She swung her right leg over to dismount, but unused to riding, her legs had turned to jelly. She tumbled against me, and I wrapped my free arm around her, my chest lighting up from the contact. Even as my whole body flared with sudden fire, the soft scent of her curled its way into my senses like a damn aphrodisiac.
She stepped away, holding onto the saddle to keep herself steady.
“I’m sorry,” she said again, glancing at my chest as though she expected to see a broken rib sticking out of my shirt. “I didn’t mean to land on you.”
“Anything could have happened to you out there,” I said, ignoring the urge to pull her to me again. “You could have been injured, or worse.”
She looked at me as if I were talking nonsense. “I was just on a little ride.”
“Alone.”
“You’re acting like I took her without permission. You said I could go.”
“And I never should have, it’s too dangerous.”
The little smile she tried to hide only fired me up more.
“Miss Kitty is perfectly well behaved.”
The horse snorted as if in agreement, ready to be brushed down and turned out again. June was already leading her to her stall as though our conversation were over. I trotted along beside her, feeling like the one on the lead rope.
“Her foot could have found a gopher hole, and then where would you be? I don’t think this is funny, June.”
Her smile threatened to turn into a laugh, as if my worry was the silliest thing in the world. “It is a little funny, getting a lecture on safety from the professional who got kicked by his own horse.”
“Dammit, June, this is serious.”
“I’m sorry, I’m just a little surprised by your reaction.”
Hell, I surprised myself. I knew I was being an absolute ass. The whole thing had been my own fault, and yet, I couldn’t stop lecturing her as though it were hers. No harm had come to her, but all the things that might have gone wrong still tormented me. I couldn’t explain it if I tried. Here I was all twisted up in knots over her, and she laughed at my concern. I’d never been so sick with worry; it wasn’t like me. More than anything, I wanted that dark, greasy feeling to go away and stay gone.
Once Miss Kitty was in her stall, she occupied herself with her leftover hay and water while waiting to be brushed.
June turned to me, all smiles and sunshine once more. “Thank you for your concern. It’s sweet.”
“It isn’t sweet.” I took the two steps to her, pulled her into my arms, and kissed her.
All my worry finally seeped away, overpowered by this raw, urgent need. My chest hurt to hold her so tight against me, but not holding her hurt worse. I needed this. I neededher.
She responded with delicious intensity, as if she’d been waiting for this, too. She drew her hands along my shoulders to the back of my neck, and a soft sigh escaped her as I kissed her harder. Her mouth was the sweetest thing I’d ever tasted, I wanted to drink her in. My blood pounded in my veins as she explored me in return.
Somewhere in the part of my brain that could still think straight, I knew this was a mistake. Once again, I was crossing a line I’d sworn to myself I’d stay clear of, and worse still, I didn’t regret it. She fit perfectly in my arms, like she’d been there a thousand times before. I just wanted a few minutes of this wonderful woman all to myself.
I traced my fingers from her chin to her jaw, cupping her face in my hands. She sighed against my mouth, and I swallowed the sound, hungry for more. Untold sounds of delight waited inside her, and I wanted to unlock them all.
My chest seemed to rip apart with each breath, halting me from satisfying the hunger that drove my thoughts and pulsed through my veins. Just kissing her could never be enough, but my lungs already burned with white fire.
Stopping seemed a worse torment, but the pain finally became a wall I couldn’t climb. I broke the kiss, June’s face still in my hands. A long moment passed before she opened her eyes, as if she didn’t want this moment to end, either. She gazed up at me with eyes so full of desire, my blood churned harder for more.
“I didn’t know you were that worried,” she breathed.
“I was. Anything could have happened.”
Anything could happen now. I could toss her in the hay rick and reassure myself she was safe and sound by exploring every inch of her with my hands and mouth. With my chest aching from one powerful kiss, anything more would probably send me to the hospital as she feared. With that kind of a trade-off, I would go willingly.
Slowly, I came back to my senses. I released her, letting my touch linger on her as long as possible. “I’m sorry. I acted like an idiot.”
Her mouth curled into a smile. “True.”
