Regan's Pride by Diana Palmer Page A

time. I’m impatient and when things upset me, I say so. That doesn’t mean I’m going to hurt you, honey!”
    The endearment went through her as if it were electricity. He’d never once used an endearment when they spoke. She’d never even heard him use them with Sandy. Her eyes dropped, embarrassed.
    He looked at her openly, curious, astonished at her reaction to what had been an involuntary slip of the tongue.
    He moved a step closer, slowly, so that he wouldn’t alarm her. She looked up, but she didn’t back away. He stopped an arm’s length from her, because that was when she tensed. His pale eyes wandered over her face and from the distance, he could see the deep hollows in it, the shadows under her eyes.
    â€œYou don’t sleep at all, do you?” he asked gently.
    â€œThere’s been so much,” she faltered. “You can’t imagine—”
    â€œI think I can,” he interrupted bluntly. “Coreen, I think some therapy would be a good idea. You must have realized that a warped relationship can damage you emotionally.”
    â€œI’m not ready for that now,” she said evenly. “I’m tired and I hurt all over. I just want to rest and not have to think about things that disturb me.” She drew in a long, weary breath. Her hand went to her short hair andtoyed with a strand of it beside her flushed cheek. “I know you don’t want me here, Ted. Why won’t you let me go to Victoria and stay with Sandy?”
    His jutting chin raised and one eye narrowed. “Who says I won’t?”
    â€œSandy. She said you kept finding excuses why we can’t use the apartment.”
    â€œThey’re not excuses,” he said. “They’re reasons. Good reasons.”
    Her thin shoulders rose and fell impotently.
    â€œYou’d be alone during the day, when Sandy’s working,” he explained quietly. “At least I’m somewhere nearby when she’s gone, or Mrs. Bird is.”
    â€œYou aren’t responsible for me.”
    â€œYes, I am,” he said. “I’m responsible for the trust Barry left you. That makes you my concern.”
    â€œOh, I don’t want the money,” she said wearily, turning away. “Money was never why I married him!”
    â€œThe money is yours,” he argued. “And you’ll take it, all right.”
    Her head came up. For an instant he thought he’d found the spark he’d been looking for, a way to bring her out of her shell and back into the world. But the spark died even as he watched.
    â€œI don’t feel like fighting,” she said. “When I’m back on my feet, I’ll find a job and a place to stay. Then I’ll be out of your hair for good.”
    That was what he was afraid of. He wanted to talk to her, to explain how he felt, but the rain began to fall more slowly, and the instant it lessened to a sprinkle Coreen was out of the stable and on her way to the house as if pack dogs were nipping at her heels.

Chapter 6
    â€œH e’s so restless lately, have you noticed?” Sandy asked Coreen one afternoon when Ted was working on a truck with two of his men. “I’ve never heard him use language like that within earshot of the house.”
    The language was audible, all right. Coreen peeked out the window toward the metal building where the ranch vehicles were kept. One of the men with Ted had thrown down a wrench and he was stomping off in disgust.
    â€œHawkins, get back here or get another job!” Ted yelled after him.
    â€œI’ll get another job, then!” came the angry reply. “Can’t be worse than this!”
    â€œCoward!” the third man called after him gleefully.
    â€œDo you want to go with him, Charlie?” Ted asked with a dangerous smile.
    Charlie picked up the dropped wrench and offered it to the greasy man bending over the engine of the truck.
    Coreen was shivering.