I stayed still as his lips brushed mine. My eyes automatically closed as my hands came up to hold onto his waist. That must have been all the encouragement Junior needed. His hands cupped my face and his lips settled on mine. His tongue darted out, and I opened up to him.
If I thought what happened earlier had been a kiss to remember, I knew I would feel this one until my last breath left my body. Junior didn’t just kiss me with his mouth. He kissed me with each breath he took, the way his thumb rubbed over my cheek, his body dwarfed mine, the way he moaned into me.
“Damn,” He pulled back slightly. “I knew it would be good, but I didn’t expect fireworks.” He came back in.
We stood there kissing until I had to push him away to breathe. I drew in oxygen as if I’d just run a marathon, and stillmy chest burned to pull him back and let him steal all the air from my body once again.
“Come on, gorgeous, let’s have dinner.” He placed another quick kiss on my lips.
“Okay.”
“And just so you know, our deal is null and void.” He reached for my hand.
“What?” My mind still wasn’t working all that well.
“If you think I’m going to stop asking you out after that kiss, you’re crazy.” He lifted my hand to his lips. “I’m think tomorrow we test out the saloon and dance hall.”
“They aren’t open tomorrow.”
“Oh well, then we’ll have to go for another ride.” He gave me that signature smile.
“Okay.” I agreed, unsure of exactly what kind of ride I’d just agreed to.
Chapter 7
Junior
“Way to go, Adam.” I cheered from the side of the ring. I was letting some of the guests try riding the barrels today. I didn’t put them anywhere near as close as they would be in an actual competition. There was plenty of room for them to maneuver around each one, and so far they had been doing an excellent job. I looked around hoping to see Bria, but she hadn’t made it to today’s lesson, which made me nervous.
Things had been going great since our first ride through the ranch. We’d spent the last three nights together, but when I asked her about coming home with me to Blackthorne this weekend, she’d instantly closed down last night. I knew it was fast, but I only had one more week here after this. I didn’t want to wait.
“Can I ride next?” Lola, the same woman who had been hitting on me since our first lesson, asked.
She was standing so close I backed up to make sure there was even a sliver of space between us.
“Sure.”
“I’m going to need your help getting into position.” She blinked her overly made up lashes at me as if anyone would consider that sexy.
“Okay.” As much as I didn’t want to touch her, I also couldn’t have anyone getting hurt on my watch.
Adam rode back over to us, and I held the reins as he got down.
“That was awesome.” He had a huge smile on his face.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it, and you did a great job.” I shook his hand.
“You did a better job than Junior did the first time he tried riding the barrels.” I knew that voice. “Your instructor here slipped and slid all over the saddle. His father had to catch him before he fell on his butt.” I turned around to see my cousin Dallas standing next to his girlfriend, Trinity. Both of them wore identical smiles.
“What are you doing here?” I couldn’t believe they had come down to see me.
“Figured why give the people one Thorne when we could double the fun.” He walked forward and clapped me on the back. “Missed you, Junior.”
“Missed you too.” I felt myself getting a little choked up. “Guys, I hope you don’t mind if we cut class a little early today. I promise to stay later tomorrow.” It would be the last class of the week, and I’d already planned to make it a long one. It was also my last class with this group. I believed they would be going home on Sunday. Hopefully, that would keep me out of Lola’s clutches.
“But he just got here.” Lola didn’t disappoint. She looked at Dallas as if he was the cherry on top of a sundae. “Maybe he can help with the class today and tomorrow.”
“I’m sure Junior here has it all in hand.” Dallas smiled my direction. “Trinity and I will just hang out and watch.” He backed up until he was next to his girl and put his arm around her waist.
