him.
He put his hands on her face. Felt the softness of her skin. The scent of her perfume surrounded him and his eyes drifted closed as he let go. Really let go of everything.
Her lips were soft under his, pliant. Her tongue rubbed over his and he sucked it gently into his mouth. One of his hands left her head and moved down her back, his fingers testing the resilience of her hips.
He groaned at the way her curves fit against him. It was as if she was custom-made for him the way his space suit was. He shifted back, lifting her off her feet.
She clung to him as she tipped her head and her tongue plunged deeper into his mouth. He hardened in a rush, rocking his hips forward until his erection was nestled at the top of her thighs.
Her legs parted and she wrapped them around his hips. He staggered backward and then realized there was nothing to lean against. He carefully knelt down and lowered Molly to the ground beneath him. He braced one hand on the soft grass and shifted so that he straddled her.
She turned her head to the side.
âMy ponytail is uncomfortable,â she said.
He reached beneath her head and pulled out the elastic. Burying his fingers in her thick hair, he fanned it out around her head.
He stretched out next to her on the grass and drew her up on her side so that they faced each other.
âThereâs an easier way to do this, but I wanted to see your hair down,â he said.
âWhy?â she asked, her voice was quiet, shy almost.
Not the Molly who could tame a wild horse or quell an ornery ranch hand with just a glance. This was the woman heâd always wondered about. The one who sometimes wandered into his dreams before he sent her on her way.
âItâs beautiful.â He rubbed a few strands between his thumb and forefinger.
âNo. Itâs nothing special. Just sort of average.â
In her words he heard the implicit belief that she was average. And that shook him because sheâd always been anything but.
âYou know youâre not average,â he said.
âI think for this area of the country I am.â
âNah, you stand out, Molly Tanner. You always have. Your eyes are like dark chocolateâa man could lose himself staring into those eyesâand your hair...itâs so silky and soft and I just want to bury my face in and breathe in the sweet strawberry scent.â
She stared at him. He wondered where the words were coming from, as well. Was he saying this because of the moonlight? Because for the first time in his entire life he had no idea what he was doing next and getting lost in Molly seemed like as good a path as any?
God, he really hoped not.
She watched him with eyes that asked too many questions he couldnât answer, so he took her mouth in a kiss that was deep and filled with passion. That left no room for thinkingâfor either of them.
He pulled her into the curve of his body, felt her drape her thigh over his top leg and he nestled his throbbing cock against the center of her body.
The night deepened around them and still they lay there in the grass, kissing and caressing until his horse wandered over and nudged him in the back. He sat up and Molly sat up next to him.
It was too soon to take this any further. They were business partners...maybe friends...and sex wasnât the best idea to keep things uncomplicated.
âI guess we should be heading back,â she said.
âYeah. We donât want to be out here when the hands start riding the fence and moving the cattle.â
âDefinitely not.â
He helped her to her feet and they both brushed themselves off. She bit her lower lip and looked over at him. Questions, he saw them again in her eyes.
âThank you for riding with me,â he said to divert her.
She was stubborn, and for a minute he didnât think it had worked. But in the end she just nodded. âNo problem.â
They rode back to the barn in silence and both of them