Page 14 of The Cowboy's Surprise Return

“Why do you assume I want the bother of a boyfriend and someone who’s around all the time?” She flicked the brim of his hat, then crossed her arms, jutting out a hip.

“Don’t you?” he asked, tugging his hat back into place.

Automatically, her gaze cut to the side, revealing the truth before she could lie to him. Nuts. What was it about this man that made her constantly tip her hand?

“Then I’d better give you a goodbye kiss,” Cole whispered.

“What?” Jackie felt her heart beat faster.

“Kiss you goodbye so you can go about your life.”

She smiled, knowing it was a line, but adoring it for what it was. A move to get what he wanted.

“You’re such a player,” she said coyly.

He stepped back as though hurt. She reached out, grabbed his shoulders and pulled him close. Their lips locked within seconds, and Jackie draped her arms around Cole’s neck. His body felt so good snugged up against hers, and she dreamily wondered how long their resolve would last before they found another reason to kiss.

She caught herself. What was she doing? She was practically offering herself up as a second helping of repeated mistakes.

Although this was a goodbye kiss.

A goodbye kiss that seemed to say hello!

They finally broke apart, stirring the cold air around them. She sighed, her arms still draped across his shoulders. “Don’t let it go to your head, but I’ve gotta tell you. Nobody can kiss like you.”

She caught herself moving toward his mouth again, as though magnetized. He caught her, giving her a long, deep kiss, and she felt any lingering resolve to end it weaken.

It didn’t seem to matter what she told herself. As soon as Cole’s eyes met hers, or he touched her, every grain of logic and resistance fell away. And then she began to wonder… Could this work? What was the harm in what they were doing? They both knew it wasn’t going anywhere real. And it wasn’t like she had anything better to do with her time, or any other offers out there… Man, she was trying so hard to change, and here she was, right back to thinking like her old self, looking for trouble. No wonder she hadn’t yet found love.

She pushed away. “If we go any further, someone’s going to get hurt, because this is not what we want. It’s not part of the plan.”

“Although, if you got hurt…” He bent to the side as though he could study her knee through her jeans. It was still tender and rainbow-colored after last night’s tumble over Rusty. “…maybe I could kiss you better.”

“Cheesy,” she warned.

“I know.” He shot her a look filled with apology. “Is your knee okay?”

“It’s fine. Mostly.”

“I’m totally open to kissing it better.” His gaze tracked downward again. “If I recall, you have very sexy legs.”

She shivered at the idea of his lips on her skin. He was grinning, and heat and tension were building between them like a sudden storm that could bring a flash flood. She struggled against the pull of temptation; the gravity drawing her into the black hole of kissing him again.

“I’m pretty sure this whole thing is a bad idea,” she stated. With a sharp inhale to brace herself, she stepped back, hitting the fob to unlock her car. A shooting star glided across the dark night. She didn’t have time to make a wish before it was gone.

“I’m sorry. I…” She was facing him again, and could feel herself leaning closer, waiting for one of them to break, to lead them into another kiss. She needed to leave. Now.

“It’s fine,” Cole said quickly, shoving a hand into his hair after pulling off his hat. Then he took a large step forward, dropping his hat back on his head. “You drive me crazy, you know that?” He pulled her in for a kiss that was long, hard and deep.

She gasped for air when he ended it, dizzy with the knowledge that she had this effect on him.

“Totally crazy.” He forced himself to step back, and she knew he wasn’t being a player. This wasn’t an act to get what he wanted. It wasn’t a line.

It was the truth.

Dangerous, dangerous truth.

“You drive me crazy, too,” she admitted.

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