The Taming of the Bachelor by Jane Porter Page B

spoiled little girl.
    Like a....brat.

    H e swore under his breath as he returned to his truck. He was ticked off. Seriously ticked off.
    She was lucky she had young kids sleeping in the house, otherwise he would have dragged her inside, put her up against the wall, and kissed her until the ice princess act melted away.
    She should be grateful he didn’t take advantage of her last night. Making love to her would have been the easy thing. Walking away had been damn hard.
    His temper simmered as he drove down Bramble, heading for the entrance to Highway 89, but he didn’t feel like going back to the ranch. He didn’t feel like driving anywhere.
    He was frustrated as all hell and the last thing he wanted to do was drive for thirty minutes.
    He’d get coffee. Maybe something to eat. Not at the diner, though. He wasn’t going back there again. He was done with Paige and the diner and drama.
    Thank God he was leaving in two days. His only regret was that he wasn’t going for another two days.
    Dillon parked in front of the Java Café, and went inside, lining up at the counter to order a black coffee and an egg bagel sandwich.
    The café was busy and he took a seat at a small table in the corner and read the Bozeman Daily Chronicle while he waited, and then ate the hot sandwich while pouring over the business section. He was still reading and nursing his second cup of coffee when the glass door swung open, bell jingling, and his brother, Trey, walked in.
    “I saw your truck out front,” Trey said, pulling out a chair to sit down at Dillon’s narrow corner table.
    Dillon folded his paper into fourths, tucking it away. “What are you doing today?”
    “Looking for you.”
    “Oh? Everything okay?”
    “I think so.” Trey leaned back in the sturdy oak chair. “I hope so. Depends on you.”
    “What’s going on?”
    Trey drew a breath. “Don’t go hitting on Paige Joffe.”
    “ What ?”
    “Don’t pull that with me. Everyone knows. Everyone saw you leaving Grey’s together after the auction, and then you were at her house last night, and back again this morning—”
    “That’s nobody’s business.”
    “She’s got enough going on. She doesn’t need you.”
    Dillon ignored this last bit. “And I don’t think you actually mean everyone knows. I think McKenna saw me leave Grey’s Saloon with Paige and then McKenna told you—”
    “McKenna wasn’t the only one.”
    “But that’s not who brought it to your attention, is it?”
    “The point is, you can’t lead Paige on. She’s not one of your sweet young things—”
    “She’s not that old.”
    “I’m not calling her old, but she’s a woman, in her mid to late thirties. A mother —”
    “Very aware of that.”
    “So be careful. Just keep in mind she’s got two little ones that depend on her. You play games with her and it’ll just mess with her head, and that’s not fair to her, or the kids.”
    Dillon gave Trey a long hard look. “Who do you think I am? I’m not an asshole.”
    “Never said you were, but she’s McKenna’s best friend—”
    “Stay out of this.”
    “I’m serious.”
    “So am I.” His hands balled into fists. His lower lip curled as he met Trey’s gaze and held it, acknowledging the challenge in his older brother’s eyes. He didn’t care if Trey was the best fighter that had ever come out of Crawford County. He wasn’t afraid of him, and wasn’t going to be intimidated, either. He was bigger than Trey now, bigger than all of them, and maybe he didn’t have Trey’s speed, but he was no slouch in the ring. He could hold his own. Give him something to think about. “And I know more about her than you think, and I’m not trying to get into her pants. I like Paige. I respect her. And the last thing I want to do is hurt her, especially as I’m out of here two days from now.”
    Trey continued to stare at him, as if weighing Dillon’s answer against the truth, which only made Dillon angrier.
    Tension vibrated