Kissing Her Cowboy by Boroughs Publishing Group Page B

her over the rim of her cup.
Once her panic attack about his horse subsided, she’d had to remind
herself not to stare at his sky blue eyes and sun-bleached hair.
More than once she’d had to resist stroking the curve of his bicep
under the hem of his t-shirt. Every inch of the man’s body looked
firm, lean, and muscled. Trey Woods oozed confidence and sex appeal
without even trying. He seemed without pretense or false bravado,
unlike so many men she’d met on the force. And it had been so long
since she’d dated.
    Trey leaned close, and she smelled the
masculine scents of hay and hot skin. She closed the remaining
distance between them and followed the line of his finger while he
pointed to the beast on the far side of the corral. Without meaning
to, she pictured them both naked, her body moving over his…
    She almost missed his answer to her question
as she visualized him caressing her with his large, calloused
hands. Bad, bad girl .
    “See how the sun shines on his black coat,
turning it blue in the light?”
    Daisy watched the stallion graze, her head
and shoulders so close to Trey’s that she could feel their body
heat merge. Excitement rippled over her. When was the last time
she’d felt such awareness of a man? Such presence? She tried to
recall but couldn’t. She dared not move, afraid she’d break the
spell.
    She listened to Trey’s steady in-and-out
breathing but focused on Big Blue. Sunlight rippled over the
animal’s sleek black coat, turning it sapphire. Mesmerized, Daisy
watched the animal lift his magnificent head and shake his long
dark mane. His black tail swept right and then left. His haunches
bunched and flexed before he trotted in their direction, looking
like a storm cloud wrapped in cobalt sky.
    “Oh my God, he’s gorgeous,” she whispered,
truly seeing him for the first time.
    Trey turned and smiled. “There’s no better
horse alive.”
    Daisy smiled back, every nerve ending alight
at their close proximity. She wondered if Trey felt it too.
    Maybe he did, because he reached down and
squeezed her free hand with his. His grip was strong and steady,
and she wished he wouldn’t let go. “Stand by the fence with me. You
don’t have to worry.”
    Easy for him to say, she thought, eyeing the
huge beast.
    Trey took her cup, set it on the ground with
his own and then stood by the rails. Hesitantly, telling herself
the fence looked strong, Daisy moved up beside him. Soon Big Blue
walked close, nickering softly and flicking his tail.
    Daisy took a step back as the horse neared,
but she stayed focused on the animal. Big Blue seemed to watch her,
too, because he blinked and made funny sounds as if acknowledging
her presence. She wondered if the stallion could hear her heart
hammer.
    He stopped moving forward suddenly and just
stood there, watching her watch him.
    Trey glanced from Daisy to Big Blue and
back. “He senses your fear but respects your space.” The cowboy
flipped a hand. “See? Neither of us is going to force you into
anything.” He reached into his shirt pocket and pulled out a
plastic baggie holding a carrot stick. When the bag rattled, the
stallion’s ears flicked and his nostrils flared. The horse moved
closer. Trey spread his hand and offered the carrot on his palm
through an opening in the fence. Big Blue took the snack gingerly
and crunched on it with his enormous teeth. When finished, the
stallion nuzzled Trey’s palm as if to say thanks.
    Trey tucked the baggie back into his pocket
and grinned. “See? He’s like a great big puppy dog.” He gave the
horse a scratch behind the ears as if to prove his point.
    Daisy had to smile. “The biggest dog in the
universe, that’s for sure.”
    Trey was clever; she had to give him that.
The cowboy understood psychology and conditioning techniques. She’d
used them many times on suspects after an arrest. She eyed her
teacher and let the tension trickle from her neck and shoulders.
Her heartbeat slowed.
    The easy camaraderie