I’d protect you no matter what. You’re my guest.”
She nodded. “Let’s walk some more.”
Her mood remained somber. He wasn’t sure what he’d said to put a damper on things, but he wanted to return to the way they were a moment ago. Ryder reached for her hand, and she accepted it. They walked side by side where they could, and he preceded her on narrow stretches, keeping an eye out for anything that might hurt or scare her. Man, she was terrified of snakes.
He remembered coming face to face with his first rattler, though, and understood. But after watching Carlos participate in a snake dance once, he’d lost his fear. He still knew to respect the creatures and kept antivenom on hand, just in case.
Another ten minutes hiking and he pointed toward a rock. “Let’s sit a minute. There’s something I want you to see.” Hoping to increase anticipation, he placed his hands over her eyes. “Trust me. I want it to be a surprise.”
* * *
Ryder’s warm hands covering her eyes sent her body aflutter. The heat from his body standing so close behind her only increased her excitement. Her heartbeat raced faster. Her belly turned to molten fire. Her nipples hardened. Thank God he was behind her and couldn’t see the effect he had on her.
He inched her along the path. “That’s it. Almost there.” She remembered seeing an outcropping of rock before he had shut off her vision. The sounds around her magnified. Birds mostly. Wait. Was that something slithering in the dirt? She reached up to move his hands away.
“Shhh. Don’t be scared. I’m here. You’re safe with me.” His whispered words sent a tingle of awareness down her spine.
“I wasn’t scared. Just surprised.” His words calmed her enough to take another few steps before he stopped walking.
“Prepare to have your breath stolen away.”
Her first thought was that he was about to kiss her—again. Oh, she hoped so. Kissing Ryder was her new favorite pastime. Then he lowered his hands, and the valley opened up before her, with more mountains far in the distance. While the view from her bedroom window had been spectacular, being surrounded by the panoramic view without intrusive walls left her speechless.
“Breathe.” His whisper in her ear sent a tingle down her spine. True to his promise, he had left her breathless, too.
“I…don’t know what to say.”
“Shhh. Don’t try to speak. Just feel. Experience.”
The reddened earth of the ground, mesas, and mountains was dotted with dark green vegetation, as well as lighter-green sage bushes. She didn’t see a single manmade structure. This must have been what it looked like thousands of years ago.
She knew she would need a wide-angle lens to capture even a tiny bit of this view, but the thought of moving away from Ryder held no appeal. His breathing was slower than hers. He must not be feeling the same current of electricity sparking between them.
Why was she trying to sexualize an innocent scene? He’d just wanted to show her his view from on top of his world.
“Thanks for bringing me here, Ryder.”
“My pleasure. Believe me. Thank you for letting me be the one to introduce you to it.”
Once again, her thoughts went astray, and she wondered what it would be like to let Ryder introduce her to another wonder of the world. She wanted nothing more than to be initiated to sex by Ryder, but that wasn’t why he brought her here. The man preferred no human attachments—and you didn’t get more attached than when having a sexual relationship.
Still, the need for his lips on hers, his hands on her—
Megan turned around, her face mere inches from his. “Kiss me, Ryder.”
A fire burned hot in his brown eyes before he doused the flame. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
She reached up to frame his face with her hands. “Don’t think. Just feel.” She pulled his face toward hers and placed her lips on his, tentatively. In an instant, the flames
She nodded. “Let’s walk some more.”
Her mood remained somber. He wasn’t sure what he’d said to put a damper on things, but he wanted to return to the way they were a moment ago. Ryder reached for her hand, and she accepted it. They walked side by side where they could, and he preceded her on narrow stretches, keeping an eye out for anything that might hurt or scare her. Man, she was terrified of snakes.
He remembered coming face to face with his first rattler, though, and understood. But after watching Carlos participate in a snake dance once, he’d lost his fear. He still knew to respect the creatures and kept antivenom on hand, just in case.
Another ten minutes hiking and he pointed toward a rock. “Let’s sit a minute. There’s something I want you to see.” Hoping to increase anticipation, he placed his hands over her eyes. “Trust me. I want it to be a surprise.”
* * *
Ryder’s warm hands covering her eyes sent her body aflutter. The heat from his body standing so close behind her only increased her excitement. Her heartbeat raced faster. Her belly turned to molten fire. Her nipples hardened. Thank God he was behind her and couldn’t see the effect he had on her.
He inched her along the path. “That’s it. Almost there.” She remembered seeing an outcropping of rock before he had shut off her vision. The sounds around her magnified. Birds mostly. Wait. Was that something slithering in the dirt? She reached up to move his hands away.
“Shhh. Don’t be scared. I’m here. You’re safe with me.” His whispered words sent a tingle of awareness down her spine.
“I wasn’t scared. Just surprised.” His words calmed her enough to take another few steps before he stopped walking.
“Prepare to have your breath stolen away.”
Her first thought was that he was about to kiss her—again. Oh, she hoped so. Kissing Ryder was her new favorite pastime. Then he lowered his hands, and the valley opened up before her, with more mountains far in the distance. While the view from her bedroom window had been spectacular, being surrounded by the panoramic view without intrusive walls left her speechless.
“Breathe.” His whisper in her ear sent a tingle down her spine. True to his promise, he had left her breathless, too.
“I…don’t know what to say.”
“Shhh. Don’t try to speak. Just feel. Experience.”
The reddened earth of the ground, mesas, and mountains was dotted with dark green vegetation, as well as lighter-green sage bushes. She didn’t see a single manmade structure. This must have been what it looked like thousands of years ago.
She knew she would need a wide-angle lens to capture even a tiny bit of this view, but the thought of moving away from Ryder held no appeal. His breathing was slower than hers. He must not be feeling the same current of electricity sparking between them.
Why was she trying to sexualize an innocent scene? He’d just wanted to show her his view from on top of his world.
“Thanks for bringing me here, Ryder.”
“My pleasure. Believe me. Thank you for letting me be the one to introduce you to it.”
Once again, her thoughts went astray, and she wondered what it would be like to let Ryder introduce her to another wonder of the world. She wanted nothing more than to be initiated to sex by Ryder, but that wasn’t why he brought her here. The man preferred no human attachments—and you didn’t get more attached than when having a sexual relationship.
Still, the need for his lips on hers, his hands on her—
Megan turned around, her face mere inches from his. “Kiss me, Ryder.”
A fire burned hot in his brown eyes before he doused the flame. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea.”
She reached up to frame his face with her hands. “Don’t think. Just feel.” She pulled his face toward hers and placed her lips on his, tentatively. In an instant, the flames
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