Page 65 of The Cowboy's Country Charm

“We can take our boots off here.” He pointed to the trunk of a fallen cottonwood tree that was settled on the side of the path. He did a visual sweep to assure there were no critters slithering around, and sat down. They shucked their boots, turning them upside down so no creature could find their way into them.

He grabbed her hand. “Rocks will be slippery. Water’s going to be cold. Best we stay with each other.”

She nodded. Reached up and kissed his cheek. He leaned in, placed a finger under her chin, tilted it up, and opened his mouth wide over hers. Their tongues mated, and she ran her fingers up his neck to tangle with his hair, making his scalp tingle. She let out a lusty moan, kicking up his desire, his yearning, his longing. He slid his mouth to her neck and caressed the soft flesh there with his tongue. She moved her head so that his mouth was once again on her mouth, her tongue once again teasing his tongue. She sighed even as she fed him kisses, hot and wet. He wanted her. With everything he had, he wanted her.

In a heartbeat, she pulled back and looked at him, studying him as if he were some strange being. He pulled her closer, not wanting it to end yet. Or ever.

The scent of fresh laundry and flowers filled his senses. She wrapped her arms around his neck, swept her tongue into his mouth, and he hung on. Their lips were locked for a long, pleasurable moment, blocking out everything but each other. Desire pooled low in his belly as pressure built.

When they came up for air this time, she stepped back. “Well, howdy cowboy.”

He was breathing hard. “Howdy yourself.” Now or never to make his pitch.

Out of the corner of his eye, he caught movement in the high grass. Slithering movement. Heading toward the water. Toward Kristy. Without a moment’s thought, he swept her up into his arms, and she let out an ear-splitting shriek of surprise.

The snake slid right where she’d been standing and into the water. Too close for comfort.

“What are you doing?” She gasped.

“Prairie rattler. Heading right for you.” He nodded his head in the direction of the snake, whose body was still visible, but barely, atop the water.

She shrieked again.

His eardrums were definitely getting a clean out. He didn’t blame her. He didn’t like snakes either.

“It’s okay. It’s not interested in you anymore.”

She stared at him, her eyes wide, her mouth agape.

“Guess you don’t want to go in the water now.” He had to chuckle.

She shook her head with vigor.

“I’ve got something in mind that we could do.” Then he bent down and whispered his idea in her ear.

Chapter 18

He carried her in his arms all the way back to the cabin, walking in bare feet, while she held a pair of boots in each hand. She didn’t care about her boots. Or the snake. She cared about the kisses that had sent her body into a delicious tailspin.

He kicked open the cabin door and stepped just inside the doorway. She felt like she’d tumbled back into time, into a one-room pioneer home. A cot-like bed being the most prominent feature of the room, or at least, the one her gaze settled on first. The wooden logs that formed the walls and single window made it dark, but also cozy, as the sun set outside. A potbellied stove on the far wall was the only other major piece of furniture besides a small table with one chair pulled up next to it. A bouquet of brilliant-yellow sunflowers sat on the table, next to a lantern, brightening the room.

But the wood floor looked recently swept, and a lovely quilt covered the bed. Despite the cabin’s rough exterior, the interior looked sweet and welcoming.

“You set this up?”

He moved to let her down, and she slid against his hard body, enjoying every bump and bulge until her bare feet hit the floorboards.

“Came out yesterday, cleaned it up, put fresh linens on the bed.” He looked kind of embarrassed at his planning.

She dropped the two sets of boots by the door. “I love sunflowers. They’re my favorite. How did you know?” She couldn’t remember mentioning that to anyone.

He shrugged, the grin on his face wide. “They just reminded me of you.”

She stood on tiptoes, wrapped her arms around his neck, pressed her body into his, and she kissed him. His tongue swept inside her mouth, and she tasted him. Salty and sweet. His mouth was aggressive against hers and then, as if a switch had been flipped, his lips softened, caressed, compelled as his hands rubbed her back.

Her heart hammered, her insides warmed, and all she wanted was him. All of him. His fingers brushed through her hair, hot and tingling, while his lips swept against hers, light and teasing. She wanted more.

Suddenly, nothing else mattered. Not the charity event, not her father, not her to-do list, and not her bruised heart. The only thing that mattered was getting closer to Rusty. This was what lust felt like.

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