Page 50 of Beautiful Distraction

“Hold on to me.” His voice is gentle. I nod and do as herequested. “Ready?” he asks.

I nod, and the horse jolts into action.

Up close, he smells amazing. I inhale the blend of heat andshower gel, of nature and something so heady it makes me want to press my lipsagainst his skin just to see what happens.

Good thing he’s sitting behind me, oblivious to the natureof my thoughts and the irregular beat of my heart.

Get a grip.

He’s just a guy, albeit the hot and forbidden kind.

Like my mother used to say, all women go through the phaseof liking a bad boy…they fuck one, cry over one, and then they marry the boringand safe accountant next door.

I’ve tried my hand at the dating part plenty of times. Mostof the guys I went for were boring, and just plain jerks, who thought sexfollows shortly after the drink tab and is a mandatory part of any first date.However, none of them were like Kellan.

My fingers travel up just a little bit—obviously inneed of something to hold on to. Something hard is prodding my hip—Ican’t tell if it’s the saddle or if the situation is getting Kellan excited.

The thought gets me so hot and bothered, I suck in a gulp ofair. My lungs feel devoid of oxygen, and my breath is coming in odd littlebursts. The picture of him naked and sprawled out on a bed instantly enters mymind. Certain parts of him are blurred, like even my fantasy knows that nothingI’ve ever seen before could measure up to him. I want to look, if only to seewhether that part of him is as delicious as the rest. But I refuse to give into my perverted brain’s command.

OceanofPDF.com

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

After what feels like an eternity, we reach the front porch.Kellan finally unmounts and secures the bridle to the veranda, then lifts me inhis arms again.

He pushes the door open and carries me into the kitchen,setting me down at the table. He leaves for a few minutes and returns with afirst aid kit, a towel, and a bowl. I expect him to return to his chores. Butinstead, he settles besides me, his proximity too close for comfort as hestarts to inspect my ankle again.

His hand feels rough against my skin.

As if he’s worked on a farm all his life.

For the life of me, I cannot imagine him to be a nightclubowner, the kind that parties all night, and yet his expensive car suggests hedoes. At the same time, it’s strange to think that a rich guy like him enjoyspure physical labor. It makes me wonder about his past, who he is, what hedoes.

“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t try to run fromme. I told you to stay close,” Kellan remarks, his hoarse whisper sending aninstant jolt through my body.

Of course he would think that.

“I wasn’t running and most certainly not from you.”

“Yeah. Ava—” He hesitates. Words linger unspoken.

The way he says my name—it’s too hoarse. Too intimate.It rolls off his tongue like it belongs there.

Like he owns it.

My body instantly tenses, and I curse my bad luck for notonly propelling me to Montana and into the arms of this man, but also forbestowing him with an arrogance that makes him way too observant.

“Whatever it is you want to say, don’t,” I mumble. “I can’tdeal with your kind at this point in my life. Not when everything’s finallygoing according to plan.”

“My kind. Really?” He finally stands and then kneels at myfeet. His fingers begin to busy themselves with my swollen calf, applying a wettowel. I wince when he touches the sore spot again. “Here we go. May I ask whatthat is again?”

“Thank you for asking. I’ll be more than happy to enlightenyou. You’re the arrogant prick kind that seems to think a woman’s legs arethere to be pried open. And if you stomp on some hearts in the process, then sobe it. I bet it comes with the job description.”

“You have me all figured out, huh?” He stops and looks atme, his eyes flickering with amusement.

I raise my chin defiantly. “You bet your ass I have.”

His eyes flicker again.

---