Free Her Country Heart by Reggi Allder

behind her.
    The horses needed him. He went straight to the barn to cool them down. Then he’d pump iron to cool himself down.
    ***
    Amy leaned against the back door and listened to her pounding heart. Calm down. With her hand to her chest she tried to stop the hammering.
    This day had turned out to be much more emotional than she could have ever imagined. She anticipated being affected by seeing the land. She didn’t guess Wyatt would kiss her or that she’d respond to his kiss with so much need.
    The hot air of the kitchen surrounded her. Fresh air was what she needed, but she didn’t want to run into Wyatt again. She threw open the window and inhaled. Seeing him would be more than she could handle right now.
    No matter how much her body reacted to his touch, men were persona non grata in her life. After the divorce from Robert almost four years ago, she’d realized she didn’t need them. All she wanted was to raise Bobby alone. no men, no sex, no problem. She’d been fine with that.
    Without knowing what he was doing to her, Wyatt had touched a nerve with his kiss. Longing for him pulsed through her. Desire threatened to overwhelm her. That wouldn’t do either of them any good. Wyatt had changed everything for her, but he didn’t need to know.
    Sophie had told her about Wyatt’s women. Young beauties that followed him on the rodeo circuit, groupies much more gorgeous than Amy could ever manage. They were volunteering to be his whenever he wanted to take them.
    For him the kiss was just a nice time spent on a warm summer outing, nothing more. He’d probably gone on many such outings.
    “You mean nothing to him,” she whispered in order to brand it on her brain. You mean nothing.
    “Enough!” You’re being ridiculous, acting like a teenager. You’re a grown woman with your own child.
    Okay, it didn’t matter that since the first day she’d seen him so many years ago in high school, she’d wondered what it would be like to kiss him. Today’s kiss made her body sing and was far better than any she’d imagined in her daydreams. His skin hot, muscles taut, mouth soft, whoa, definitely better than her imagination. But that was no reason to run from him as if she were a scared kid running from her first kiss.
    Shoulders back, hand on the door knob, she opened the kitchen door and walked toward the barn. The least she could do was behave like a grownup and help with the horses.
    The barn smelled of new oats when she entered. The horses were in their stalls, saddles and tack already removed. The horses didn’t even bother to whinny when she came near.
    The lights over the exercise equipment were on. As she moved closer she could hear grunts coming from the space. Wyatt was on his back on the weight bench pressing an enormous weight above him. He set the weight on the stand and sat up.
    Dressed in only jeans, the deep breath he took expanded his muscled chest, his golden torso glistened with moisture. When he saw her, one eye brow rose as if to ask, what are you doing here? Or, I certainly didn’t expect to see you here. She wasn’t sure which.
    “I came to help with the horses.”
    “Done.” He grabbed a big towel from a hook near the bench and wiped his abs.”
    She couldn’t stop staring as he made small circles on his skin.
    His mouth turned up slightly at the corners and she was barely aware that he had moved a few steps closer. “I’ll give them some feed when they’re completely cooled down.”
    Before she realized what he was doing he’d thrown the towel around her as a lasso and held her. He dragged her to him and his mouth came down to meet hers.
    Her lips parted to speak, but it was too late. His tongue teased hers. Without volition her tongue teased back. She couldn’t pull away from what he offered because she wanted it more than he did.
    As her lips opened further, she reached forward and pulled him nearer to her. He pressed against her until their hips met. She sighed and ran her hand