Sharisse considered all that had been said leading up to the fight, and her back stiffened. But her expression was innocent when she looked at Lucas.
“All I did was suggest that if she had been as satisfying a mistress as she believed, then you would have continued the relationship instead of looking for a wife.”
Lucas flinched. “So she told you?”
“Actually, what she said was that she hadhadyou first, and she couldhaveyou again if she wanted you. She’s rather…coarse.”
“Did you believe her?”
“I saw no reason to doubt such a blatant claim.” The iciness in her manner was becoming more pronounced.
“I’ll be damned.” Lucas grinned. “You’re jealous, aren’t you? That’s why you socked her.”
“Don’t be absurd,” Sharisse declared hotly. “But you could have warned me, Lucas. Where I come from, a man doesn’t force his fiancée to dine with his ex-mistress.”
“Damn it, she was never my mistress, Sharisse. I saw her occasionally, not on a regular basis, and not exclusively. She made it clear she was available, and we had some good times. That’s all there was to it. When she married Newcomb, that finished it. Her boasting that she can have me again is wrong. I don’t mess with other men’s wives.”
“And if she weren’t married?”
He smiled. “Why would I want her when I have you?”
Sharisse blushed and looked away. But her voice was firm as she ventured, “If she gave you such a good time, why didn’t you marry her?”
“If a man married every woman he fooled around with, he’d end up with a passel of wives, honey. Are you really going to make me account for everything I did before you got here?”
“You didn’t answer my question, Lucas. Why didn’t you marry her when you had the chance?”
“I could say that I thought she wouldn’t make a good wife, but the fact is I simply wasn’t looking for a wife back then. Now, does that appease your jealousy?”
“I wasn’t jealous,” she insisted.
“Of course not,” he said smoothly, enjoying himself.
She gasped. “Oh, I could just scream! Take me home, Mr. Holt. I’ve had too much of your stimulating conversation this evening.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He chuckled and whipped the buggy into motion.
The ride took place in silence. When they reached the ranch, he turned the buggy over to Mack and escorted Sharisse to the house. She waited only long enough for Lucas to get a lamp lit so she could see her way to her room. His blunt question, just as she entered her room stopped her in her tracks.
“Who is Joel?”
She stopped, then swung around. “Where did you hear that name?”
“From you.”
Her mind raced. “I don’t talk in my sleep, do I?”
“No, but you mumble a lot when you’re drunk.”
There wasn’t any humor in his voice. And his expression was somber. She was instantly wary.
“Joel is a friend, Lucas. Someone I grew up with. Why? What did I say?”
“You told your father that you didn’t want to marry him. That Stephanie loves him, not you.” He walked toward her as he spoke, stopping too close to her, forcing her to meet his eyes. “Is that why you ran away from your father, Sharisse?”
“No,” almost slipped out, but then she realized what his question implied. “You think I’m that girl Mr. Buskett was telling us about, don’t you?”
“Aren’t you?”
