Cowboy in My Pocket by Kate Douglas Read Free Book Online Page B

tragedy.
    He studied her intently a moment longer, until Lee felt almost preternaturally aware of herself, of the rate of her heartbeat, the sudden dryness to her lips, the essence of the man leaning almost imperceptibly closer.
    Suddenly their mouths were touching. Startled by the contact, she jerked away, but his broad hand gently cupped her skull, lightly restrained her, calmed her nervous reaction. He smiled against her mouth, and his lips explored with infinite slowness, his taste every bit as warm and wonderful as she’d imagined a lover’s could be. “See,” he groaned. “That’s not so bad, is it?” He leaned closer and swept his hand through her hair, tangling his fingers in the thick strands.
    She tilted her head to fit more perfectly to him. Her lips parted as naturally as if they’d been lovers forever. Tag cupped her head in both his hands, steadying her as his tongue swept the inner recesses of her mouth. She drew him in, suckling, tasting, needing. Her arms encircled his waist, drawing him down, drawing him closer until he sprawled across her body, weighting her with the hard length and breadth of him.
    She whimpered, a soft catch in the back of her throat, and her hands slipped beneath his jacket and tugged at his shirt, pulling the crisp fabric free of his dress slacks. Tag’s hand swept along her side, then back across the silky gown to cup her full breast in his palm. The tiny nub came to life beneath his touch. Lee whimpered again, and arched her hips against him.
    The instinctive return of pressure, the groan she heard from deep within his throat, the hard ridge of his arousal pressed against that sensitive spot between her thighs, jolted Lee’s senses as nothing else could.
    Her hands, once grasping his hips to pull him closer, now clutched at the leather belt he wore and shoved.
    He didn’t budge at first, but the sudden restraint in his embrace told her he got the message.
    He ended the kiss abruptly, rolled away, and draped his forearm across his eyes. She scooted back up to a sitting position, tugging the blankets with her. His breathing was as ragged as her own, his chest rising and falling with each gasp.
    “Okay,” he said, a long moment later. “I think that’s convincing.” He rolled his head to one side and stared up at her, his eyes even darker than before. “Are you okay? I’m sorry. I didn’t plan to let that . . . I mean . . .” He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and propped himself up on one elbow. “It wasn’t supposed to happen quite like that, Lee. I shouldn’t have let things get so out of hand. It won’t happen again. I promise.”
    He brushed his hand over his eyes. “You’ll still go through with this . . . you’ll still marry me, won’t you?”
    Ohmygod, ohmygod, ohmygod . . . She’d imagined kisses like that, but Lee knew she’d never, not ever in her life, experienced anything remotely like this cowboy’s kiss. She couldn’t possibly let him know how he’d affected her.
    “Of course,” she lied. “I’m fine.” But would she ever be fine again? The man was willing to marry a stranger because he obviously didn’t want the commitment of a true marital relationship. The last thing she needed to do was let him think she was attracted to him. He’d have her out of here in a heartbeat, with absolutely no money to her name, no past, and no one to count on.
    It wasn’t going to be easy. She couldn’t believe her body’s response! Her lips still tingled, her heart still thudded unevenly in her chest.
    Just how real was this marriage to Tag Martin supposed to be? He didn’t actually expect to . . . No! He’d just promised not to kiss her like that again. Darn it! If he expected a more intimate relationship after they married, wouldn’t he have mentioned it?
    Tag stood up with his back to Lee and quickly tucked his shirt back into his pants and straightened his coat. He finger-combed his hair, then turned around with that devilish lopsided