page29 (1/2)

“Jim Larrabee?”

“Fro equipo, remember? I want to talk to him about a new schedule of payments”

Payotten all about business—and all about Gordon Oil

“I knoho he is, Cade And I tried to get hiree to a new schedule, but—”

“He’ll agree to this”

She felt herself bristling at the s self-assurance in his tone

“How nice to be so confident What kind of schedule is it?”

“There’s no point in ar Tell you what—you pick a restaurant for lunch Do you like Tex-Mex food? I know this little place for ribs that—”

Angelica’s mouth firmed “You can hardly bore me with the details of a deal that affects my company,” she said stiffly

“Coave that up?”

“Gave what up?” Her voice hardened “I’otten”

“No,” he said carefully, “no, I hadn’t forgotten But—”

But what? Every instinct told him this wasn’t the time for a confrontation Cade blew out his breath

“Just what I said, Angel I didn’t want to bore you with the details” He s”

She sed,” she said “I’ about any deal you’ve cooked up”

“Angelica, you’remore out of this than it’s worth”

“In that case, take me with you”

There was a ed his shoulders

“Fine,” he said “Co, if that’s what you want”

It was, Angelica was certain, the last thing in the world Cade wanted But she didn’t hesitate

“Thank you,” she said with great formality “I’ll be ready in five minutes”

She rose fro the sheet, and looked at the open boxes lying amid the blankets She frowned, then scooped up the caift box—but she took her own black wool dress from the chair as she walked briskly into the bathroom

Cade stared after her, hisThen he turned away and poured himself another cup of coffee

The saelica’s deferred payree to Cade’s

What was even worse was the way both

“You know Miss Gordon, Jim, “ Cade said at its start Larrabee smiled, shook her hand—and then neither of theain, not even to ask her opinion before Cade pronounced the deal complete

That hen Angelica shoved back her chair, got to her feet and stalked from the room

She aiting in the car when Cade e straight ahead He opened the door, cliear They went half a dozen blocks in silence, and then he turned to her, glaring

“Don’t you ever eain!”

“I e toward hi!”

“Look, I don’t knohat pissed you off, but—”

“I’ll tell you what pissed me off! How dare you act as if I’ht as well have been in—in Timbuctoo!”

“Going to thatwas your idea, lady, not mine!”

“You’re daht If it had been up to you, I’d never even have known you were planning to meet with Larrabee!”

“Listen, lady—”

“Worown female, Cade She’s not a lady, she’s a woman”

“So you keep reht, because God knows a lady would never behave the way you just did”

“You mean, no flower of Western womanhood would ever behave the way I did!”

A horn blared behind them Cade shot a furious look into the rearview as

“I don’t appreciate being h his teeth

Angelica sighed dra to have to explain why I walked out?”