Page 16 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

He gently untangled himself from her arms. “I…uh…”

She sat up, taking the sheet with her to cover herbody. “Yeah.”

“Lastnight…”

“We don’t have to talkaboutit.”

He breathed a sigh of relief. She was giving him an easy out, so why wasn’t hetakingit?

“Do you want to take a shower before you go?” sheasked.

“Yeah.” He sure as hell needed to clear his head. He couldn’t think straight with her scent all overhisskin.

After carefully climbing out of bed, he sidestepped a minefield of clothes to get to the bathroom. Once inside, he turned on the shower and jumped in. The almond-scented soap she coveted sat right next to a bar of cheap hotel soap. He chose the plain bar. He’d go crazy if he had to smell her all day. He was already in a heap of trouble for following his bear’s instinct. He’d just wanted to make sure she got home, but his bear had wanted even more. And he’dgottenit.

Flashes of their lovemaking blazed behind his closed eyes. Just remembering the curve of her breasts, the softness of her thighs, her passionate cries and gentle caresses sent his body into a painfully hard state of arousal. He considered turning off the water and joining her back in bed, but that would be completelyinsane.

She hadn’t exactly jumped for joy when she’d woken up. He couldn’t read the expression on her face. Was she mad? Happy? As confused ashewas?

He wanted to be angry at her for all the hurtful things she’d said to him the night they’d broken up, but it seemed so long ago. He wasn’t the same person anymore and neither was she. Hell, he didn’t know anything about her life. Maybe she had one-night stands all the time and this meant nothing to her. He cringed at thethought.

Last night, they’d given in to the passion only long-lost lovers could know. But in the stark light of day, what did one night of sexreallymean?

As he toweled off, he willed his bear to calm down. He couldn’t walk out with a raging hard-on. If she’d given him any indication that she wanted more sex, he would have been all over her. But he had no idea what he was about to walkoutto.

His hand froze over the doorknob. He steeled himself for the onslaught just in case she waspissed.

When he opened the door, she turned to face him. Fully dressed, she gathered her hair up into a ponytail. She sat on the edge of the bed and watched him get dressed with a look of quiet contemplation. At least shewasn’tmad.

He pulled on his clothes then stood. Because she didn’t say anything, he started. “I guess Ishouldbe—”

“I have something Ineedto—”

He laughednervously.

“You first,” they saidsimultaneously.

She chuckled before turning serious. “I need to show yousomething.”

“What?”

“It’s better if I show you. Can you drive me to mymom’s?”

He hesitated. He wasn’t dumb. She probably wanted to show off the kid, but the thought of another man being inside her made his bear rage. He wasn’t sure he could handle seeing the evidence of another romance. “I have to get back to thehorses.”

“It will be quick. It would mean a lottome.”

Definitely the kid. Ugh. But she had such a hopeful look on her face, he couldn’t find it in himself to turn her down. “All right. But only for aminute.”

She smiled slightly. “Thankyou.”

He hid his discomfort until she’d walked ahead of him, then he frowned. Oh well, it was the least he could do considering she’d given him toe-curlingsex.

They didn’t say more than a few words on the drive to her mother’s house. The tiny studio sat over the pie shop and smelled of fresh-baked goodness. The scent of apples and cinnamon hung like an ever-present blanket of warmth aroundthehome.

She wasn’t kidding when she’d said it was tiny. They’d only taken a couple of steps into the studio before reaching the couch. He sat and waited for her to bring the kid out from the bathroom. Apparently he’d gone face-first into a cherry pie and June needed to hosehimoff.

Rachel paced back and forth as they waited. Her hands wrung together, her eyes downcast. When he couldn’t take another second of her pacing, he reached forherhand.

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