Page 20 of The Cowboy's Unlikely Love

She laughed. “When are you going to learn that you don’t need to keep feeding me…”

She stopped short when he took his hat off and leaned in close. One hand slid up from her shoulder to cup the side of her neck.

He rested his forehead against hers and looked into her eyes. “When areyougoing to learn that I’m dead serious, Everly?”

All her breath caught in her chest when he slid his fingers into her hair. He leaned in closer still until his lips were only an inch from hers.

“Can I kiss you?”

“Yes,” she breathed.

As soon as the word was out, he brushed his lips over hers.

His fingers tangled in her hair, and he slid his other arm around her waist. She looped her arms around his neck and hung on for dear life as he kissed her senseless.

Holy crap! The man was lethal. She hadn’t kissed a guy in years, but she’d never in her life been kissed like that before. Every stroke of his tongue against hers made her feel like she was melting against him. The way his fingers stroked her scalp sent shivers chasing each other down her spine. His arm around her waist made her feel safe, as though nothing in the world could touch her while he was close.

When he finally lifted his head, his eyes shone in the moonlight. “Wow!” he breathed.

She laughed. “I think that’s my line.”

He shook his head solemnly. “Nope. You’re something else, sweetheart.” He frowned. “And please, whatever you do, don’t spoil this moment by assuming that’s a line. It isn’t. I… Damn, Everly!” He ran his fingers through his hair before cramming his hat back onto his head. “What are you doing to me?”

She was still trying to recover from that kiss, but she was touched by his openness. She ran her hand up his arm. “I have no idea, but you’re doing it to me, too.”

He held his hand out to her, and she took it, lacing her fingers through his as they started to walk again.

If he thought that kiss was a precursor to her inviting him up to her room, she… Oh, who was she kidding? If he wanted to come up, she’d take him willingly.

He chuckled. “And before you go getting the wrong idea again, I’m marching you back so that I can send you up to your room and drive away while I still have the willpower to leave.”

She laughed with him. “I thought you were in such a hurry because you wanted…”

“Want? Hell yeah, I want you more than I want my next breath. But it’s not the right move.” He gave her a pained smile. “Unless you think it is? If you say it’s the right move…”

She groaned. “I…” Her resolve was about to crumble; she’d be crazy to turn him down.

“No.” He cut her off. “That wasn’t fair. It’s not the right move – not if we want more than just one night, and I do.”

They’d arrived back at the lodge, and he came to a stop by his truck. He leaned in and pressed a quick peck to her lips.

“Can I have your number?” He tapped it into his phone as she told it to him. “Thanks. What time’s good for me to come get you in the morning? Are you an early bird? Or do you want to sleep in? Would you rather call me when you’re ready?”

“Any time’s good. I’m an early riser.”

He chuckled. “Is seven too early for you?”

“It’s early, but it’s not too early if that’s what you want to do.”

“I think you know what I want to do – but I’m not going to. So, I’ll see you back here at seven?”

“Okay.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and brushed his lips over hers. “You have no idea how bad I want to kiss you again, but I can’t. If I do, it’ll be game over.”

She wrapped her arms around his neck and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “I get it. I feel the same way. So, I guess this is good night.” She took a step back from him, but he followed and closed his arms around her again.

“It is; it has to be. But I’m only accepting this as good night if you promise that it’s not goodbye.”

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