Cowboy In The Crossfire(22)

Her entire being flooded with need. She couldn't look away, and the awareness flaring between them became palpable and undeniable.

"I shouldn't," he said as he bent down, his face hovering inches above her mouth. "You're hurt."

"I know. But I can." She lifted her lips and pressed them against his.

Without hesitation, without comment, he returned her kiss, gently, reverently.

Amanda closed her eyes and clutched his shirt, letting the warmth of his lips, the tenderness of his touch reignite more than her passion. He lit a fire in her soul, ignited hope in her heart.

She sighed. He raised his head, then carefully, he lifted her in his arms and carried her down the hall.

Amanda laid her head against his shoulder. His heartbeat thudded against her ear and quickened as she rested her hand against his chest.

Her own pulse accelerated in response. She was in trouble. Big trouble.

And for this one moment, she didn't care.





Chapter Five


Blake's body thrummed with urgency as Amanda nestled against his chest. His knees trembled, not from her insignificant weight but from how much he wanted her. Not that he could do anything about it. The redness around her injury worried him. He prayed that the disinfectant and antibiotics would handle the infection that threatened.

His concern didn't stop his mind from wandering to a place he shouldn't go, though. If she weren't hurt, she could wrap her legs tight around his waist. If they didn't have clothes between him, he could sink into her and lose himself in her passion. He wanted to throw her on the bed and take her. Let his lust carry him away, but he couldn't.

This was Amanda. She was hurt, afraid and vulnerable.

She needed him to be a cop, not a lover.

Someday, he would revel in every touch, and before he'd finished, he would know every inch of her. Right now, he needed to be a gentleman.

Slowly, making certain he didn't jostle her too much, he carried her to one of the bedrooms. She looked up at him with a sultry and trusting gaze, her blue eyes deep as a darkening Texas sky.

He gently placed her on the bed and leaned over her, his body hovering just above hers. He took a pillow and placed it under her head. She clasped his arm as he tried to straighten.

"You're killing me." His fingertip trailed down her cheek to her throat. "Destroying my resolve."

She didn't answer just pulled his head down to hers and parted her lips.

A groan rumbled in his chest. He let himself taste her, exploring the sweetness of her mouth, eliciting a strangled cry from her lips. Amanda clung to him, but he knew they both wanted what they couldn't have. Not until she'd healed.

He pulled back. "You need to rest." He pushed the curls from her forehead and let his thumb drift under the shadowed circles below her eyes that reminded him why he had to resist her.

"Stay with me," she said. "I don't want to be alone. Not right now."

"Can I trust you to behave yourself?" he teased with a smile, not certain he didn't see a hint of vixen behind the fatigue on her face.

"I promise to keep my hands to myself." She let out a small yawn. "I'm too tired to tempt you."

"Lying there is temptation enough," Blake said. He kicked off his boots, eased onto the bed and turned on his side. "Is this okay?"

She looked up at him. "Why didn't you ever ask me out? After that Christmas Eve party."

"Vince," Blake said. "Rule number one is don't sleep with your best friend's sister. And I knew if I ever got you alone exactly where it would lead. Into bed."

"You didn't expect this, did you?"

"I never thought I'd have you beside me." He placed a hand lightly over her shirt where the bandage circled her chest. "I hate that it's in this situation."

"Can you help us, Blake? Can you find out who's after us?"

"I have some ideas. Friends I can trust."

"Not cops."

He wanted to wipe the frown lines from her forehead. "A bit more unconventional than that, but they'll help us put these murderers away."

"You followed the best friend rules. You followed the cop rules. I'm not very good at rules." She reached a hand to touch his face.

"Then maybe I can learn something." He kissed her nose and settled down beside her. "Try to rest. I don't imagine Ethan will stay occupied much longer."

Blake didn't know how long he watched the rise and fall of her chest, the slight parting of her lips or even the wince as she shifted closer to him. He loved that she turned to him even in sleep.

The house was quiet, and he needed to make another call. Surely Logan would be around by now. Just as he shifted to the side of the bed, a loud whinny sounded from outside.

Blake stilled, his senses on alert. The hair on the back of his neck stood at attention and he focused on the noise filtering from outside. It wasn't right.

No time to waste. Blake tugged on his boots. Very gently he touched Amanda's shoulder.

Her eyelids flew open. "What's wrong?"

"Something outside."

He grabbed his Glock from the nightstand. Her eyes widened and she struggled to her feet, following him into the kitchen. He slipped into his sheepskin coat that still smelled of Amanda and handed her the truck keys. "If anything happens, get Ethan and go to the Triple C Ranch. It's right off the county road going toward Big Spring. About ninety minutes if you push it. Tell Logan Carmichael I sent you. He can help."