Salvation in the Rancher's Arms(54)

The obstinate set to his jaw told her there was no budging him. Unease crept up her spine and lodged at the base of her skull.

“You can’t stay here. It isn’t proper.” What certainly wasn’t proper was the sudden ache between her legs that his suggestion brought on. Even more improper was what she wanted him to do to ease it.

“No one will know. I’ll leave at first light.”

He pulled off his hat and her gaze went to his hands. She remembered the feel of them on her. The pull at her center intensified. She tried to tamp it down, to remind herself Caleb was little more than a stranger to her, but her body didn’t believe it. It was as if her body had knowledge of him separate from her brain, as if it knew him in an extraordinary elemental sense.

He stalked toward her, purpose in each step. She wanted to scramble out of his way but her bare feet remained rooted to the spot, her toes curling against the hardwood beneath her. She held her breath, part of her hoping, the other part fearing.

He brushed past her. “Get into bed.”

She threw a quick glance after him. Did he mean—

He gave the fire a hard poke. A log tumbled into place and sparks shot upward. “Relax. I’m not going to ravish you.”

An irritating rush of disappointment flooded her veins, doing nothing to calm her jittery nerves. The glow from the flames highlighted his razor-sharp cheekbones and picked out the russet tones in the whiskers sprouting once again along his jaw.

“I didn’t think you were.”

He grunted, the sound indicating he had sensed her jumbled emotions. She hated being so easy to read, every thought and feeling out there for all to see. She wished she could school them the way he did.

Caleb put another log on the fire, his slow movements and deep sigh exposing his weariness. The lines that weather and hard living had etched around his eyes had grown deeper. Not that it made him look bad. If anything, it only added to his handsome ruggedness.

The ache grew deeper still. Lord have mercy, but she wanted this man. The strength of it scared her to pieces, but there it was. Plain as day. She wanted him, and based on their earlier kiss, she suspected with one word from her, she could have him. Would it be so wrong? Just this once, she could give in to the passion inside of her, fulfill her desires. It was as he’d said, he could leave at first light. No one would know. No one would judge her.

Caleb walked over to the bedside and leaned down, cupping his hand around the lamp on the table next to it. With a quick puff, he blew it out and plunged the room into semidarkness. Every movement he made had an edge to it, an economy of movement that bespoke the type of life he lived. Hard, sparse and dangerous.

It was the element of danger that scared her. And, if she were being honest, excited her. She’d spent her entire life being responsible, doing the right thing by her family, never taking a risk or acting rashly, afraid that, if she did, it would send her down the same path as her mother. She could not afford to court danger now. She had a family counting on her. But what if, just this once, for one night...

It would only be for one night. She would make that clear. Just to work him out of her system so she could focus on more important matters. Her fingers knotted together as she drew in a deep breath to throw out the suggestion before she lost her courage and regained her good sense.

She swallowed, the possibilities swirling in her mind as her need for him battled with the firmly entrenched voice always demanding she tuck her needs away. Be strong. Be responsible. Don’t give in.

Caleb shucked his jacket and laid it across the back of the chair. She loved watching him move. His fluid grace mesmerized her. When they had danced, the steps had come so easily to him and she wondered how many times he had trod them before, with how many different women.

Even from a few feet away, his nearness surrounded her like an embrace she could fall into. Moonlight and fire cast shadows against him. He reached a hand toward her and her heart jumped at the silent invitation, only to crash down to earth when he spoke.

“Give me the blanket and get under the covers.”

The memory of his strong body holding her on the night of the rainstorm rose up to taunt her, bringing with it the overwhelming sense of rightness of waking up next to him, limbs entangled, the weight of his body covering hers, the intoxicating scent of wind and rain and wood smoke that seemed a permanent part of him.

“Why don’t you join me?”

She watched the light from the flames flicker over him. His body stilled at her words. He didn’t look at her, didn’t give any indication he’d heard.

After a long, heart-stopping moment, he spoke. “It’s been a long, trying day for both of us. You best get some sleep.”