been brilliant he was going to be hers.
"Cole." She said his name softly.
She was surprised when he didn't respond. It was
dark in the room; she couldn't see him and realized
that he was probably sleeping soundly. With utmost
care, she crept nearer to his bed, intending to slip in
beside him and press herself up against him. She
hoped he would be caught up in the excitement of the
moment. No words would be necessary between
them only actions.
She knelt carefully on the side of Cole's bed and
reached for the covers, wanting to curl up against the
warmth of his body, wanting the heat of his passion
to sear the night chill that was settling over her.
"What?" The word was torn from her as she discovered that Cole's bed was empty.
Mira jumped up, her hand at her throat as she
backed away, snatching up the sheet and clutching
it to her. Her shock turned to anger as lightning lit
up the sky and she saw that his bed had not been
slept in.
Mira wondered where he'd gone. The house was
dark. She made her way down the hall and looked for
him in the parlor. But he was not there. Cole had
chosen not to stay in the house with her. When he'd
spoken about protecting her reputation, he'd been serious Damn him!
Mira swore out loud as thunder rent the night, and
tears of frustration burned in her eyes. She'd wanted
to make love to Cole. She'd wanted to lie in his bed,
in his arms, and know the full beauty of his possession.
But it wasn't going to happen.
Not tonight.
Mira returned to Cole's room and lay down on his
bed. It was soft and welcoming. The scent of him was
on his pillow, and she clutched it to her breasts, aching for him, willing him to return, yet knowing that
he wouldn't. She lingered there for hours, not leaving
the bed's comfort until near dawn. She remade the
bed, straightening the covers so he would never know
that she'd tried to come to him in the night.
It was just at sunup when Mira heard Cole enter
the kitchen accompanied by some of his men.
"Did you sleep well?" Cole asked when she joined
them.
"Very well. Thank you for the hospitality," she answered.
Her gaze was hungry upon Cole, unmindful that
Fred and another ranch hand were present. Even first
thing in the morning, she thought him the most handsome man she'd ever seen. The dark shadow of a
day's growth of beard on his jaw only added to the
attraction she felt for him. If they had been alone at
that moment, she would have gone into his arms and
never let him go, but she was forced to control her
emotions and her needs. Damn! She'd been thwarted
in this plan, so she was going to have to come up
with another. Nothing would stop her from becoming
Mrs. Cole Randall.
Mira ate breakfast with the men, then was on her way home. She was not pleased with the way her trip
to the Branding Iron had turned out, but at least she
had gotten to see Cole for a little while and she'd
gotten to sleep in his bed.
Mira wondered how many other women could say
that.
She hoped there were none.
"Damn, Cole, that was one hot woman," Fred told
him after Mira had gone. "Why in the hell did you
spend the night in the bunkhouse with us when you
could have had her all to yourself?"
Cole looked over at him and smiled slightly,
though he wasn't amused. "That is exactly why I
stayed in the bunkhouse."
The men laughed with him. Cole was trying to
make light of the moment, but, in truth, he was asking
himself the real reason why he hadn't spent the night
in the house. Mira was a good-looking woman, and
she had made no secret of her desire for him. She had
been there for the taking, but he'd turned his back
and walked away.
The truth was there for him to see. He'd spent the
night thinking of Jenny and of how she'd looked
wearing those pants, instead of thinking of Mira,
ready and willing under his own roof.
Cole grew irritated.
Mira was gone.
It was a new day.
He needed to start concentrating on the work he
had to
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