The Perfect Proposal (15 page)

Surprised that he’d found out about her
childhood—or had someone told him?-–Annie gasped and turned her
head to face him. He was taking the worst of the storm, but he was
gorgeous. His hair glistened like polished ebony. Rain slid in
little rivulets down the smooth planes of his face, over his
strong, lightly stubbled jaw, then disappeared into his collar.

But his eyes were what caught and held her
attention.

A blue so clear, so
cloudless, stared back at her with undisguised longing,
understanding, and desire. A lump of emotion formed in her
throat.
What was happening to
her?

“
How did you know?” she
asked finally, not because she had any desire to know, but rather
because it seemed like a logical question. And, at the moment,
Annie was feeling anything but logical. She turned around and
resettled against him. Behind her, she felt Mitch let out a long
breath.

“
Les mentioned it
yesterday,” Mitch told her. “Not that I asked. I hope you’re not
angry.”

Yesterday she might have been mad, but for
whatever reason, today she wasn’t. To her amazement, Annie felt a
chuckle tickle her throat. “Actually, I would have liked to hear
how Les explained my rather unsavory past in that good ol’ boy way
of his.”

Mitch chuckled as well. “He does have a way
of putting things, doesn’t he?”

Just then the cabin came into view. The small
white framed house was a replica of the little cottages which lined
the back of the Peter’s estate. Hardly what Annie would have
thought a bunch of rough-and-tumble cowpokes would require. Still,
knowing Les, she’d learned not to take anything at the Triple P for
granted. Mitch urged the horse forward just as the heavens really
opened up. The steady rain which had drenched them by now turned
into a downpour which threatened to drown them before they could
seek shelter.

“
Hold on,” Mitch shouted
into her ear.

Annie did. To him.

Minutes later, Mitch drew the horses to a
stop in front of the cabin, slid down from the saddle, then helped
Annie down. She wished she had more of an opportunity to appreciate
how her body slid down his, because the brief contact she’d been
treated to wasn’t enough. Regretfully, Annie rushed to the
porch.

“
Go on inside and get warmed
up,” Mitch told her, looking all sexy and heroic. “I’m going to see
to the horses.”

Annie was reluctant to leave him alone
outside. Anything could happen. Despite the fact that he’d handled
the horses with skill and grace she admired, Annie couldn’t rid
herself of the notion that they were still dangerously
unpredictable beasts. She’d just wait her for him, she decided.
Seemingly sensing her thoughts, Mitch paused and looked at her. He
grinned and her knees almost buckled. “Get inside, Annie. I’ll only
be a minute.”

She returned his smile. “Good, then I won’t
freeze to death while you’re gone. I’m not leaving you alone out
here.”

Mitch groaned at her obstinate attitude, then
took off. True to his word, he returned shortly having secured the
horses in the lean-to which stood near the rear of the cabin.

Drenched to the skin and looking as though he
were secretly enjoying his wet adventure, he leapt onto the porch
and met her by the door. A dimple she’d never noticed winked in his
cheek as his gaze met hers. “Anybody ever tell you that you were
stubborn?”

A small smile came to her lips. “A few
people.”

“
And you’re the queen of
understatement,” he added.

“
Just open the door,” Annie
chuckled. “We can discuss all my fine qualities when we get
inside.”

“
Or explore them,” Mitch
rumbled under his breath.

Or explore yours, Annie didn’t say, although
she wasn’t the least bit ashamed of the direction her thoughts had
taken.

As they stepped through the door, Annie had
to admit she was ready for some indoor adventure.

Ushering Annie into the
darkened cabin, Mitch controlled the urge to wheel her around and
kiss her until their wet clothes steamed from the heat. Having her
ride in front of him had been pure torture. Quite frankly, on that
last stretch before they reached this blasted cabin, Mitch had
feared he would burst. As far as he could recall, he’d never been
that hard—especially fully clothed.

Annie groped for a light switch, then flooded
the little room with soft illumination. Though not as lavishly
decorated as Rose Cottage, this little home had all the necessary
amenities.

Including a few that seemed odd for a supply
cabin, Mitch thought. He had the sinking feeling Les had just
maneuvered them again.

For instance, what would a fencing crew need
with fresh flowers, fruit, and a bottle of champagne? Or all those
scented pillar candles scattered about which had never seen a
match? It hardly matched the rather manly décor. Various horse
prints, dream catchers and Navajo weavings adorned the rough-hewn
paneled walls.

The furniture matched the large braided rug
on the floor, and had been carefully positioned around a large rock
fireplace. Firewood was stacked conveniently on one side, along
with kindling and old newspaper. The couch was a plaid behemoth
that would undoubtedly fold out into a bed. A very comfortable bed.
Mitch smothered a sigh.

It had been hard enough staying out of
Annie’s inviting, ultra-feminine room back at Rose Cottage. But
keeping his distance here, where he longed to roar, beat his chest,
then drag her to the bed, was going to be a different matter
altogether.

Les needed to get his affairs in order
because as soon as they were back at the ranch, Mitch planned to
kill him.

Looking bedraggled and tired, Annie glanced
up and offered him a teeth-chattering smile. “I-it’s a little
w-warmer in here.”

Mitch grabbed an afghan from one of the
recliners and wrapped it around Annie’s shoulders. “Sit down while
I start a fire.”

Annie shook her head. “I think I’m going to
look around and see if I can find something dry for us to change
into.” She headed for the back of the cabin, still shivering.

Mitch set about building a fire. Within
minutes a healthy blaze had taken hold and warmed the little cabin.
Nevertheless, Mitch’s mood didn’t improve. He was wet, horny, and
angry—but not at Annie. He was angry at Les for being a
manipulative little tyrant.

Then Mitch heard the sound of a shower
running and his bad mood vanished.

Annie was naked.

Again.

Mitch groaned aloud and prayed for patience
where his delectable adversary was concerned. And he hoped she
didn’t suffer any sort of catastrophe which required his
assistance. The next time he saw Annie Witherspoon sans clothes, he
fully intended to make mad, passionate love to her.

Mitch pulled off his boots and socks, then
shrugged out of his wet shirt and padded barefoot to the kitchen. A
quick search through the cabinets and refrigerator only confirmed
his suspicion that Les was up to something. The kitchen was fully
stocked. He snagged a can of coffee from the cupboard and snorted
at the label. Gourmet, no less.

As he scooped coffee out of the can, Mitch
pondered his present circumstances. He supposed he should at least
make a concerted effort not to seduce Annie, but at this point he
would only be lying to himself. He wanted Annie more than he’d ever
wanted a woman in his life. It was wholly unnatural for him to go
against his nature, he reasoned.

Hell, who was he kidding? Mitch wondered,
wringing the water out from his shirt at the sink. He’d been doomed
from the beginning. From the first moment he’d rescued Annie, he’d
been a goner. Just then, Annie walked in.

Dressed in a long white shirt that had to
belong to one of the taller ranch hands, Annie looked utterly sexy
and completely gorgeous. She’d pulled her hair over to the side and
it tumbled down on shoulder across her left breast. She’d obviously
not put her damp bra back on to Mitch’s delight. He could see the
outline of one perfect nipple displayed through the shirt. Her face
scrubbed free of makeup, Annie’s big brown eyes dominated her
heart-shaped face. Lips the color of a ripened plum—which he knew
from experience tasted every bit as sweet—smiled hesitantly at
him.

At that moment, Mitch had never seen a more
beautiful woman, and he knew that if he lived to be one hundred, he
never would. He struggled to find his voice.

“
Feeling better?” he asked
hoarsely.

“
Much. I didn’t stay in
long, so there should be plenty of hot water. You should take a
shower as well. I found a T-shirt and a pair of sweats in the
bathroom.” She grinned. “Don’t worry, they don’t belong to Les. Not
enough ornamentation.”

Mitch gestured to the counter. “I made
coffee. Help yourself, then see if you can get warmed up over by
the fire.”

Meanwhile he’d go see if he could cool
himself off.

Annie breathed an audible sigh of relief when
Mitch left the small room. She’d had the almost overwhelming urge
to run her fingers over his impressive bare chest. He was a supreme
example of the human species, Annie thought, willing her erratic
pulse to slow, with well-developed muscles and skin that looked as
smooth as silk.

Annie padded to the window and watched as the
storm they’d so narrowly escaped wreaked havoc with the world
outside. Rain streamed down the foggy panes and thunder rumbled
ominously in the distance.

What on earth had possessed Les to insist
they take this silly ride on today of all days? Annie wondered
again. Honestly, she was almost inclined to believe that the little
dictator had somehow orchestrated the whole thing. He had to have
known that rain had been forecast when he sent them out.

And then that shirt.

It obviously belonged to a somewhat smaller
man. One who didn’t have such wide shoulders or that broad chest.
She stared transfixed at the awesome sight before her. Some
exploration was definitely in order.

“
Annie,” Mitch
growled.

Her gaze snapped to his. “Yes?”

He grinned lazily. “It would probably be
better if you didn’t look at me like that.”

Embarrassed at being caught openly ogling
him, Annie felt an uncomfortable blush stain her cheeks. “How long
do you think we’ll have to stay here?” she asked, ignoring his
remark.

“
My guess is that we’ll be
here overnight. Even if it’s not necessary. Because that’s the way
Les planned it.”

“
Overnight?” Annie echoed.
“But that’s ridiculous. It’s just past noon. There’s no reason why
we shouldn’t be able to get back to our cottage this
afternoon.”

Mitch smiled knowingly. “Wait and see,” he
predicted.

Something he‘d said niggled at her. “What do
you mean this is the way Les planned it? Surely you can’t be
serious.”

Mitch crossed to the coffeepot and poured
himself a cup of the hot brew. “Want some?” he asked.

“
No,” Annie returned. “And
quit avoiding my question. What makes you think Les is behind
this?”

Mitch waved a hand around and lowered himself
onto one end of the sofa. “Take a look, Annie. The flowers, the
candles, the fruit. It’s all fresh and it’s not exactly what a
fencing crew or ranch hands would require.” He took a sip of
coffee. “He set us up. Again.”

Annie started at him, agog. “But that doesn’t
make sense. What would he possibly hope to accomplish?”

“
Isn’t it obvious?” Mitch’s
gazed locked with hers, making Annie’s pounding heart stop
momentarily. “He’s matchmaking.”

Again, Annie felt her jaw go slack. “You’ve
got to be kidding,” she breathed. “Whatever for?”

“
Who knows?” Mitch told her.
“You know him better than I do. But think about it, Annie. Ever
since we got here, we’ve been thrust into situations like this. The
one-bedroom cottage, for instance. And all those non-productive
errands, just like the one we went on today. Not to mention the
fact that he’s completely stonewalled every attempt either of us
has made to discuss our campaigns.” He shrugged. “If you can come
up with a better excuse for his behavior, then I’d love to hear
it.”

Annie couldn’t believe it, but what Mitch
said made complete sense. He was right. “What are we going to do?”
she asked him, begrudgingly impressed with his insight.

He lifted an uninterested shoulder and gazed
at the fire. “That’s the beauty of it for Les. There’s nothing that
we can do. We’ll just have to pretend we’re not on to him and hope
he doesn’t come up with any other hoops for us to jump through in
the meantime. I expect that phone over there will be ringing
shortly.” Mitch shot her a sexy sidelong glance and grinned at her.
“He’ll probably tell us that this particular area floods or some
other nonsense, and that we should stay put until morning. And that
it’s too dangerous to try to make it back and too muddy to send
anyone out to get us.”

Just then, the phone rang as if confirming
Mitch’s prediction. He grinned at her. “Should I get it or do you
want to?”

“
I’ll get it, Nostradamus,”
Annie said drolly. “I wanna see if you’re right.”

Annie answered the phone and her gaze shot to
Mitch’s amused one. “Yes, Les. We made it here fine. Uh-huh. Just
as the rain really hit. Mitch handled the horses beautifully. Yes,”
she said hesitantly. “I was a little frightened. Yes, sir, he’s a
good man to have in a pinch.” Annie rolled her eyes. “What? It’s
supposed to rain into the night?” Annie frowned. “This area floods?
Okay. Can’t you send someone out to get us? Is that right?
Mudslides and Jeeps don’t mix. All right, Les. Yes, I’m sure we’ll
be fine. Uh-huh. See you in the morning. Okay. Bye.”