A Cowboy in Manhattan(29)

Her hands were still braced on his chest, and her lips curved into a secret smile. “I believe it’s called kissing.”

It was so tempting to fall back into the moment. But he couldn’t allow it. This chemistry between them flew out of control the instant he let his guard down.

“What is the matter with me?” he ground out.

Why couldn’t he leave her alone? She was a family friend and a neighbor, soon to be an in-law. She wasn’t some temporary pickup in a honky-tonk.

She eased away, straightening the strap of her dress. “Are you saying ‘not here’?”

He wished it were that simple. “I’m saying not ever.”

Her smile faltered, and he immediately felt like a cad. Bad enough he’d accosted her. Now he’d insulted her. He hadn’t meant it the way it sounded. He raked a hand through his short hair, putting more space between them. “I’m sorry.”

She pressed her lips together. “No problem.” She made to move around him.

He reached out. “Katrina.”

But she brushed his hand away. “No need for an explanation.”

He snagged her wrist, stopping her. “It’s not that I don’t want—”

“You’re embarrassing me, Reed.” Her tone was brittle; her crackling blue gaze staring straight ahead.

He leaned down, lips close to her ear, attempting to make it better. “Listen to me.”

“No.” She tried to free her wrist.

“I want you, Katrina,” he confessed. “I want you very, very badly.”

“I can tell.”

He mustered his strength. “Give me a break. Your sister is marrying my brother.”

She pinned him with a glare. “Is this some archaic chivalry thing?”

“Yes.” For want of a better term, it was.

She leaned into him, the tip of her breast brushing his arm. “Well, you might want to get over that.”

“Katrina,” he warned on a growl.

“Because I want you, too, Reed. Very, very badly.”

His hand went lax at her frank admission. It gave her a moment to escape, and she took it.





Five




Katrina couldn’t believe the way she’d taunted Reed. She’d never said anything remotely that bold to a man.

She made beeline back to the Jacobs’ table, her emotions vacillating between rattled, embarrassed and just plain annoyed.

She was a grown woman. Where did he get off protecting her from herself? As though she wasn’t capable of making up her own mind? She knew her sister was marrying his brother. So what? She and Reed were adults.

From the empty round table she caught a glimpse of him far across the ballroom. His gaze scanned the cavernous room, stopped on her and he immediately headed her way. She took a bracing sip of her champagne.

Annoyed. She was definitely going with annoyed.

Her brother Travis dropped down in the chair beside her. “What’s this I hear about you being afraid of horses?” he asked.

“What’s this I hear about you riding bulls again?”

“Who told you that?”

“Mandy said you did the rodeo down in Pine Lake.”

“At least I’m not afraid of them.”

“You ought to be. You’re not eighteen anymore.”

“Nice deflection,” Mandy put in as she took the chair on the opposite side of Katrina. Caleb pulled out the one next to her.

“Music’s nice,” Katrina observed, turning her attention to Mandy.

“I could teach you to ride in under a week,” said Travis.

“A nice eclectic mix of songs,” Katrina noted to no one in particular. “That’s my preference for an evening like this.”

“Excuse me?” an unfamiliar male voice sounded just behind her.

Katrina turned to see a rather handsome man in his mid-thirties, his hand held out to her, palm up.

“Would you care to—” The man’s gaze abruptly flicked upward. “Never mind,” he muttered, dropping his hand. “I’m sorry.” Then he turned away.

Katrina watched his retreat in puzzlement. Not that she wanted to dance. Her ankle was starting to ache. But it was very strange behavior.

“Thing is,” Travis carried on in a firm voice. “There’s absolutely no reason for you to be afraid of them.”