“Pfft!” Both dogs stopped nosing the can to look up at her. “Sorry, guys. You’ll have to wait a second. I’m busy here.”
She reached over and stuck the plug into the socket, then attached her phone. Nothing. She groaned in frustration. It was going to take at least a few minutes before the phone would be charged enough to be active.
Fine. She had other business to take care of.
She refreshed the water of both dogs and then carefully removed Oleg’s muzzle. “Play nice or it’s back in the crate.”
The two dogs eyed each other in sidelong glances but made no provocative moves as they lapped thirstily at their individual bowls.
Satisfied for the moment that there’d be no doggy Armageddon in her kitchen, she headed back into the living room, grabbing up Kye’s gear as she went. The last thing she wanted to do was explain to him what was going on. When she had collected it all, she grabbed a piece of paper from her printer tray and scrawled across it with a marker.
You can stay at bunkhouse. It’s open. Key to frig is in the Ladies in the spark plug dispenser.
Grabbing up everything, she headed for the front door. When she looked for Kye, she discovered he was closing the main gates, probably to keep any more unannounced callers from simply driving in. He was protecting her. The knowledge felt strangely comforting, and disconcerting. She wasn’t accustomed to anyone taking care of her. As she watched, his tall, long-legged, hard-shouldered silhouette turned to stroll back up her long drive. The sight was striking. He was striking.
“Damn.” Every time she glanced at him she felt it all again. The sudden heat as their lips met earlier. The heavy assault of heat, tongue, and expertly wielded pressure that was his mouth. Her fingers tingled as if remembering the hard heat of his bare chest.
So McGarren could kiss. So what? She’d known that twelve years ago. Maybe he was better at it now. That didn’t mean anything.
She blinked, feeling hot and shivery, but it only made her work more quickly. She needed Kye out of the way while she got in touch with David. Only then would she know what to do next. She placed his things in one of the handmade rockers that lined the porch, attached her note, then went back inside and double-locked the door.
She went into her kitchen and checked the phone: still not enough power to turn it on. She poured the last of the hours-old coffee into her mug and stuck it in the microwave. But every cell of her body seemed to be in overdrive. Strangely, it wasn’t about David, but Kye.
She pulled the fatigue cap from her head and flicked her ponytail over her shoulder. It wasn’t like her to get caught up in sexual sensation. She wasn’t one of those women who could while away hours recalling her lover’s every look, every sigh. But the sensations kept on coming, overwhelming her desire to think of anything else. This time it was the pressure of Kye’s hips locked into hers, her height making the fit perfect as her lower belly absorbed the rigid length of his arousal.
Desire hit her like a German shepherd running flat-out. Only there was no protective bite suit around her emotions. For a moment she stood in her kitchen, not moving, but imagining everything. Her arms moving up to encircle Kye’s neck. Her fingers sliding into the silky short hair at his nape. She’d been a few heartbeats from surrendering her anger to the sensations of the moment.
Yardley firmed her mouth against a sigh. She wasn’t one of those women who had to have a man. But McGarren had made her want—bad—in just a kiss. It had been an eye-opener for him, too.
She had seen how he’d looked at her after they separated. That simple surprise had quickly turned into a knowing gaze she couldn’t argue with. She had responded. His heavy-lidded eyes and lazy smile said Let me do you with such confidence.
But then he’d backed up, averting his gaze and saying something about the need to be careful around each other.
She glanced up uncomfortably when she heard McGarren’s footsteps on her porch. Why did that irritate her? Why did everything about him make her want to convert thoughts into actions, actions that brought her into physical contact with him? It struck her that maybe it wasn’t only lust, but guilt fueling her contrary feelings toward McGarren.
He hadn’t pushed himself on her. In fact, she’d provoked him beyond reasonable need. And in the end, he’d done the honorable thing by backing off without being asked. She had been wrong. She was avoiding him because she didn’t want to face those facts.