Page 10 of Fool's Gold

"Does that abomination have fleas, too?"

She shot a dirty look his way. "Of course not."

He was leaning up on his elbow, watching her. "Then why are you scratching like my old hound dog, Luke?"

She inched away from him, irritated by his mocking tone. "Drop it. It's none of your business."

His dark eyes narrowed with suspicion as his free hand went to the top button on her long johns. As he started to unbutton it, she jerked away. The last thing she wanted was for him to see her painful rash, the penalty she'd paid for being stubborn.

"Don't worry about it, okay."

His gaze grew concerned. "No, it's not okay. You're burning up, blast it."

Why did he care? Sarah remembered Zeke's comment that she had ruined Rafe and wondered again exactly what toll her leaving had taken on him. He seemed to be functioning well, asfar as she could see. Rafe reached for the button again, and she shrank back.

He whispered dangerously, "Don't even think of moving away. I'm a lot stronger than you are. I'll hold you down if I have to."

She froze. He didn’t make idle threats.

He carefully pulled the garment away from her skin, a look of pure outrage on his face. As his index finger smoothed lightly over her irritated skin, she sighed with bliss and closed her eyes.

Until his harsh voice broke into the silence. "Go put on something light, and I'll get the calamine lotion."

She knew it was the sensible thing to do, yet she balked at the idea. Seeing his exasperated glower, she realized he'd strip the clothes right off her if she hesitated much longer.

She got out of bed, walked to the dresser, and got a blue satin slip out of the drawer. He wouldn't be able to see through it, and it would feel wonderfully cool against her skin.

Rafe's gaze followed her to the bathroom door. She hurriedly closed it behind her, blocking his view.

She climbed out of the long johns and slid the slip over her shoulders. She gasped when she studied her reflection in the mirror. The garment clung to her breasts, highlighting the peaks. She stepped back, and it swung around her hips, the movement a bit enticing.

This was a terrible idea, but it was too late to change without looking stupid.

Opening the door slowly, she peeked around it, looking for him. He was nowhere in sight.

Wonderful. She could make it to the bed without him noticing her skimpy attire. She shut the bathroom door behind her and made a beeline for the bed. When she was halfway there, the bedroom door opened.

Rafe stood in the doorway, clad in a pair of briefs that gleamed in the shadows. He stepped forward, a bottle of pink liquid in hand. His briefs were the same pink shade as the result of a laundry mishap. The fact that he wore them with nary a comment had softened her heart toward him.

She stood motionless, alarmed by his heated gaze, feeling bare to the touch as he stepped nearer.

He opened the bottle and poured the cooling liquid into his hand. He set the bottle on the dresser and rubbed his large, callused hands together, evenly distributing the solution.

Sarah was mesmerized. His hands were so strong, and she'd dreamed of having them touch her. As he stepped into her space, she sucked in a deep breath, drawing in his masculine scent of leather and sandalwood.

His hands rested on her shoulders. The instant he laid them on her, she shuddered, her treacherous body responding to a call as old as time. His hooded gaze locked onto hers as he smoothed his palms along her oversensitive shoulders. His sensual smile ignited a fire that made her nerve endings supercharged.

His index fingers flicked at her spaghetti straps. The fabric skittered off her shoulders, leaving them bare.

She was rooted to the spot.

The slip dropped down to dangle from her upper arms, allowing him a generous glimpse of her cleavage.

His breathing became ragged. His hands slid lower, gliding over the tops of her breasts.

She gasped as a pulling deep inside her ached. It was hot, elemental passion, and all her instincts for self-preservation fought against it. She couldn't fall under his spell again and lose herself.

She stepped back, breaking the contact and the sensual spell between them.

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