Read Online A Real Cowboy Knows How to Kiss by Stephanie Rowe - Free Book Online

something magical in her world. Instinctively, she reached out and wrapped her fingers in the rough cotton of his shirt. She needed to touch him, to ground herself in his strength, to hold him close.
    He pulled back slightly, not far, but enough that she could see into his eyes when she opened hers. His dark eyes searched hers, as if he was looking for the answers in her soul. Then he smiled as he lightly brushed her hair back from her forehead. "Erin Chambers," he said softly, his voice almost reverent.
    It sounded so amazing to hear him say her name, and she smiled. "Yes?"
    "You need to say no." His eyes darkened, and his expression became more intense. "You need to let go of my shirt, step back, and tell me that I'm not good enough for you. You need to do it right now, or I'm going to think I deserve this, and I'm going to kiss you again."
    Her heart ached at his words, at the loss of arrogance he'd once carried with such pride. "I want you to kiss me again," she whispered. "I don't want to let you go."
    He took a deep breath that mingled with a groan, then his hands came to her cheeks, his palms cradling her face as if she were a fragile crystal that could shatter at any moment. "Don't say that," he said. "I can't do this to you."
    "Do what?" Kiss her? Make her feel like she mattered? Treat her like she was the most precious treasure he'd ever encountered?
    "Drag you into my world." He traced his thumbs over her cheeks, a touch so soft and tender it made her entire soul burn for more. "It's such a bad place, where I live," he said, his voice low and rough. "I don't want you in it, and I don't want you to see it."
    She knew he wasn't talking about his house, and her heart bled a little bit for whatever tragic lessons life had taught him since she'd last seen him. "I don't care." She tugged on his shirt to drag him closer, stood on her tiptoes, and then kissed him.
    For a brief moment, one that felt like an eternity, he didn't respond at all. Embarrassment flooded her. Had she completely misread his reluctance? Had he actually meant it when he'd said he didn't want to kiss her again? Horrified, she started to pull back, but before she could retreat, he palmed the back of her head, cutting off her retreat, and then he kissed her the way she'd always dreamed of.
    It wasn't chaste and sweet this time. There was nothing pure or innocent about it. This time, his kiss was searing passion and insatiable want, poured into an erotic temptation of tongues, lips, and need. His mouth tasted like sinful seduction, and his kiss was demanding and deep. He plunged past all her inhibitions and defenses, coaxing her into a tangle of tongues so intense she felt every nerve ending in her body ignite.
    She released his shirt and slipped her arms around his neck. The moment her hands were no longer between them as a barrier, Steen wrapped his arms around her and hauled her against him. His torso was rock hard against her, a tower of strength and heat. Her breasts were tight against his chest, and her nipples became hard instantly, almost aching with need. He locked one arm around her waist, and his other hand slid beneath her shirt over her lower back. He traced her spine upwards, and then palmed her back between her shoulder blades, pressing her even more tightly against him.
    The feel of his hand on her bare skin was incredible. Hot, rough, and demanding. His fingers kept catching on her bra, and she found herself desperate for him to find the clasp and unfasten it. She wanted his hands on her breasts, and his mouth on her nipples. She wanted every part of this incredible man to become hers. With him, maybe she could be the woman she'd never managed to be, the woman who was sexy enough to keep her man's interest—
    Sudden memories flashed through her mind, dozens of incidents of embarrassment and failure, as a woman and as a lover. What would Steen do when he realized what she was really like? How fast would he run? Oh, God, no. She couldn't