone before in my life. You were as wild and innocent as a foal, and I couldn’t keep my eyes away from you. You made me feel alive again, made me forget the nightmares that jerked me up in bed. When I made love to you, we fit together perfectly. Everything was right, all the moves and reactions. You nearly burned me alive every time I touched you. I had to be with you, had to see you and talk to you, and you had no idea how I felt?”

  He looked outraged, and Cathryn managed a small laugh as she snuggled closer to him. “It’s that stone face of yours,” she teased. “But I was so afraid of letting you know how I felt, afraid you didn’t feel the same way.”

  “I feel the same,” he said gruffly, then demanded, “Tell me again.” He slid his palm up her side and cupped a breast. “Let me hear it again.”

  “I love you.” She complied gladly, joyously with his demand. Saying the words aloud was a celebration, a benediction.

  “Will you tell me that when we’re making love?”

  “As often as you want,” she promised.

  “I want. Now.” His voice had roughened with desire and he pulled her to him, his mouth clinging to hers. The old familiar magic seared through her veins again and she melted against him, not noticing when he unbuttoned her shirt, only aware of the intense pleasure she felt when his hand touched her bare skin.

  A dying glimmer of caution prompted her words. “Rule...we shouldn’t. You need to rest.”

  “That’s not what I need,” he murmured in her ear. “Now, Cathryn. Now.”

  “The door is open,” she protested weakly.

  “Then close it and come back to me. Don’t make me chase you down.”

  He probably would, she thought, broken leg and all. She got up and closed the door, then came back to him. She couldn’t touch him enough, couldn’t satisfy her need to feel his hard, warm flesh beneath her fingers. She made love to him, lavishing him with her love, trailing kisses all over him and whispering “I love you” against his skin, imprinting him with the words. Now that she could say the words aloud, she found that she couldn’t say them enough, and she made a litany of them as she loved him, lingering so long in her caresses that suddenly he couldn’t take any more, lifting her bodily above him and fusing his flesh with hers in a quick, strong movement.

  She danced the dance of passion with him, attacking and retreating, but always pleasuring. She was aware of nothing but him, the hot desire in his dark eyes, and something else, the glow of love returned.

  “Don’t stop saying it,” he commanded, and she obeyed until the words wouldn’t come, until all she could do was gasp his name and writhe against him. His powerful hands on her hips took over the motion, driving her higher and higher, until with an almost silent wail she collapsed, shuddering, on his chest.

  In the quiet, sleepy aftermath he smoothed her tousled hair and held her tightly to him. “I’ll need to hire more hands,” he said drowsily.

  “Mmmm,” said Cathryn. “Why?”

  “To take up the slack. I can tell right now that I won’t be spending as much time on the range. I’ll have a major problem just getting out of bed in the mornings. Taking care of a woman like you will be time-consuming, and I intend to do my best.”

  “I’ll drink to that,” she toasted, lifting an imaginary glass.

  “We’ll get married next week,” he said, nuzzling his face into her hair.

  “Next week?” She made a startled move away from him. “But you’re still—”

  “I’ll be up by then,” he soothed. “Trust me. And ask Monica if she and Ricky will stay for the wedding. Always mend your fences, honey.”

  She smiled. “I know. I don’t want any bad feelings between us. And who knows? Lewis may keep Ricky here.”

  “Don’t put any money on it. They both have too many hurts bottled up inside. He may want her, but I don’t think he could live with her. Things don’t always work out the way you want them to.”

  Silence fell again, and she felt herself slipping into sleep. A thought nagged at the edges of her consciousness, and she muttered, “I’m sorry about the tack room.”

  “It wasn’t your fault,” he comforted, his arms tightening about her.

  “You called me stupid.”

  “I apologize. I panicked at the thought of you going into a burning stable, fighting with those horses to get them out. What if something had happened to you? I’d have gone mad.”

  “You don’t blame me?” she whispered.

  “I love you,” he corrected. “I couldn’t stand it if you were hurt.”

  She felt as if her heart would burst with happiness. So that tantrum had been purely because he didn’t want her taking risks! She opened her eyes and looked up at him from where she lay with her head cradled on his powerful shoulder, and softly, as tenderly as a dream, she said, “I love you.”

  Rule’s arms tightened around her even more, and he murmured, “I love you.”

  A moment later his deep voice drifted into the silence. “Welcome home, honey.”

  And at last she was home, in Rule’s arms, where she belonged.

  * * * * *

  If you’re looking for romance, sensuality and heart, don’t miss these great titles by NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author

  LINDA HOWARD

  Mackenzie’s Legacy

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  “Linda Howard writes with power, stunning sensuality and a storytelling ability unmatched in the romance drama. Every book is a treasure for the reader to savor again and again.”

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  Read on for an exciting excerpt of Susan Mallery’s #1 New York Times bestseller, THRILL ME!

  Maya Farlow learned the hard way to depend only on herself, so when she fell too deeply for the bad-boy charms of Del Mitchell, she did the only thing she could—she ran. Stunned, Del left Fool’s Gold to make his name and fortune in extreme sports. Now, ten years later, Maya’s been hired to promote her hometown’s new slogan, The Destination for Romance, but the campaign’s celebrity spokesman is none other than Del, the man she left but never forgot…

  MAYA HAD HOPED that hanging out with her friend would be enough to chase all the Del from her mind. But she’d been wrong. The night had been an uncomfortable experience of being awake more than asleep. And when she finally did doze, it was only to dream of Del. Not current, sexy, stubbly Del, but the twenty-year-old who had stolen her heart.

  She woke exhausted and with memory hangover. Funny how, until she’d seen him, she’d been able to forget him. But now that he was back, she was trapped in a past-present rip in the space-time continuum.

  Or she was simply dealing with some unfinished business, she thought as she stepped into the shower. Because as much as she might like to think the universe revolved around her, truth was, it didn’t.

  Thirty minutes later she was reasonably presentable. She knew the only thing that would make her day livable was lots and lots of coffee. So she left her tiny rental house, pausing to