Page 22 of Jonathan

“Hmm.” He brushed a hand up and down her back slowly, watching her eyes kindled. “I might have exercised more force than necessary.”

“Confession is really good for the soul,” she squirmed a little, “what exactly are we doing here?”

“We’re enjoying a respite before going for round two!” His lazy smile had her heart doing a slow flip.

“You know exactly what I mean.” She ordered her heart to settle. “This cannot be a relationship.”

“Why not?” His voice was casual, but his heart was heavy as he waited.

“You know why not. And speaking of…,” she swore and signed at the same time. “We did not use anything.”

“No.”

“Are you usually this careless?” She demanded.

“I could ask the same thing of you.”

“No.” She shook her head. “This is crazy. Aren’t you afraid of the consequences?”

“Not particularly. I am thirty-five and the idea of a child is something I have been entertaining.”

Her eyes turned deadly. “So, just any random woman would do as long as she has the right equipment?”

He almost chuckled at the phrasing but figured that would only make it worse.

“Far from it.” He tightened his arms around her waist as she started to move. “It just seems right.”

“Well for your information, I am not certain I want children, and you don’t know me. Secondly, we just met. This is a hook up as the young people would call it. Convenient sex. A holiday fling and nothing more. When my two weeks are up, I will be leaving, am I clear?”

For some reason, she was angry and felt the need to lash out. “If you’re entertaining some illusion that it’s something else, kindly get it out of your head. Am I clear?”

He hid his hurt very well and tamped down the frustration as well as his own anger.

“As glass,” he told her smoothly. “There’s this thing at the ranch. It’s an all-day event that goes on into the night. I would like you to come.”

She simply stared at him. “What?”

“I’m inviting you…”

“I heard you, dammit! Did you hear me?”

“Loud and clear. Will you come?”

She gave up. If he didn’t want to listen and acknowledge what she just told him then, it’s his problem.

She had said her piece and meant every word. No matter how charming and attractive he was, no matter that the sex was so explosive and incendiary, when the time comes, she was leaving to go home, with no regrets. Well, maybe a few, but she was going home.

“Fine!” She offered grouchily.

Bringing her head down, he gave her a sizzling kiss that had her mind going blank.

*****

He spent the night of course. Leaving her never entered his mind. He would sleep in a little, he decided. He could call his foreman and tell him to get things started. They were supposed to be doing some branding at first light, and he had an appointment in town with the local bank.

He also had some paperwork to deal with. A buyer from Texas was swinging by to purchase some quality horseflesh and enter into negotiations to purchase fruit from his farm.

The branding could get started without him; he mused as he shuffled schedules in his head. He had an assistant who handled his appointments and such. The man was also a whiz with figures and details. He could move around the thing at the bank, it was not that important.

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