Page 76 of Stockman's Sandstorm

He sucked and nibbled, teased and tasted, until she found herself on her knees, pressing hard against his chest, dragging her fingers through his thick hair. Blood rioted like a swarm of bees buzzing through her ears, she couldn’t tell if it was her or the crickets outside. She didn’t even recognise the hum coming from her throat as she melted into him, when something squishy pressed against her leg.

It was enough to break the connection and she looked down at the small boy that slept soundly between them.

What was she doing? She was here for Mason. Not to kiss her boss in the dark. Even if it felt right, this was so wrong on all levels.

Hand to her mouth, clutching the flowers to her chest, she pulled away. ‘Thank you.’ She got her kiss. That’s all she needed. And lay down, keeping her back to Ash, while swallowing the cool air to calm down her inner heat. She doubted she’d get any sleep now, but at least she had something sweet to think about.

Thirty-one

That one single kiss had been on Ash’s mind all freaking day. Harper said one kiss. Sure, he thought, it’d just be a simple kiss—but Ash had never kissed anyone the way he’d kissed Harper.

He’d never gone to collect wildflowers in the dark for anyone.

He’d never helped a woman out of a tent.

He had never dusted a log so she could sit, to then fetch food or water like a slave, hoping for a smile. But he did for Harper, and he was willing do so much more for her. All she had to do was ask.

His mouth watered at the sight of her kissable lips, that smile, that shine in her eyes as she spoke with Bree, who was teaching Harper about mustering on horseback. He wanted to teach her, to talk to her, to just be near her. She was enough to cause his brain to short circuit.

‘Are you doin’ okay there, bro?’ Cap rode up beside him, his assorted cattle dogs spread out around him as they effortlessly controlled the herd, heading for the trail to Cascades Spur. ‘You’re daydreaming, mate.’

‘Didn’t sleep well.’ He held a protective arm around Mason, safe in his carrier, who was gripping the reins like a racehorse jockey, jabbering in some unknown language to the horse.

‘I saw where you slept.’

‘With a kid between us.’ If Mason wasn’t there, Ash was pretty sure he would have been allowed more than just one kiss with the nanny. ‘Harper was scared of the noises.’

‘I get it. Listen, mate …’ Cap dropped his head and lowered his tone. ‘You haven’t stopped looking at her.’

‘Nah.’ Yet, Ash struggled to tear his eyes away from Harper, riding alongside Bree.

‘Look, do yourself a favour and ride up front, or get on the other side.’

‘Why?’

‘To concentrate on the cattle, or you’ll have Dex on your back.’

‘I kissed her,’ he confessed, scrubbing a rough hand over his face. ‘I thought, sure one kiss. But …’

‘It must have been a good kiss.’

He opened his palms up, simply unable to speak about the magnitude of the power of one kiss.

‘Damn.’ Cap arched an eyebrow.

‘Harper said she’s never done stuff, like relationships. And she’s not snooty. Harper is awkwardly shy outside of work.’

‘Well, that makes sense. She’s a different person, out here. I mean, you could’ve knocked me over this morning when she asked Bree to teach her to muster.’

‘I know.’ Ash was in awe of her courage and her adventurous spirit. ‘But Harper said only one kiss because she didn’t want to be part of some cliché of the boss kissing the nanny. So, I thought, sure. One kiss. Easy-peasy. Not.’ It was screwing with his hormones. Now he was wishing he’d never kissed her. Harper was right—kissing his employee did make the workplace messy. ‘What do I do?’

‘You’re asking me for dating advice. You?’

‘I’m serious, Cap. There’s no way I’d have this conversation with Dex or Ryder.’

‘I don’t believe this. You, the womaniser, who loves the chase and gets bored with the catch.’

‘I haven’t caught her.’ Harper was not only out of his reach, but she was also out of his league. Even though it had never bothered him before, he knew how the world rolled. Harper was polished—he was rough. She did business class—he was cattle class. Ash didn’t own a suit or an iron to press his shirts, and he wouldn’t know how to tie a necktie, but he could tackle a cleanskin bull with his bare hands and not blink.

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