Page 235 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

“That was the plan until my mom called.” She didn’t even try to keep the annoyance fromhertone.

“Roughconversation?”

“The worst. She acts like I need to jump every time she tells me to do something. Well maybe I don’t want to jump anymore.” She put her hands on her hips. “Maybe I don’t want to be amarionette.”

“People will treat you the way that you let them. If you don’t want her to treat you like a child anymore, then you need to start standing up for yourself. You need to take control of your life instead of letting her control you,”hesaid.

Late afternoon sunlight glowed like flames across his wavy brown hair. His skin radiated vitality and warmth. She wanted that feeling. She wanted to project the same self-assuredness that Cody possessed. Every time she talked to him, shivers of awareness raced down her spine. She was attracted to his confidence. He knew exactly what he wanted and took action to get it. If she could even have half of his confidence, she’d be able to stand up to herparents.

She flashed back to the sultry kisses Cody had spread across her neck in the spa. She’d dated plenty of eligible bachelors, courtesy of her mother, but no one like him. The few boyfriends she’d had all spoke in the nasally voice of old money. They didn’t have the deep, sexy voice of a cowboy. God, she could listen to Cody talk all day. Low and rumbly, his voice rolled through her likethunder.

Her exes had all been scrawny stickmen. She’d be surprised if any of them could lift more than twenty pounds. Cody could probably carry a horse across the field. Even through his shirt, she sensed ambient power in his strong arms and ripped chest. For the first time in days she knew exactly what shewanted—him.

“You’re giving me that look again,” heteased.

“Whatlook?”

“The one that makes me think you want to lick me from head to toeandback.”

Normally she’d be embarrassed by his statement, but not this time. He gave her a hot, hungry look. Every last thread of propriety melted as her gaze raked down his body. Whatever genteel manners her mother had tried to instill in her vanished the second he took a step forward. She tilted her chin up, knowing exactly what he wanted, because she wantedittoo.

When he cupped her face and stared into her eyes, the intensity of his gaze made her knees buckle. His expression radiated pure,unadulteratedlust.

“You’ll be leaving in a few days,” he said. “Are you sure you want to start something we’ll havetostop?”

“The last thing I want right now is to get tied up in another commitment,” she said. “I swear I’m not normally like this, but if you’re ready for a few days of discreet fun, then soamI.”

“I can tell this isn’t something you doalot.”

“Never,”shesaid.

“Then why now?” he asked as he brushed his thumbs across hercheeks.

“Have you ever wanted to do something completely out of character just to see what it would feel like?” sheasked.

“Well,” he paused as if considering the question. “Not really. I’m pretty content withmylife.”

“I’m not.” She slid her hands around his waist. “But we’ll never see each other again after this week, so why not have alittlefun?”

“That sounds like a line my brother Logan would have used before he got married,”hesaid.

“It’s not a line I’ve ever used before.” She cocked her head to one side and gave him a coy smile. “Are we going to keep talking, or are you going to sneak up tomyroom?”

“Let’s go through the back door.” He grabbed her hand and led her toward thehouse.

She’d never been so bold, so reckless. But in that moment, she didn’t care. She was sick of passing up opportunities in favor of the antiquated notion of respectability her parents loved to uphold. She’d be dammed if she’d miss a night of hot sexwithCody.

As she scurried up the steps to the back porch, she checked to make sure no one was around. Inside the B & B, they passed through the living room on the way to the staircase. When they made it upstairs without running into anyone else, she breathed a sigh of relief. Okay,maybeshe wasn’t quite as carefree as she was pretending to be. She couldn’t exactly undo a lifetime of parent-dictated morality in the span of a coupleofdays.

After stepping into the bedroom, she closed the door behind them. She turned to find Cody eyeing her with a questioning gaze, as if he wasn’t convinced she’d go through with herboldplan.

“Come here, cowboy,”shesaid.

“Yes,ma’am.”

He crossed the room, closing the distance between them. As he gathered her into his arms, twilight filtered through the window to cast long shadows along the wall. His seductive eyes shimmered with carnal intent. She could hardly take a breath. Her heart pounded in anticipation. As he bent to kiss her, pure pleasure exploded acrossherlips.

In an instant, the constant chatter in her mind went silent. A rush of adrenaline surged through her as his tongue parted her lips. She moaned against him, tangling her fingers in his shirt. Every brush of his tongue against hers served to draw her deeper into thefantasy.

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