Dimples carved into his cheeks on either side of his mouth, compliments to the slight cleft in his chin centered within his angular jaw. Black-brown eyes appeared seamless beneath his heavy brow and deeply tanned skin. His appearance was one of rugged masculinity that seemed right at home in these woods, his short, dark hair rich and full, combed away from his face. But this was Ladd land. Her land. He had no business interfering.
“My whereabouts and well-being are none of your concern,” she said, making no effort to conceal her annoyance at his gallant show of male dominance, “and I hereby officially relieve you of duty. I can take care of myself, thank you.”
“I’m not leaving without you.”
She grumbled under her breath. She could stay and protest and waste precious time or she could feign conciliation and take Sadie after the men. No doubt they were taking the back way out. Nick didn’t mention anything about a horse of his own. Delaney savored a private smile, a plan forming in her mind. There was no way he could stop her once on horseback. “Fine,” she retorted and headed back toward the trail, taking the incline in three long strides.
Once on the path, she walked as fast as she could, eager to lose him.
Nick caught up with her easily, matching her stride. “Do you have much trouble around here with trespassing?”
“Some.” Boots jarred her legs as she navigated the hard-packed, uneven clay, littered with rocks and roots. Walking side-by-side, Delaney wasn’t short by any stretch of the imagination, but at five foot five inches and a buck twenty in weight, she was dwarfed by comparison to him.
“How do you handle it?”
Anger rose hot and fast in her breast and she turned on him. “Why? So you can map out a response to silence the trouble, once you swindle the property from my uncle?”
“I’m not trying to swindle the property,” he said, his tone measured and even, as though it required effort for him to remain calm.
“Aren’t you? Ernie already said no. Why are you still here?” she asked, taking him in from the side as she marched down the trail.
“I’m a patient man, Ms. Wilkins. I understand he needs time to think it over. I’m willing to give it to him.”
“You don’t know my uncle.”
“Why don’t you tell me about him?” he asked, his voice drenched in friendship and camaraderie. “I’m not a bad guy. I’ll make it a win-win proposition for everyone.”
Delaney didn’t like the abrupt switch from rawhide to velvet. Nick was trying to con her and she was not a woman easily conned. Well, not anymore anyway. “No sale,” she told him.
Nick raised a brow. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me.” She flipped her face up to meet him directly. “No sale—in every sense of the words.”
# # #
Table of Contents
Copyright
Acknowledgements
Dedication
MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS
CLAIRE AND SIMONE
TERESA
CLAIRE AND SIMONE
SIMONE AND MITCHELL
CLAIRE AND JIM
SIMONE AND MARIAH
CLAIRE AND REBECCA
REBECCA AND MARIAH
SIMONE
CLAIRE
SIMONE AND CLAIRE
SIMONE AND MITCHELL
CLAIRE AND JIM
MOTHERS AND DAUGHTERS
SIMONE
CLAIRE AND SIMONE
FAMILY
About the author
Dianne Venetta’s other novels
Excerpt
Condemn Me Not Page 17
