Read Online Rodeo Romance (Contemporary Western Romance Short) by Teresa Gabelman - Free Book Online Page B

disagree.” Trisha wondered why her mouth had a habit of running away from her. She was relieved when he laughed low and deep.
    Jake reached out, cupping her chin, and ran his thumb across her cheek. “So soft.”
    She didn’t know what to say, so she said nothing. His touch was gentle, but the feel of his rough hands against her skin had her stomach clenching in a good way. Not fear. Actually, it was the opposite. She felt safe with Jake McCabe.
    “Do you know how to swim?” he said, close to her mouth.
    “Yes, but I’ve never swam in a pond before.” Trisha was surprised how disappointed she was that he asked that question instead of kissing her. “Are fish in there?”
    “Only little ones,” he replied and she knew he was lying. “I’ll make sure you’re safe.” He gave her a slow, sexy wink.
    Trisha laughed. “Yeah, and who is going to save me from you?”
    His light mood seemed to vanish in front of her eyes. “Do you feel that you need to be saved from me?”
    Making a decision on the spot, using nothing but her heart, Trisha shook her head. “No.”
    With a nod, his eyes growing dark, he stood, pulling her up slowly. Wrapping his arms around her, he bent close. This time, his lips didn’t stop, but landed on hers with an urgency that had her body coiled tightly. She had no idea how long the kiss lasted, but it wasn’t long enough. She wanted more. As he pulled away, a low moan deep in her throat escaped.
    “I’ll meet you in the water.” His words had her wanting to strip and run into the crystal blue water like a sex-starved wild woman.
    “Are you going to look?” Her insecurity popped out of her mouth.
    His eyes slowly skimmed from her face down her body. “Definitely.”
    Fear and memories slammed into her. She wasn’t perfect by far. Maybe if she waited long enough, it would be too dark for him to see anything. She wasn’t ugly, but she wasn’t confident enough in her body to prance around naked in front of Jake. What in the hell was she doing? This wasn’t like her. She didn’t just get naked and swim with someone she barely knew. Yet, deep down, she really wanted to do exactly that. She wanted to break out of the shell she had climbed deeper into since Doug. She didn’t want to care what her body looked like or care what anyone thought, but she didn’t know if she was strong enough to do that.
    Jake was watching her closely. “We don’t have to do this, Trisha.”
    “I want to swim,” she assured him. She looked back at the water, then to him. “It’s just…”
    “You can keep on every piece of clothing you have, though that will break my damn heart, but nothing is going to happen that you don’t want to happen. I know we just met, but swimming in a pond in the Texas heat is part of the adventure here on the McCabe Ranch.”
    “Do you provide this adventure to all of your guests?” She cocked her eyebrow at him. “Because I don’t think Linda would like you carrying Phil naked into the pond.” She laughed at the thought of him doing just that, until something else occurred to her, causing her to pull away from him.
    “Phil would probably like it,” Jake teased with a chuckle, talking about their two oldest guests, but then frowned when Trisha pulled away from him. “What?”
    “Exactly how many times have you done this?” Trisha suddenly felt stupid. He had probably done this with countless women over the years.
    “Swam in the pond? Thousands, but always alone,” Jake reassured her. “This is my spot. Not even Tim knows of it as far as I know. Actually, I’m damn sure he doesn’t know because he would have used it for a watering hole by now. You are the only one I’ve ever brought here.”
    Trisha didn’t say anything, but she believed him. A warm sensation swarmed her body at his admission.
    “I’m not a liar.” Jake frowned down at her, taking her silence as not believing him. “I don’t need to lie and play tricks with women.”
    She knew he stood