Read Online A Knight In Cowboy Boots by Suzie Quint - Free Book Online

Zach’s fingers and the gentle way they cupped Jesse’s head intensified her yearning.
    She didn’t intend to sleep, but in only moments, her eyes slowly closed. As she began to sink into slumber, she recognized there was something odd about Zach’s hands, but she was asleep before the deep, instinctual part of her brain could tell her what it was.
     

Chapter Five
     
    The music had ended when Zach slowly came awake. The room had the muted peace of a church. He was content to just lay there, eyes closed, with Jesse’s warm little body sprawled on top of him. He opened his eyes to look at the clock beside the bed and found Maddie lying beside him.
    His first thought was how sweet it was to wake up to find her there. It only took a moment more to imagine how much sweeter it would be to wake her and make love to her, but he didn’t know how much of her willingness the night before had been the alcohol.
    Zach eased off the bed, careful not to jar Jesse awake. He laid the boy in the crib, then went to the bathroom to relieve himself.
    Maddie hadn’t moved when he got back. Zach lay down on his stomach beside her and studied her face. She was a few years younger than he was, he thought, but there were the beginnings of faint worry lines on her forehead. He wanted to rub them away. Instead he flipped onto his side, scooting in close to her, and softly kissed her forehead. When that didn’t wake her, he kissed the tip of her nose, then her eyelids.
    Without warning, she shoved both hands hard against his chest and rolled off the bed.
    “Maddie! Maddie, what—?”
    She crawled halfway to the door before she stopped.
    “Zach?”
    “You were expecting someone else?” Zach caught his breath. “You were expecting someone else,” he said in a more sober tone. “Good Lord, Maddie. What did the son of a bitch do to you?”
    Maddie slid around until she was sitting on the floor facing him, her legs drawn up protectively in front of her. She shook her head helplessly then dropped her forehead onto her knees.
    Zach scrambled off the bed. There on the floor, he wrapped his arms around her and began rocking her gently back and forth.
    “Stop it.” Maddie pushed him away. “Don’t. I can’t—” She took several deep breaths. “You’ll undo me.”
    “What? You’re afraid to lean on someone? You don’t have to be strong every minute, you know.”
    “Yes, I do.”
    He could see that nothing he could say would convince her, so he bit his lip to keep from trying.
    “I should take Jesse home.”
    “He’s still napping. You can wait ’til he wakes up, can’t you?”
    She didn’t answer, but she made no move to get off the floor either. Zach stood and offered her a hand, pulling her to her feet when she took it.
    Maddie stepped over to the crib. She crossed her forearms across her chest in an X, hooking her fingers on her shoulders, and looked down at Jesse. Zach came up behind her in the narrow space between the bed and the crib. Careful not to let the gesture seem sympathetic, he put his hands on her arms, just below her hands. Looking over her shoulder, he said, “Little kids amaze me the way they sleep. I swear a bomb could go off right next to them and they’d never even notice if they’re tired enough.”
    “It’s like his bones turn to Jell-O,” Maddie agreed, her voice soft with love.
    Zach dropped his chin onto one of Maddie’s hands and wrapped his arms around her from behind. She tipped her head so their temples touched. They stood like that for a while, just watching Jesse sleep.
    Maddie’s hair smelled like pineapple and coconut and some other tropical fruit he couldn’t name. Zach closed his eyes and nuzzled her ear. She leaned her head back against his shoulder, giving him easier access. He turned her face and, as he was kissing the corner of her mouth, she turned in his arms. Their mouths found each other. She seemed to want passionate kisses, but Zach held back, afraid moving too quickly would