not impossible. “Or she would’ve turned back.”
Her luminous gaze pierced his heart. “Do you really think so?”
“I do.” At best, the older woman had a fifty-fifty chance of making it a half mile in one of the worst snowstorms he’d ever seen. Being he was a gambler at heart, he’d want better odds if he was going to place a bet on the woman’s survival. He rose from his chair and walked around the well-scrubbed pine table to where Talia sat. Pulling her to her feet, he enfolded her in his arms, then rested his head on hers. He emitted a bark of laughter. “You have straw in your hair.” He removed it gently and held it out so she could see.
She bit her full bottom lip and giggled. “I can’t imagine where I must’ve picked that up. Can you?”
“No. Not at all. But if you’re not careful, someone will see it and think you’re a woman of loose morals who tumbles in the hay with regularity.”
“I’m shocked. No one would believe it of me. Certainly not any of the strumpets frequented by dear old Reginald.”
Without thinking, they stood and left the warmth of the cozy kitchen, then headed down a much cooler hallway. “Cannot understand why your late husband would require their services. Not with a woman like you in his bed.”
“I didn’t understand it either, but he preferred others to me. Not that I found him particularly desirable.”
“What was he like, this husband of yours?”
“He was about your height but much heavier through the middle. Not from muscle but from too many rich dinners. Quite imposing. He wore an air of superiority like a fine suit of clothes. It was never more evident than when he came in contact with the locals, especially me. I was merely the Mexican slut he married as part of the bargain to gain my family’s land and cattle.”
Jared swore under his breath, pulling her lush body closer, inhaling her unique scent. “There’s no explaining fools,” he said. “You’re a beautiful and passionate woman. Any man with brains enough to keep his head from collapsing would count himself fortunate beyond words to have a woman like you.” Damnation. What was he saying? While every word was true, he needn’t have made it sound like a declaration of love. His peripatetic life wasn’t suitable for a wife. Not that he’d ever considered marriage…with anyone.
“Then you, sir, are obviously a man of great intelligence—nay, wisdom.”
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I know a hell of a woman when I see one.” And the thought of digging into the death of her thankless husband appealed less and less with each passing second. The true crime was neglecting Talia and treating her with anything less than respect.
They reached the door to her bedchamber. She leaned against the doorjamb and gazed up at him. “I’ll adjust the fire,” he said, “and wish you good evening.”
The tiniest of frowns flitted across her face, followed by a smug grin. “Yes and no.”
“What?” No, he wasn’t confused, but neither did he expect the lady to share her body and bed with him for a second night. No matter how much he desired her. No matter how hard his cock.
She eased into her room. “Yes, bank the fire, but you’re not going anywhere,” she said with a haughty glance over her shoulder.
What else could he do? He followed. “I confess I hoped you wouldn’t send me away.”
“We have to conserve the firewood—you said as much yourself.” She dimpled at him again, adding a sweet expression of innocence to her beautiful face. “Stands to reason we’ll be warmer sleeping together.”
“You make a convincing argument.” He knelt in front of the fire, using the poker to turn over one of the mesquite logs for better burning.
“Even if we don’t sleep much?” Her suggestive tone caused his head to turn. Lord, she was unbuttoning her shirt.
His mouth grew dry. “Not a half hour ago, you nearly passed out from lack of food and rest.”
She
Her luminous gaze pierced his heart. “Do you really think so?”
“I do.” At best, the older woman had a fifty-fifty chance of making it a half mile in one of the worst snowstorms he’d ever seen. Being he was a gambler at heart, he’d want better odds if he was going to place a bet on the woman’s survival. He rose from his chair and walked around the well-scrubbed pine table to where Talia sat. Pulling her to her feet, he enfolded her in his arms, then rested his head on hers. He emitted a bark of laughter. “You have straw in your hair.” He removed it gently and held it out so she could see.
She bit her full bottom lip and giggled. “I can’t imagine where I must’ve picked that up. Can you?”
“No. Not at all. But if you’re not careful, someone will see it and think you’re a woman of loose morals who tumbles in the hay with regularity.”
“I’m shocked. No one would believe it of me. Certainly not any of the strumpets frequented by dear old Reginald.”
Without thinking, they stood and left the warmth of the cozy kitchen, then headed down a much cooler hallway. “Cannot understand why your late husband would require their services. Not with a woman like you in his bed.”
“I didn’t understand it either, but he preferred others to me. Not that I found him particularly desirable.”
“What was he like, this husband of yours?”
“He was about your height but much heavier through the middle. Not from muscle but from too many rich dinners. Quite imposing. He wore an air of superiority like a fine suit of clothes. It was never more evident than when he came in contact with the locals, especially me. I was merely the Mexican slut he married as part of the bargain to gain my family’s land and cattle.”
Jared swore under his breath, pulling her lush body closer, inhaling her unique scent. “There’s no explaining fools,” he said. “You’re a beautiful and passionate woman. Any man with brains enough to keep his head from collapsing would count himself fortunate beyond words to have a woman like you.” Damnation. What was he saying? While every word was true, he needn’t have made it sound like a declaration of love. His peripatetic life wasn’t suitable for a wife. Not that he’d ever considered marriage…with anyone.
“Then you, sir, are obviously a man of great intelligence—nay, wisdom.”
“I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life, but I know a hell of a woman when I see one.” And the thought of digging into the death of her thankless husband appealed less and less with each passing second. The true crime was neglecting Talia and treating her with anything less than respect.
They reached the door to her bedchamber. She leaned against the doorjamb and gazed up at him. “I’ll adjust the fire,” he said, “and wish you good evening.”
The tiniest of frowns flitted across her face, followed by a smug grin. “Yes and no.”
“What?” No, he wasn’t confused, but neither did he expect the lady to share her body and bed with him for a second night. No matter how much he desired her. No matter how hard his cock.
She eased into her room. “Yes, bank the fire, but you’re not going anywhere,” she said with a haughty glance over her shoulder.
What else could he do? He followed. “I confess I hoped you wouldn’t send me away.”
“We have to conserve the firewood—you said as much yourself.” She dimpled at him again, adding a sweet expression of innocence to her beautiful face. “Stands to reason we’ll be warmer sleeping together.”
“You make a convincing argument.” He knelt in front of the fire, using the poker to turn over one of the mesquite logs for better burning.
“Even if we don’t sleep much?” Her suggestive tone caused his head to turn. Lord, she was unbuttoning her shirt.
His mouth grew dry. “Not a half hour ago, you nearly passed out from lack of food and rest.”
She
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