Page 72 of Cowboy's Last Stand
“How about a hike?”
“You want to hike?”he asked, surprised.
“A short hike.More of a stroll, actually.There’s a wilderness preserve nearby.We could have a picnic.”
He stared at her for several seconds because she was so beautiful in her soft robe, with sunlight in her hair.A picnic with her sounded unbelievably perfect.It was far better than he deserved.He knew he would pay a price for every minute he lingered here under false pretenses, but he still didn’t have the strength to say no.He couldn’t deny her anything.
“All right,” he said again, his voice hoarse.
She gave him a closer study.“How did you sleep?”
He shrugged, touching his sore neck.
“You look tired.Sit down, and I’ll give you a massage.”
He wasn’t going to say no to that, either.She led him back to the porch and sat on the top step, gesturing for him to join her.He sat on the second step with his back to her, and his legs stretched out.She hiked up her robe to accommodate him.He settled between her knees and surrendered to her ministrations.It was like coming home.
She kneaded his tight muscles with gentle fingers.Her thumbs stroked a pathway from the base of his skull to mid-shoulder.Everything she did felt so good.He groaned in a combination of ecstasy and agony.She identified places he didn’t know were sore and released the tension like a thread unraveling.
After a few minutes, his sore neck became a distant memory, and a new ache started.His body had melted into a puddle in her lap, her slender thighs cradling him.Sunlight warmed the fly of his jeans, and blood pooled to his groin.He guessed she was wearing panties, but his mind discarded them.He fantasized about her bare skin, with no barriers between them.He imagined turning and burying his face between her legs.
Predictably, he became aroused.
Her hands continued to work their magic.He tried to think of something besides oral sex, but he couldn’t.He was lost to the idea of tasting her.His cock throbbed like a sore thumb, jutting against the denim.
Making a strangled sound, he reached up to still her hand on his neck.“Thank you.It’s much better now.”
“You’re welcome.”
He released her hand and stared at the inside of her knee.He wanted to nuzzle her silky thigh and kiss his way upward.When he glanced over his shoulder at her, she was staring at his erection.The length was clearly visible.Jason should have made an attempt to hide his arousal, but he didn’t.He let her look.
“Sorry,” she said abruptly.
He turned forward again.“For what?”
“I solved one problem and caused another.”
“This problem will go away in a minute.”
She disentangled herself from him and rose from the step, adjusting the front of her robe.He didn’t get a glimpse of any lingerie or any female parts.His gaze rose to her face and searched her topaz eyes.
He was in love with her.
His heart lodged in his throat at the realization.
Somewhere between trying to confess his sins last night and adding new sins to the list this morning, he’d fallen in love with her.He had no idea how to process the emotion.It dawned on him that he was even more stunted than his father in terms of expressing his feelings.Jason resented his father for putting a mirror up to his face, reflecting their shared flaws.
The realization added to the discomfort of his arousal.He felt raw and exposed in a way he didn’t like.She studied him curiously, as if she could see the tumult on his face, and expected him to explain it.When he didn’t speak, she inclined her head and slipped back inside, giving him the space he needed.
He sat forward with his elbows on his knees and contemplated his predicament.How could he tell her who he really was and why he’d come to Texas without hurting her?It was too little, too late all over again.He’d ruined his chances to be with her, and now he was trapped in a disaster of his own making.There was no way out.Every possible move ended in doom.Every option caused them both more pain.
After a long deliberation, he rose from the step and went to the garage.He might as well fix something before he self-destructed.
Chapter Fifteen
Natalie left withMarcus in the early afternoon.
She’d finished her errands and tidied the house first because she wanted a clear schedule for tomorrow.She was looking forward to the picnic with Jason, even though Marcus had to come along.Maybe she could ask London to babysit on a Sunday next weekend, and they could have the luxury of a private date.
