This Kiss (Made In Montana Book 12) by Debbi Rawlins Page B

didn’t you wear a helmet?” Her voice was so soft he barely heard her. “I know you don’t owe me an answer,” she said. “I do. But God, Ethan, you’re a smart man. Bull riding is dangerous. And I’m just trying to understand—”
    He touched her hand, and she threw her arms around his neck. She’d looked so sad and small standing there he wasn’t sure what to do or say. Except to hold her close until she stopped trembling. He just rubbed her back and waited for her pounding heart to slow.
    “I’m sorry if I’m embarrassing you,” she murmured, her face buried against his chest. “Just give me a minute, okay?”
    “Hell, you’re not embarrassing me.” He almost made a joke, but the words seemed to stick in his throat. “A beautiful woman cares about whether I wear a helmet or not, and I should be embarrassed?”
    Keeping her face down, she bumped him with her knee.
    “Ethan?” The soft voice belonged to a Safe Haven volunteer. “Sorry to interrupt, but folks are waiting for autographs.”
    Sophie tried to pull away, but he held her tight.
    “Tell them it’ll be a few more minutes,” he told the older woman standing at the fence. “Please.”
    “Will do.” With a smile she turned and left.
    “No, Ethan.” Sophie pushed at his chest. “Go. I’m fine.”
    “Twister couldn’t buck me off. You think I can’t hold on to a little thing like you?”
    “Oh, brother.” She sniffed. “Watch it. I kickbox,” she said, and slowly lifted her chin. Her eyes were bright, but no tears. “Don’t make those people wait.”
    “Why not? They get bored and hit the concessions, that’s more money for Safe Haven.”
    Sophie laughed. “And here I thought you were just a pretty face.”
    “See how wrong you can be?” He smiled at her mock glare and wondered what had set her off. He doubted it was just about him not wearing a helmet. But he couldn’t get into it now. “How about you come with me?”
    “Oh, for heaven’s sake, I’m fine. Embarrassed as hell,” she said. “Though not fatally. I’m sure I’ll live to embarrass myself another day. So go.” She tugged at his arm. “Good grief, I think your muscles have muscles.”
    Ethan caught her chin and tipped her face up so he could look into her eyes. “I usually do wear a helmet. But I left Wyoming in a rush to get here and forgot it.” He brushed a kiss across her mouth. “That’s no excuse. It was dumb to forget something so important.”
    Her bottom lip quivered again. Not from fear this time. How was he supposed to go shake hands and sign autographs when all he could think about was tasting every inch of her? He trailed a finger down her throat, then traced the ridge of her collarbone. The satiny texture of her skin drove him nuts. So smooth and soft everywhere he touched. What must the skin of her inner thighs feel like?
    “We can pick one up tomorrow,” she whispered, pressing into him and making it damn near impossible for him to think straight.
    “Pick what up?”
    “A helmet.” Her eyes started to drift closed, but then she widened them. “Oh no. We leave tonight.”
    “I’m not going to do that, Sophie.”
    “Ethan...”
    He kissed her lips, silencing her. And tormenting himself. All he wanted was for them to be someplace far away, alone, without distractions. Someplace where he could explore her body with his hands and mouth. Listen to her soft breathless moans when their kissing got hot and heavy. He wondered what sound she would make when he sank deep inside her.
    Her stubborn lips finally yielded, letting him slip his tongue between them.
    He jerked a little when her fingers dug into his bum shoulder.
    “Can people see us?” she asked, slightly breathless.
    “Probably.”
    “An awful lot of kids are out there.”
    “Yeah.” Ethan straightened and released her. “Let’s get this over with,” he said, taking her hand.
    She pulled it back. “I’ll wait in the truck.”
    “Come on...” Wasn’t this just