Theywalked toward the wooden staircase at the back of the room hand in hand, butshe stopped to look behind her for a moment.

“Somethingwrong?”

“Ithought…” She shook her head and started walking again. “Never mind.”

Heled her up the first flight of stairs to the door in front of them and handedher the old fashioned key on a tag. “Wow. I haven’t seen one of these in a longtime. I didn’t think anyone used these anymore.”

“Wedo. We don’t have the fancy credit card sliders like most other hotels andmotels. This is a small, family run dude ranch.”

“Iwasn’t critizing, Joel. I think it’s cool you guys are regular country people.”She slipped the key into the lock and opened the door. Mesa walked over to turnon the lamp on the bedside table, bathing the room in soft, muted light. Dominatingthe smaller room stood a double bed with a beautiful wedding ring comforter. Herclean clothes sat in a nice neat pile by the pillows. A wooden dresser sat atthe end of the bed and to the right. The single large window overlooked thegarden behind the house. Something she would have to explore tomorrow. Sheloved gardens. Right now, it looked spooky bathed in moonlight but romantic atthe same time.

“Thegarden is my mother’s favorite place to hang out. She’s got lots of flowersback there, a sitting bench, a swing, and a barbeque. We throw parties outthere during the cooler months.”

“Texasdoes get warm in the summer.”

“It’sbeen pretty here this week. Not too hot and not too cold.”

“Justfor me.”

Helaughed. “Maybe.”

“Exceptfor the rain shower today.”

“Thoseare normal for this time of year too.”

“Justmy luck.”

“Ifyou give me the keys to your car, I’ll grab your suitcase and bring it up.”

“Allright.” She handed him the keys. “On one condition. You let me wash the cut onyour lip.”

“Yes,nurse.”

Shestartled a little, and then smiled.

“What?”

“Ialways wanted to be a nurse.”

“Thenwhy didn’t you?” He held up his hand. “Wait to answer that until I get back.” Amoment later, he closed the door behind him, disappearing from sight.

Mutevoices drifted through the wall. Must besome other guests in the room next door. The man’s voice rose in anger. Shecringed knowing where those tones usually led. She heard a slap, and thenmuffled crying a moment later. The sound died away after a few seconds as if ithad never been there in the first place.

Mesafrowned, rubbing her arms as the room dropped in temperature like the airconditioner kicked on, but it hadn’t. She shook her head and went to theconnecting bathroom to fetch a warm washcloth to clean Joel’s lip. The bathroomwas decorated in the typical old-fashioned way with wood accents. A claw foottub with a shower curtain to one end, and a large showerhead reminded her ofthe rain showerhead she had at home. Maybe tomorrow night she would take a longsoak in the huge tub. A soft knock on the door brought her out of her musings.

Shequickly grabbed a washcloth from those hanging on the rack, stuck it under somehot water and went to answer the door. She opened it to find no one on theother side. After she leaned out, she glanced down the hallway to both the leftand right without seeing anyone nearby. “All right, Joel. That’s not funny.You’re scaring me.”

“Whatare you talking about, Mesa?” he asked, coming up the stairs in front of her. “Whoare you talking to?”

“Uh.No one, I guess.”

“I’vegot your suitcase.”

Shestepped aside to allow him into the room. “Just set it on the bed and I’llunpack it in a minute.” She told him to sit on the edge of the bed as she tooka spot between his spread thighs. She exhaled forcibly through her lips so shecould focus on the task at hand and not his hard thighs now encasing her lowerhalf. The cut on his lip didn’t look too deep. With her finger inside thecloth, she dabbed at the cut.

“Ouch.”

“Sorry.”

“It’sokay. I know you didn’t mean to hurt me.”

Hewinced as she dabbed again. It had to hurt, she knew but all she could thinkabout was kissing those full lips. She wanted to see his eyes dark with desire.Feel his hands on her bare flesh. Have those lips on other places of her bodylike her breasts, her nipples, or her clit.

“Youokay?” he whispered, glancing up through those impossibly long eyelashes.

“Yeah.”Her heart pounded behind her ribcage.

“Yourpulse is fluttering.”

“Iknow.”

“Why?”His voice continued in a soft, coaxing tone reminding her of how he spoke tothe horse while she gave birth to her foal.

“It’snothing, Joel.”

“Doyou want me to kiss you?”

Sheclosed her eyes and licked her lips. God,do I ever want you to kiss me. More than my next breath.More than a winning lottery ticket. More than…

Thenext thing she knew, he had twisted her around so she lay flat on the bed withhim hovering over her. He bent down and brushed his lips against hers so softlyshe wasn’t sure if he’d actually kissed her.

“Youshouldn’t be doing this.”

“Iknow.”

Hekissed her again, this time with his tongue softly brushing her lips as if toask for permission to deepen it. Her lips parted of their own accord withouther even thinking beyond how his lips felt against hers. The dip of his tonguetore a moan from her mouth. She tangled her hands in the front of his westernshirt, wanting nothing more than to remove the barrier between his skin andhers.

Thefire burning in her gut prompted her to return kiss for kiss, touch for touch.The caress of his fingers against the side of her breast brought her straightup on the bed, breaking the kiss.

“What’swrong?”

“I…uh.We shouldn’t do this. Remember your mother’s rule.”

“Iknow, but I can’t help but want to touch you. Kiss you.” He ran his fingersdown her cheek. “You’re a beautiful woman, Mesa. I’m not sorry.”

Shetouched her fingers to her lips as he turned to go.

“Goodnight,Mesa.”

“Goodnight,Joel.”

Chapter Six

“Stupid,Joel. Really, really stupid!” He threw the horse’s bridle across the tack roombefore he raked his fingers through his hair, knocking his Stetson from hishead.

“Whoa.What’s got your panties in a twist?” Jacob asked, putting one of the saddlesback on the rack. “You aren’t usually this strung up.”

“Nothin’.”

“Itdoesn’t sound like nothin’ to me. Throwing tack usually means you’re pissed.”

“Fine.I’m pissed.”

Jacobremoved his hat and tossed it on the desk in the corner. “About?”

“Awoman.”

“So?”

“It’sMesa.” He paced from one side of the tack room to the other with agitatedsteps. The thing with Mesa had him wound up tighter than a string of barbwire.

“Ah.”

“Ikissed her.”

“Yeah,we all saw it out by the bonfire.”

“No,after that. More than once.”

“Istill don’t understand what the big deal is.”

“Ican’t get involved with someone who is only going to be here for a few days.It’s crazy.”

“Soyou have a quick fling. What’s the problem?”

Hestopped and turned to face his brother. “The big deal is she’s not the kind ofgirl you have a quick fling with, Jacob. She’s a nice girl. The kind of girlyou settle down with.”

“Seriously,Joel. Settle down?”

“I’mnot thinkin’ of settlin’ down, idiot, but she’s not the barfly type.”

“Maybeshe is. You never know.” He picked up the bridle and hung it on the rack.“Maybe you should ask her?”

“Askher? Really? What do I say? How about a quick fuck, Mesa?”

“Sure.Why not?”

Joelpicked up his Stetson and put it back on his head. “Maybe. I mean she’sattracted to me from what I can tell. She definitely got into the kiss weshared.”

“Justfuck her already, would ya,” Jason added, coming in from the corral. “I’ll takeher off your hands if you want. Not like she could tell the difference betweenus anyway.”