Page 7 of Bride ’N Boots

So did the scent of horses and hay.

All I smelled was him.

Spicy, clean, and the warm natural scent of his skin.

My nipples pebbled in unashamed adoration.

“Where do you want me to take you on our honeymoon, wife?” Stratton asked, his mouth curving into a teasing smile.

“Somewhere warm,” I said, pressing closer to him. “Somewhere I can wear a bikini and order drinks from a pool bar.”

“Hmm.”

“Not a fan of warm weather?”

“More of a fan of snow outside and a roaring fireplace,” he said, pitching his voice lower. His head dipped so his mouth was closer to my ear when he added, “And you wearing nothing but me.”

A gasp escaped my lips.

He leaned his head back so I could see his eyes.

They were bright with the fire of seduction.

And he made no apologies for it.

This man would be an animal. Feral. Dominating.

He’d liquify my bones and extract every ounce of pleasure I possessed. He’d hoard it like a dragon hoarding treasure.

This man would not stop until I was satisfied.

“Whew,” Arden said. “Maisie, can I talk to you a second?”

I refused to my pull my gaze from Stratton’s. And he didn’t seem inclined to want to look anywhere but deep into my eyes.

“Maisie,” Arden said again, this time more forcefully.

“What? Yeah, okay,” I said.

Stratton slowly lowered me to the ground. I wobbled on unsteady legs and my head felt like I’d had three glasses of whiskey. Which for my body frame, would’ve been a lot.

A cell phone rang. I slid my hand into my pocket and pulled out my phone, but the screen was dark.

“It’s mine,” Stratton said. “You mind if I take it?”

“Nope, take five. Then we’ll get back to it,” Arden said.

Stratton went to retrieve his cell phone which he’d left in the changing room stall. He looked at it, pressed a button, and then put it to his ear. “Hey, Gideon.”

He strode from the barn.

Arden’s hand went to my wrist, dragging my attention back to her. “Uh, what the hell is going on between you two?”

“Nothing,” I lied.

“Oh, please. Not only are you my best friend that I’ve known like, forever, but a blind dog could see that something is going on. I could light up a cigarette off the flames between you two.”

I cleared my throat. “How are the photos?”