True Love at Silver Creek Ranch (27 page)

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Authors: Emma Cane

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His mouth lightly touched the center V of her sweater; his hands cupped her ribs, his thumbs riding the outer curves of her breasts. The anticipation was unbearable; she wanted to writhe even as his hand slid up and over her breast as if feeling its weight. His thumb flicked across her nipple, and she jerked with pleasure. His hips were hard against hers, her legs spread to encompass himÂ .Â .Â .

On a pool table, where anyone could walk into the back room and see them. The thrill of danger and excitement receded as guilt and worry rose up like hot bubbling water.

She was leading him on; he probably thought he could take her home andâ

Torn between passion and mortification, she stiffened. “No,” she whispered. Then louder, “No, please stop.”

His hand froze, his head lifted until their eyes met.

She bit her lip, knowing she looked pathetic and remorseful and guilty. “I can't do this. Our bet was only for a kiss.”

As he let his breath out, he straightened, pulling her up with him. He stayed between her thighs, watching her mouth. “Are you sure?” he whispered.

When she nodded, he stepped back as she jumped off the table. She stood there a moment, feeling shaky and foolish.

“I should go,” she said, turning away and heading back to the bar.

At her table, she couldn't bear to wait for her bill, knowing that the bartender and the two dart players might have heard her moan. Her face was hot, her hands trembled, and she prayed that the TV had been loud enough. She threw down far more money than was probably necessary, but she just couldn't face the bartender. Grabbing her raincoat off the hook, she ran out into the rain, jumped into her car, and sat there, feeling so stupid. She'd never done anything like that in her life. That manâNate, she rememberedâmust think her the worst tease.

After a minute's fumbling in the depths of her purse, she found her keys and slid them into the ignition. The car tried to turn over several times, but nothing happened. Emily closed her eyes and silently prayed.
Please, not now.

She turned the ignition again, and although the engine strained once or twice, it wouldn't start. She stared out the rain-streaked windshield at the glowing sign for Tony's Tavern. She couldn't go back in there. Her brain was fuzzy from too much alcohol as she tried to remember what she'd driven past when she left the highway. A motel perhaps? She'd been so worried about her car and the pouring rain and her growling stomach. How far could she walk at midnight in a strange town in a storm?

With a groan, she closed her eyes, feeling moisture from the rain trickle down her neck.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters,
places, and incidents are products of the author's imagination or are used
fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to actual
events, locales, organizations, or persons, living or dead, is entirely
coincidental.

Excerpt from
A Town Called Valentine
copyright
Â© 2012 by Gayle Kloecker Callen

TRUE LOVE AT SILVER
CREEK RANCH
. Copyright Â© 2013 by Gayle Kloecker Callen. All rights
reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment
of the required fees, you have been granted the nonexclusive, nontransferable
right to access and read the text of this e-book on screen. No part of this text
may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse-engineered, or
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any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or
hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins
e-books.

EPub Edition JANUARY 2013 ISBN:
9780062102300

Print Edition ISBN: 9780062102294

FIRST
EDITION

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