Read Online Tempestuous/Restless Heart by Tami Hoag - Free Book Online Page A

Alex muttered, staring at the woods and the path that eventually led back to her farm. She had a good mile hike ahead of her.
    “You can ride my horse. I’ll walk. We’ll go to your place, since it’s nearer,” Christian said as he started to get up. Planting his right foot, he winced, sucked in a breath through his teeth, and sank back down to the ground. There was a definite strain in his voice when he said, “Check that. I’m afraid I won’t be able to play the gallant after all.”
    Alex’s heart leapt into her throat again as she hurried over to him, forgetting all about cool restraint and suppressing her emotions. “What is it? Is something broken?”
    “Ankle,” he barked between held breaths. Gradually the pain subsided to a vicious throb, and the rest of his body relaxed. “I must have twisted it in the fall.”
    Guilt and anger warred inside Alex. He had been trying to save her from a possible disaster, but he wouldn’t have gotten hurt if he had stayed out of her life altogether. Blast it, she hadn’t asked for him to take an interest in her. Nor had she asked for the tender feelings and the longing to comfort that blossomed within her now.
    “Be a love and help me get the boot off before the swelling makes it impossible,” he said.
    “Are you sure?” she asked, hesitantly taking his foot in her hands. “It’ll hurt.”
    “Not as bad as having to cut it off. These are my favorite boots.”
    Not to mention expensive, Alex thought, eyeing the softly polished black leather. She could have paid a month’s feed bill with what these boots cost, and they were just his everyday pair.
    “Hang on,” she said, biting her lip for his pain as she tried to pull the boot off. He paled visibly as he strained backward. Sweat filmed his forehead. The knee-high boot didn’t budge.
    “Hold it. Hold it,” he said, gasping. “I need to brace against something. Turn around.”
    Alex gave him a skeptical look, but turned her back to him, leaned over, and took hold of his foot again, holding it between her slightly spread legs.
    “That’s it,” Christian said. “If nothing else, the view is exceedingly fine.”
    “On three,” Alex muttered, not liking the leap in her pulse at his comment about her derriere. “One … two…”
    He planted his other foot on the seat of her breeches, sucked in a deep breath, and pushed hard as she called three and pulled at the reluctant boot. Pain exploded in his ankle and shot up his leg like an electric current, but the boot came free. The easing of the pressure and the cool spring air immediately soothed the injury.
    Christian leaned back on his elbows, panting, his hair falling rakishly across his forehead. Relief allowed him to smile up at Alex.
    “Was it as good for you?” he asked breathlessly.
    Alex scowled at the sexy, tempting picture he presented, tossed his boot at him, and knelt down. She peeled his sock off and gingerly examined the ankle that had already begun to puff up. With gentle hands she felt for any sign of a broken bone and found none.
    “Please feel free to do that to any other part of me,” Christian said, his voice a low sensual purr. Pain or no, he was enjoying the feel of her small capable hands on his flesh. He groaned a little under his breath as her ministrations called to mind the particularly erotic dream he’d had about her the night before.
    “I ought to leave you for dead,” Alex grumbled, trying to ignore the heat in her cheeks and the sudden sensitivity in her nipples.
    “If you do that, then you won’t be able to go to dinner with me this evening.”
    “I’m not going to dinner with you regardless,” she said firmly, looking him straight in the eye. “I’m not getting involved with you.”
    Christian looked hurt. “How can you say that after you’ve fondled my foot? What kind of fellow do you take me for?”
    “You don’t want to know.”
    “Sure I do.” Leaning forward he caught her wrist as she tried to move