Arita watched Clay as he rode ahead of her down a narrow path. She couldn’t help dwelling on the strength of the man. Muscles built up from years of riding, roping, and hauling showed through his shirt and jeans. A thrill of desire shot through her but dissipated quickly as she thought of Wade Valentine’s words, “Drifters have nothing to lose. They’re quick to use a gun.” With an inner laugh at herself for giving even a moment’s credence to this kind of ungrounded suspicion, she set Penny into a canter.
These limitless stretches of open land were making her feel isolated and vulnerable. Something was happening to her mind. Last night she’d been frightened of Mama, now she was doubting Clay, and he’d done nothing but offer help.
“What will you use your bonus money for if by some miracle we manage to turn this place into a money-making concern?” As the trail widened into a clearing, she slowed Penny’s pace, and he followed suit with Blaze.
“I’m aiming to buy a Kentucky horse farm for my brother, father, and me to work.”
Somehow disappointed he wanted to leave Wyoming, she rode ahead again, steering her horse into a climb.
“I see some trees up there, but what else is at the top of this hill?”
Clay followed. “It’s a butte.”
Arita stopped mid-way to focus an annoyed stare on him. “Yes, it’s very beautiful, but what I asked was, what’s at the top?”
“No, I mean this hill is called a butte here in Wyoming.”
“Oh, never mind, I’ll find out for myself what’s up there.” She set Penny into a gallop.
“Wait!” he called after her.
At the top, Arita pulled out a hanky to hold over her mouth and nose to mask the sulfur odor. Penny shied when her reins were loosened. Arita grabbed them pulling hard. The mare reared.
Somehow Clay was there to catch her slide to the ground. “What’s the matter with you? Are you crazy?” He placed her on her feet and scowled.
She caught her breath. Being in his arms felt awfully good. His eyes narrowed, and his breath quickened. Damn, he was going to kiss her and damn if she didn’t want him to.
His head angled slowly down to hers, allowing her plenty of time to pull back. The anticipation was too much for her. She stood on tiptoes and met him halfway. A low growl escaped as he deepened the kiss, and she heard herself moan in response. His lips were softer than she’d imagined and his body harder. He broke the contact, scanned her face, and reconnected, wrapping his arms so tightly around her she could barely breathe. She didn’t want or need to. What she wanted and needed could never be satisfied by one kiss or two or maybe not even a thousand. The thought had her easing her palms between them, against his chest, to step out of the circle of his arms. How could she pretend an employer-to-employee relationship after this? She took another backward step.
He yelled and grabbed her hands. “Be careful! Do you have a death wish?”
On the very edge of the flat hilltop, Arita sucked in her breath and peered into nothingness. He drew her back into his arms, but this time, she stopped his kiss with fingers to his chin. “We can’t do this.”
“Darlin’, I believe we just did.” He kept his grip on her shoulders and kissed her again, deeper and more demanding this time.
When she realized what was happening to his body, she shrugged away. “Clay, please. We have a business relationship too important to obfuscate with-with…”
Head cocked to the side, a corner of his mouth twitched. She’d kill him if he laughed. “I’m serious. You are in my employ and-”
“And?” He bent to speak against her lips. “You’re afraid I’ll sue for sexual harassment?”
Her answer was swallowed by another kiss more searing than the last. She didn’t resist. Damn, he tasted good, warm and strong. Her traitorous fingers furrowed through his hair, her traitorous tongue twined with his. Thumbs brought her nipples to hardened peaks and hips with a mind of their own ground against his arousal.
When they broke contact, both were panting. He was not smirking now, and she had little fight left in her to be reasonable.
“I hate to let you go, Red.” He rubbed his hands up and down her arms.
If he only knew how much she didn’t want him to let her go. Not able to think of a reply, she turned toward her horse.
“So, darlin,’ where do we go from here?”
She shook her head. He had to know as much as she. Nothing would be simple between them after this. “I eventually go back to Boston and you go to Kentucky. That’s about the only thing in the future that seems clear to me.”
Inherited Danger