the easy humor and the warmth of his lips, she was feeling lost and confused.
Take that kiss. It was just a kiss. But almost from the moment his mouth covered hers, she’d become caught up in the pleasure of that hungry mouth moving over hers. A mouth that knew exactly how to give pleasure. And those hands. Those strong, work-roughened hands that held her as gently as if she were made of fragile glass. And that body pressed to hers. A perfect male body that made her think of things better left forgotten.
She’d felt herself falling into him. And wanting what he offered.
Dangerous thoughts, she knew. But she couldn’t seem to control them whenever she got too close to him.
Maybe it was his zany sense of humor. How many men would have laughed it off when they found their nails painted red? It had felt so delicious to finally be able to laugh about something, after all the misery she’d endured.
She lay awake for what seemed an hour or more before the door to the cabin was opened.
She pretended to be asleep while he prowled the cabin, drinking the last of the coffee splashed with scotch and then brooding in front of the fire.
Sometime later she heard Whit pry off his boots and climb into the lower bunk.
At last, hearing his soft, easy breathing, she fell into an exhausted sleep.
Whit lay in his bunk, his mood darker than the night. He’d come close to something he wasn’t proud of. Here was a young woman fresh off an incident so traumatic she was willing to hide in a shack in the middle of wilderness, and he’d practically ravished her.
The last thing Cara needed right now was some guy coming on to her while she was feeling trapped and all alone, far from civilization.
He’d planned on staying another couple of days, but since the snow had melted enough to open up some trails, the wisest thing they could do was get out of here and back to a place where an abundance of noisy, busy people would make it impossible to think about what he was thinking about right now.
The woman in the bunk overhead. All the things he’d rather be doing with her than lying here thinking.
Just knowing she was there had him sweating.
He punched his pillow and turned on his side. Even a woman as tempting as Cara Walton was no match for the distractions of the MacKenzie ranch and its cast of characters. If there was ever a place where she’d be safe, from him, from the world, it was there. And maybe, if he was able to persuade her to stay awhile, she could regain her faith in herself and her dream.
It was the least he could do to make things up to her.
Cara awoke to the sound of the cabin door closing. A minute later she heard the distinct bite of an ax splitting a log.
She sat up and looked around in alarm. It wasn’t even dawn yet. She felt as though she’d just fallen asleep. Why in the world was Whit working at this impossible hour of the day?
With a sigh, she scrambled from her bunk and into the freezing bathroom. Within minutes she’d endured another frigid shower and was dressed.
By the time Whit strolled in with an armload of logs, she had canned ham sizzling over the fire, along with an egg concoction that smelled heavenly.
“Good morning.” She moved aside so Whit could deposit the logs on the hearth.
“Morning.” He stepped away and hung his parka on a hook by the door, avoiding her eyes.
She took note of the distance he kept between them. It could mean only one thing. He regretted that hot little scene last night. She should, too, but in truth, she couldn’t get it out of her mind. The way she’d felt when he’d kissed her. The way she fit in his arms, all snug and safe. The fire that had built inside her with every touch, every kiss.
“You’re up early.” She carried the skillet to the wooden table.
“Long day ahead of us.”
“Us?” She looked up as he washed his hands and started toward the table.
“Yeah. The temperature climbed overnight, the sun’s just coming up, and
Take that kiss. It was just a kiss. But almost from the moment his mouth covered hers, she’d become caught up in the pleasure of that hungry mouth moving over hers. A mouth that knew exactly how to give pleasure. And those hands. Those strong, work-roughened hands that held her as gently as if she were made of fragile glass. And that body pressed to hers. A perfect male body that made her think of things better left forgotten.
She’d felt herself falling into him. And wanting what he offered.
Dangerous thoughts, she knew. But she couldn’t seem to control them whenever she got too close to him.
Maybe it was his zany sense of humor. How many men would have laughed it off when they found their nails painted red? It had felt so delicious to finally be able to laugh about something, after all the misery she’d endured.
She lay awake for what seemed an hour or more before the door to the cabin was opened.
She pretended to be asleep while he prowled the cabin, drinking the last of the coffee splashed with scotch and then brooding in front of the fire.
Sometime later she heard Whit pry off his boots and climb into the lower bunk.
At last, hearing his soft, easy breathing, she fell into an exhausted sleep.
Whit lay in his bunk, his mood darker than the night. He’d come close to something he wasn’t proud of. Here was a young woman fresh off an incident so traumatic she was willing to hide in a shack in the middle of wilderness, and he’d practically ravished her.
The last thing Cara needed right now was some guy coming on to her while she was feeling trapped and all alone, far from civilization.
He’d planned on staying another couple of days, but since the snow had melted enough to open up some trails, the wisest thing they could do was get out of here and back to a place where an abundance of noisy, busy people would make it impossible to think about what he was thinking about right now.
The woman in the bunk overhead. All the things he’d rather be doing with her than lying here thinking.
Just knowing she was there had him sweating.
He punched his pillow and turned on his side. Even a woman as tempting as Cara Walton was no match for the distractions of the MacKenzie ranch and its cast of characters. If there was ever a place where she’d be safe, from him, from the world, it was there. And maybe, if he was able to persuade her to stay awhile, she could regain her faith in herself and her dream.
It was the least he could do to make things up to her.
Cara awoke to the sound of the cabin door closing. A minute later she heard the distinct bite of an ax splitting a log.
She sat up and looked around in alarm. It wasn’t even dawn yet. She felt as though she’d just fallen asleep. Why in the world was Whit working at this impossible hour of the day?
With a sigh, she scrambled from her bunk and into the freezing bathroom. Within minutes she’d endured another frigid shower and was dressed.
By the time Whit strolled in with an armload of logs, she had canned ham sizzling over the fire, along with an egg concoction that smelled heavenly.
“Good morning.” She moved aside so Whit could deposit the logs on the hearth.
“Morning.” He stepped away and hung his parka on a hook by the door, avoiding her eyes.
She took note of the distance he kept between them. It could mean only one thing. He regretted that hot little scene last night. She should, too, but in truth, she couldn’t get it out of her mind. The way she’d felt when he’d kissed her. The way she fit in his arms, all snug and safe. The fire that had built inside her with every touch, every kiss.
“You’re up early.” She carried the skillet to the wooden table.
“Long day ahead of us.”
“Us?” She looked up as he washed his hands and started toward the table.
“Yeah. The temperature climbed overnight, the sun’s just coming up, and
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