Once Upon a Cowboy by Day Leclaire Read Free Book Online Page A

impossible to resist now with smoke curling from his ears, what would happen if he dared look at her with a different attitude? If he looked at her with longing? With hunger? With the sort of warmth and heat she saw slipping into his gaze?
    "What's this?" His eyes narrowed and he cupped her chin, tilting her face upward. His brows drew together. "You're bruised." His thumb caressed her cheekbone.
    Was that concern in his voice? "It's nothing." She shrugged off the injury, unable to shrug off her reaction to his touch as easily. It sparked a forbidden desire deep in her belly. A desire she had no business feeling toward her employer. "If it makes you feel any better, I've learned it's best not to land face first when you come off a horse." She gave him a tentative smile, relieved to see a glimmer of humor appear in the sooty depths of his eyes.
    His head dipped lower, and he turned her face to better examine her cheek. His touch remained gentle, at odds with the hardness of the man. She fought to hide her reaction, struggling to identify it. Lust, she realized in astonishment. Even though she'd never experienced the emotion before, she had a strong suspicion that the urge to rip a man's clothes off and have her wicked way with him could probably be attributed to good, old-fashioned lust.
    "You have bruises in less visible places?" he asked.
    Her smile widened. Who knew one of the seven deadly sins could feel so utterly fantastic? "I might have a bruise or two in less visible places," she conceded, striving to conceal her lusty thoughts.
    "Fair warning, you'll have even more before the week's over." His hand slid slowly from her face, leaving behind a trail of liquid fire. "I've got cream that'll help. Be sure you rub it in well."
    "Thanks. I—"
    The door banged open and instantly Holt stepped away from her. Gabby scampered down the porch steps. "I got you more coffee," he said, holding aloft a new thermos. "No real damage done." He helped untangle Holt from the rope and shoved it into Cami's hands. "Best get this put away," he muttered in her ear.
    "Thanks, Gabby," she said. "You're a sweetheart."
    He reared back, glaring from beneath thick white brows. "Don't go gettin' mushy on me. If there's one thing I hate, it's mush."
    Holt glanced from one to the other. "You two through sweet talkin' each other? We've work to do."
    With a noisy "Humph," Gabby shoved the new thermos at her, picked up the broken one and stomped into the house. Cami bit down on her lip to keep from laughing.
    Holt nodded toward the coffee. "Drink some of that while I get Loco saddled. It'll take the edge off the cold."
    She hesitated, reluctant to create further contention between them. "I'd be happy to, if it were tea." She wrinkled her nose. "But I'm not overly fond of coffee."
    He lifted an eyebrow. "You best get this straight right off. Real cowboys have two and only two beverages they drink. Coffee and whiskey. And every once in a while, when they're pushed, they'll take a gulp of water to ease a dusty throat. But they never, ever drink tea."
    "Got it. Coffee and whiskey. Ace out the tea." She peeked up at him, a teasing grin playing across her mouth. "Got any whiskey?"
    "It's in with the coffee," he drawled, and started for the barn.
    Cami eyed his retreating back. Furtively, she turned around and uncapped the thermos. In with the coffee? Seriously? She took a cautious sniff. All she could smell was coffee. Pouring a bit into the top, she took a quick sip and choked. Dear heaven! This had to be the strongest stuff she'd ever tasted, not to mention the worst. If it wasn't laced with whiskey, it ought to be, if only to dilute the coffee.
    "Don't let it go to your head," Holt murmured from right behind her.
    With a cry of alarm she whirled around, coffee flying in all directions. Petunia, in particular, took exception to the bath and clipped Cami on the shoulder. The thermos tumbled to the ground, a quart of spilled coffee rapidly turning the dirt to