Freight Trained by Sarah Curtis Read Free Book Online

about a foot in front of her.  "Tell me why you're here."
    He reached out and softly traced a path down her cheek with the water bottle, and she shivered when the icy, plastic cap hit her skin.  "I'm not sure what you mean," she spoke softly, barely above a whisper, but they were close, and the room was quiet so knew he heard her.  "I'm here to thank you."
    He continued his trail with the water bottle down her neck, over her collarbone, coming to rest in the V of her T-shirt.  "That's the excuse, but what's the real reason?"
    His eyes bore into hers, daring her to look away.  She couldn't even if she wanted to.  They held her mesmerized.  She'd been right, his eyes were light, jade green with a darker shade of moss ringing the edge.  Shiny, golden flecks caught the light, making his eyes appear to glow and the longer she stared, the more transfixed she became in their depths.
    She couldn't bring herself to tell him the real reason she was here — that he fascinated her, made her feel things she'd never felt before, made her long for something she'd never known she wanted — so instead took the chicken's way out repeating her earlier words.  "To thank you, it's the neighborly thing to do."
    "Neighborly?"  His lips turned up into a small smirk.  "Okay, we can call it being neighborly if that helps you sleep better at night.  But know this," he leaned in close, his lips but a hairsbreadth away from hers, that if she moved forward but a fraction, their lips would touch.  She held her body as stiff as the marble counter she leaned against, not even daring to breathe.  "I plan on eating more than just your cookies."
    She watched his hand approach, as if in slow motion, hovering so close to her cheek, only to be gone in a blink, quickly disappearing over her shoulder.  He took a large step back, a cookie pinched between two fingers.  "I need to take a shower.  I'm sweaty and dirty from working the horses.  Make yourself at home, I'll only be a few minutes."  He popped the cookie in his mouth, gave her a grin then disappeared up the stairs.
    She tracked his movements until he was out of sight, her rigid body deflating against the counter.  She was thankful for its support.  Now that Cole had gone, her head somewhat cleared, and she realized she was in way over her head.  He was way out of her league.  So far out, she wasn't even part of the league, but a spectator, sitting in the nosebleed section of the stands. 
    Out of his presence, she wasn't even sure she liked him.  So far as she'd encountered, he had very few redeeming qualities.  He was gruff, blunt, and wasn't afraid to share his dirty thoughts.  Was she that superficial to get all hot and bothered over a sexy body and handsome face?  And did it even matter?  It's not as though they were entering into a meaningful relationship.
    He thought her a little mouse, and to a point, he wasn't wrong.  She sorely lacked experience with the opposite sex.  Hell, who was she kidding, she had zero experience.  She'd never even been passionately kissed.  Not that she was holding on to her virginity for any special or noble reason, she'd just never felt consuming desire to step out of her box.  Until now.  He did something to her, made her feel yearnings and desires she'd never felt before and if she were honest with herself, she really wanted to explore them.  And it seemed, with his cookie comment, he wouldn't mind obliging her.   Who knew when or if she would ever feel such an attraction again.  Did she really want to miss out on such an opportunity?
    She looked toward the stairs, knowing decision time was almost up, and she worried she would choose poorly.  She needed to think about the big picture — they were neighbors after all.  What would happen when he was done with her, could they still be neighborly (her definition of neighborly, not his), did she have that in her?  She had no doubt she'd be just a passing phase.  A man like him, with