Saibo-creator/bookcorpus_deduplicated · Datasets at Hugging Face

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`` i prefer my ranch in montana . ''
it was the first time he 'd mentioned the ranch although she knew of its existence through bob .
she had trouble reconciling the high-flying zack dimarco from the gossip pages with the rancher .
it just seemed so implausible .
she could n't imagine too many of his la babes wanting to rough it on a ranch for a weekend .
she stifled a giggle and said , `` why ? ''
`` it 's more ... homely .
this is all hollywood glitz .
you may not believe this , but it appeared in house and garden about a piece on bachelor 's homes . ''
`` they liked it too , but i always felt it had no ... soul . ''
well montana 's too far away . ''
she curled her arms around his neck and rubbed her ni**les across his chest .
`` and right now my apartment 's too far away too .
so i guess we 'll have to settle for this horrible place . ''
`` where was that bedroom again ? ''
*** zack snuggled into the warm body next to him .
annie felt good .
so sensual , so amazing in bed .
he blinked up at the ceiling , his brain slowly waking up .
in his defence , annie had made him sleep with her .
by giving him that look , the one that smoldered and enticed , he was a goner .
looking at the photo again of his family had driven everything home again .
his father 's constant tiredness , his mother trying to make ends meet , her continual harping and the loss of his father 's talent , and his will to live .
there 'd been nothing in their lives that had brought happiness .
certainly not the six children , the arrival of each bringing the end of their father 's music career , and marriage , a little closer .
zack would n't live like that .
he may not be wealthy for long if he fulfilled his dream and what woman would give up everything for him ?
especially an la woman born and bred who was used to a certain lifestyle and comforts .
annie may not have money but the city was in her blood .
no , he had to do it right this time .
had to end it before it got too far .
it would be difficult , hell , but looking down at the sleeping beauty beside him , he knew he had to do it before he ruined her life .
*** `` mmmm , zack . ''
annie rolled into him and that 's when she realized he was sitting up .
she blinked in the dim light .
she heard him sigh and her stomach fluttered as the sense of foreboding increased .
`` look , annie , we need to talk . ''
he sighed again and plucked at the sheet .
she should 've expected this .
he 'd already made it clear he was n't looking for a relationship , and in the heat of the moment , she thought that was fine with her .
but now , as he prepared to give her the bad news , she was n't so sure anymore .
she did n't think she could handle reading about his latest attractive conquest in the gossip pages .
she struggled to hold back hot tears .
`` you do n't want me to get the wrong idea , but this is just sex .
he touched her shoulder but she shrugged his hand away .
deep down , she 'd hoped he might eventually come round to the idea of having something other than occasional sex .
`` baby , i do n't know what to say ... '' `` then do n't . ''
she got out of bed then remembered her clothes were way back in the entrance hall .
no need to spell it out . ''
if things were different , if i wanted to settle down , then you 'd definitely be at the top of my list . ''
she scoffed , unable to believe what she was hearing .
`` annie , wait . ''
`` call me a cab . ''
i 'm not staying here one second longer .
you 've made yourself clear , zack , and i 'm glad you did .
you know , i thought i could do this , but i ca n't .
that 's one of the things i like about you .
he reached for her but she shrugged him off .
`` the least you can do is let me leave with my dignity . ''
she picked up the phone in the kitchen and called a cab then found her clothes .
zack watched her from the hall , arms crossed , eyes darkly brooding .
and as beautifully naked as a greek god .
he stared down at his bare feet .
the vulnerability in his voice numbed her .
she wanted to touch him , stroke his ruffled hair into place and kiss his forehead , but she could n't .
it was too intimate a gesture now .
`` i 'll wait outside .
he stood in the doorway as she walked quickly down the drive .
`` i 'll pick you up tomorrow night at eight , '' he called after her .
she would 've asked why but she did n't want to turn around so he could see her tears .
he must have read her mind though because he added , `` for louisa 's party . ''
if she decided to go .
of course she had to go .
bob needed her to get dug-e and being seen with the right people on zack dimarco 's arm was like having a ticket to the moon-very rare and very expensive .
*** zack closed the door when the lights of the cab faded away .
he slumped against it and ran his hand through his hair .
if he 'd just kept his mouth shut , none of this would have happened .
they 'd still be friends , she 'd still be teasing him .
he swore and thumped the door with his fist .
although he felt awful-worse than he thought he would-he 'd done the right thing .
annie was the last person he wanted to string along .
she was too sweet , too vulnerable .
she did n't deserve to be led to believe he wanted a relationship with her .
best she knew the truth before it went too far .
perhaps he should 've said something before tonight , but he 'd wanted her so bad , he doubted nothing would have stopped them from ending up where they did .
he sighed as he put the kettle on in the kitchen .
he was n't going to get any sleep tonight so he might as well enjoy a strong coffee .
if only she was n't the marrying kind , they could 've kept on having great sex , no strings attached .
tomorrow night was going to be hell at louisa 's party , but he had to go .
he needed to help out bob .
he owed him for what he 'd done all those years ago .
*** the next night , annie dressed in one of the new skirts and low-cut tops she 'd bought with zack .
too slutty .
she tried on the leather pants but they only made her look like a biker , although she liked the way they hugged her butt .
maybe the hipsters .
the reflection in the mirror winked with approval .
eat your heart out zack dimarco .
with an electric blue top that revealed enough cle**age to make a man drool but not enough to make him drool on her , she decided she could pass for someone who knew what she was doing .
she straightened her hair and applied makeup according to the instructions on a youtube video .
the first three attempts made her look like dracula 's bride but after the fourth , she got the hang of it .

`` i prefer my ranch in montana . ''

it was the first time he 'd mentioned the ranch although she knew of its existence through bob .

she had trouble reconciling the high-flying zack dimarco from the gossip pages with the rancher .

it just seemed so implausible .

she could n't imagine too many of his la babes wanting to rough it on a ranch for a weekend .

she stifled a giggle and said , `` why ? ''

`` it 's more ... homely .

this is all hollywood glitz .

you may not believe this , but it appeared in house and garden about a piece on bachelor 's homes . ''

`` they liked it too , but i always felt it had no ... soul . ''

well montana 's too far away . ''

she curled her arms around his neck and rubbed her ni**les across his chest .

`` and right now my apartment 's too far away too .

so i guess we 'll have to settle for this horrible place . ''

`` where was that bedroom again ? ''

*** zack snuggled into the warm body next to him .

annie felt good .

so sensual , so amazing in bed .

he blinked up at the ceiling , his brain slowly waking up .

in his defence , annie had made him sleep with her .

by giving him that look , the one that smoldered and enticed , he was a goner .

looking at the photo again of his family had driven everything home again .

his father 's constant tiredness , his mother trying to make ends meet , her continual harping and the loss of his father 's talent , and his will to live .

there 'd been nothing in their lives that had brought happiness .

certainly not the six children , the arrival of each bringing the end of their father 's music career , and marriage , a little closer .

zack would n't live like that .

he may not be wealthy for long if he fulfilled his dream and what woman would give up everything for him ?

especially an la woman born and bred who was used to a certain lifestyle and comforts .

annie may not have money but the city was in her blood .

no , he had to do it right this time .

had to end it before it got too far .

it would be difficult , hell , but looking down at the sleeping beauty beside him , he knew he had to do it before he ruined her life .

*** `` mmmm , zack . ''

annie rolled into him and that 's when she realized he was sitting up .

she blinked in the dim light .

she heard him sigh and her stomach fluttered as the sense of foreboding increased .

`` look , annie , we need to talk . ''

he sighed again and plucked at the sheet .

she should 've expected this .

he 'd already made it clear he was n't looking for a relationship , and in the heat of the moment , she thought that was fine with her .

but now , as he prepared to give her the bad news , she was n't so sure anymore .

she did n't think she could handle reading about his latest attractive conquest in the gossip pages .

she struggled to hold back hot tears .

`` you do n't want me to get the wrong idea , but this is just sex .

he touched her shoulder but she shrugged his hand away .

deep down , she 'd hoped he might eventually come round to the idea of having something other than occasional sex .

`` baby , i do n't know what to say ... '' `` then do n't . ''

she got out of bed then remembered her clothes were way back in the entrance hall .

no need to spell it out . ''

if things were different , if i wanted to settle down , then you 'd definitely be at the top of my list . ''

she scoffed , unable to believe what she was hearing .

`` annie , wait . ''

`` call me a cab . ''

i 'm not staying here one second longer .

you 've made yourself clear , zack , and i 'm glad you did .

you know , i thought i could do this , but i ca n't .

that 's one of the things i like about you .

he reached for her but she shrugged him off .

`` the least you can do is let me leave with my dignity . ''

she picked up the phone in the kitchen and called a cab then found her clothes .

zack watched her from the hall , arms crossed , eyes darkly brooding .

and as beautifully naked as a greek god .

he stared down at his bare feet .

the vulnerability in his voice numbed her .

she wanted to touch him , stroke his ruffled hair into place and kiss his forehead , but she could n't .

it was too intimate a gesture now .

`` i 'll wait outside .

he stood in the doorway as she walked quickly down the drive .

`` i 'll pick you up tomorrow night at eight , '' he called after her .

she would 've asked why but she did n't want to turn around so he could see her tears .

he must have read her mind though because he added , `` for louisa 's party . ''

if she decided to go .

of course she had to go .

bob needed her to get dug-e and being seen with the right people on zack dimarco 's arm was like having a ticket to the moon-very rare and very expensive .

*** zack closed the door when the lights of the cab faded away .

he slumped against it and ran his hand through his hair .

if he 'd just kept his mouth shut , none of this would have happened .

they 'd still be friends , she 'd still be teasing him .

he swore and thumped the door with his fist .

although he felt awful-worse than he thought he would-he 'd done the right thing .

annie was the last person he wanted to string along .

she was too sweet , too vulnerable .

she did n't deserve to be led to believe he wanted a relationship with her .

best she knew the truth before it went too far .

perhaps he should 've said something before tonight , but he 'd wanted her so bad , he doubted nothing would have stopped them from ending up where they did .

he sighed as he put the kettle on in the kitchen .

he was n't going to get any sleep tonight so he might as well enjoy a strong coffee .

if only she was n't the marrying kind , they could 've kept on having great sex , no strings attached .

tomorrow night was going to be hell at louisa 's party , but he had to go .

he needed to help out bob .

he owed him for what he 'd done all those years ago .

*** the next night , annie dressed in one of the new skirts and low-cut tops she 'd bought with zack .

too slutty .

she tried on the leather pants but they only made her look like a biker , although she liked the way they hugged her butt .

maybe the hipsters .

the reflection in the mirror winked with approval .

eat your heart out zack dimarco .

with an electric blue top that revealed enough cle**age to make a man drool but not enough to make him drool on her , she decided she could pass for someone who knew what she was doing .

she straightened her hair and applied makeup according to the instructions on a youtube video .

the first three attempts made her look like dracula 's bride but after the fourth , she got the hang of it .