Page 2 of The Cowgirl's Secret Love
“He’s family. I guess they get to be a little more asshole-ish than your everyday stranger.”
“Chérie.” He spoke softly. “Family should support instead of push.”
That was a mouthful. In light of all the other annoying things in her world, broken leg notwithstanding, Karen didn’t want to spend a lot of time thinking about family and their lack of support.
What she did want was to enjoy flirting with this intriguing man.
She offered him a smile and a bit of a raised brow. “I didn’t catch your name.”
His lips curled at the corners. Just enough to turn his rugged expression dangerously sexy. “Finn. Can I buy you a drink?”
Considering she’d debated going home, the idea of staying was more attractive than expected. “If you don’t mind that I left my dancing shoes at home.”
“We’ll see about that. Drink first.”
The nearest door led onto the dance floor, which was a bad idea, all things considered. The closest parking space Karen had been able to find meant she planned to walk through the noisy side of the bar and head into the quieter section to meet up with her sisters. While the Coleman clan tended to gather on Fridays at Traders Pub, there were enough of them that even though it was Tuesday, more than Lisa and Tamara were bound to be around somewhere.
Only, Finn had an agenda on this side of the pub. He guided her to the side of the room where tall chairs were placed around high-top tables. “Let’s see if I can get you comfortable.”
The innuendo in his tone sent shivers along her skin. To hell with it. The only deadline she had in the morning was a meeting she wasn’t looking forward to. No chores beyond the basics, so having a little fun with a stranger who would be gone by tomorrow sounded like the perfect distraction.
Finn had tucked his arm around her, their bodies close enough for them to hear each other over the music and the din of voices. Karen turned toward him, cheek brushing his. “Comfortable is not a word I’m familiar with at the moment.”
He rocked slightly, heat rising. He twisted behind her, lips ghosting her earlobe as he answered, “Let’s see if I can do something about that.”
There was something delicious about doing this here. On her home turf, where she knew everyone except the man settling onto the chair behind her. He opened his legs wide then leaned her against his strong thigh.
“Ease back against me,chérie. That’s it. That’s got to be more comfortable than a minute ago.”
He stroked her hair back over her neck. She wondered what weird magic he possessed that made her feel free to do this. Not to mention that no one from her family had come rushing forward to give her hell or ruin the moment.
Because it was a moment. She was enveloped in heat. At her back, along her side. His arm supported her, his thigh as well, and the faintest smile on his lips said he knew all too well exactly how relaxed she was.
Except for deciding how far she wanted to let this go, everything was absolutely perfect.
“What can I get you to drink?” Finn asked. A deep rumble that tickled in her ears.
“Pepsi,” Karen said dryly. “With ice.”
He hesitated for a moment before understanding spread across his face. “You’re on painkillers.”
“Bingo.” She adjusted her arm to get more comfortable, whichhappenedto mean sliding it around his torso. “This okay?”
“Just fine.” Finn waved over one of the waitresses, ordering Karen’s soda and a beer for himself.
Tiffany eyed Karen, then Finn, then Karen again.
One of the downfalls of small-town living. Everyone knew everyone.
When the girl walked off without making a comment, Karen wondered if she’d actually fallen into some sort of alternate reality. First Jesse, now Tiffany, leaving without teasing or digging for dirt?
If this was an alternate universe, how long did she get to stay?
“How bad is your leg?” Finn asked.
His hand around her waist was warm and strong and very distracting. His thumb slid back and forth along the line where her waistband ended.
Karen made a face and for once told the truth. “Pretty bad. I had a bit of a run-in with a horse trailer, which makes being hurt damn annoying as well as physical bullshit. I don’t have problems with horses,” she informed him briskly. Then she made a face. “Except this time. I don’t blame him, it was an equipment failure, but it messed me up pretty good. I want to get back to work, but the pain’s bad enough I have to take the meds.”
