Page 44 of The Roper & the Author

Her heart missed a beat and her stomach hopped.

With those beautiful words and that tender promise, he leaned down and captured her mouth with his.

Marci clung to him. She leaned against the wall for support but then she was soaring, lifted off the ground in a swirl of emotion and sparks. Walker’s lips were persuasive, warm, the ideal match for hers. His strong body and capable handssurrounded her. He took command of her lips, her heart, and her life as he coaxed her mouth with his own in a tender exchange of passion and delight. He kissed her so thoroughly she forgot to catalog anything. She was gone, in another stratosphere, swept away in this delicious and intoxicating kiss.

When they pulled back to catch their breath, she realized Walker’s hands had slid down around her waist and lifted her off the ground. Her arms were wound tight around his neck. Her hair was mussed and so was his. Her lips continued to sing from the joy of kissing him.

“Chacho,” she murmured. “Que delicioso. I had no idea kissing could be like that. Special. Wonderful. Unique. Just for us alone. That wasfuera de serie.”

“Off the charts?” he asked, grinning, all traces of conflict gone. He was her devotedvaquero guapothrough and through.

“Yes, sir. Definitely, definitely off the charts.”

He slowly lowered her to her feet, bending low with her and keeping their bodies in beautiful alignment. She shivered.

“Are you cold?” he asked, concern flickering in his mesmerizing blue orbs.

“Oh, no, so far from cold. Warm all over. Hot. Full of passion. Good shivers. I could be on Key Largo in the middle of a summer’s day with no shade right now.”

Walker chuckled at her exuberance.

“Your kiss is the most extraordinary experience on this planet,” she reiterated. “The problem is …”

“Problem?” His brow furrowed.

“Yes, problem,mi vaquero guapo.”

“I am your handsome cowboy.” He looked smug and as smitten with her as she was with him.

“Yes, you are.” She moistened her lips. “The problem is, I lost my mind completely when you kissed me. I wasn’t even coherent enough to realize you’d lifted me off the ground and our handshad moved positions. How did our hair get all mussed up? When did you pluck me off the floor? I was soaring into heaven and not even aware of anything but pure bliss at the blessing of your perfect lips.”

Walker chuckled. He trailed his fingertips down her cheek. “I can relate to the mind-blowing effects of that kiss. Let me help you out with what I remember about how great it felt when you ran your hands through my hair and the silky feeling of your hair on my fingertips.”

As if to demonstrate, he trailed his fingers slowly up her back, along her neck, and into her hair. She closed her eyes and savored the feel of his fingers making her scalp tingle.

Opening her eyes, she found him studying her. “That kiss was off the charts,” he reiterated in a deep rumble.

“I agree.”

“Did I give you enough inspiration for your book?” he asked.

“More than enough.”

He started to release her and step back.

“Please.” She clung to him. “If you have the time and it’s not too much of a bother, can we please kiss like that over and over again? I’m inspired, but I need to get all the details perfect for my book.” She couldn’t care less about her book at the moment. “I can’t seem to think straight when you kiss me. All I can remember at the moment was it felt like heaven and I want to do it over and over again.”

He gave her his slow grin, and then he complied. He swept her off the ground and against his strong chest, then pinned her against the door and kissed her again.

Heaven, definitely. Soaring. Filled with joy. These moments would never be equaled.

Pulling back slightly, he stared down at her, his blue eyes shining with an awe that made her pulse race. He was as affected by her as she was by him.

“Do you have the details down?” he asked.

“Not one bit. It was too amazing.” She sighed. “I’ll just have my heroine lose her mind completely when the hero kisses her.”

Walker’s phone buzzed against her hip. He startled and looked down at his phone, his burrow furrowing.

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