Free This Kiss (Made In Montana Book 12) by Debbi Rawlins Page B

himself. “Go back to sleep,” he whispered, waiting for her to go all out ninja on him.
    Slipping her small hand in his, she let out a soft contented sigh.
    The moment passed. Her breathing returned to steady and even. Ethan closed his eyes again, hoping for sleep. So he’d quit wondering whom Sophie thought was snuggled against her.
    * * *
    S OPHIE SQUINTED INTO the sunlight that managed to creep in between the drapes and hit her in the face. Morning was always her favorite time of the day. She took pride in being one of those annoyingly energetic people who jumped out of bed ready to conquer the world.
    Today she felt sluggish. No, that wasn’t right. The feeling was more pleasant. Warm. Comfy. Safe. Was she coming out of a dream? Smiling, she closed her eyes again and snuggled down under the weight of a—
    Her eyes popped open.
    She pushed the arm off and shot up from the bed.
    “What the—” Ethan lifted a hand to block the sun now shining in his face. He rolled onto his back, rubbing his shoulder and frowning at her. “Christ, you damn near took my arm off.”
    “Don’t put it where it doesn’t belong.” Sophie tugged down her T-shirt, then remembered she wasn’t wearing a bra.
    “Huh?” His expression dazed, he seemed to be having trouble focusing on her. He was still under the blanket, his lower half, anyway. Okay, so he must’ve been sleeping and hadn’t pressed against her on purpose.
    She could see how that might happen. He was probably used to having a different woman in his bed every night. Arms folded across her chest, she headed for the bathroom.
    It was too cool in the room. She vaguely remembered trying to adjust the thermostat last night, for all the good it had done. Since the inn had been recently renovated, she would’ve expected a better heater. Tonight she was using the blanket. Ethan could just—
    No. Tonight they’d be long gone. Headed back to Wyoming. No more negotiating. Someday Ethan would realize she was doing him a favor. His best shot at making the finals was to show up in court Monday.
    After taking care of more urgent business, she turned on the shower. The water didn’t have to be hot, just warm. That was all she asked. And since she’d stupidly forgotten her bag, if it were to suddenly appear, that would be great, too. Fresh out of magic wishes, she sighed and opened the bathroom door, then made a dash for the leather carry-on she’d left by the closet.
    Ethan didn’t say a word and she risked a look at him. He was lying on his stomach, arms around his bunched pillow, his face buried. No shirt. She paused just inside the bathroom to admire his well-defined shoulders and back. He had to keep himself in good shape to ride bulls. But she was glad he didn’t go overboard like so many guys she knew at the gym.
    His elbow moved and she hurriedly closed the door. First, she tested the water. A bit warmer would’ve been more to her liking, but she wasn’t complaining. She stripped off her clothes and got under the spray.
    Damn, she shouldn’t have been so hasty to leap out of bed. Of course she’d had no way of knowing he was asleep. But if she’d lain still a few seconds to find out, it would’ve been nice to feel his arm around her. To bask in his heat, maybe touch him and pretend...
    Oh, brother.
Did she want him to carry her books and save her a seat at lunch, too? She was almost twenty-seven, had pretty much taken care of her mom and herself after her father left on Sophie’s fourteenth birthday, and she had a master’s degree in computer science. So how was it that she could stay stuck at fifteen when it came to Ethan?
    She finished showering, dried off and got dressed without once letting her mind stray from the day ahead. The rodeo started at two. Whether he liked it or not, she was waking his ass up right now. She wanted him packed, their bags stowed in her Jeep and both of them ready to go the minute his event was finished.
    Breathing in deeply, she