Roping Ray McCullen by Rita Herron Page B

brought reality crashing back. He had no business touching her. Kissing her. Wanting her.
    His own father had considered her a daughter. Which made them what—almost half brother and half sister?
    But they weren’t related, and he hadn’t grown up in the same house with her as an adopted sibling. She was nothing but a stranger.
    Albeit a desirable, sexy one that was getting under his skin.
    That realization made him pull away.
    Passion lingered in Scarlet’s gaze, her lips were swollen from his kiss, her face flushed with passion. He dropped his hands to his sides and balled them into fists to keep from pulling her toward him again.
    He couldn’t get involved with her. Maddox and Brett didn’t know about Barbara, much less her or Bobby.
    No telling how they would react. It would be even worse if he slept with Scarlet.
    Slept with her? Yeah, that was where this was going.
    He had to put a stop to it before he crossed the line.

Chapter Eleven
    Scarlet’s body tingled with need as Ray pulled away from her. Why had he stopped?
    That kiss was...tender and erotic, and she wanted it to go on forever.
    â€œI’m sorry, Scarlet.” Self-deprecation tinged his voice. “I shouldn’t have done that.”
    Confusion washed over Scarlet, along with the feeling that she had done something wrong. Barbara’s crude accusation about cozying up with Ray to get something from him taunted her. “No, I’m sorry, Ray. I...didn’t mean to come on to you.”
    Ray’s look darkened. “You didn’t. It was me. I...it’s just been a tense day.”
    â€œYes, it has been.” Although kissing him had soothed her anxiety and made her body hum with a different kind of tension. One that could bring them both pleasure.
    â€œThis thing between us is just...”
    â€œNatural,” Scarlet said softly. At least it was for her. And she was not the kind of girl who slept around. She could think of maybe one other man who’d made her feel hot from just a look.
    And that had ended disastrously.
    So would this if she allowed it to continue.
    He removed his black Stetson and scraped his hand through his hair. “I was going to say it’s complicated.”
    Silence stretched between them thick and unsettling. “I know. I...”
    â€œFeel like we’re almost family?” Ray asked.
    Scarlet frowned. “No. You and I aren’t related, Ray.”
    â€œYeah, but my father thought of you as the daughter he never had.”
    Scarlet didn’t know how to respond to that. “I understand that bothers you, but Joe had a big heart. The fact that Joe took me in and cared for me doesn’t diminish the love he had for you and your brothers.”
    Ray released a weary breath. “Maybe not. But he should have had the guts to come clean before he died.”
    She supposed she couldn’t blame him for being bitter. Joe had put them all in an uncomfortable spot. The man had a heart of gold, but dealing with confrontation was his weakness.
    â€œYou’re right. I...wish Joe had told you about me and Barbara and Bobby.”
    Pain flashed in Ray’s eyes. “So do I. I don’t know how my brothers are going to react, but I owe them the truth.”
    She wet her lips with her tongue, but she could still taste Ray’s heady flavor. She wanted more.
    Of course, Ray might have a girlfriend. He was virile, sexy, a single bachelor. For all she knew he might even be engaged or have a child somewhere.
    Ray’s phone buzzed and he checked the caller ID. “It’s Deputy Whitefeather. I’d better answer this.”
    Scarlet tugged her jacket around her and lifted a hand to wave goodbye, then hurried to her front door. If she didn’t let Ray go now, she might invite him inside.
    With her body still aching for him, that would not be a good idea. She didn’t want him to think she was trying to seduce him because she had her own