The Cowgirl's Secret (The Diamondback Ranch Series #) by Anne Marie Novark Page A

loving the feel of his warm bare skin beneath her fingers.
    Tenderness crept into her heart for the big man who lay on top of her, pushing her into the soft mattress. He'd taken her virginity with such gentleness and care. Even in sleep, he was careful not to crush her with his weight.
    She closed her eyes and thought about the life-changing events of the night. First of all, she couldn't believe the orgasm she'd experienced under Sam's hands and lips. Staring at the candlelight dancing on the ceiling, she blushed in the darkness of her room.
    Nothing had prepared her for such a spectacular orgasm. And certainly, nothing had prepared her for the heady sensation of being joined with a man. Lucky for her, the initial pain had quickly disappeared, replaced with the feeling of completeness, fulfillment, and oneness.
    Tori smiled into the night. There was something very exciting and satisfying about lying beneath a strong virile man who was making love to you. Not any man, she reminded herself. Only Sam.
    Except it wasn't really making love. They were having sex. Scratching an inch. Hadn't they both decided neither of them wanted a complicated relationship at this time?
    She brushed her fingers through Sam's dark hair. Unfortunately, she had miscalculated the strength of the bond they'd forged when they made love. The bond she'd forged. Sex was different for men, or so she'd been told. Different for women.
    She was still lying beneath Sam with their bodies joined. He'd made her a woman tonight. He'd also stolen her heart.
    She bit her lip. This was the reason she'd avoided socializing these past three years. She could not afford to fall in love with Sam Garza at this point in her career. Although he seemed to be her perfect match, a relationship would threaten all of her plans. She had to go to vet school. She had to be a veterinarian.
    But perhaps she was jumping the gun here. Maybe she hadn't really fallen in love. Maybe she was just basking in the afterglow of sex. Incredible, mind-blowing sex. With Sam Garza.
    And what about his feelings? He'd told her he didn't want a complicated relationship. He wanted to keep it simple.
    Well, it was too late for that. She was already halfway in love with him. And that made everything far from simple.
    Tori sighed. Could Sam ever love her back? My God. The way he'd touched her . Not only on the surface, but way down deep. Had he only been gentle and kind because she'd been a virgin? Or did it have anything to do with her ? Tori McCade?
    Sam lifted up on an elbow and looked at her out of sleepy, heavy-lidded eyes. "Hey, babe. You okay?" He carefully withdrew from her body, grabbing a couple of tissues from the nightstand and handing them to her. "You'll probably be tender and sore. I'm really sorry about that. I hope there's not too much blood."
    Tori blinked and took the tissues, suddenly feeling empty inside where before she'd felt full and complete. "I don't think there's much. It didn't hurt that badly."
    "I'm glad." He kissed her forehead. "I'll be right back."
    Tori looked after his retreating body--his naked body--and decided he looked just as sexy from the back as from the front. He had a tight butt and his back rippled with muscles. She tossed the tissues in the trash and dove back under the covers. Were there clear-cut rules of etiquette pertaining to after-sex protocol?
    She'd just wait for Sam to return. He'd been an awesome instructor in bed. Her body tingled as she recalled all the glorious things he'd done to her. She didn't think he'd steer her wrong on what to do afterwards.
    Who knew? Maybe he'd want an encore performance. Tori took a mental inventory of the condition of her newly deflowered body parts.
    Leaning back on the pillows, she smiled. Oh yeah. She wouldn't mind a repeat performance either. Maybe not right this minute, but certainly in the not-so-distant future.
    ***
    The next several weeks flew by for Tori in a whirlwind of going to classes, working at the animal