Read Online Thea Devine by Relentless Passion - Free Book Online
Authors: Relentless Passion
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you,” Logan murmured in her ear, confirming her dread.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said primly.
“You could have at least asked where.”
“Nonsense, I know where I am. Logan, stop talking in riddles and let’s get started.”
“Oh, sweetheart, would I ever love to get started with you.”
“I think if you say one more word in this vein, Logan Ramsey, I will get off this horse and
walk
back to town.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Logan said meekly, hiding the smile he knew she could not see.
But she could hear it in his voice, and there was a sweetness in her in response to it that she hadn’t expected to feel. No, she hadn’t expected to feel anything: this was Logan, her childhood friend, dependable and secure.
This was not a
man
in whom she was interested, and yet, and yet … she was insanely aware of the long length of his torso behind her, solid as a rock. And of his words, what he had said, what he meant. His arms around her now, where no man’s arms had been for the past two years or more.
“It sure is tough going here,” Logan said. “Hang on.” She wasn’t sure if he were talking about her or the rocky range they were about to travel, but his hands tightened on the reins and around her and she leaned back against him almost involuntarily as his horse began a descent.
When they hit level ground again he loosened his grip and one arm moved slowly from her waist upward to hold her shoulders. Or was it her imagination that his forearm brushed against her breasts? He held her so tightly she couldn’t be sure what he had done, and the heat of his body and the iron bar of his arm around her were like living things—pulsating with a life she was responding to in spite of herself.
This was crazy. Five words in the heat of a grueling day were going to change her life forever; she could never perceive Logan the same way again. “I’m going to win you …,” he had said, and now somehow, he had maneuvered her into his arms and for one moment she doubted that he even had anything legitimate to show her.
“They’ll be clearing out through here after they grade that little hill, and they plan to go around the basin and through Big Gully. Did you know?”
“No, I didn’t.” Instantly she felt ashamed of herself for doubting him.
“It may not work out, of course, but this is the way for now.” He nosed the horse through the back brush and along the free range that skirted his acreage. “They’ll have to add a hundred miles of track to the route; it’s the least direct—but you know that. I’m a little worried about how desperate the corporation feels about spending that money.”
“We all should be,” she said sourly. It wasn’t a pretty route either. There were odd hillocks and drops, and forests that would require a lumber crew to come in to clear it away.
“If they go through Big Gully,” Logan said, his voice close to her ear, “they’ll be beyond the far hundred by five miles.”
“But who is to say it still won’t affect the grazing fields?” Maggie commented, keeping her eyes resolutely ahead. She felt like she was going crazy. She had felt the faintest flick of his tongue against her ear.
“Yes,” he murmured, and his lips pressed ever so gently against her lobe. She pretended she did not feel a little jolt of incandescent sensation. “You’re right.” He reined in the horse as they passed into a copse of bushes. “Maggie …”
“Are they going to cut through here?” she asked doggedly, resisting the demand of the hand that had cupped her chin.
“Lean against me, Maggie.”
“No, I don’t want this.” She knew she didn’t want it, and she knew if she leaned against him she would feel the thrust of his desire, which had been nudging her for the past fifteen minutes. She wanted none of that… she thought … but his tongue tugged teasingly at her earlobe, and his insistent hand moved her mouth closer to his, and closer …
“Just a
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said primly.
“You could have at least asked where.”
“Nonsense, I know where I am. Logan, stop talking in riddles and let’s get started.”
“Oh, sweetheart, would I ever love to get started with you.”
“I think if you say one more word in this vein, Logan Ramsey, I will get off this horse and
walk
back to town.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Logan said meekly, hiding the smile he knew she could not see.
But she could hear it in his voice, and there was a sweetness in her in response to it that she hadn’t expected to feel. No, she hadn’t expected to feel anything: this was Logan, her childhood friend, dependable and secure.
This was not a
man
in whom she was interested, and yet, and yet … she was insanely aware of the long length of his torso behind her, solid as a rock. And of his words, what he had said, what he meant. His arms around her now, where no man’s arms had been for the past two years or more.
“It sure is tough going here,” Logan said. “Hang on.” She wasn’t sure if he were talking about her or the rocky range they were about to travel, but his hands tightened on the reins and around her and she leaned back against him almost involuntarily as his horse began a descent.
When they hit level ground again he loosened his grip and one arm moved slowly from her waist upward to hold her shoulders. Or was it her imagination that his forearm brushed against her breasts? He held her so tightly she couldn’t be sure what he had done, and the heat of his body and the iron bar of his arm around her were like living things—pulsating with a life she was responding to in spite of herself.
This was crazy. Five words in the heat of a grueling day were going to change her life forever; she could never perceive Logan the same way again. “I’m going to win you …,” he had said, and now somehow, he had maneuvered her into his arms and for one moment she doubted that he even had anything legitimate to show her.
“They’ll be clearing out through here after they grade that little hill, and they plan to go around the basin and through Big Gully. Did you know?”
“No, I didn’t.” Instantly she felt ashamed of herself for doubting him.
“It may not work out, of course, but this is the way for now.” He nosed the horse through the back brush and along the free range that skirted his acreage. “They’ll have to add a hundred miles of track to the route; it’s the least direct—but you know that. I’m a little worried about how desperate the corporation feels about spending that money.”
“We all should be,” she said sourly. It wasn’t a pretty route either. There were odd hillocks and drops, and forests that would require a lumber crew to come in to clear it away.
“If they go through Big Gully,” Logan said, his voice close to her ear, “they’ll be beyond the far hundred by five miles.”
“But who is to say it still won’t affect the grazing fields?” Maggie commented, keeping her eyes resolutely ahead. She felt like she was going crazy. She had felt the faintest flick of his tongue against her ear.
“Yes,” he murmured, and his lips pressed ever so gently against her lobe. She pretended she did not feel a little jolt of incandescent sensation. “You’re right.” He reined in the horse as they passed into a copse of bushes. “Maggie …”
“Are they going to cut through here?” she asked doggedly, resisting the demand of the hand that had cupped her chin.
“Lean against me, Maggie.”
“No, I don’t want this.” She knew she didn’t want it, and she knew if she leaned against him she would feel the thrust of his desire, which had been nudging her for the past fifteen minutes. She wanted none of that… she thought … but his tongue tugged teasingly at her earlobe, and his insistent hand moved her mouth closer to his, and closer …
“Just a
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