Page 25 of Wrangled Up


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She slumped in his hold. For a second, she hung there while George Jones crooned to a finish and a Barbara Mandrell song started up.Christian’s hard chest was inches from her nose. She longed to drop her face to the front of his shirt and breathe him in.

He removed the glass from her hand and set it on the nearest table. “That’s it. Come outside with me.”

She let him draw her through the obstacle course of tables and outside. The cooler night air struck her hot face. She gulped.

“I haven’t heard from him,” Christian said. He released her and kicked a boot into the gravel.

Claire studied his expression in the blue glow from the single parking light. Shadows accentuated the hollows of his cheeks and his unshaven jaw. His eyes glittered.

“He’s not here, but we are,” he said hoarsely.

Knotting her hands, she struggled to keep from touching him. Yes, he could comfort her. Make her feel alive again. But what if they were no good without Tucker? Some magic might have taken place that night, and without Tucker’s spell, she and Christian were nothing but silent pawns on a game board.

When she didn’t speak or react, he kicked the ground harder and shoved his hands deep into his pockets. “Let’s go get a chili dog, all right?”

At least six inches of pure fat on a bun didn’t come with heartache.

“Okay.”

He led her to his truck and opened the door for her. She slid onto the vinyl seat, too aware of his closeness. He came around the front of the vehicle and hopped in the driver’s side.

She’d sat beside him a number of times while shuttling around the Langley Ranch, but this felt more formal.

She didn’t know Christian, yet she knew how his face looked when he climaxed. Knew how he tasted and how gentle he was with the animals. And how desperately he was hurting from Tucker’s loss too.

He started the engine and top forty radio blared into the cab. Giving her a sheepish smile, he turned the music down.

“Where’s the best place to grab a chili dog?”

“The Quickie Mart, of course.” Shooting her a crooked grin, he braced a hand on the seat near her shoulder and twisted in order to back up.

She dug out her cell and texted her friend to let her know she wouldn’t be at The Hellion as planned. As she flipped through contacts, she paused on Tucker’s name. For an excruciating moment, she considered texting him.

Miss u.

Why did u go?

Chris and I are getting too close.

None of those seemed appropriate, so she stuffed her phone in her purse.

“You wouldn’t believe the work it took to make this road surface so perfect.” Christian’s low voice slid over her senses, a caress she didn’t want.

Playing along, she asked, “Like what?”

“Ten twelve-hour days for a crew of twenty men. Up here, we had to hand dig the ditch, because the space was too tight for the machinery.” He glanced at her. “It’s strange. You can drive this stretch of road a hundredtimes and never really know it until you’ve touched it.”

She could look at Christian as a handsome man who made her body hum, but since that night she’d come against his mouth and on his fingers, she’d never think of him the same way.

After a while, he asked, “You were meeting friends at The Hellion again?”

“Yes, we have a standing date.”

“Who do you have in your life besides friends?”

“My aunt.”

“Brothers or sisters?”