Page 6 of Back in the Saddle

‘I told you to ask.’

‘And I told you I don’t beg.’ She placed her palm against his chest.

Her breath caught. Right there and then, the whole world faded away. She wasn’t thinking about her work. And she certainly wasn’t thinking about Finn. All she could think about were those gorgeous grey eyes. She held her hand up to his cheek, trailing a finger down to his hairy chin.

He closed his eyes. ‘Well then. I think there’s only one solution to this.’

Before she could respond, he brought his lips to hers and kissed her.Reallykissed her. She felt herself falling into the abyss of sweet nothingness. For the duration of that kiss, nothing else mattered. Not the shambles of her life, not her old job, not even her new one.

She grabbed his shirt, pulling him closer. She wanted to remove every remaining millimetre separating their bodies from where they clearly belonged in this moment. Melted together in a dance of a curious lust.

The distinct flavours of single malts they had drunk mixed together in a blended variety worth bottling. He smelled of bergamot, hay and a hint of soil. Like it was a part of him he wanted to wash off but couldn’t quite manage to.

She knew that struggle all too well, forever convinced the distinct smell of hospital disinfectants followed her wherever she went.

Kissing a stranger in a crowded bar wasn’t something Caroline had ever imagined herself doing. But that crackling attraction had called on something deeply primal in her verycore. Something she hadn’t had a chance to explore in thirty-one years of her life. Until now.

Maybe the fact that they would never see each other again made it all so much more exciting than it was.

Just as the recklessness made room for the uneasiness, her phone vibrated in the pocket of her skirt.

They jumped apart like someone had caught them doing something they shouldn’t be.

Caroline practically fell off the stool. Her legs were made of candyfloss, every bone refusing to support her weight. Blinking to readjust her eyes to the harsh lighting, she threw her handbag over her arm with a flourish. ‘I’ve got to go. But I did enjoy the …’ Her eyes flicked to his lips, and she had to stop herself from touching hers. They still throbbed, pulsating with a liveliness she had buried deep years ago. ‘… conversation.’

‘Likewise,’ he said in a low voice.

Their eyes locked and Caroline had to remind herself to breathe. She was quite pleased that he appeared to look almost as ruffled as she did.

‘Can I get your number?’ Hunter asked. His eyes shone and his cheeks were slightly flushed.

She dropped her gaze. ‘I don’t think so.’

‘You can’t blame a man for trying, right? Especially after that kiss.’

She bit back a smile. ‘Yes, the kiss was decent.’

He huffed. ‘Only decent?’

‘Always room for improvement.’ She was already walking away from both him and her whisky-drowned copy ofA Lady’s Guide to Scandal. ‘Enjoy your night, Hunter.’

Caroline could feel his eyes on her back until she turned the corner. When she was far enough from the bar, she stopped. Smoothing her hair with a trembling hand, she brought herfingers down to her face, pressing into the middle of her lower lip. She closed her eyes, trying to keep her act together. She would never have dared to do this if there was even a chance they would bump into each other again. But what were the odds? As delicious as that kiss was, none of this was on her agenda for the next year. Figuring out who she was without Finn and what she wanted from her life, that’s what she needed to focus on.

She was just going to avoid The Rouge Scot for the duration of her stay in Oklahoma.

CHAPTER THREE

Hunter

After a long day at the ranch, all Hunter craved was a hot shower and some peace and quiet. When he used to work alongside the ranch hands, it was a different kind of exhaustion. Physical pain pushing through every single muscle and joint. Hurt like hell, but at least he knew why he was hurting. Now, his days were filled with managing everything. He was no longer spending hours on end on horseback; that had been replaced by making phone calls and shaking hands. But some things hadn’t changed, like this part of the day, when it was just him and his favourite horse. If only his entire day could consist of more interactions with the horses instead of pushing through papers and focusing on the cattle …

Thinking about what he wanted was pointless. The ranch, his family, needed him to step up to fill his father’s boots. So what if he wouldn’t have chosen that pair himself?

Maybe he would forsake the quiet evening and head out to Oklahoma City instead. He couldn’t stop thinking about the gorgeous green-eyed woman he had met at The Rouge Scot two weeks ago.Caroline.

The memory of her face made him involuntarily grin. Then, the thought of their kiss and her lips on his squeezed his chest tight. Hunter couldn’t remember the last time his thoughts were consumed by a woman. It wasn’t like him, and he wasn’t sure he liked it. Especially as she didn’t give him her number – what if he was never going to see her again? Would he be cursed to forever wonder what could’ve been?

He pushed the thoughts away. He had been back to that damn bar twice now. She hadn’t been there.

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