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senator’s daughter.
    “Wel , stop observing my state of dress and introduce me to this horse. I have no intention of riding, but I owe you a look at him for what you did for me tonight.” She almost expected him to ask what he’d done and was surprised when he didn’t.
    “Give me your hand,” he said in a low voice she decided she liked.
    She offered her hand. He closed his large rough hands around it. “The horse is named Sunny because he’s the color of the sunrise along Galveston Harbor. He’s smart.”
    Tobin moved his ngers slowly over her arm to her elbow. “I have an Apache grandfather who believes a horse makes up his mind if he likes people by smel .” He grinned as his ngers closed gently around her hand. “Sunny wil like you better if you smel like me.”
    Liberty couldn’t gure out if he was tel ing the truth or lying. Part of her didn’t care. The warmth of his touch had eased her nerves. Without another word, he cupped her hand in his and stretched it toward the horse.
    The animal nuzzled against her ngers. She would have pul ed away, but Tobin’s hand, just behind hers, made her feel safe. She could feel the nearness of his body standing only an inch away, backing her up in case she panicked. The warmth of him surrounded her. She sensed no threat from this quiet man. He was big, strong, yet there was a gentleness about him.
    He laced her hand in his and stroked the horse’s neck. The stiff hair of the mane tickled across her ngers as Tobin guided her. The strength of his arm brushed against hers as he slowly taught her how to say hel o to a horse. The powerful animal didn’t seem nearly as frightening with Tobin so close. Even the nightmares Liberty had experienced since her mother’s death seemed distant with him near.
    The horse shifted. Liberty bumped against the wal of Tobin’s chest. His free hand touched her waist, steadying her.
    Liberty closed her eyes. She knew she should move away. It wasn’t proper to be pressed against a man she hardly knew. She could feel his heart beating. His breath whispered across her bare shoulder.
    “You’re al right.” His words were far more a statement than a question.
    Embarrassed, she straightened and took one step away. “I’m ne,” she answered as if he’d asked.
    Turning, she saw his eyes. Beautiful blue eyes that said it al without him having to say a word. He hadn’t been advancing or trying to seduce her. He’d had no plan to be so close. He was as shocked as she was by what had just happened.
    Whatever Tobin McMurray was, he was not a man who touched women often or without care. Her nearness had affected him as deeply as his had surprised her.
    Liberty fought to recover. “I’l tel my father about the horse,” she managed as she almost ran from the barn.
    Halfway back to the house, she slowed to breathe. In the midnight blackness, she tried to slow her heart for she was sure it would out pound any music. What had just happened? She was twenty years old and nothing had ever made her feel so... Men had stolen kisses, they’d held her too tightly while dancing or accidental y touched a part of her body while helping her into a carriage...but nothing like tonight. She felt like she’d been asleep and he’d awakened her with the brush of his hand.

chapter 4
    Y
    Tobin put the horse in the rst stall and went
    back to his bedrol , but sleep didn’t bother to visit. The stormy day, green-eyed woman he’d just met—just touched— haunted him. Her eyes reminded him of a late summer rain when the land turns greener than green beneath cloudy skies. Her body was long and lean like a colt’s just before he learns to run. Her black hair, piled high with a wide ribbon running through it, was the most beautiful mane he’d ever seen.
    He may have spent most of his life on the ranch, but he knew how rare a beauty she must be.
    Staring up at the rafter, Tobin decided a week on the road with little sleep must have turned