cryptically, closing the subject. “Is there any other bit of curiosity I can satisfy for you?”
“Not at the moment,” she said, smiling her thanks. She stretched. “After such a long day, I think I’d like nothing better right now than a nice warm bath before I retire.”
“The buckets are over there.” He nodded toward the sink.
“But—” She was aghast. “You mean I have to carry them?”
“If you want a bath.”
“But yesterday—”
“—I took pity on you because you were exhausted after your long trip. But you can’t expect me to continue carrying water for you. That’s women’s work.”
Her shoulders sagged in defeat. “I see.”
“You might want to move the tub in here,” he suggested. “It’s closer.”
“A bath is no longer quite so appealing,” she said in a tiny voice.
It was all Lucas could do to keep a straight face.She looked so forlorn. He almost took pity on her again, but it would defeat his purpose to pamper her, even if he wanted to.
“I think I’ll just heat some water for the washbowl and go on to bed,” Sharisse sighed. “Can I heat some for you, too?”
“I washed up in the barn. But I’d appreciate some hot water in the morning, if you get up early enough.”
Another of her chores? She nodded woodenly, then rose and went to the stove. Lucas finished another shot of whiskey, his eyes following her thoughtfully.
“You know, Sharisse, there’s a pool up in the mountains about four miles from here. The water there should still be pleasantly warm. We’ve got a full moon. Care to go for a moonlight ride?”
How wonderful that sounded! But it was cruel of him to suggest it.
“I told you I don’t ride,” she said.
“Not even double?”
“Not any kind of way. I’ve never been on a horse in my life.”
“It was just a thought. It’s still early, after all. But you’ll have to learn eventually, you know. There’s no way out of this ranch except on a horse.”
“You could purchase a buggy.”
The hopeful note in her voice touched his heart-strings. But he held firm. “I’m not known to waste money, and it would be purely a waste to buy a buggy when I’ve got half a dozen mares all gentle enough for you to ride.”
“I’ll think about it.”
She turned stiffly and flounced off into her bedroom with the kettle of water. Lucas was waiting at the stove when she returned with the kettle.
“Good night, Lucas.”
“Just good night?” He quirked a brow. “Surely a good-night kiss is in order?” He added with a grin, “You might as well get used to it. I like kissing.”
“So I gather,” she replied dryly. Resigned, she sighed, “Oh, very well.”
She leaned forward, intending to bestow on him the kind of kiss she would give her father. But the moment her lips touched his, his arms wrapped around her, keeping her from pulling away.
He kissed her with incredible tenderness, his lips moving softly over hers, bringing a delicious languor to her limbs. She felt ridiculously weak. Strangest of all, she didn’t want to pull away. She was enjoying the sweet exploration of his lips. Even the tangy taste of whiskey on his breath was enticing.
His hands began to move along her back, sending tingles down her spine. Then he was suddenly caressing her neck. The hand moving slowly downward. Her heart began to hammer. She knew what he intended, but she couldn’t find the will to stop him. When his hand finally pressed boldly against her breast, she thought she would faint from the sheer wickedness of it.
It was madness. She knew she couldn’t let him continue, but the sweet sensations he was stirring overtook her completely. When his lips movedalong her cheek to her neck, she was finally able to find her voice.
“Lucas.”
It sounded like an endearment, but she meant to admonish him. Her hands had no strength to push him away. His lips were at her ear, and excitement intensified until she could hardly bear it.
His tongue slipped inside her
“Not at the moment,” she said, smiling her thanks. She stretched. “After such a long day, I think I’d like nothing better right now than a nice warm bath before I retire.”
“The buckets are over there.” He nodded toward the sink.
“But—” She was aghast. “You mean I have to carry them?”
“If you want a bath.”
“But yesterday—”
“—I took pity on you because you were exhausted after your long trip. But you can’t expect me to continue carrying water for you. That’s women’s work.”
Her shoulders sagged in defeat. “I see.”
“You might want to move the tub in here,” he suggested. “It’s closer.”
“A bath is no longer quite so appealing,” she said in a tiny voice.
It was all Lucas could do to keep a straight face.She looked so forlorn. He almost took pity on her again, but it would defeat his purpose to pamper her, even if he wanted to.
“I think I’ll just heat some water for the washbowl and go on to bed,” Sharisse sighed. “Can I heat some for you, too?”
“I washed up in the barn. But I’d appreciate some hot water in the morning, if you get up early enough.”
Another of her chores? She nodded woodenly, then rose and went to the stove. Lucas finished another shot of whiskey, his eyes following her thoughtfully.
“You know, Sharisse, there’s a pool up in the mountains about four miles from here. The water there should still be pleasantly warm. We’ve got a full moon. Care to go for a moonlight ride?”
How wonderful that sounded! But it was cruel of him to suggest it.
“I told you I don’t ride,” she said.
“Not even double?”
“Not any kind of way. I’ve never been on a horse in my life.”
“It was just a thought. It’s still early, after all. But you’ll have to learn eventually, you know. There’s no way out of this ranch except on a horse.”
“You could purchase a buggy.”
The hopeful note in her voice touched his heart-strings. But he held firm. “I’m not known to waste money, and it would be purely a waste to buy a buggy when I’ve got half a dozen mares all gentle enough for you to ride.”
“I’ll think about it.”
She turned stiffly and flounced off into her bedroom with the kettle of water. Lucas was waiting at the stove when she returned with the kettle.
“Good night, Lucas.”
“Just good night?” He quirked a brow. “Surely a good-night kiss is in order?” He added with a grin, “You might as well get used to it. I like kissing.”
“So I gather,” she replied dryly. Resigned, she sighed, “Oh, very well.”
She leaned forward, intending to bestow on him the kind of kiss she would give her father. But the moment her lips touched his, his arms wrapped around her, keeping her from pulling away.
He kissed her with incredible tenderness, his lips moving softly over hers, bringing a delicious languor to her limbs. She felt ridiculously weak. Strangest of all, she didn’t want to pull away. She was enjoying the sweet exploration of his lips. Even the tangy taste of whiskey on his breath was enticing.
His hands began to move along her back, sending tingles down her spine. Then he was suddenly caressing her neck. The hand moving slowly downward. Her heart began to hammer. She knew what he intended, but she couldn’t find the will to stop him. When his hand finally pressed boldly against her breast, she thought she would faint from the sheer wickedness of it.
It was madness. She knew she couldn’t let him continue, but the sweet sensations he was stirring overtook her completely. When his lips movedalong her cheek to her neck, she was finally able to find her voice.
“Lucas.”
It sounded like an endearment, but she meant to admonish him. Her hands had no strength to push him away. His lips were at her ear, and excitement intensified until she could hardly bear it.
His tongue slipped inside her
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