Summer Nights (Fool's Gold #8)(49)

Well, crap. The last thing she needed was Shane acting like some hero, she thought, turning away so he wouldn’t see her going all gooey at the thought. He was hard enough to resist when he was a regular guy. If he did this, how could she stand a chance?

“Would you have time?” she asked.

“I’ll make time. There’s a guy in town, Raoul Moreno. He has a camp for disadvantaged children.”

She smiled. “I know Raoul. He’s a very handsome former football player.”

“He’s married. With kids.”

Her smile turned into a grin. “Jealous?”

“No.”

“You look jealous.”

His dark eyes brightened with amusement. “You’re reading too much into the information.”

“I don’t think so. Anyway, you’ve talked to Raoul?”

“I had a quick phone call with him after Kalinda left. Charlie gave me his number. I’m going to go see him in the next week or so. We might see if we can work together. Maybe some of his camp kids could work on the ranch.”

“Horses as therapy,” she murmured.

Was it her imagination or had he just moved a little closer? Or maybe it was her. She could be the one moving. Because honestly, out here, in the quiet and beauty of nature, with Shane being all manly and irresistible, she was having trouble concentrating on what he was saying.

“We could do a lot of good.”

“Yes, you could.”

He cupped her cheek with his hand. “You’re trouble, you know that, right?”

“No, I’m not.”

“You are to me.”

They were friends, she reminded herself. Just friends. Nothing more. Anything else would be dangerous, not to mention foolish.

“I do like that there’s not a lot of drama,” he admitted. “Despite the fact that you dance on bars.”

“It was one dance and you’re right about the drama. I avoid it. I like my life calm. Predictable even.”

“Then you probably already know I’m going to do this.”

He dropped his head and pressed his mouth to hers.

The kiss was soft. Tender. With just enough hint of passion to add a little tingle to the moment. She leaned into him, angling her head and wrapping her arms around his neck. His mouth moved back and forth, as if he wanted to remember exactly how it had been when they’d kissed before.

He drew her close. He was as strong and warm as she remembered. She let her eyes drift closed as she parted her lips and got lost in the easy flow of passion washing through her.

His tongue moved against hers, exciting her. She touched him back, enjoying the dance. Wanting grew as did the heat. Need followed. There wasn’t a part of her body that didn’t long to be near him.

She thought about what had happened before. How great the lovemaking had been and how difficult after. There was also the issue of protection. She sure didn’t have any condoms with her and hoped he didn’t, either. Because she didn’t want him to be the kind of guy who was always prepared.

He drew back slightly, then rested his forehead against hers.

“You’re a complication, Annabelle.”

“Me?”

He straightened and put both hands on her shoulders. “If you knew how much I wanted you,” he began.

She shivered in anticipation.

“But,” he began.

“I know. We’re friends.”

“Oh. Right. I was thinking more practically. You know, about protection. But yeah. We’re friends.”

Still humming with desire, she managed to smile. “The friendship thing was a mutual decision.”

“Going to rub my nose in it, are you?” he asked.

“Sure.”

“I respect that.”

He put his arm around her and led her back to the horses. When they were standing by Khatar, he stroked her cheek with his index finger.

“Maybe we could renegotiate our terms,” he offered. “Interested?”

More than he could begin to guess, she thought. Sex only, she told herself. No emotional engagement. “I might be.”

He grinned. “You’re not easy, are you?”

“Where’s the fun in that?”

They rode back to the ranch. Once they were there, she wondered if it would be foolish to invite him back to her place right then, or if she should hold out until that night.

But before she could decide, she spotted an unfamiliar car by the house.

“Company?” she asked, pointing.

“Not that I know of.”

The car was a Mercedes, but a different model than Rafe’s. Just as big, just as powerful. Just as expensive.

She followed Shane toward the car only to come to a stop when the driver stepped out. He was of average height, slim build. Light blue eyes and graying blond hair. Well-dressed, in expensive clothes.

She stared. No, she told herself. She was wrong. It couldn’t possibly be…

“Lewis,” she breathed.

Shane turned back to face her. “Who?”

“Lewis,” she managed to say. “My ex-husband.”

Lewis started toward them and held out his hand. “Hello. I’m Lewis Cabot. Annabelle’s husband.”

“Ex,” she corrected. “Ex-husband.”