Free Your'e Still the One by Debbi Rawlins

Now his reaction made her more curious. She could ask him.... No, the set of his jaw made it clear that might not go well.
    Instead she spooned sugar from the canister into her coffee. “What kills me is that the whole time I was in school you were riding in rodeos all around Dallas and I didn’t know.”
    His hand stilled. He didn’t look up but seemed undecided whether or not to pour cream in his mug. “Would you have come to see me?”
    “Of course I would have.”
    Matt set down the cream. He turned around, leaned back against the blue-pearl granite counter and locked his gaze with hers. “Really?” he asked quietly. “Even after the way I left you?”

6
    R ACHEL STARED BACK AT HIM . She seemed to be giving the question serious thought, which he appreciated. “Yes,” she said finally. “I would’ve gone to see you ride.”
    He wished she’d been more plain. Watching him ride wasn’t the same as letting him know she was in the audience, or making an attempt to get in touch with him. He could ask. But damn, she’d been careful with her answer and that might be all he would get. It was probably more than he deserved.
    She smiled. “It sure would’ve pissed me off if I couldn’t get past those buckle bunnies throwing you their panties and phone numbers.”
    “Those women are nuts,” he muttered, and turned back to fix his coffee. Had he already dumped in sugar or not?
    “Are you blushing?” Rachel pulled his arm so he’d look at her.
    “No.”
    “Yes, you are.” She laughed, then squeezed his biceps. “Whoa, you filled out there, too.”
    He’d automatically flexed. “Try staying on a two-thousand-pound bull whose mission is to buck you off and pulverize you.”
    “Shoot, I missed my calling.” She refused to move her hand, and as much as he liked her touching him, liked her standing so close he could see the tiny gold flecks of humor in her green eyes, in a few seconds it was gonna be awkward.
    She smelled as sweet as honeysuckle and her lips were the color of ripe summer berries. And this was the second time since she’d taken off her jacket that she was making him hard. Hard enough that if she glanced down she wouldn’t miss his cock bucking his fly.
    “I’m sorry,” she said, her hand trailing away with a reluctance that did nothing to settle him down. “I didn’t mean to embarrass you, but I think it’s adorable that you can still blush after all the female attention you get.”
    He moved back, held up his hands, as if he had nothing to hide. “I’m not embarrassed.”
    She blinked, and though she never actually looked at his fly, he knew the exact moment she became aware of his arousal. Her lips parted slightly, her lashes fluttered, and it seemed to take every bit of her willpower to keep her gaze on his face.
    “Um, yeah. Okay.” Color climbed her neck and filled her cheeks. “How about this warm weather we’re having?” she said, unable to finish without laughing. “You’re a horrible person.”
    Matt smiled. “A second ago I was adorable.”
    “I lied.”
    Catching her wrist, he stopped her from moving away and cupped her warm cheek. “You saw the best in me, Rachel. Always. No matter what anyone else said.”
    “I missed you so much,” she whispered. “You broke my heart.” Instantly, regret entered her eyes, and he could see she wanted to call back the words.
    Selfishly he wished she could. He hadn’t known for sure how she’d reacted to his leaving, but he’d made up great excuses in his head. “You were still young,” he said, offering up his favorite. It was also true, but he’d left without facing her and that act of cowardice still nagged at him.
    “I was.” She shrugged and broke away to pick up her coffee. “Sweet sixteen, a time for puppy love and broken hearts. Back then, anyway. Nowadays? Seems sixteen is the new thirty.”
    “Times and women have changed, that is for damn sure.”
    “You say that like it’s a bad thing.” Her lips were