“I don’t believe we’ve been properly introduced. I’m Logan Jansen and you are?” The sexy tone of his voice forced her head up. She gazed into his crystal-blue eyes.
“Sadie, Sadie Pepperman.” She tightened her hold on the thin fabric of her clothing. The urge to rip the concealing items from her body and followed the hunger building inside her core fought with the need to take the sensible course of action and keep the man at bay.
Unfortunately, she recognized her immediate response to Logan and didn’t put much stock in her ability to curb her desires. After all, three days after meeting Richard, she’d found herself in his bed. In less than a week, she’d left her parent’s home and had vowed to love him for the rest of her life.
Look how that worked out, she silently grumbled.
Determined not to travel the same path again, she shuffled quickly backward. A sharp stone dug into her heel. She shifted to ease the discomfort, only to have her ankle to turn awkwardly. Pain shot through her foot.
She stumbled, rocking on one foot for a moment before two strong arms circled her. Anxious for something solid to hold onto, she wrapped her hands around the hefty girth of his biceps.
“Easy there, sugar, we don’t want you to take a tumble.” Logan held her against the dense wall of his chest. His rich male scent sparked erotic visions in her head...of him lying over her, his body guarding hers as he drove them both wild with pleasure.
“Please, I’m a widow and I...” How could she explain the overwhelming craving to be touch by a man again? Not counting her total lack of willpower to resist him.
She met his gaze. But why him?
Yes, he was gorgeous and sort of resembled her deceased husband, but still, she had responsibilities that didn’t allow for such foolish fantasies.
A smile bloomed on Logan’s face, almost arrogance, yet strangely appealing too. “How long has your husband been dead?”
“A little over a year, but he’s been gone almost two.” Sadie bit her lip and shifted her weight. A throbbing pain pierced through her foot. She cringed.
Logan tightened his grip and eased her to one side to stare at her feet. “Sugar, I think you may have done some serious damage to your ankle.”
“No, I have too much to do. I can’t be laid up with a sore foot.” Sadie recalled the last time she’d injured herself. She’d had to call on Richard’s family for help. The incident had driven home the need to distance herself from them if she wanted to keep the property her husband had left her.
Logan kept one arm around her waist and bent to examine her ankle. Warm fingers brushed her skin briefly before he rose beside her. “Sorry, but its already swelling.”
“Oh, horse feathers,” she muttered, furious with how nothing seemed to be going her way today. First the overbearing heat, then Carolyn badgering to cut loose and later getting caught in the river current, followed by Sadie hurting her foot and the onset of unwanted desire for a stranger.
“Sugar, horses don’t fly.” A teasing note bled through his tone before he scooped her up into his arms. “Luckily, I can carry you to the wagon.”
The sudden contact of solid, male flesh scrambled her brain and instinct ruled her movements. She slipped her arms around him and relaxed into his embrace. Her head landed on his shoulder and she savored the nudge of his chest against her aching breasts.
Her gaze ran along the strong column of his neck. The compulsion to glide her tongue over his tan skin had her licking her lips and leaning closer.
“Here, we go. I’ll just set you on the back of the wagon and take a look at your foot.” Logan eased her onto the solid surface of the wagon.
Sanity returned.
Oh, God, what the hell was I thinking?
Heat burned her face. She bowed her head to hide from the man still holding her in his arms. Flustered by her reaction to him, she drew her hands back to her chest and held tight to the thin fabric of her top.
He released her and squatted to examine her foot. His hands circled her calf and slid slowly over her ankle. “Sorry, but you’re not going to be walking on this foot anytime soon.”
His clear blue gaze met hers and she sank into their welcoming depths. His smile melted the urge to get as far away as possible from this man. Damn, I’ve always been a fool for a blond-haired, blue-eyed devil.
He eased his palm along her leg to her knee and squeezed it before rising. “Why don’t I help you get dressed? Then we can ride back to where Zack and I were camping and get my things.”
Hunger bloomed in her core with his touch and she didn’t hear his words. No, caught in a sensual dream, she imagined him parting her legs, stepping closer, and drawing her against his stiff cock.
He stepped away.
Her thoughts still ensnared with erotic visions, Sadie ached with the need to call him back and beg for him to give her some relief. Instead, she held her tongue and watched each step he took.
He paused and reached over the side of the wagon for her discarded dress.
Again forced into the bright light of reality, she lambasted herself for believing any man would want to make love to her. Didn’t Kirk, Richard’s brother, continually tell her that she was plain and no one would want her other than him?
Fighting the depressing thought, she swung her head to the path along the river and stared. What would it hurt to take Logan home with her? If she could perhaps persuade him to help her instead of having to ask her in-laws, then she might finally be free of their constant presence in her life.
Or was she playing with fire?
Logan stopped in front of her. “If you’ll just lift your arms, I’ll slide your dress over your head and you can button it right up.”
She studied him. Could she resist him? If she tried, then... A proposal developed in her mind. “Why don’t you come home with me? I’ll need some help taking care of my farm, until I can get around again.”
“It’d give me a place to stay until Zack and your friend return.” Logan lifted her dress again as if he’d already devised the plan before she even thought of it.
Still uncertain he understood what she was offering, she continued, “How much is it going to cost me?”
Read More Anita Philmar
Hot Prairie Night Excerpt –
The sight at the end of her gun set Elizabeth Murphy on fire. Eighteen months without sex had her craving the touch of a man. Yet most didn’t even cause a stir in her blood, but this one sparked a reaction in her libido.
Why?
She blinked and stared at the man riding across her land. What did he have that other men didn’t?
Wide shoulders and with his cowboy hat set low over his eyes, he moved to the gate of the horse as if he was an extension of the animal. The gentle rocking reminding her of... she lowered her rifle. A deep-seated yearning curled in her stomach.
As a woman on a spread by herself, she couldn’t afford to be friendly with strangers. No, she had to protect the ranch and greet everyone with caution.
Standing on the front porch of her cabin, she allowed her gaze to venture to the barn, then on to the corral where two horses stood. She’d brought them in from the fields a few hours ago in anticipation of her trip into town tomorrow. The sun sinking low on the horizon reminded her that she had supper waiting inside.
The increase patter of hooves caught her attention, and she stared again at the stranger.
“Might as well stop right there,” Lizzie called and cocked her gun. “I’m not much on uninvited guests.”
The man pulled on the reins, drawing the horse to a walk and then to a stop. “I can understand why a woman in your position might feel that way, but I’m a friend of your husband.”
The thought didn’t inspire warmth. Instead, she lifted her gun. “My husband was a gun-slinging gambler. He didn’t have the most reputable friends.”
A slight smirk passed over the man’s lips. He nodded. “Yes, but I knew him as a child back in Oklahoma. Heath Holmes is the name. I’m sur
e Daniel mentioned me once or twice.”
The name did sound familiar. What had Daniel said about Heath?
She licked her lips and fought the hunger to see this man’s strong muscular body naked and up close. She stared at his mount to gather more information. His black horse had the markings of a thoroughbred. The detail design of his saddle, and the rich quality of the man’s clothes spoke of someone who had money. So why visit her here?
“I recall the name, but Daniel didn’t particularly enjoy his childhood. His mother didn’t provide him with a great upbringing.” Lizzy lowered her gun to her waist, but kept the barrel pointed at Heath. Could she trust him?
“True, at times he would have starved, if not for my family, but then with six mouths to feed, what was one more?” Heath swung his leg over the saddle and stepped down from his horse, and turned.
Lizzie’s mouth watered and her palms slipped on the gun. She rested the butt of her rifle on the porch railing for fear of firing it off accidentally. Thoughts of what Daniel has said about his youth warred with her desire to get to know Heath better. Her gaze slid down his six foot frame, broad shoulders, full chest, trim waist, and thick thighs. Nothing about him seemed to hint at him not being able to take on any task.
“Right, Daniel did mention his mother’s love of whiskey and how your family was his saving grace.” Lizzy waved him over to the barn. “Why don’t you unsaddle your horse and put him in the corral? There’s a pump next to the water trough if you want to clean up and stay a spell?”
She stepped back as Heath grew closer. The desire racing through her body tempted her with thoughts of jumping off the porch and into his arms. With only a few kisses, he could have her out of her bloomers and be pounding his cock deep inside her within seconds.
A sigh escaped at finally satisfying her lust for sex. Stunned by the needy sound, she rushed her reply, “I was just getting ready to set down for supper, if you’d like to join me?”
“Thanks, I’ll just get Sasha settled, and be right in.” Heath grinned and led his horse to the barn.
Lizzy backed through the open doorway and set her gun in the rack by the door. Thoughts raced through her head as to what she should do. Living alone had its advantages and disadvantages. No one knew what she did or didn’t do. So if she wanted to take a temporary lover, who would be the wiser? However, she didn’t want to get involved with the wrong type of man again either.
Daniel had married her and stayed around for a few weeks at a time too, but he had wanderlust. His lifestyle up to the point where he married her allowed him to come and go as he pleased. He didn’t really like ranching and had relished the chance to get away occasionally for random trips. She didn’t want another man like him, even though the sex between them had been wild whenever he returned home. Next time around, she wanted a man who’d stay by her side and enjoy helping her with the ranch.
She walked to the counter and looked out the window.
Could Heath be that man?
###
Anita Philmar Other Books
Historical Westerns Naked Bluff, Texas series
In Deep Water – Skinny-dipping to cool off in the Trinity River couldn’t cause any problems...could it?
http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Water-Naked-Bluff-Texas-ebook/dp/B00EOCROYK
In Too Deep – The peace of the day is shattered when her best friend steps too far into the Trinity River.
http://www.amazon.com/Deep-Naked-Bluff-Texas-Book-ebook/dp/B00IMQLOMC
Duty’s Bride - Can Sadie have a new life or will her old one rear its ugly head?
http://www.amazon.com/Deputys-Bride-Naked-Bluff-Texas-ebook/dp/B00NUTJ5N6
More Than Ready – Can a determined woman win her heart’s desire?
http://www.amazon.com/Ready-Naked-Western-Historical-Romance-ebook/dp/B00XLWMATS
All are available at Amazon -
http://www.amazon.com/Anita-Philmar/e/B002BMBE8C/ref=ntt_athr_dp_pel_1
http://www.amazon.com/Country-Doctors-Bride-murder-mystery-ebook/dp/B01DWQU6C0
Coming out January 2016 - A Cowboy’s Passion
Black Dragon’s Series-
Black Dragon’s Blood – a super human race/ off-world suspense
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Dragons-Blood-Anita-Philmar/dp/1601542321
Black Dragon’s Moon – a super human race/ off-world suspense
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Dragons-Moon-Anita-Philmar/dp/1601544855
Black Dragon’s Heart– a super human race/ off-world suspense
http://www.amazon.com/Black-Dragons-Heart-Anita-Philmar/dp/1601547277
Other Stories
Texas Passion – historical western
http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Passion-Anita-Philmar-ebook/dp/B0056B5STQ
Hog-Tied and Branded – contemporary western
http://www.amazon.com/Hog-Tied-and-Branded-ebook/dp/B006JGFCNO
Naked Rebel – off-world adventure
http://www.amazon.com/Naked-Rebel-Anita-Philmar-ebook/dp/B00AHKJB0I
Hot Wired – futuristic erotic suspense
http://www.amazon.com/Hotwired-ebook/dp/B007RZJIOK
Banished – Three Erotic Stories(shapeshifters) boxset
http://www.amazon.com/Banished-Erotic-Stories-Anita-Philmar-ebook/dp/B008VWYVN6
Banished Hero
http://www.amazon.com/Banished-Paranormal-Erotic-ShapeShifter-Stories-ebook/dp/B012UIRW32
Banished Scoundrel
http://www.amazon.com/Banished-Scroundrel-Paranormal-Shifter-Stories-ebook/dp/B012UIRI68
Banished Witch
http://www.amazon.com/Banished-Witch-Paranormal-Shifter-Stories-ebook/dp/B012UJP6DO
New Series with The Wild Rose Press
The Warrior in Me
https://www.amazon.com/Warrior-Me-Ancient-Prophecy-Book-ebook/dp/B01M9C5QLQ
Other Historical Western – Texas Passion – A girl determine to get her man no matter the cost. http://www.amazon.com/Texas-Passion-ebook/dp/B0056B5STQ
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Western Historical: A Cowboy's Pleasure: MFM, Threesome, menage (The Cowboys of Naked Bluff, Texas series Book 5) Page 4
