Bound by Honor. Diana Palmer

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СКАЧАТЬ saw wetness spring onto her lashes. He forced his voice to soften so much it was almost a rasp.

      “Let me take care of this, darlin’.”

      The fact that he’d repeated the endearment in a sincere way was a fresh shock. But she responded to it by going still. Her wet lashes opened and those blue, blue eyes focused mistrustfully on his face. He could see her fear and she lay completely still, as if she was afraid to move.

      The guilt that made him feel was sharp and uncomfortable, and his gaze shied briefly from her wary study before he brought it back to say something that would let her know he meant her no harm.

      “Looks like I scared you into a faint. You hit the coffee table before I could catch you.”

      Confusion darkened the blue of her pretty eyes, but mistrust lingered in the mix. His pride was choking him, but he added a quiet, “I apologize.”

      Mitch couldn’t maintain eye contact with her, so he lifted the cloth and inspected the small welt. “I’ll get you some ice for that.”

      Her soft, “No,” made him pause and he looked down at her. “You have to leave.”

      Despite her fear, she was rallying. Her refusal nettled his sense of responsibility. “Not till I’m sure you’re okay.”

      She came right back with, “I don’t need your help.”

      “How do you know that? Do you keel over in a faint so often it’s a routine?”

      “I never faint.”

      He gave a short bark of laughter and she jerked as if startled. Her eyes darkened again with wariness. Mitch ignored her reaction and leaned closer for emphasis.

      “Well you just fainted, Miz Farrell. Write it in your diary.”

      She seemed to fumble a moment for an answer to that. “I ha-haven’t eaten today.”

      That nettled him again. “You out of money till payday?”

      Color surged into her cheeks. “I have plenty of money. I was too busy to be hungry.”

      Lorna wouldn’t confess to him that the months of worry about her increasing contact with Kendra had affected her appetite.

      Mitch came to his feet and loomed over her. “I’ll put some ice in this cloth, then I’ll see what you’ve got to eat around this place.”

      He strode away and she sat up in alarm. She cautiously touched her temple, but felt only a faint bit of pain. Sitting up had made her dizzy, but she turned to put her feet on the floor, determined to intercept Mitch and force him to leave.

      And why wouldn’t he just leave? His orders and threats had been traumatic enough, but now she couldn’t get rid of him. And his concern confused her. He’d spoken to her earlier as if she was dirt under his feet, so his concern now was not only a shock, it was deeply suspicious.

      Pride wouldn’t permit her to allow someone who hated her and had just tried to lure her into an extortion charge to do kind things for her.

      She reached for the check then got up and walked unsteadily to the kitchen. Once she got there, she stopped in the doorway while she waited for her legs to strengthen.

      Mitch Ellery was a dark giant in her pristine kitchen. As in the living room, his larger-than-life presence dwarfed everything around him. He’d already loaded the washcloth with ice cubes, but he now had her refrigerator open and was peering inside.

      Since she hadn’t yet gone grocery shopping as she normally did on Friday nights, the refrigerator was humiliatingly bare. He glanced her way, his face a thundercloud of disapproval.

      “No wonder you aren’t eating. You’ve got little more than condiments and a half quart of milk that went out-of-date two days ago.”

      Lorna crossed the room and plucked the cloth-wrapped ice cubes out of his huge hand to toss them into the sink before she gingerly tucked the check back in his pocket. When she boldly reached between him and the refrigerator to catch the top of the door and crowd him out of the way so she could close it, he caught her hand.

      Her wide gaze flew up to his. She gave her hand a testing tug, but he held it fast.

      Mitch was so big, so virile, and so powerfully male. The small space in front of the refrigerator was smothering suddenly. The cool air from inside the open door had no impact on the heat between their bodies or the arrows of attraction that peppered her skin and made her feel hot and edgy inside.

      His voice was gruff and low and it stroked her someplace deep. “It’s a wrongheaded idea, but we’ll go to a restaurant.”

      “No, we won’t.”

      His dark brows lowered in irritation. “You need to eat. We’ll get that swelling down, then go.”

      Lorna yanked at her hand and he released her. “I wouldn’t cross the street with you.” Her chin went up the smallest bit. “And I believe I’ll call your bluff about that blood test, Mr. Ellery. Since you’re obviously a take-over artist, you can make the appointment and I’ll be there.”

      His eyes suddenly glittered with temper and she felt herself sway.

      “And I’ll call your bluff, Miz Farrell. You’ll have that blood test. But right now, I’ll call your other bluff.”

      With that, he leaned close. She managed a half step back before he swept her up in his arms as if she was no bigger than a small child. The quick movement made her head spin, and she reflexively gripped his wide shoulders. He seemed to sense he’d made her dizzy, so he didn’t move right away to carry her out of the kitchen.

      He was growling again. “What am I gonna do with you?” His minty breath sent warm puffs of air against her face.

      “You can put me down and leave,” she got out.

      He studied her face, his irritation deepening. “Stubbornness and persistence can get you into all kinds of trouble. As you’ll find out if you don’t agree to back off with Kendra.”

      Anger roared through her. “Ditto, Mr. Ellery. Put me down.”

      “Fat chance.” He turned with her and stalked back into the living room to deposit her on an overstuffed chair.

      The phone jangled on the table next to her. Lorna was mildly surprised that he didn’t snatch it up. She reached over and picked up the receiver as he towered in front of her.

      Melanie’s worried voice came over the line. “Are you all right? I haven’t seen him leave.”

      Lorna glanced up at the rock-faced man who watched her, his dark brows lowered in a surly frown.

      She realized then that Mitch Ellery wasn’t a handsome man. His features were too rugged and rough. But he had a charisma that made him as magnetic and appealing as men whose features were smoother and more conventionally handsome. Perhaps more so.

      Amazed that she’d been distracted by those thoughts, she glanced away from him. “I’m all right and yes, he’s still here,” she told СКАЧАТЬ