Resisting Pressure (Rhinestone Cowgirls Book 5) by Rhonda Lee Carver Page A

you playing hide and seek with him?”
    “I-I’m just not ready for him to see me.”
    “Oh my goodness.” Sapphire laughed. “You have a crush.”
    Violet shook her head so fast, so hard, that tendrils of hair smacked her cheeks.  She turned her back to Keefer. “A crush? This isn’t high school.”
    “Yeah, and hickeys are so mature.”
    “Cut me some slack. Things got hotter than a rooster on a hot tin roof. I’m surprised we didn’t burn the building down. And talk about built. Woo-whee!” Violet fanned her face. “When I say amazing—”
    Sapphire’s eyes widened and her cheeks turned a pale pink.
    Violet got a whiff of spice and leather. “He’s standing behind me, isn’t he?”
    “Yes.” Sapphire grabbed Violet’s shoulders and turned her around. “Good luck, sis.” Sapphire kissed her on the cheek and left them alone.
    “Hi,” Violet said with a flimsy wave of her hand.
    “Hi.” Keefer dipped his hat, his mesmerizing gaze settling on her like a hot pad to an ice cube—she melted.
    ****
    He didn’t want to lower his gaze over her. Or notice the way her long, dark hair hung like silken threads down onto her bare shoulders. The way her eyes twinkled in competition with the sun’s rays. The full curve of her mouth crying out for a cowboy’s kiss. Down lower to the tight fit of the bodice of the dress, her nipples hard against the material.
    Were they like that before he approached her?
    His dick twitched and threatened to break his zipper. He needed to lasso in his raging libido or things were going to get out of hand real quick. He could easily make a fool of himself when it came to Violet. Over the years he’d been known as the calm, easy going guy by all of his friends, but there was nothing about him calm and patient now. One woman caused a thousand sensations to run through him and not one dang one was good.
    He’d wanted to bail out on tonight’s shindig, but when it all came down to it, he wanted to see her. And boy did he see her. That dress was off the hook—and off was exactly where he wanted it.
    “Are you going to just stand there and stare at me?” Her lashes fluttered across the tops of her freckle-scattered cheeks. She’d gotten some color from the sun and the cute spots were more noticeable.
    “Did I interrupt something?” He pushed his hat back on his forehead, not wanting to miss one flicker of expression on her face.
    Her tongue rolled out over her bottom lip, reminding him of how she’d tasted—heaven wrapped up in a lust-filled body. “No.” Was there a slight quiver to her voice?
    “Still mad at me?”
    “I was never mad at you.”
    He smiled. “Could have fooled me.” He leaned in close and whispered, “Why do we do this to ourselves?”
    Her bottom lip quivered. “Why are you always provoking me?”
    “You’ve got this all wrong, sweetheart. You’re denying yourself the inevitable.” He loved seeing the color change on her cheeks—from tan to naughty pink. He’d seen it before when he had his cock buried deep inside of her.
    “No, you’re wrong. This—you and me—can’t happen again.”
    “Then stop wanting it to happen, darlin’.” He met her gaze, feeling her tug at his heartstrings. When did he develop those? He wanted to remain in complete control, but slowly she sucked him into her web of desire. Damn. He could lasso a bucking bull in seconds, so then why couldn’t he lasso his heart? He didn’t like where this was headed. Walk away man! Hell with walking. Run like a racehorse.
    “You have a real vivid imagination.” She threaded her fingers through her hair and he remembered how good her grip had been on his cock—perfect pressure.
    He needed to resist the pressure in his gut.
    “Yeah. I guess we both do. Some imagination we shared back at the bar apartment. If I remember correctly, you cried out my name telling me to never stop.”
    “Again, this ranch isn’t big enough for the both of us.”
    “Then leave.” Fixing