Free Closer To You (Tales of the Sweet Magnolia Book 1) by Amanda McIntyre Page B

flat line indicative of his frustration. The light snap of the curtains blowing in the breeze punctuated the silence.
    “Would it help to know that I’ve thought about you touching me as much as I’m guessing maybe you’ve thought about doing so?” Lilly mustered her courage, still leaning over him, her arm crooked around his shoulder. “I owe you a great debt of gratitude. You saved my life, Sheriff Sloan. I won’t ever forget that.”
    “I was doing my job, Lil. I would have done the same for anyone.”
    “Of course you would, that’s the type of honorable man you are. It was all in the line of duty, of course. Forgive me if I embarrassed you by offering my thanks.” She smiled, trying not to let his clipped response hurt. She loosened her grip and started to walk away.
    “Lilly….”
    She hesitated. The raw hunger in his eyes caused her breasts to tighten. “I’ll come back a little later.”
    His hand snapped around her wrist. “Don’t go.”
    She regarded him for a moment, then eased from his gasp. Hesitating a moment, she eased the door shut, her fingers lingering briefly on the lock before she turned it. She mustered her courage and faced him. She’d never truly seduced a man in her life. Fortunately, but he didn’t know that.
    “What about your rules?” Lillian wanted to be sure that whatever happened between them, it was based on mutual desire.
    “Since it seems that I’m unable to leave, then perhaps too, the rules are not exactly the same.”
    “And if you were able to leave, would you?”
    The heat in his eyes nearly undid her. “Not if my life depended on it.” He reached in the bowl, squeezed his fist around the dripping rag, and held it out to her.
    She took the rag, deciding to follow her heart, or forever wonder if she should have. He might just as well have tossed a match at her, because her flesh was on fire. She watched his face etched with determination as he pushed himself upright. The muscles in his arms bulged under the strain as he managed to brace himself long enough for her to adjust the pillows for support behind his back. Though he was convalescing, the view of his rock hard torso caused the butterflies in her stomach to go from flutters to full-fledged flight.
    Lilly drew down the sheets stopping short of where the thin line of dark hair disappeared beneath the covers. She flicked him a glance. “Are you comfortable?”
    “This is the best I’ve felt in a long time, Lil.” He reached up and brushed back the hair from her face, letting his fingers trail feather-soft down her cheek. “Why don’t you sit down?” His smile was genuine and that look of reverence tugged dangerously at her heart.
    “Are you in any pain?” She closed her eyes as he stroked her jaw.
    “Horrible,” he whispered and, leaning toward her, pressed his mouth to the spot below her ear. His lips left a trail of fire down the curve of her neck. His mouth neared hers, and though she ached at the thought of his kiss, the risk of breaking her heart prompted her to turn her face away. “House rules, sorry. No kissing on the lips. It’s too—” She swallowed and dared to look up at him. “Personal.” Lilly lifted her finger, tracing the delicate shape of his full lower lip.
    “You don’t know how sorry I am about this.”
    Jake tipped his head, regarding her with pure wickedness. Her admission gave him the power to know the temptation he presented. How was it that it a preacher’s son always knew how best to be wicked? “I’m already breaking one rule, what’s one more?”
    Lil dropped her gaze from his, knowing that in the next breath, she would no doubt lose her heart to him. It had already started the night they met. It was incomprehensible that fate would play such a cruel joke on her, but the pain of losing him one day would be far worse to bear if she allowed herself to fall for him. If she could convince him of this one little lie, she might be able to live with herself.