Page 42 of The Cowboy and the Stray

Heat bloomed in my cheeks that had nothing to do with the Texas sun. "I was just, uh, I didn't mean to interrupt," I stammered, looking everywhere but at him.

Calder laughed, a low, easy sound. "It's no bother. Plenty of creek to go around." He nodded at the flat rocks near my feet. "You know how to skip stones?"

It was such an ordinary question, but I seized on it gratefully, anything to distract from the distracting expanse of his chest. "Can't say I do," I admitted, toeing at the smooth rocks. "City girl, remember?"

And absolutely not built for charming shirtless cowboys in creeks.

"Well then, c'mere. I'll show you." He beckoned me closer to the water's edge.

I hesitated, chewing on my lip. This felt dangerous somehow, in a way that had nothing to do with slick rocks or swift currents. But Calder was already wading towards me, water sluicing off his body, and I couldn't quite find it in myself to refuse.

This is a terrible idea, but I'm doing it anyway.

He picked up a flat stone and held it out to me. "The trick is in the wrist," he said, demonstrating the flicking motion. "You want it to spin just right, hit the water at an angle."

I took the rock gingerly, trying to ignore the way my fingers brushed his, the little jolt that traveled up my arm at the contact. "Like this?" I tried to mimic his movement, but the stone just plopped unceremoniously into the water.

Calder tsked, but his eyes were teasing. "Not quite. Here, let me..." And then he was behind me, his bare chest just brushing my back, his hand coming around to cover mine on the stone. "You've got to put your body into it, like this."

Jesus take the wheel.

He guided my arm through the motion, and I tried to concentrate, I really did. But all I could focus on was the cold water coming off of him, the faint rasp of his calluses on my skin, the way his breath stirred the little hairs at the nape of my neck. A shiver ran through me that had nothing to do with the temperature of the water.

This was fine. Definitely fine. Just a casual full-body meltdown, no big deal.

I pulled my arm back to throw, desperate to break the tension, to do something. But in my flustered state, I let the stone go too soon, too hard. It flew straight up then fell right back onto Calder, smacking him square in the shoulder with a dull thunk.

Oh, perfect. Assault. Romance is alive.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to!" The words tumbled out of me in a horrified rush, but they were cut off by Calder's sudden burst of laughter.

He rubbed at his shoulder, still chuckling. "Damn, Tess, you've got an arm on you. Remind me not to get on your bad side."

I could feel my face flame even hotter. "I really am sorry, I don't know what happened, I just⁠—"

But Calder was already waving off my apologies. "No harm done. Though I think maybe I ought to get you in the water, just to be safe. Can't have you pegging me with rocks all day."

Before I could protest, he grabbed me around the waist and tugged. I shrieked as I tumbled forward, the cool shock of the water swallowing the sound. I came up sputtering, shoving my wet hair out of my eyes to find Calder grinning at me, utterly unapologetic.

This man was having way too much fun.

"You...you..." But I couldn't even pretend to be mad, not with him looking at me like that, droplets clinging to his lashes, his smile wide and boyish and carefree.

He reached out to brush a wet tendril of hair off of my cheek, his fingers lingering just a moment too long. "Me," he agreed, his voice gone low and soft. "And you."

And then he was pulling me closer, his hands firm on my hips, and I went willingly, drawn in like a moth to flame. His chest was slick against mine, his heart a steady thrum under my palm. When he dipped his head to mine, I tilted up to meet him, my lips parting on a sigh.

Oh, we were doing this. Okay. Yep. I was going to drown and smile about it.

The brush of his mouth on mine was tender, almost tentative.

But I answered it with the press of my body, my fingers tangling in his wet hair to tug him closer. He groaned against my mouth, the sound shivering through me, and then he was kissing me harder, deeper, his tongue hot and insistent as it twined with mine.

I nipped at his bottom lip, and he growled, his hands roaming my back, skimming over the wet fabric of my shirt. I arched into him, suddenly desperate to feel his skin on mine, propriety be damned. My fingers scrabbled at the button of his soaking jeans, clumsy in my haste.

Mayday. Mayday.

Calder pulled back just a fraction. "Tess, are you sure⁠—"