Lead Me Home by Vicki Lewis Thompson Read Free Book Online Page B

shiver went up her spine as she recalled the imprint of his body on hers and the hunger in that one fierce embrace.
    He’d been in total command of the moment, sure of himself and what he intended to do. If he could pack that much into one quick kiss, she had a lot to look forward to tonight.
    * * *
    A S M ATTHEW RETURNED to the corral and Houdini, the taste of Aurelia’s mouth was on his lips and her scent clung to his clothes. He’d briefly satisfied the craving growing within him, and like a light snack before a meal, it would have to do.
    When he’d first walked into the kitchen, his mind had been occupied with the challenge of training Houdini. He’d thought his concentration would hold long enough to get some carrots, ask about the corn bread and leave before succumbing to Aurelia’s appeal. He’d miscalculated. Within a very short time, lust had claimed every brain cell and body part.
    Although seducing her this morning was out of the question, his libido had demanded some sort of satisfaction. He’d tried to deny that urge and had nearly made it out of the house. Apparently his willpower was no match for the temptation of Aurelia’s mouth, though, and he’d turned around.
    If he’d ever felt this kind of desperate need for a particular woman, he couldn’t recall it. During the night, as he’d lain in his narrow bunk listening to the cowhands snore, he’d searched for an explanation as to why Aurelia affected him this way.
    Sometime in the early-morning hours he’d come up with the answer. After years of dating women who were rolling stones like he was, he’d developed an itch for a hearth-and-home kind of woman. Aurelia, with her cooking skills and voluptuous body, could give him that.
    With luck, once he’d scratched this particular itch, he’d be fine again. He certainly hoped so, because he had no intention of giving up his career, and travel was a built-in requirement. Plus he liked to travel and had no real desire to stay in one spot and become domesticated.
    Tonight he’d say all that to Aurelia, because he didn’t want her going into this with any illusions about permanence. He doubted she had those thoughts. She’d already stated that travel wasn’t her thing.
    He figured that when the right guy came along, she’d get married and have kids. Any woman taking a good look at Matthew’s life would see that he wasn’t the type to settle down and raise a family. But it wouldn’t hurt to make sure Aurelia understood that.
    Houdini watched him walk toward the corral. Matthew took out a slice of apple and began eating it. With animals as with people, sharing food could be a bonding thing. Matthew was working on building trust.
    Fortunately the horse accepted a bridle, or the task would be even harder. Matthew had started out the day by leaning all over Houdini, getting him used to having an arm draped over his back. Finally he’d eased a saddle blanket on and Houdini hadn’t pitched a fit.
    Normally a saddle would be the next step, but Houdini had a real fear of them, according to Emmett Sterling, the foreman. Apparently the former owners had mentioned an incident where they’d managed to put a saddle on him but hadn’t cinched it tight before Houdini started bucking. The saddle rotated around to his belly and Houdini had panicked.
    A saddle wasn’t necessary in order for Matthew to ride him today. Just the blanket would work, especially if Matthew had created the bond he wanted. To that end he’d also spent time playing with the horse and grooming him.
    Although Matthew was hot and sweaty from the morning’s work, Houdini looked spectacular. His black and white coat gleamed and his long white tail was completely free of tangles and burrs. For Matthew, the training process wasn’t a battle of wills. Instead it was an exercise in mutual respect and cooperation between human and horse.
    His method took enormous amounts of patience, and often ranch owners like the Chance men didn’t have