If You Believe

He frowned at the thought. The difference between Mariah and the other women seemed suddenly important.

He couldnt put his finger on the difference, didnt know exactly what it was, but it scared him. He liked whores; he always had. They were easy, forgettable -|

conquests that had no hold on him when daylight came. And sleeping with them had never held any appeal at all.

He pushed away from Mariah and scooted back in bed, staring dully at the whitewashed bunkhouse walls. For the first time, the room didnt seem even a little bit confining.

A strange queasiness settled in his gut. Hed been here almost a week now. The walls should be pressing in on him. This place should be feeling cramped instead of

. . . cozy.

Coiyl The word came at him from nowhere. He almost smiled at its absurdity.

But it wasnt funny. It was scary as hell.

He looked at the closed door.

He should use it. Now.

He thought about it, thought about easing his way out of bed and dressing silently.

He could just flip his bag over his shoulder and be gone. Hed done it a million times, and never once had he looked back or regretted his decision. It was simple to leave women, easy.

Reluctantly he glanced down at Mariah. The truth came to him, stunning in its intensity.

Not so easy.

"Aw, shit. " Thumping his head back against the wobbly headboard, he ran a hand through his hair.

What the hell was happening?

A niggling, expanding sense of anxiety crept through him. Something was wrong.

The damned bunkhouse felt cozy and he didnt want to leave—even after hed slept with her.

Yet, he told himself firmly, and the simple word offered considerable comfort. He didnt want to leave yet. That didnt mean he wanted to stay.

It wasnt the same thing at all.

Mariah came awake gradually. The tail end of a pleasant dream tickled her, made her smile. Stretching contentedly, she yawned and opened her eyes.

A round, flat nipple studded with coffee brown hair filled her vision.

She was curled against Mad Dogs naked side, her cheek resting on his chest, her arm tucked lovingly around his waist.

/> The night came rushing back on her. Wanton images tumbled through her mind.

Heat flooded her cheeks as she thought about her behavior in bed. Shed been wild, aggressive—both times.

A smile tugged at her mouth. Third times a charm . . .

She couldnt believe how good she felt, how incredibly relaxed. Tonight shed broken through one of the biggest barriers of her past—her sexuality—and it felt marvelous. She felt like a new woman. A free one.

Smiling broadly, she tilted her chin and stared up at the man whod given her back her ability to laugh.

He was gazing at the door, his eyes narrowed and hard-looking. Something seemed to be bothering him, but Mariah felt too good to care what it was.

She stretched her arms, feeling the sting of exertion in every muscle. "Lord, I hurt. "