Free Thunderbolt over Texas by Barbara Dunlop Page B

complicated.”
    â€œThis is inevitable.”
    She paused for a second. “Maybe.”
    â€œAbsolutely.” He slipped his hand under her shirt, skimming across the small of her back. Her skin was sinfully warm, sinfully soft. She was a treasure he hadn’t earned and didn’t deserve.
    â€œWe can stop,” he whispered reassuringly, kissing his way along the crook of her neck. “You say when.”
    â€œNot yet,” she whispered back.
    â€œThank God,” he sighed.
    Her hand inched its way slowly up between them and, one by one, she popped the buttons on his shirt. When the last one gave way, she burrowed inside the fabric.
    He kissed the top of her head and rocked her in his arms. He wanted to carry her to his bed, press himself against her—kiss her, talk to her, make love with her, simply breathe the same air. Whatever she wanted, whenever she wanted it.
    She kissed his chest, her hot tongue flicking out to sear his skin.
    He struggled for air as passion commandeered his senses. “We’re pushing it,” he warned.
    She kissed him again. “Let’s push it further.”
    He pulled back and gazed down at her. Her lips were swollen, her eyes were slumberous and her hair was tousled out like a halo.
    â€œYou want to make love?” he asked.
    â€œYeah.”
    â€œYou sure?”
    She smoothed her palms up the front of his chest. “You’re right. It’s inevitable.”

Five
    S ydney held her breath, wondering if Cole might actually refuse.
    â€œI want you so bad,” he said instead.
    Her breath whooshed out. “You had me worried there for a second, cowboy.”
    He shook his head, smoothing back her hair. “Don’t you worry. Don’t you ever worry.”
    Something settled deep inside her and her worries vanished.
    Cole had to be the most honest and honorable man she’d ever met. Yeah, he was getting in her way over the Thunderbolt. But he was doing it out of respect for his family.
    Unlike the men she’d dated in New York, unlike some of her colleagues and contacts at the museum, everything she’d seen, everything he’d done, told her Cole was a man to be trusted.
    She’d missed trust.
    She’d missed honor.
    She wanted him and he wanted her. It didn’t get much more honest than that.
    She focused on the feel of his rough palm against her scalp. His eyes burned smoky-blue, and she felt like the most desirable woman in the world. Her lashes grew heavy and she tilted her head into the sensation of Cole.
    His palm cupped her face and he kissed her eyes. Her body felt as if it were drifting on air, soaring up to the ceiling. The dying fire gave off a faint, distinct tang. The creek roared over boulders outside the window, and Cole left trails of shooting sparks wherever he touched.
    She tasted his salty skin, then she squeezed his hard body tighter and tighter until she was safe and surrounded by his warmth. He lifted her into his arms as if she weighed nothing. Nobody had ever carried her before. He started to walk, and she was sorry the bedroom was so close.
    â€œHold me for a minute,” she said when they got there.
    His arms flexed. “No problem.”
    She sighed against his chest. “You think you could stop time? Right here? Right now?”
    â€œI wish I could.”
    â€œTry really, really hard.”
    His chuckle rumbled through her. “I can go slow.”
    â€œEasy for you, maybe.”
    â€œNope. Not easy at all.”
    â€œBut you’d do it for me?”
    â€œI’ll do anything for you. Just say the word.”
    Let me into your world, she wanted to say. Not just your bed, but your heart and your soul.
    But that was impossible. They had here and now, and that was all. She forced a light note into her voice.
    â€œGet naked.”
    â€œOkay. But that might speed things up a little.”
    â€œOr I could get naked.”
    â€œThat would be worse.”