Page 43 of Cowboy Stole My Heart
“How did that end up sounding so…”
“Sexual?” he finished for her when she seemed lost for words.
“Exactly.”
“Because,” he said, moving closer to her, seeing how quickly she reacted to him by the way her cheeks colored, “you expected some kind of booty call, and instead I suggested dinner. Which means you’re wondering what’s going on, and what’s going to happen between us.”
She let out a breath, hand resting on the saddle she’d recently placed down. “And just like that you’re a mind reader as well as a horse whisperer. Amazing.”
“Am I wrong?”
“What, that you thought I only expected sex?” She shrugged, but he knew she was doing a good job of pretending she found it easy to talk like that, rather than actually being comfortable. She was too easy to read.
“Let me start again,” he said, moving closer and holding out a hand to her. When she raised her own he clasped it and tugged her into his body. “Would you like to share a meal tonight, so we can discuss our ground rules?” He didn’t want her to think this was anything more than it was, but he wasn’t about to treat her badly or use her. There was no way he’d ever do to someone else what his ex had done to him. Breaking hearts was not on his agenda, not intentionally anyway.
“Rules?” she asked him, standing on tiptoe. “You haverules?”
“Yeah, rules,” he replied, pausing before kissing her. “So neither of us ends up thinking the other is a jerk.”
Mia was the one who kissed him, her lips whisperingacross his, teasing him, drawing him in, and damn if he didn’t like the way she took charge. She wrapped her arms around him, and he didn’t need any encouragement to walk her backwards, to push her up against the wall in between the saddles and grab her hands. She was full of surprises and driving him wild. He pinned her hands above her, using one of his hands to hold them in place, the other snaking around her, holding her tight to him.
Mia moaned and it spurred him on, the combination of her wet mouth and the way she thrust her hips hard into him making it almost impossible to hold back. But he wasn’t about to strip her naked amongst the horse gear, where anyone, including her brother, could find them. He didn’t need a black eye or a broken nose from an over-protective big brother for having sex with Mia in a public place.
Sam kissed her one more time, let go of her wrists and skimmed both hands down her body, before pulling back.
“Not here. Come on,” he said, tugging her hand.
Mia complied, not fighting his hold. “My place for the night?”
“Not the whole night,” he said, slipping an arm around her and liking the feel of her fingers looping through his belt buckle when she did the same. “But yeah, back to your place.”
If she was disappointed that he’d said no to the whole night, she didn’t say. But that was one of his rules. He didn’t stay over. Boyfriends stayed the night. Husbands shared beds with their wives. And he didn’t have plans to be any of those any time soon. Or ever.
“I need to check on the other horses first,” she said, looking like she wanted to do anythingbutstay behind and do her rounds.
“Mind if I head over to your place and take a shower then?” he asked. “Unless you need help here?”
“Go for it. The door’s unlocked and there are towels and everything you need in the bathroom. Use the master one.”
He nodded and kissed her again. Her arm was still wrapped around him, and she slowly let go of his belt loop and used one hand to push him away.
“See you soon.”
Sam watched her go. If Kelly hadn’t happened, if he’d never been through what he had the year before, maybe he’d be standing here wondering if Mia was the one. But nothing could take away what had happened to him, nothing could make him forget the sting of betrayal and the pain of seeing the person he loved treat him as if what they had meant nothing.
He turned and headed for the house, wondering where Blue was. He whistled and waited, knowing his dog wouldn’t be far away. When Blue caught up to him he walked to Mia’s house, ready to wash off the dust and grit that had attached to his skin from a day out in the hot Texas sun. By the time Mia was done for the day, he’d smell a whole lot better than he did right now, that was for sure.
And this time when he had her pressed up against him, there would be nothing to hold him back.
