Page 85 of Texas Honor

He smiled. “So are you.”

Maggie smiled back. She felt shy and giddy, all at once.

They stared at each other for a long moment, eyes meeting eyes, curious and then quiet and probing and intense. She felt her breath quicken, saw his chest rise and fall heavily.

“I’m on fire,” he whispered huskily. “I want your hands on my bare skin.”

She trembled because she wanted it, too. “We...aren’t alone.”

“How fortunate for you,” he replied curtly. “Because if we were, I’d lay you down, so help me.”

Her body reacted to his threat in a wildly responsive way. She tried to get a deep breath and couldn’t.

“No comment?” he asked. “No urge to cut and run? Or doesn’t the thought of having sex with me frighten you anymore?”

“It would be...more...than that,” she whispered. “Wouldn’t it?”

“More than you can imagine, honey,” he replied evenly, searching her soft eyes. “You and I would go up in flames if we got in bed together.”

Her mind was seeing that. Seeing his long, nude body stretching against hers on cool, striped sheets, feeling his muscles ripple as her hands smoothed over them and savored their warm, rough strength.

“My God, don’t look at me like that,” he cried harshly, and actually shuddered. “I can read your mind!”

Her lips parted on a trembling breath. “So beautiful,” she murmured. “That...with you.”

Gabe caught her arm with his hand, holding it with such fierce ardor that she welcomed the discomfort. Her head tilted back, her mouth invited his.

“I can’t kiss you like that with Becky here,” he said in a hoarse undertone. “God, I couldn’t even stop once I started! I’d devour you.”

“I’d let you,” she whispered softly. “I’d let you do anything....”

He turned away with a hard groan, letting go of her arm. “Becky, want to see the wildflowers?” he called. His voice didn’t seem quite normal but Becky didn’t notice. She was still petting the calf with fascination.

“Sure!” she called back, laughing.

Maggie eased away from the tree on shaky legs. She wasn’t at all sure how to handle these new, explosive emotions. Gabe was wearing her down without even trying. And now she wanted him, as she hadn’t even in her youth. She couldn’t think what was best anymore. She wasn’t at all sure that she could leave him.

“Come on, slowpoke,” Gabe called to her, smiling, although his eyes were blazing as they met hers. “Let’s get going.”

She waited for him to boost her into the saddle after he’d helped Becky up. But he was towering over her, so close that she could feel the warmth of his body.

“I’ve got to,” he whispered sharply as Becky turned her horse away from them. “Just for a second!”

His mouth crushed down on hers, hungrily, roughly. She opened her lips, but he drew back immediately with a visible shudder.

“Oh...” she whispered on a sob.

“I’ll be on my knees by tonight,” he ground out, helping her into the saddle. “My God, I’m already shaking like a boy.”

“So am I,” she told him with an unsteady smile.

“Pretty soon we’re going to have to settle this thing, honey,” he said, his eyes steady and intent. “I can’t handle what I feel.”

Her face colored. “I can’t be sure—”

“I won’t rush you,” he interrupted as Becky came back toward them. “Good girl,” he called, striding toward his horse. “You’re beginning to look like a cowgirl!”

“Am I really?” Becky asked enthusiastically.

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