Page 17 of The Cowboy’s Forever Promise

He moved to the side and grabbing something above her head, she tried to pull herself up. Two warm hands caught her around the middle and the next moment she was placed inside, ever so gently.

George immediately climbed back on to her lap. Oddly comforted, she stroked his head as June had showed her.

“He likes you,” Carson said as he started his truck and slipped on to the road.

“I don’t know dogs,” she said. “We weren’t allowed to have any.”

“You’ve also been in foster care, like June?’”

She nodded. It wasn’t a part of her life she liked to talk about.

“Dylan and I wanted a dog so badly when we were kids,” Carson said. “My mom was very controlling and liked the house neat and tidy. Dogs weren’t allowed.”

His words hung in the air around them.

“Then you probably won’t even like me,” she said. “I also like to be in control of things and I love tidying up. It’s what I do for a living.”

His low chuckle stoked the embers, still glowing from last night. “So I’ve heard. And seen. Thank you for folding my clothes so neatly this morning.”

“This morning? It feels like ages ago,” she murmured.

Picking up her hand, he placed both their hands on his leg. “Even knowing you like to tidy up and organize doesn’t change the way you make me feel.” He turned left into a street.

“The whole thing is ridiculous,” she said, opening the window to inhale some much-needed fresh air. “We don’t know one another, and we couldn’t be more different. My suggestion is we forget about the whole hotel-bedroom scene and move on. I’ll be leaving in a few days anyway.”

He parked the car in front of Annie’s B & B and turned toward her. “I have another suggestion.”

Still stroking George’s head, she looked at Carson. “What?”

“We spend time together while you’re here and see whether this is real or not.”

“I’ve come here to work. I’ll be busy during the day and when I do have time off, I want to spend it with June.”

Picking up her braid, he played with it. “I know, but when you’ve finished tidying up June’s place, what about mine?”

She rolled her eyes. “You don’t really want anyone decluttering your house, do you?”

“You’re right,” he nodded. “Dylan says I’m still rebelling against my mother. Maybe it’s true. Will you help me organize my house—even if it’s just a little bit?”

Sighing, she looked at him. Every crazy thing she felt for the cowboy last night was still there. Spending more time with him, though, was so not a good idea. She was leaving within a week. Ten days tops. “You can’t just do a little. It’s all or nothing. For me at least. I’ll never sleep knowing I haven’t done my job properly. I have to get back to Seattle as soon as possible. My schedule is full for the rest of the year. I’ll have to think about whether I have time.”

“While you’re thinking,” he said as he picked up George and put him on the back seat before lowering his head, “I’m going to kiss you again. Let’s see if last night’s magic is still there …” His words disappeared into her mouth as his lips closed possessively over hers.

His lips were warm and urgent and within seconds she was clinging to him like someone drowning, forgetting about all the reasons why she shouldn’t be kissing Carson Weston.

Gathering her closer with his big hands, he deepened the kiss. As her hands slipped around his neck, she angled her head, trying to get closer to him. Familiar scents heated her blood while sensation after sensation slammed into her until she was reeling from the overload of impulses.

Just when she was ready to explode, he lifted his head, cupped her face. “I think,” he said breathlessly, “we can both agree the magic hasn’t gone anywhere. You have no idea how much I want you right now,” he growled as he grazed her nipples with the back of his other hand.

“Carson …” she moaned, leaning into his hand.

Catching her lips with his again, he quickly slipped a hand under her top to close over her one breast.

“Is it the red one?” he growled against her lips.

“Black,” she whispered, grabbing his head between her hands. She hadn’t had enough, not by a long shot.

This time their lips met in a searing kiss. While his hand moved from one breast to the other one, she frantically unbuttoned his shirt. Finally, she could spread her hands over his hot skin.