respond to them. What was he trying to do now? Charm her into submission the way he had evidently charmed Aunt Kate in his letter?
"Is something wrong?" he asked, his manner turning wary when she didn't respond to the smile.
"I understand you've written to my aunt," Juli said, keeping her tone and expression under tight control.
He nodded, regarding her thoughtfully. "The company tries to be fair. We decided, in this case, that a payment to a surviving family member was justified."
"Justified!" Juli repeated scornfully. "You buy off Aunt Kate with a fraction of what she should have received, and then—"
"Now just one minute, Miss Townsend!"
"Yes, I know—we can't do anything now that you have her signature on your clever little legal document, but that can't keep me from telling you what I think of you personally, Mr. Taylor! You're cheap and cruel and greedy and underhanded—" Descriptive words failed her and she broke off, breath coming in harsh jerks. "And I hope you choke on every cent you stole from her! You know David invented something valuable to the company, or you would never have paid her and tricked her into signing the release form." She launched into another torrent of angry words describing his seedy character and morals.
She could see the expression on his face change from wariness to surprise and then to harsh, set anger as the chiseled lips tightened grimly and a muscle jerked along the lean jawline. She was aware that the tight control under which he was holding himself might explode at any moment, but she was beyond caring.
When she ran out of breath, he said grimly, "Miss Townsend, I think there are a few things we should discuss. Now, if you'll calm down, so we can—"
"I have no intention of calming down or discussing anything with you!" Juli said wildly. "And it was
Juli
, not Miss Townsend a few nights ago when you sent me off on a wild-goose chase digging around in David's things so you'd have time to pull your underhanded deal on Aunt Kate. And you didn't even let me know you—" Juli broke off suddenly, biting back the words about learning he was married, refusing to let him know that mattered one way or the other to her.
"Miss Townsend, we are going to discuss this," he said grimly. "Now, if you'll just pull your car over there so we aren't in the middle of the driveway—"
"No," Juli snapped. "I'm leaving."
His gray-green eyes narrowed. "I don't think so," he said flatly. Without taking his eyes from hers, he reached for something on the dashboard, and in astonished dismay Juli saw the iron gates swing shut directly in front of her car.
"I should have realized the electronics expert would have some toy like that to play with," she jibed, her voice scornful in spite of the panicky pounding of her heart.
He ignored the taunt, motioning to a parking place beneath a spreading cottonwood. "Over there."
Juli hesitated a moment, but she didn't seem to have much choice. The gates were shut tight and obviously wouldn't open again until Thorne chose to open them. She could only make herself look foolish with further protests. She backed up the car, then swung under the cottonwood. Thorne was already standing beside the Porsche when she slid out of her car. He was wearing dark slacks and a knit shirt that molded to his muscled chest. She resolutely put down an inward, primitive surge of attraction she felt toward him.
Without speaking, he took her elbow and guided her to a planked table and benches a short distance down a graveled trail. The harsh grasp hurt, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of complaining. She sat stiffly on the bench, as far away from him as possible.
"What did you want to discuss?" she asked distantly. She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes focused on the horses lazing in the corral, though what she was really seeing was a seductively rounded figure in a black bathing suit, sculptured lips saying calmly, "Why, I'm Mrs. Taylor, of course."
"I don't
"Is something wrong?" he asked, his manner turning wary when she didn't respond to the smile.
"I understand you've written to my aunt," Juli said, keeping her tone and expression under tight control.
He nodded, regarding her thoughtfully. "The company tries to be fair. We decided, in this case, that a payment to a surviving family member was justified."
"Justified!" Juli repeated scornfully. "You buy off Aunt Kate with a fraction of what she should have received, and then—"
"Now just one minute, Miss Townsend!"
"Yes, I know—we can't do anything now that you have her signature on your clever little legal document, but that can't keep me from telling you what I think of you personally, Mr. Taylor! You're cheap and cruel and greedy and underhanded—" Descriptive words failed her and she broke off, breath coming in harsh jerks. "And I hope you choke on every cent you stole from her! You know David invented something valuable to the company, or you would never have paid her and tricked her into signing the release form." She launched into another torrent of angry words describing his seedy character and morals.
She could see the expression on his face change from wariness to surprise and then to harsh, set anger as the chiseled lips tightened grimly and a muscle jerked along the lean jawline. She was aware that the tight control under which he was holding himself might explode at any moment, but she was beyond caring.
When she ran out of breath, he said grimly, "Miss Townsend, I think there are a few things we should discuss. Now, if you'll calm down, so we can—"
"I have no intention of calming down or discussing anything with you!" Juli said wildly. "And it was
Juli
, not Miss Townsend a few nights ago when you sent me off on a wild-goose chase digging around in David's things so you'd have time to pull your underhanded deal on Aunt Kate. And you didn't even let me know you—" Juli broke off suddenly, biting back the words about learning he was married, refusing to let him know that mattered one way or the other to her.
"Miss Townsend, we are going to discuss this," he said grimly. "Now, if you'll just pull your car over there so we aren't in the middle of the driveway—"
"No," Juli snapped. "I'm leaving."
His gray-green eyes narrowed. "I don't think so," he said flatly. Without taking his eyes from hers, he reached for something on the dashboard, and in astonished dismay Juli saw the iron gates swing shut directly in front of her car.
"I should have realized the electronics expert would have some toy like that to play with," she jibed, her voice scornful in spite of the panicky pounding of her heart.
He ignored the taunt, motioning to a parking place beneath a spreading cottonwood. "Over there."
Juli hesitated a moment, but she didn't seem to have much choice. The gates were shut tight and obviously wouldn't open again until Thorne chose to open them. She could only make herself look foolish with further protests. She backed up the car, then swung under the cottonwood. Thorne was already standing beside the Porsche when she slid out of her car. He was wearing dark slacks and a knit shirt that molded to his muscled chest. She resolutely put down an inward, primitive surge of attraction she felt toward him.
Without speaking, he took her elbow and guided her to a planked table and benches a short distance down a graveled trail. The harsh grasp hurt, but she refused to give him the satisfaction of complaining. She sat stiffly on the bench, as far away from him as possible.
"What did you want to discuss?" she asked distantly. She didn't look at him, keeping her eyes focused on the horses lazing in the corral, though what she was really seeing was a seductively rounded figure in a black bathing suit, sculptured lips saying calmly, "Why, I'm Mrs. Taylor, of course."
"I don't
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