kiss. “I think that’s enough hunting for tonight. Let’s go home.”
Chapter Nine
Kissing her hadn’t been part of Ian’s plan. He was supposed to take her out into the woods and prove to both of them that they weren’t right for each other. Instead he’d gotten himself in deeper. He sat next to her, feeling her try so hard not to move, her body tight as a bow string, and all he could think about was what it would be like to be the one to help her release all that tension.
When he’d drawn on the doe and seen the new babies, he knew he couldn’t take the shot. It had been worth it to see Rachel’s face when she saw them, and that was before she kissed him. He felt her lips soft and warm against his skin, and he had to taste her. Only the bow clutched in his other hand kept him from taking things farther. He wanted to feel her in his arms, feel her melt against his body, relaxing into his touch.
He knew she’d fight him on it. It was Rachel’s nature to fight everything. She’d sat in the tree stand fighting for stillness. He was done fighting. He wanted her. He’d tried to put some distance between them and that hadn’t worked. It was time to find out what this thing was between them. He was more than ready. He’d simply have to find a way to convince her.
They walked along the fence row back to the truck. Still quiet but not trying for silence, they picked their way through the broken corn stalks and stubs as the sky turned from hot salmon to a cool purple. The temperature had dropped along with the light, and he worried if she was warm enough in his fleece. He wasn’t willing to look too closely at what it might mean, but he liked seeing her wear his clothing. When they got to the truck he stowed his bow and the harnesses before helping her up into the cab, hurrying around to his side before he lost his resolve and pulled her to him for another kiss.
The next time he kissed her, he wanted to give it his full attention. He wanted more than making out in his truck, and he was willing to wait for it. Or he would be if she’d stop worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. The kiss must have shaken her too for his ice queen to be showing her nerves.
“That was amazing,” she said, practically vibrating in the seat next to him, and for a moment he thought she was talking about the kiss instead of the fawns. It looked like all the energy she’d held onto while they’d been in the tree stand was buzzing through her now that she didn’t have to stay still any longer. “I’ve never been that close to a deer before and the babies were so sweet. I can’t believe how tiny they were and so perfect on their spindling little legs. The spots are really good camouflage, too. Much better than I would have imagined. I couldn’t see them at all when they were in the shadows.”
She launched herself across the bench seat of his truck, wrapping her arms around his neck again, and he couldn’t help but grin at her enthusiasm.
“Thank you for not shooting the doe,” she said, pressing another kiss to his cheek.
Hell, he’d put his bow away for good if it kept her kissing him.
“You don’t have to thank me for that,” he said. With the organic farm’s kill permit, he was really supposed to harvest as many deer as he could, but the fawns were so new. He couldn’t bring himself to orphan them and leave them to the coyotes. Everything had to eat, circle of life and all that, but he didn’t have to be the one to feed it.
“Yes, I do. I know you didn’t have to do it, and I’m glad you did, so thank you.” She let her hand rest against his cheek and the heat from her palm warmed him.
When she moved back to her side, taking her warmth with her, he almost groaned at the loss. They drove the short distance to the service road that led to his place. The growing dark and the density of the forest around them made it feel like they were driving into a dark tunnel. As much as he hated to waste energy,
Chapter Nine
Kissing her hadn’t been part of Ian’s plan. He was supposed to take her out into the woods and prove to both of them that they weren’t right for each other. Instead he’d gotten himself in deeper. He sat next to her, feeling her try so hard not to move, her body tight as a bow string, and all he could think about was what it would be like to be the one to help her release all that tension.
When he’d drawn on the doe and seen the new babies, he knew he couldn’t take the shot. It had been worth it to see Rachel’s face when she saw them, and that was before she kissed him. He felt her lips soft and warm against his skin, and he had to taste her. Only the bow clutched in his other hand kept him from taking things farther. He wanted to feel her in his arms, feel her melt against his body, relaxing into his touch.
He knew she’d fight him on it. It was Rachel’s nature to fight everything. She’d sat in the tree stand fighting for stillness. He was done fighting. He wanted her. He’d tried to put some distance between them and that hadn’t worked. It was time to find out what this thing was between them. He was more than ready. He’d simply have to find a way to convince her.
They walked along the fence row back to the truck. Still quiet but not trying for silence, they picked their way through the broken corn stalks and stubs as the sky turned from hot salmon to a cool purple. The temperature had dropped along with the light, and he worried if she was warm enough in his fleece. He wasn’t willing to look too closely at what it might mean, but he liked seeing her wear his clothing. When they got to the truck he stowed his bow and the harnesses before helping her up into the cab, hurrying around to his side before he lost his resolve and pulled her to him for another kiss.
The next time he kissed her, he wanted to give it his full attention. He wanted more than making out in his truck, and he was willing to wait for it. Or he would be if she’d stop worrying her bottom lip between her teeth. The kiss must have shaken her too for his ice queen to be showing her nerves.
“That was amazing,” she said, practically vibrating in the seat next to him, and for a moment he thought she was talking about the kiss instead of the fawns. It looked like all the energy she’d held onto while they’d been in the tree stand was buzzing through her now that she didn’t have to stay still any longer. “I’ve never been that close to a deer before and the babies were so sweet. I can’t believe how tiny they were and so perfect on their spindling little legs. The spots are really good camouflage, too. Much better than I would have imagined. I couldn’t see them at all when they were in the shadows.”
She launched herself across the bench seat of his truck, wrapping her arms around his neck again, and he couldn’t help but grin at her enthusiasm.
“Thank you for not shooting the doe,” she said, pressing another kiss to his cheek.
Hell, he’d put his bow away for good if it kept her kissing him.
“You don’t have to thank me for that,” he said. With the organic farm’s kill permit, he was really supposed to harvest as many deer as he could, but the fawns were so new. He couldn’t bring himself to orphan them and leave them to the coyotes. Everything had to eat, circle of life and all that, but he didn’t have to be the one to feed it.
“Yes, I do. I know you didn’t have to do it, and I’m glad you did, so thank you.” She let her hand rest against his cheek and the heat from her palm warmed him.
When she moved back to her side, taking her warmth with her, he almost groaned at the loss. They drove the short distance to the service road that led to his place. The growing dark and the density of the forest around them made it feel like they were driving into a dark tunnel. As much as he hated to waste energy,
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