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What man would follow a woman into a stable just because she looked upset? No. He’d followed her for one reason and one reason only. A reason she certainly didn’t think she was ready for.
“I’m fine,” she lied.
Ian nuzzled her hair. Oh...when he did that she forgot all arguments about why being attracted to someone so full of himself was wrong. Her mind completely voided out any pep talks she’d given in regard to steering clear of lustful feelings and attractive charmers.
“You’re a very beautiful woman, Cassie.” His soft voice slid over her body, reinforcing those tremors that were becoming the norm where he was concerned. “I tried to ignore this pull I have toward you, but it was damn hard when I saw you during the shoot. How do you do that to a guy?”
Um...she had no clue. Power over men had certainly never been something she’d mastered. If it had, she’d still be married.
“Ian, we just met and...”
He used one hand and slid the hammer from her grasp, letting it fall to the concrete floor with a loud thud.
“And I’m older than you,” she continued. “I’m thirty-four. You can’t even be thirty.”
With an arm around her waist, he hauled her off the ladder and spun her around until she faced him—their mouths inches apart.
“I’m twenty-nine, and I assure you I’m old enough to not only know what I want, but to act on it.”
His mouth came down on hers, hard, fast, hungry. Cassie didn’t have time to think or refuse because her body was already melting into his.
The passion pouring from him stirred her desire even more as she gripped his thick biceps. Giving in to just a few seconds of bliss wouldn’t hurt.
And when Ian’s mouth traveled from her mouth down the column of her throat, Cassie tipped her head back as her breath caught. What was he doing to her? A full-on body attack. His mouth may be in one spot, but Cassie could feel every inch of her body tingling and wanting more.
Wait...this wasn’t right. She couldn’t do this.
Pushing him away, Cassie slid her hand up over the exposed skin peeking out of her shirt...the skin his mouth had just explored.
“Ian, I can’t... We can’t...” Words were useless because her mind was telling her one thing and her body was telling her another. “I just met you.”
“You’re attracted to me.”
She couldn’t deny the statement. “That doesn’t mean I should act on it. I don’t just go around kissing strangers.”
“After you learned my name this morning, I was no longer a stranger.”
Those dark eyes held her gaze. Even without a word the man exuded power, control. Derek had been so laid-back, so uncaring about everything that this was quite a change.
And Cassie would be lying if she didn’t admit the fact that Ian was the polar opposite of her ex turned her on even more.
“You’re only here for a short time,” she went on, crossing her arms over her chest. “We can’t just...you know.”
“Have sex?” he asked, quirking a brow.
Oh, mercy. The words were now out, hovering in the air, and from the smirk on his face, she was the only one feeling awkward at this moment.
“Yes, that.” Dear Lord. It wasn’t as if she hadn’t had sex before; she’d had a baby, for crying out loud. But she couldn’t discuss something like that with him. Now she felt foolish and juvenile. “Acting on sexual attraction isn’t something I normally do.”
That was an understatement, considering she’d had sex with one man and that had been her husband. What if she did throw caution to the wind? What if she had some sordid affair?
Seriously? Was she contemplating that? She was a mother—a mother to a little girl. What kind of example was she?
“You’re thinking too hard.” Ian started to step forward, but he stopped when Cassie held up a hand.
“Don’t. I can’t think when you’re touching me.”
“I’ll take that as a compliment.”
Cassie rolled her eyes. “You would.”
“See? You know me already.”
One of them had to think rationally. Apparently it would be her. She maneuvered around him toward the opening of the stable.
“You’re going to have to keep your hands and your mouth to yourself.”
Those tempting lips curved into a smile. “You’re no fun.”
“I don’t have time for fun, Ian.”
And more than likely he was the proverbial good time back in L.A. She could easily see him hopping from one party to the next, beautiful women draped over his arm, falling into his bed.
Cassie flicked the main switch to light up the pathways between the stalls. The brightness from the antique horseshoe-style chandeliers put a screeching halt to any romantic ambience that had been lurking in the darkening stable.
