“Or what?”
“Or you’re on your own. I’m not going to help you anymore.”
“Do you really think that that’s going to keep me away from you, Tara?”
He took her in his arms and held her tight. But Tara had a feeling that if she’d protested, he would have let her go immediately. She didn’t know why she felt that way or why she didn’t do just that. There were a thousand reason why being here with Brody was wrong.
She couldn’t help but think that somehow she was betraying her brother by feeling these strange feelings for Brody. She loved the way he laughed. She loved the way he’d teased her. It was as if he’d awaken something inside her that she had forgotten existed.
And when he looked down at her with eyes that pulled her into his gaze, she felt hypnotized. She didn’t want him to let go of her.
He continued to gaze into her eyes as he brushed an errant piece of hair away from her face.
“You are a surprise, Tara Mitchell.”
“No, I’m not,” she whispered. “I’m just me.”
His smile grew wider. “That’s what is so surprising.”
He bent his head and brushed his lips against hers. He was gentle at first, tasting her with a quick flick of his tongue against her lips. Then he pressed his mouth harder against hers in a crushing kiss that stole her breath away. The heat of the sun mixed with the heat of his body pressing against hers and her head began to swim.
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his shoulders. He was so much taller than she was and she felt small in his arms. Protected.
The sound of someone clearing his or her throat startled her. She pulled back abruptly and saw Trip and a few students coming up the trail on their horses.
“Oh, no,” she said as her cheeks flamed.
The riders came closer and then kept riding by the two of them. Trip tipped his hat at Tara. “Good afternoon.”
She waved back to Trip and the two young riders who were coming up behind him.
When they were past her and Brody, and out of earshot, Tara said, “I’m so embarrassed.”
Brody chuckled. “Why? Because they caught us kissing?”
“Yes!”
Somehow, she’d dropped her shoes during the passionate kiss she and Brody shared. Tara searched the ground and found each of them one by one.
“I need to get out of here.”
“What about lunch?”
Flustered, she said, “I told you I couldn’t stay for lunch.”
“What about decorating my house. You said you’d help.”
“I think I’ve done enough.”
“Really?”
She stalked back to the truck. “Okay fine. You can come to the shop and pick out a few things. I think I have an idea of where you need some color and what you might like.”
She reached the truck and yanked on passenger side door with one hand while holding her shoes with the other hand.
“Aren’t you going to put those on?” he asked, coming up to the passenger side.
“When I get inside the truck and when my cheeks aren’t flaming as hot as they are now.”
He leaned into her. “Admitted. You had fun.”
She didn’t want to admit it, but she had. Tara had forgotten what fun was until she’d found herself running in the field.
“Climb in,” he said. “We’ll go back to the house and have some lunch.”
“Do you have a problem with listening?”
“Yes. When it comes to you.”
“I’ve already left Dixie at the shop alone too long.”
“And it will be even longer if you don’t get into the truck.”
She stood by the open door and dropped her shoes inside the cab. “This isn’t a good idea, Brody. You know that, don’t you?”
“What? Lunch? You already said that.”
“It’s probably burnt by now.”
“According to Mercy, it shouldn’t burn. It’s in the Crock-Pot.”
She frowned and then laughed at the oddity of his statement. “You used a Crock-Pot?”
“I know. Hard to believe. Trip made Mercy come over and help me. There, my secret is out.”
Tara shook her head. “I don’t know why but you continue to surprise me all the time.”
His smile was wide and it only made him more handsome. “Sometimes surprises are a good thing.”
She was having too good a time. This wasn’t right. And yet, she wanted him to kiss her again. She’d wondered, and now she knew what it was like to be held in those strong cowboy arms and feel the muscles bunch up as he held her. And she wanted it again.
What had happened to her? Nothing about this made sense and it certainly wasn’t right.
“I really do have to get back to the shop. I know you went to a lot of trouble. I’m sorry.”
He hid his disappointment well. Maybe that was something that was learned. Tara hadn’t quite mastered that yet, but she appreciated that Brody didn’t push her.
“Too bad. You smelled how good my cooking is.”
She squinted her eyes as she looked up at him. “I thought you said Mercy came over?”
“Yes, but all she does did was supervise. I put all the ingredients in the pot.”
Her shoulder’s sagged. “Then it’s my loss.”
She climbed into the cab of the truck and settled herself in the seat. Then she waited for him to shut the door. When he didn’t do it readily, she turned to look at him and found him staring at her.
“What?”
“You are the prettiest thing I’ve seen in this meadow.”
His complement touched her despite her wanting to be immune. She could still feel his lips against hers as if he were still kissing her.
“I need to get back.”
He slammed the door, and then checked to make sure it was shut tightly. Then he walked around the front of the truck and climbed inside. He turned the key in the ignition and the truck’s engine fired up.
He shifted the truck into reverse, backed up, and then turned the truck around on the road. They headed back to the ranch parking lot where she’d left her car.
When she got out of the truck and he walked her to her car, he
