Page 2 of Long Hard Fall

Stretching, her muscles informed her that yes, she’d been pleasured more than once.

No big. She wouldn’t let it endear her to the stranger she’d invited into her bed. Even Ellis had given her more than one orgasm in a twenty-four-hour period. A high compliment from a man who feared body fluids and germs as much as he did.

Abbi tiptoed to her luggage and collected fresh clothing. Before she showered, she darted around the room and collected her strewn clothing from the night before. Now all she had to do after she dressed was toss in her toiletry bag and run.

Memories of sultry laughter and wet kisses bombarded her. Eventually, it’d all come back.

She looked forward to it.

The memories would be hers alone. Her last impulsive act before she moved on. She owed it to herself after four years with Ellis.

As long as her family never found out. Wild Child Daniels was forever gone in their minds and she couldn’t make a reappearance, no matter how brief. Not after what had happened to her brother. It’d break their hearts if she returned to her partying ways.

Straight-laced Abbi Daniels needed to be the one to return to Green Bay. Her parents were already sick at the thought that she was vacationing alone.

She crept into the bathroom and took the quickest shower of her life. At the sink, she was brushing her teeth and wondering what made up the weird taste in her mouth when she spied a third condom wrapper.

That was it. Alcohol and plastic. God, she hoped he was clean. Even with protection, having her head in the crotch of a man she’d just met wasn’t the most hygienic.

Ugh, listen to you. Soon she’d be spouting off STD statistics like Ellis.

She shrugged into her University of Wisconsin-Madison sweatshirt and pulled on her skinny jeans. Her ballet flats had been bundled in her clothing and she pulled them on. Her knee-high boots were packed already, and it would’ve been too noisy to dig them out. The October days were still warmish so her skimpy shoes would have to do.

Before she opened the door, she ran through her game plan and tried to calm her stomach.

She pushed the door open. The bathroom light fell across the bed. Hotness blinked awake and his crystal-blue gaze landed on her.

For a half a second, she considered abandoning her plan and crawling back into bed with him. Three condom wrappers and a man with his looks… But she couldn’t, her family came first. And the reason why she was in Moore sobered her.

Cash stared at the beauty in the doorway. Damp auburn hair, combed and left hanging straight, dripped water spots onto her gray sweatshirt. The red details in the shirt’s design only highlighted the green flecks in her wary hazel eyes.

It was her eyes that had attracted him last night. They’d been intelligent and full of laughter, not to mention, she’d been alone and wanting company. Always a good sign for a guy like him, a man who had no wish to string a lady along.

He’d been sure she had a boyfriend, but when he’d asked if she was waiting for someone, she’d shoved out the chair next to her with her foot.

What the hell was he still doing in her room? He never slept over. It gave women the wrong idea, and even if he wanted some morning action, he had chores on his ranch to do.

He squinted at the window where sunlight streamed in around the curtains.

Chores he was late for. Hungry horses waited for him, and Patsy Cline could be a hangry beast.

And it’d still be a late night helping his cousins man the combines for harvest.

He swung his gaze back to the woman who looked primed to bolt.

Abbi. No last name. What a coincidence. He hadn’t given her his, either.

“Mornin’.” His voice was rough from sleep.

“So, um…” She shifted her weight and adjusted the small polka-dot bag in her hands. “Take your time. I think checkout is eleven or something.”

She sidled to her suitcase and zipped her bag inside.

“You’re leaving?” He tried to sound cool, but it came out incredulous.

Some of the best sex of his life and she was ditching him.

The irony.

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