Page 33 of Wrangled Up

Something shifted behind her eyes. “I’m happy to help out.” Her voice raised on the last word in a defensive echo of her posture. She extended one foot and tapped it.

“No, Claire, you misunderstand me. I don’t want you to stop coming up. I want you to start staying here with me.”

Shock washed her features clean. “What?”

“Yeah.” He wanted to look away, too worried about her rejection, but he refused to be that sort of man. “I’ve been sleeping in the guest room. Actually, I’ve been waking up on the couch fully dressed most mornings, but that’s beside the point.”

A reluctant smile twitched the corner of her lips.

“If you stay here, you don’t have to get up so early.”

“That’s all? The only reason for me to stay?”

He reeled her in by the wrist, bringing her so close that her breasts brushed his chest. Leaning over her, he whispered, “I want you to sleep in my arms.”

She dropped her head so he stared at the glossy curls inches from his nose. He ran his finger over her pulse and found it tripping out of control.

“Say you’ll try it for one night.”

“I won’t say that because I know I’ll want more.”

Her words split his heart. It opened up and tugged her more firmly inside.

He caressed her head with his lips, tasting her citrusy shampoo. His smile spread over the sun-warmed curls. “We’ll have more then.”

A heartbeat stretched between them, then she wrapped her arms around his waist. “One thing I need if I’m to stay here though.”

“Anything.” Breakfast in bed. Late-night cowgirl rides. His balls tightened.

She tilted her face up to meet his gaze. And he couldn’t help himself. He hooked a finger under her chin and drew her mouth to his. The crush of lips was sweet, filled with promise and an underlying thread of passion.

When she pulled away, she gave him another smile to add to his horde. “I come as a package deal, Christian. If I stay here on the ranch with you, so does Aunt Letty.”

* * * * *

“That coyote has one of the chickens!” Claire shrieked. Reddish brown feathers were scattered over the grass, and the squawking raised the hair all over Claire’s body.

“Get behind me. Where?” Christian jerked a rifle to his shoulder just as she skittered behind him. The predator was out of sight, so he started stalking forward.

A curdling squeal from the chicken ended abruptly as its life was obviously snuffed out.

“Goddamn it.” He fired a shot.

She plastered herself against his back, trembling slightly. A slight pause, thenChristian swung the weapon downward and reached behind him, grasping at Claire’s side.

“Got away.”

“It’s my fault,” she whispered.

At that, he turned. “How can it be your fault? You put that hen in the coyote’s jaws?”

“I didn’t put the chickens away early enough.” She’d been lagging with this evening’s chores, her body exhausted but her mind on other things—like on Christian’s muscled chest and soul-shattering kisses.

The click of the safety sounded, then Christian leaned the rifle against the coop. Gathering her into his arms, he nestled her against that chest she ached to feel moving over her. “Not your fault. Now come on inside and I’ll make you a mean grilled cheese while you clean up.”

She shook her head. “I’ll go home tonight. I need to talk with Letty about this decision. I know she’ll want to be wherever I am, but it might unnerve her to uproot herself from her comfortable house. She’s not young, you know.”

He pressed a kiss to the corner of Claire’s mouth, maddeningly close. So close that hermouth watered and her pussy pulsated. A hum of want issued from her chest unbidden.

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