Page 27 of Lone Star Rescue

Rafe nodded. “I consider that one of my turning points for you, too.”

They stood there. Gazes locked. A whole hell of a lot of fire zinging between them. Fire he damn well knew he should be resisting.

But did he?

Nope.

Neither did Bree. She started toward him at the same moment he went to her. They met, both reaching for each other, and in a flash, she was in his arms.

And his mouth was on hers.

One touch of their lips and the taste of her roared through him. He hadn’t needed anything else to make him senseless, but that did it. He lost all reason, and the only thought that was getting through his head was her.

Bree.

Just Bree.

The kiss was instantly scalding. So needy, so desperate that Rafe thought it could melt them on the spot. There was waytoo much pent-up lust in this for it to be happening, but the kiss raged on.

Their tongues met while she pressed her body against his. He’d been able to see all those curves beneath the PJs, but now he could feel them. Her breasts on his chest. And her center against his dick that thought this was a great time to go rock hard and ready.

But this wasn’t a great time.

Not for the kiss. And not for where this kiss would lead them if they didn’t stop. They would end up having adrenaline-fueled sex, which was sure to be amazing, but he didn’t want Bree to have any regrets if they ever did become lovers. This would turn out to be a regret, no doubt about that.

Somehow, Rafe managed to pull back.Somehow. His dick and pretty much the rest of him protested that, but he forced himself not to listen to that primal need to sate this fire.

Bree moved back too, and with her breath gusting, she glanced around with aWTF just happenedexpression. He was right there right with her on that.

“Yes, that dance was a mistake,” Bree muttered, making him laugh. Eventually, she smiled and then chuckled. “Who knew a few dance moves could start a spark like that?”

“It started before the dance,” he said. At least he thought it was audible. Hard to tell with his heartbeat thundering in his ears. “It started back after high school. After Tessa and I began drifting apart.”

She sighed. “It started before that,” she admitted.

“It did,” he was quick to verify. “I guess it just sounded less sleazy than saying I was going out with one woman and lusting after another.”

Bree stayed quiet a moment, still making a visible attempt to level her breath. “Less sleazy than me wanting my blood friend’s boyfriend. I did want you,” she admitted in a mutter.“Still do.” She stopped, cursed. What’s going on here?” she asked.

Rafe knew she wasn’t talking about the investigation. But rather that kiss. That scalding mistake of a kiss and all the lust and need that went along with it.

“Nothing’s going on,” he said, and he hoped he could make it true. “At least not until you’ve had a good night’s sleep.” To carry through on that, he went to her bed and pulled back the covers. “Rest,” he insisted.

She slid some glances between the bed and him, her gaze lingering on him for several hot moments. Before she finally slipped between the covers.

Rafe didn’t risk planting a chaste goodnight kiss on the uninjured part of her forehead. No kiss would stay chaste between Bree and him. So, he turned and forced himself out of the room.

As he eased the door shut behind him, Rafe had one question pounding in his head.

How the hell was he going to stop himself from falling hard for Bree?

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Chapter Eight

Bree woke with a jolt, the images of the nightmare still racing through her head. She tried to shake them off.

And then winced when she got a jab of pain.

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