Free Her Desert Treasure (Entangled Ignite) by Larie Brannick Page A

shorts.
    She wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss, and a low moan escaped her. Spurred on by the sound, he hungrily thrust his tongue into her mouth.
    Her shirt slid up when she raised her arms to his neck, and Jake’s hand followed its path, gently caressing until his thumb came in contact with her breast. He hesitated until she leaned into him, then he cupped her and slowly stroked his thumb across her nipple. God, she turned him on. He couldn’t get enough of her.
    In the back of his mind, he had the unsettling feeling he would never get enough of this woman.
    A loud crash behind them made Meg jump. Jake caught her waist to steady her. Both of them struggled for breath.
    Realizing where they were, he shook his head. Nice going, asshole . He’d been so aroused he hadn’t cared that they were standing in an alley, his need so great he would have taken her right there. She deserved so much better.
    “What was that?”
    Gently, he caressed her cheek. “Just an alley cat. Looks like he knocked over a trash can.”
    She let out a relieved sigh. “Thank goodness. That about scared the life out of me.”
    “Okay?” When she nodded, he smiled and ran his thumb along the smooth skin of her jaw. “I’m sorry, Meg.”
    “Sorry? For what?”
    “For practically attacking you in an alley.” He ran a hand over his face. “I usually have better self-control.”
    Meg put her fingers on his lips. “Stop. Nothing happened that I didn’t let happen. For the record, I don’t usually behave this way with someone I just met, either. Maybe there’s a full moon or something.”
    He laughed. “Whatever it is, it’s potent.” He released her finally and stepped aside to help her into the truck. “I’d better get you back to your car. You need to be in bed.”
    One of her delicate eyebrows cocked in question.
    Jesus, she was going to be the death of him. He couldn’t seem to stop grinning as he helped her into his truck. “You need to be in your bed. Sleeping.”
    When he was sure she was settled in the seat, he rounded the truck to the driver’s side. All he could think about was how happy it made him that she’d decided to stay in Big Rock. He could see her every day if he wanted to. And he did want to. That thought brought him up short. How could his whole way of thinking change in twenty-four short hours? A day ago, he’d been firmly set in his routine. His schedule allowed for developing his equine breeding program, caring for his patients, and studying the wild mustangs in the canyon. He did not spend his time fantasizing about violet-eyed vixens. Or any other vixens, for that matter.
    The ride back to the clinic passed quickly. The dim light from the dashboard cast Meg in a soft glow, and Jake couldn’t help but watch her from the corner of his eye. A few more strands had escaped the clip that held her hair, and he badly wanted to touch her. To see if her hair was as soft as he remembered. He was entranced by her. Not only by her beauty, but by her intelligence, her excitement and energy. “Tell me more about your plans for the classrooms.”
    “The more I think about it, the more ideas I have. There is so much to learn from the land. Not only geology—it could be used for other studies. The Native American petroglyphs on the rock walls near the river are fascinating. A small classroom could be built in the canyon for that purpose alone.”
    She couldn’t be serious. “In the canyon? Meg, you can’t build in the canyon.”
    “Why not?”
    “The mustangs live in the canyon. Any disruption to their habitat could force them to migrate again. In fact, any of the new buildings will have to be located far enough away not to disturb them.”
    She turned in her seat toward him. “They’d be part of the experience, too. People would want to study them. Like you.”
    The last thing he wanted was to ruin the evening, but was she crazy? How could he make her understand how important it was to