hot stud’s body. Keep your mind on the job. And no, that job didn’t involve stripping his pants off and making sure all of his organs were functioning. “Seems a little rough,” she replied, wiping at a scratch on his upper pec.
“I guess, but it worked. I think. At least it’s how I taught myself the skills other boys get from their dads.”
She wrinkled her nose. “My dad taught me how to swap out bedpans and sew gashes with tight stitches.”
“Just like my ma taught me my manners and the difference between a ma who’s happy I remembered to wipe my muddy paws and a ma who isn’t afraid to paddle me with a wooden spoon until I remember. Experience, good or bad, teaches us. Especially when it’s bad.”
“Meaning?” Because she couldn’t help but think he was talking something deeper.
“Meaning that you don’t need to repeat mistakes. Oh and that you can only win with boldness.”
Boldness such as stealing a forbidden kiss.
One long overdue.
His lips pressed against hers, not demanding, but not too shy either. With slowness and sensuality, he embraced her. A thrill of excitement hummed through all her nerves.
Molten blood pumped through her veins, heating her body, bringing it to life.
The beat of her heart quickened, arousing her senses.
Caught by surprise, her breath caught, afraid to inhale or exhale because each involved a level of intimacy she didn’t know if she could handle.
Forget handle. She craved.
As his lips claimed hers softly, she couldn’t help but melt. How long since she’d imagined this? How long had she wanted someone to touch her? To bring her alive? To remind her what it meant to be a woman, a woman with needs, wanted by a man who desired her?
I’m tired of waiting and wanting and feeling guilty.
Time to be selfish.
She kissed him back, and she could have sworn the heat between them burst into molten flames.
As his hand cupped the back of her head, cradling it in his palm, her own fingers tangled in the locks of his hair, drawing him closer, inhaling his breath and moaning as he captured hers.
His groan of enjoyment sent a shiver through her, but it was the holler of an outside voice that dumped a bucket of cold reality on her.
“Private, we need another man on the west perimeter.”
“Yes, sir.”
The intruding voices of strangers snapped her free of the moment and brought clarity back.
What am I doing? I’m a married woman.
Unhappily.
No matter. Nor did it matter Freddie held their vows in contempt. She wasn’t the type of woman to forsake her word, or her mate.
Yet I did only a moment ago.
Travis might have initiated the kiss, but she did nothing to stop it. Never once felt an ounce of shame or repugnance. Even now, she yearned to draw him back to her. To do something wrong. Selfish. But oh so pleasurable.
Wrong.
Right.
Who cared? Who’d stop her?
Fuck it. As he looked at her questioningly, for once not speaking but waiting, all his hopes and desires—a desire for her—shining in his eyes, she chose to please herself.
Oh god, it’s about time.
She’d spent years unfulfilled and yearning for this moment. Damned if she’d let a piece of paper that meant nothing but misery dictate what she could or shouldn’t do.
At their renewed kiss, Travis took things a step further. His arms looped around her upper body, pulling her into the solidness of his body, the closest she’d been to a man in years. She couldn’t help a sigh of pleasure at the hardness of his frame, the evidence of his arousal— an attraction to me! —pressing against her lower belly.
Throbbing and insistent.
Oh god. I really shouldn’t. We shouldn’t. I want to. I need to.
Need…
“Hey, Doc, you’re needed.” The words were yelled by someone outside only moments before they entered the tent.
Only seconds between the two actions, yet she’d already yanked herself away from Travis—and his tempting lips. She turned to rummage in the medical kit by her side to give
“I guess, but it worked. I think. At least it’s how I taught myself the skills other boys get from their dads.”
She wrinkled her nose. “My dad taught me how to swap out bedpans and sew gashes with tight stitches.”
“Just like my ma taught me my manners and the difference between a ma who’s happy I remembered to wipe my muddy paws and a ma who isn’t afraid to paddle me with a wooden spoon until I remember. Experience, good or bad, teaches us. Especially when it’s bad.”
“Meaning?” Because she couldn’t help but think he was talking something deeper.
“Meaning that you don’t need to repeat mistakes. Oh and that you can only win with boldness.”
Boldness such as stealing a forbidden kiss.
One long overdue.
His lips pressed against hers, not demanding, but not too shy either. With slowness and sensuality, he embraced her. A thrill of excitement hummed through all her nerves.
Molten blood pumped through her veins, heating her body, bringing it to life.
The beat of her heart quickened, arousing her senses.
Caught by surprise, her breath caught, afraid to inhale or exhale because each involved a level of intimacy she didn’t know if she could handle.
Forget handle. She craved.
As his lips claimed hers softly, she couldn’t help but melt. How long since she’d imagined this? How long had she wanted someone to touch her? To bring her alive? To remind her what it meant to be a woman, a woman with needs, wanted by a man who desired her?
I’m tired of waiting and wanting and feeling guilty.
Time to be selfish.
She kissed him back, and she could have sworn the heat between them burst into molten flames.
As his hand cupped the back of her head, cradling it in his palm, her own fingers tangled in the locks of his hair, drawing him closer, inhaling his breath and moaning as he captured hers.
His groan of enjoyment sent a shiver through her, but it was the holler of an outside voice that dumped a bucket of cold reality on her.
“Private, we need another man on the west perimeter.”
“Yes, sir.”
The intruding voices of strangers snapped her free of the moment and brought clarity back.
What am I doing? I’m a married woman.
Unhappily.
No matter. Nor did it matter Freddie held their vows in contempt. She wasn’t the type of woman to forsake her word, or her mate.
Yet I did only a moment ago.
Travis might have initiated the kiss, but she did nothing to stop it. Never once felt an ounce of shame or repugnance. Even now, she yearned to draw him back to her. To do something wrong. Selfish. But oh so pleasurable.
Wrong.
Right.
Who cared? Who’d stop her?
Fuck it. As he looked at her questioningly, for once not speaking but waiting, all his hopes and desires—a desire for her—shining in his eyes, she chose to please herself.
Oh god, it’s about time.
She’d spent years unfulfilled and yearning for this moment. Damned if she’d let a piece of paper that meant nothing but misery dictate what she could or shouldn’t do.
At their renewed kiss, Travis took things a step further. His arms looped around her upper body, pulling her into the solidness of his body, the closest she’d been to a man in years. She couldn’t help a sigh of pleasure at the hardness of his frame, the evidence of his arousal— an attraction to me! —pressing against her lower belly.
Throbbing and insistent.
Oh god. I really shouldn’t. We shouldn’t. I want to. I need to.
Need…
“Hey, Doc, you’re needed.” The words were yelled by someone outside only moments before they entered the tent.
Only seconds between the two actions, yet she’d already yanked herself away from Travis—and his tempting lips. She turned to rummage in the medical kit by her side to give
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