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He was going to kiss her, and mentally she willed him on. That kiss in the desert and the brief one in the kitchen had been a prelude to this moment—the main event. Her hands slid up over his muscled chest, appreciating the firm contours. Her hands wrapped around his neck. His gaze held hers. She wasn’t about to turn away now. She was a woman who knew what she wanted—she wanted him with every fiber of her being.
Yet she could feel the stiffness of his muscles. There was a war raging within him. Longing to tip the odds in her favor, she leaned up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. He didn’t move at first. Nor did she pull away. He wanted her, that much she was certain.
She moved her lips slowly and tantalizingly over his. And then she heard something. The sound grew louder until she realized it was a moan, and it was coming from Cord. She’d have smiled in triumph, but she had other, more important things to do with her lips—much more important things.
He deepened the kiss, and she eagerly met him move for move. She reveled in her ability to seduce this solitary cowboy. But it was more than that. There was a vulnerability to him—scars that ran deep. She didn’t know exactly what they were, but she wanted to assure him that he was worthy of being loved.
His hands slid up her back. Her heart pounded, and their kiss took on a passion all its own. He wasn’t the only one who was lonely—who needed to feel a deep connection. It wasn’t until that moment that she realized she’d been burying all of her pain of rejection behind a mountain of work. She’d closed herself off from the world in hopes of heeling. And now, in Cord’s arms, she felt alive again.
Maybe together, they could help each other.
As though reading her thoughts, Cord pulled her snug against him. Her stomach fluttered with anticipation. His lips moved hungrily over hers as his fingers slid up her neck and combed through her hair. For one night, their troubles would disappear. Here on the Brazen H, they’d find happiness and release in each other’s arms.
Cord stopped kissing her. His breathing was deep and uneven as he rested his forehead against hers. “Are you sure about this? About us?”
For a moment, she hesitated. She was here to work—to save her father’s company and quite possibly his life—not to indulge in a moment of passion. But who would know? She certainly didn’t plan to tell anyone. And she had no doubt that Cord would keep this night under wraps.
“I’m sure.”
That’s all it took for Cord to scoop her up into his arms and start down the hallway. Her arms naturally wound around his neck. She trailed kiss
es up his neck, enjoying the salty tang of his smooth skin and the way she could make his breathing unsteady.
He moaned and tightened his grip on her. “You’re driving me crazy.”
“And I’ve only just begun.”
“I’ll remember you said that.” His voice was deep and gravelly.
She smiled. “I’m sure you will.”
He paused outside the door to the master bedroom. “Last chance to change your—”
She smothered his words with a kiss that would leave no doubt in his mind of her intentions. He kicked the door open as the chime of the telephone shattered the silence. In the doorway, Cord hesitated.
“It’s okay.” She purred in his ear. “I’ll wait.”
He cursed under his breath and lowered her feet to the ground. “I’ll be right back.”
Cord surprised her when he strode back to the living room instead of taking the call in his bedroom. Maybe he didn’t want to talk in front of her. Maybe he thought it might be something about the sale of the land. The thought of a potential buyer had Alexis eager to follow him just to assure herself that she didn’t have any competition—for the land, that is. But she wasn’t about to lower herself to eavesdropping.
“Lexi, phone’s for you,” Cord called out.
Was it her imagination or did he sound unhappy? Was it the timing of the call? Or the caller themselves? The questions circled round and round in her mind as she returned to the living room and took the phone from Cord, who didn’t even bother to meet her questioning gaze.
Disappointment washed over her as Cord strode down the hall. As sure as she was standing alone in his living room, the promise of an amazing evening had been dashed. And though she should be relieved that she’d be saved from making another mistake and getting in too deep, all she could think was, Why? What changed Cord’s mood so drastically?
She lifted the phone to her ear. “Hello.”
“Ms. Greer, this is Mayor Ortiz. How are you? I heard about your unfortunate incident.”
There was a distinguishable thud of Cord’s bedroom door closing—further confirmation that their romantic evening was over before it’d even begun. Reality had shattered their happy illusion. A frown pulled at her lips.
“Ms. Greer, are you still there?”
“Uh, yes. Sorry. I’m fine.”
“Are you sure? If you’d rather come stay with my family, my wife would love to have you. Or if you’d be more comfortable, I’m sure Mrs. Sanchez would love the company.”
