Free The Reluctant Bride (Montana Born Brides) by Katherine Garbera Page A

asking questions and took action. It was really what he was best at. Seemed a sin to be out here on this beautiful Montana morning with this woman and not take advantage of it.
    He lifted her in his arms and she wrapped herself around him. Legs around his waist, arms around his neck. Her hands in his hair made him feel like he was alive. She brought her mouth down on his and he opened his under hers. Tasted the coffee they’d drunk, the faintness of the blueberries from the muffins. But mostly he tasted Risa. Damn, but she tasted good.
    He stood there in the middle of the meadow that he owned, so far from the desert sand where he ’d lost his soul and wanted to claim a little of it back. He didn’t know if this was real or if he was forcing it, but he didn’t give a damn.
    He put his hands on her butt and held her to him. Rocked his pelvis against the center of her body and heard her moan at little.
    “ I missed you, Monty. I missed this.”
    He had, too. He had thought of her all those long nights when he’d been alone and afraid that he might end up like Lane or even dead. And dreamed of an idyllic future that he knew wasn’t real.
    But Risa was.
    She writhed in his arms and he carried her across the field to that rusted-out pick-up truck bed. He shifted her in his arms as he put down the tailgate and then set her on it. She kept her arms around him and kissed him like she wanted him.
    Like she ’d seen death and needed some confirmation that they were both here on this beautiful morning. And he knew that sex wasn’t going to work like a magic tonic to make everything okay between them, but it would remind them both that they were alive.

    Risa had forgotten how addictive Monty ’s kisses were. The few times he’d kissed her since he’d gotten back into town last night didn’t count. Those had been motivated out of anger and pride. Trying to prove something to each other. But this passion. This was what she’d missed.
    She didn ’t want to let him go. His hands slide up her back and she felt his hands under her sweater and skimming over the Cuddle Duds shirt she wore underneath. He cursed.
    “ What?”
    “ How many layers do you have on?” he asked in a sweetly aggravated tone.
    “ You’re getting closer to skin,” she said, biting his bottom lip before suckling it.
    He thrust his tongue deeply into her mouth in a carnal way that made her wet. She needed more, rocked her hips forward to rub herself against his erection. His big warm hands were against the skin of her back, moving slowly up her spine, holding her with one hand between her shoulder blades and forcing her to arch toward him.
    He rubbed his chest over hers, but it was frustrating because there were too many layers in the way. She let go of his shoulders and unzipped his shearling coat and found the buttons of his flannel shirt. She leaned back a little so that she could slowly open it. He had an undershirt on and she tipped her head to the side and arched both eyebrows.
    “ How many layers do you have on?”
    He laughed. “Touché. It was cold this morning.”
    “ Leave it to you to heat it up,” she said.
    “ Was it me? I thought it was you. Give me a second,” he said, walking back to the tree trunk where they’d had their breakfast and grabbing the blanket. The horses happily grazed nearby and, as she watched him coming back to her, she felt a shaft of fear again.
    Not because she was trapped, but because she ’d almost lost him. She hadn’t realized how much she needed Monty until right now. She needed more than his strength. She needed his humor and, as he climbed up in the bed of the truck and spread the blanket out, she realized she needed his body.
    “ Come here,” he said, as he settled onto his side and stretched out on the blanket.
    She crawled over to him, pushed him onto his back and straddled his lap. He was still hard and she rubbed herself against him. He grabbed her hips and rocked against her, reaching between