Dalton's Undoing

“You’re right. Absolutely. I’m very sorry. That was completely uncalled-for. I’ll make a deal with you. I won’t rush to any snap judgments provided you refrain from trying to add me to your list of conquests.”

Before he could answer, she held open the door in a pointed dismissal. Cold air rushed in, swirling around her like a malicious fog, but she knew it wouldn’t be enough to take care of her hot embarrassment. “Thank you again for bringing Cole home. I’ll be sure to send him out to your ranch on the bus Tuesday.”

Seth gave her a long, hard look, as if he had much more he wanted to say, but he finally turned around and walked outside.

She closed the door and leaned against it, her hands clenched at her sides.

How had she let him get her so stirred up? He hadn’t done anything. Not really. Sure, he’d flirted a little, but she had always been able to handle a mild flirtation. He seemed to push all her buttons—and several she hadn’t realized were there.

How on earth was she supposed to face him again after she’d all but accused him of trying to seduce her?

She would simply have to be cool and polite. She would be gracious about what he was doing for her son but distant about everything else. She had no doubt she could keep him at arm’s length, especially after she’d just slapped him down so firmly.

Keeping him out of her head was a different matter entirely.

Chapter Four

Seth stood on the porch of Jason Chambers’s red-brick rambler, the November evening air sharp with fall, and tried to figure out what the heck had just happened in there.

He wasn’t at all used to being on the receiving end of such a blunt dismissal, and he was fairly certain he didn’t care for it much. He had only been talking to the woman, just trying to be friendly, and she was treating him like she’d just caught him looking up her skirt.

He wasn’t quite sure how to react. He had certainly encountered his share of rejection. It never usually bothered him, not when there were so many other prospects out there.

He had to admit, he just wasn’t used to rejection accompanied by such blatant hostility.

He ought to just march right back in there and ask Jenny Boyer what he had done in the course of their short acquaintance to warrant it. He lifted a hand to the doorbell then let it fall again.

No. What would that accomplish, besides making him look foolish? She had the right to her opinions, even if they were completely ridiculous.

Even if you’re not attracted to a woman, something in your blood compels you to conquer her, to find her weaknesses and exploit them until she surrenders to your charm like every other woman.

That wasn’t true. He didn’t need to charm every female he came in contact with. He just happened to be a sociable kind of guy.

Where did she get off forming such a harsh opinion on him when they’d barely met?

More to the point, why did it bug him so much?

It was no big deal, he told himself as the cold wind slapped at him. Better to just forget about Ms. Uptight Jennifer Boyer and head over to the Bandito, where he could find any number of warm, willing women who didn’t think he was so objectionable.

His boots thudded on the steps as he headed off the porch toward his truck. He climbed in and started the engine, but for some strange reason couldn’t bring himself to drive away from the house just yet, too busy analyzing his own reaction to being flayed alive by a tongue sharper than his best Buck knife.

He ought to be seriously pissed off at the woman and not want anything more to do with her. He was, he told himself.

So why was he somehow even more attracted to her?

He liked curvy women who played up their assets, who wore low-cut blouses and short skirts and towering high heels that made their legs look long and sexy.

His brothers seemed to think that was just another sign that he needed to grow up and get serious about life. He had to wonder what Jake and Wade would say if they knew about this strange attraction for the new elementary school principal.

Yeah, he liked looking at her—the tilt of her chin and the flash of her green eyes and those lush lips that seemed at odds with her starchy appearance.

And she smelled good. He had definitely picked up on that. Her perfume had been soft and sweet, putting all kinds of crazy images in his head of wildflowers and spring mountain rain showers.