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He squeezed her hand, his gaze troubled "I just hope you never regret rets on that topic either

Mondaythe hills with unusual interest Occasionally he would stand and bark Then he would growl deep in his chest It was eerie and disturbing The area he atching here she often saw deer in the earlyhours

"Brutus," she reprimanded "Leave the deer alone"

Brutus looked up at her and then walked back to the barn, lying down beside the door

That evening she prepared a special supper for Alex and dressed in the white sundress he liked so well Putting the food in the oven to keep it warh time to feed the horses before he arrived

She fed the horses, hoping Alex would like the perfume she wore better than the horses did

As she turned to leave the barn, Josh stepped through the door

"Here you are," he said, slurring his words

Car, but Josh didn’t touch liquor His face was flushed, but his as as fluid as always

"What’s the matter?" she asked as she stepped away frolassy His gaze traced the curves of her body absently "Lori," he su with Lori?" She frowned up at him as he walked closer

He snorted "The usual You need to talk to her"

If there was one thing she didn’t need to do, it was talk to Lori about as troubling the the empty bucket on a hook

"Josh, this is between you and Lori It really isn’t any of my business and it would only upset Lorito say Lori didn’t want children That was pretty straight forward

"It should have been htly when he moved

"What should have been you?" Carmen stared up at him as he stepped closer

"The first time It should beher lips with his before she realized his intent

She jerked back and twisted her aro You’re drunk"

He laughed without humor "I’m not drunk I only had two beers" His hand shot out and captured her aret away

She stiffened, her voice gaining an edge

"Leaveher toward hiain and turned quickly to get away froainst the stall Her shoulder scraped off the stall, catching the strap of her sundress on a board As she surged forward to get away frolanced down at her shoulder and saw blood oozing out of the scraped skin A small tear was left where the strap had connected to her dress in the front

Darting around a pole, she grabbed the top of the bodice so it wouldn’t fall One glance back revealed that Josh was still in pursuit She darted for the door and tripped over a piece of twine, plunging to the hay

Josh was instantly beside her, grabbing her ar, Shorty"

She screaht

"Please, Josh Don’t"

She started to cry Surely she hadn’t saved herself for Alex only to have Josh take her by force She should have been sleeping with Alex all along At least he would have been first It was an illogical thought, but her rip and she jerked her arm free Instantly she rolled over and tried to stand Josh re at her as if confused by her response

"Get out of here," she sobbed "Don’t ever co off, watching her warily as he stepped around her Without another word he left the barn

Her knees were suddenly weak and she grabbed a pole, sliding down to sit in the hay She was unable to control the sobs that ravaged her body Now that it was over she was falling apart With blurred vision, she noticed the blood on her tre it into focus Where did the blood come from?

"Carmen?" Alex called in a frantic voice as he ran into the barn I in front of her

"Are you alright?"

Dark eyes stood out in an unnaturally pale face His gaze searched for the source of blood, finding it instantly

"Oh ed to say between sobs

"Nothing? Your dress is torn and you’re bleeding" He helped her to her feet and then lifted her in his aro to the house and I’ll exa The last thing she needed noas to be ently lowered her feet, but kept a supporting ar as I came in He was so" His voice broke "What did he do?" He hesitated "Did he" He left the sentence hanging, as if it were too horrible to put into words

She shook her head, wiping the tears frooing to, but when I started to cry, heI don’t know I told hihed

"Co her toward the house Lether shoulder

"This looks like you were hit with a board"

She had finally calmed down and was able to speak coherently

"I hit it on the edge of the stall when I was running fro from him? What did he do?"

She stared out theHe didn’t do anything but kiss her Maybe she had only assu her, or was he trying to see if she was hurt? Whatever his intent, he was chasing her – and she certainly hadn’t i her shoulder He took her chin in one hand and turned her face so that he could look into her eyes His gaze was troubled as he spoke

"Carmen, I need to knohat happened – exactly If you don’t tell o to the police hat I do know"

Carasped "The police? Why?"

"Did he attack you?"

She stared at him "I don’t know He kissed me on the mouth and told me" she sed down a lump in her throat "That it was supposed to be hi ht he was going tobut he didn’t I don’t know if he was going to do anythingthe kitchen floor Finally he turned to her

"Pack so you to stay at Katie and Bill’s I never should have asked you to stay here while I was at work Katie was right I can’t protect you"

She stared at hi here"

She plucked a tissue from the box on the counter and blew her nose She h

He shook his head "You stayed here because I wanted you to stay here Would you still feel safe here while I was at work?"

She sighed "In less than a e’ll behere then, so what difference does iton her lips

"Because after we’re married, it will be too late for hiaze came back to hers "He’s coets bolder The closer it gets to our wedding day, the aze calmly "He was drunk He said he had two beers Josh doesn’t drink, so I’m sure that was all it took He stopped when I cried and he left when I told hi to talk to hinawed on her lower lip and looked away "He’ll hurt you"

He was silent so long that she looked up at him A sardonic smile touched his lips

"Thanks for all the faith you have in , and"

"And I’m so little? David slew Goliath" He rubbed the back of his neck "Carht with him I only want to talk to hiaze wandered over her face again, this ti at her eyes

"So ahtened I hen I saw you on the barn floor, crying"

He pulled the cell phone from its pouch on his pocket and flipped it open

"Get soether, Car when she left the roo with him He hadat Katie and Bills house was a stark re in her life with Alex Bill had put a cot in as to be the nursery Katie was expecting twins, but they hadn’t put up the cribs yet Still, it was crowded, and living out of a suitcase wasn’t Caret off work the first day, she kept watch on the driveway for his truck Did he talk to Josh yet, or was that what he was doing now? The idea of what Josh ht he could handle Josh Maybe he could He had known her less than a hen he defended her bravely against Josh the first time Alex had been no match for Josh there in her kitchen, but he had certainly done well for hiht the in the barn Both ti Alex But Josh had not been h to hurt hi the role Josh had always considered his Josh was married to Lori now, but he was territorial Even if ros for Carmen, he still didn’t like the idea of so as his place If Alex tried to tell hiht lose his temper Alex was fast, but he probably wouldn’t run That would be his undoing

She sighed Alex was right She should have more faith in him He had been a top salesman, which meant he had a ords, and that’s all he intended to do - talk It was either that or let hi she could do at this point – nothing but pray It crossed her ht be a trigger She turned to Katie, orking a puzzle on a table in the kitchen

"Everything will be ready to eat in about 30 o ahead You’ve been working all day You need a break Besides," She glanced out theat the drive "He’ll be along pretty soon"

A flush warmed her cheeks "I don’t think so He would have been here by now if he was cohed "He’ll be here Give hiet pretty"

Cararden He ht On the other hand, lad to have her out of the house so he could enjoy so to look weathered The to, their crop reduced to s to develop, and the Okra looked good Of course, it liked hot weather