Country Roads(49)

She slumped against him, her body racked with tiny shudders. He wrapped his arms around her back protectively and savored the aftereffects.

“Paul?” Her breath tickled against his chest.

“Yes, sweetheart?” He kissed the top of her head.

“I think you melted every bone in my body.” She shifted in his arms. “Oh dear, I got charcoal on your shirt. I didn’t realize my hands were dirty.”

“You’re welcome to get charcoal on my one and only Armani suit as long as it leads to this.”

“So you’re not mad?”

Disbelief turned to laughter as it worked its way up his throat. “I walked in here expecting to have a nice chat and instead I get mind-blowing sex. What exactly do I have to be mad about?”

She huffed out a giggle against his bare skin. Incredibly, he could feel a faint stirring between his legs. He decided it was time to put a few inches of distance between them. Gently lowering Julia backward so she lay on the counter, he grabbed a paper towel from the roll on the counter and disposed of the condom. Then he picked up her panties and slipped them up her legs, sliding his hand under her behind and lifting her upward to tug the peach-colored satin into place.

“I love the feel of your hands against my skin.”

He froze as her words seemed to stroke down his chest and lower with almost the same impact her fingers had earlier. “If you say things like that, your panties are going to come right back off,” he said.

“I wouldn’t mind as long as you did all the work.” She heaved herself up onto her elbows, her T-shirt still bunched above the lacy bra that matched her panties. He hadn’t had time to appreciate her lingerie until now. The color made her skin look even creamier.

“Peaches and cream,” he said.

“You like my new undies? I just bought them this morning.”

“I like that they don’t cover up much.” He took another step backward, shoving his hands into his pockets to stop himself from reaching for the swell of her breasts again.

He cursed the streak of chivalry that made him turn away from such blatant temptation. Why couldn’t he just be a self-centered jerk and take her up on her offer of a repeat performance? Why did he have to care that she get pleasure from it too?

He pivoted away from her. “You should get dressed before I do something ungentlemanly.”





Chapter 14




WHERE’S DARKSIDE?” JULIA asked one of the grooms as she and Paul walked into the barn hand in hand. She still couldn’t believe she had sprawled across a counter in broad daylight, naked from the breasts down while a man she’d known for two days came inside her. When she thought about it rationally, she knew she should be shocked, but it all seemed natural for this new person she’d become in Sanctuary. She had less than a week before she went back to being wrapped in lamb’s wool, so she’d better enjoy her liberation, and that included seeing her whisper horse.

“Out in the paddock. He spent the night there because he was such a pain in the a—er, neck that the boss said to leave him.”

“Darkside?” Paul frowned. She felt his grip tighten. “What do you want with a horse who tried to tear your arm off?”

“I just want to take some pictures of him.” Julia knew he wouldn’t approve of her escapade with Darkside yesterday. Hopefully, no one would mention it to him. “He looks just like my Night Mares, you know.”

“Hey, Julia, Paul! I thought I heard that souped-up gas guzzler you drive come up the road.” Sharon strode toward them, wearing her usual outfit of polo shirt, britches, and paddock boots. “Can I get some legal advice since you’re here? I just got this contract in from the Laurels. They want me to board a bunch of polo ponies for a match that’s being played later this summer. I don’t want to sign anything without you taking a gander at it.”

Paul hesitated. Julia gently disengaged her hand from his. “You go ahead with Sharon. I’ll meet you in her office.”

“Don’t get too close to Darkside,” he warned. “Next time he might get your skin instead of your sleeve.”

Julia caught the narrow-eyed look Sharon gave them and hurried to say, “I’ll pay attention this time.” She couldn’t fault him for his protectiveness; after all, only his quick reaction had saved her arm from Darkside’s teeth. Still, he wasn’t going to keep her from her whisper horse.

She watched Paul and Sharon’s well-matched strides as they walked away together. Just as she was about to head for the paddock, Sharon looked back over her shoulder and gave Julia a wink.

“I wonder if she really has a contract,” Julia muttered, detouring into the treat room for some carrots. Tucking them in her pocket, she jogged out to the paddock, camera in hand.