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“Has it swallowed you yet?”
“Not quite.”
“That’s good. Just be careful it doesn’t. There’s so much more to life than work.”
She eyed up Cord, a down-to-earth man. She considered revealing how she had an escape plan should she ever need one—her trust fund. The account held sufficient funds for her to start over anywhere—not that she’d ever bail on her father.
What would this rancher think of her if he knew she was a trust fund kid? He’d probably get an even worse impression of her. Spoiled. Snobby. Those were just a couple of adjectives that came to mind. She wanted Cord to like and respect her, so she kept quiet. Besides, it wasn’t as if it was a slush fund for parties and vacations. She’d specifically earmarked its use for emergencies only.
“Enough about me.” She turned to him. “What do you enjoy when you aren’t working?”
He rubbed a hand over his stubbled jaw. “I like to end the day kicked back on my front porch. There’s beauty in a sunset and grace in the silhouette of a horse racing along the horizon.” He hesitated as though embarrassed to be letting on that he wasn’t a roughened cowboy, but rather a man who could appreciate the simple things in life.
“Those do sound beautiful. If I’m lucky, maybe I’ll get to witness them while I’m here.”
“The beauty of the land is all around you. Take a look. I mean, really see the beauty in the simplest parts of nature. You’ll be amazed by the secrets
of this land.” He pointed to a little red flower in the distance. “Even in this harsh terrain, this plant refuses to be defeated.”
Just like him, she thought, standing tall against all adversity.
“You know, I was warned about you.”
“Maybe you should heed the warnings.”
His facial expression didn’t give any hint of his feelings. It was almost as if he wasn’t surprised. Why would that be? Why would he let the townspeople of Whistle Stop assume he was some unfriendly hermit, when in fact he could be quite friendly?
Cord averted his gaze. “Now that you’ve seen Haggerty, is it what you were imagining?”
She wanted to ask more about the residents of Whistle Stop, but she decided not to press him for answers. “I think it’s the most amazing place I’ve ever been. I can see why you’re so protective of this place.”
His gaze jerked back to her. “You really mean that? You think this place is special?”
“I do.” Her pulse started to race as he continued staring at her. “This place is loaded with a rugged charm and rare beauty.”
He lifted his bottle to drink. When a trickle of water trailed down his chin, she longed to reach out and run her finger over his damp skin, over the place where his vein pulsed. She wondered how he’d react if she gave in to the impulse.
“There’s a far more beautiful sight.” His voice was deeper than normal. The sweet words drizzled over her like thick, rich caramel.
“Where would that be?”
Their gazes connected and held. “The woman standing right in front of me.”
Her gaze searched his. Could he read the desire in her eyes? Did he know how much she’d been longing to feel his lips pressed to hers? The heat was definitely affecting her now. There was no other acceptable explanation for her overwhelming yearning to have him kiss her.
When his hand claimed her hip, her heart soared. With a tug, he pulled her closer, and her body willingly obliged. This shouldn’t be happening. It wasn’t right. They were opponents. But, somehow, out here in the desert miles from civilization, reality no longer seemed quite so important.
Her gaze slipped to his lips. The breath hitched in her throat, and his head dipped toward her. This was it. The moment of no return. Her eyelids drifted closed. His mouth grazed hers, and her resistance melted away. For the moment, a truce let their differences fade into the background, and they melted together. His tongue gently probed her lips, parting them with ease. Their tongues moved in unison, as in a well-rehearsed dance.
When Cord sucked on her lower lip and ran the tip of his tongue over it, her fingers tightened on his shoulders. Shivers of need zinged through her, bringing her body to life. She should have pulled away, but she couldn’t—not yet. His lips were as sweet as a Choconut Bar—no, definitely sweeter— and she was on a sugar high. Her very being craved more of his kisses—of him.
Much too soon, he pulled back.
Knowing he wasn’t coming back for more, she let her eyes flutter open. Reality careened in on her, knocking her back to earth. She knew better than to put herself out there—she’d only end up getting hurt. But in this one particular instance, it’d been worth it. She licked her lips, savoring the memory. All the while, she knew it could never happen again.
She mustered up every bit of self-control and moved away. “We can’t let that happen again.”
His eyes flashed with surprise then grew dark. “You’re right.” He turned toward his truck. “Time to head back.”
