Payton's Woman Read Online Free Page A

drawn and pointed at me. I wanted them thinking about you. And
looking at you.
    “I had the revolver in
one hand and my knife in the other right after I pushed you to the ground.
Those men watched your lovely body fall, and before they had a chance to look
back at me, one of them had my knife in his chest. The other one had a bullet.”
    She cringed at his
bluntness. Too many men were dead tonight because of her.
    “I’m sorry,” she
whispered. “I never should have gotten you involved in helping me. You could
have been killed by those men.”
    “Not bloody likely,” he
ground out, but his tone softened. “Would you really care if something happened
to me?”
    She nodded even though
he held her chin. “There’s already a shortage of men like you in this world.”
    “You mean worthless and
miserable?”
    “I didn’t mean to call
you that. I was frightened and upset. You risked your life to protect me. I
never should have doubted you.”
    “Then you promise to
trust me from here on out?”
    Julia hesitated while
she studied his face. The darkness didn’t allow a good view, but she remembered
how he’d looked in the tavern—like a dangerous, bloodthirsty pirate. And
evidently she’d assumed correctly. He’d just fought two men for her. They might
be dead by now, but he didn’t seem bothered by their death. She couldn’t
understand her reasoning. She should be terrified, yet she felt completely safe
in his arms.
    “Yes, I promise to trust
you.”
    “I think we just struck
another bargain.” He moved his hand from her chin, allowing the back of his
knuckles to skim along her jaw and around her neck. His fingers threaded
through her hair. He cradled the back of her head in his hand.
    “Are we going to seal it
with another kiss?” She barely recognized her voice. She sounded breathless and
shaky. The thought of his kiss quickened her pulse. Her breathing reduced to
nothing more than shallow gulps of air.
    “No, two kisses. It is
our second bargain.” He lowered his head until his mouth captured hers.
    This one differed from
his first. The kiss lasted longer, but his lips pressed against hers in a
gentle, tender touch. Then his tongue stroked into her mouth.
    Her body stiffened, and
she tried to pull from his embrace. She used her own tongue in an attempt to
force him out of her mouth. When he didn’t stop, she beat on his chest with her
fist until he ended his kiss.
    “What were you doing?”
she asked, the shock in her voice.
    “Didn’t you like that?”
His contained amusement.
    “No one has ever kissed
me like that.” Her fingers brushed at her lips, still wet from his mouth.
    “You mean I’m the first?
I think I like that,” he said in a dark whisper. “What else have you never done
with a man?”
    The sensual lure in his
voice caused a tingle to ripple inside her. She forced down the feeling and
tried to regain some control. “I’ve never inflicted an injury with my knee
before.”
    He laughed, making a
deep, rumbling noise. “I like you. You’ll probably be the death of me, but I
still like you.”
    “I don’t think I like
you. And I don’t like you holding me like this.”
    “But you fit against me
so well,” his voice teased. “You’re taller than most women. Five and a half
feet or more.”
    “So I’ve been told,” she
said through clenched teeth. She hated being reminded of her height. Her
tallness made her feel abnormal.
    “It becomes you. Nothing
about you is common, or ordinary. Your hair. Your eyes. Even your lips.”
    “You’re very tall, also,”
she said to divert his attention. Even in the dark, she felt his gaze directed
at her mouth.
    “That makes it
convenient.”
    “Convenient?” she
questioned.
    “Aye. I don’t have to
bend down so far to kiss you.”
    He nuzzled his face
against the sensitive area of her neck. His beard and mustache tickled her
skin. His warm breath made her flesh prickle, but his touch didn’t repulse her.
    “You’re soft and