stared up at him, aware of his naked chest so close, knowing he wanted her, even if only for a lark. From the time he was eight or nine years old, Shohn had been flirting with females and winning them over. The elders thought him charming, the young girls had crushes and those his age bragged about how good he was in bed. They all adored him.
Damn it, she would not be that easy. She would not be like everyone else. She would not—
“What compromise?”
He smiled over her surrender. “Give me a kiss—just one, Nadine—and I’ll take Rookie and head out.”
She had to know. “Why?”
Ever so slowly, Shohn lifted a hand and slid his rough fingers over her cheek, around her ear and into her hair until he cupped her head. Her topknot threatened to come undone, but seriously, she just didn’t care, not with him looking at her like that, drawing her in closer, breathing in that low, husky way.
“Because I need to know how it is with you,” he whispered.
Yeah, she kind of needed to know, too. A little dizzy with the idea of tasting him, Nadine wavered on her feet, drawn to him, sinking closer...
Satisfaction put a wicked gleam in his eyes seconds before he leaned down and took her mouth. At first the kiss was gentle, warm, damp—but slowly it grew firmer, hotter, wetter as he moved his tongue over her bottom lip, just inside her lips, then he sealed their mouths together and his tongue stroked in.
His hands wrecked her hair and she didn’t care.
Her hands gripped his shoulders, but he seemed to like it.
On her tiptoes, she fit herself to his hard frame and relished the solid strength of his big body. He moved one arm to her lower back and arched her in closer, higher. His mouth ate at hers, his tongue delving, his hot breath on her cheek.
Nadine groaned with the pleasure of it. If she’d had a bed nearby, they’d have been in it.
Suddenly they heard footsteps outside along with the sound of doggy nails on her wooden front porch.
It was Shohn’s turn to groan as he released her.
Nadine knew she was busted, that even a blind man would be able to see that they’d just been making out.
Then Shohn surprised her. He put a finger to her lips and steered her to the dividing wall, out of sight of the front door. His thumbs brushed her cheeks and he bent to kiss her once more, then again, before finally stepping back.
After running both hands through his hair in palpable frustration, he grabbed up an empty Coke can and, using it as a prop, went to the door as if he hadn’t just stolen her will or her independence or her twice-cursed, stupid pride. He even pretended to drink from it.
Cowering back like a guilty college co-ed, Nadine tried to level her breathing as she listened to Shohn greet her assistant and Amber’s dog.
“Hi, there,” Roxi said. “We didn’t get a chance to meet earlier.”
“Hi, yourself,” Shohn replied.
Nadine wanted to leave her hiding place to kick him in his sexy backside. Hi, yourself, she silently mimicked. Oh, she could just imagine what Shohn was thinking while looking at Roxi. Blond hair, blue eyes, petite and—damn her—very nice, as well as good with animals.
Shoulders slumping, Nadine called herself three times a fool.
“I’m Roxi, Nadine’s new assistant. You’re Shohn Hudson, right?”
“Guilty.”
Oh, he was guilty, all right. Guilty of being too blasted hot for his own good.
“Well, your cousin called. She said she’d already left a message saying that you were picking up Rookie. She wanted me to make sure Nadine got it. Since I was ready to go, I figured I’d walk Rookie along with me.”
“Thanks. I appreciate it.”
“Nadine’s very protective of the animals,” Roxi said. “They adore her, and vice versa.”
Nadine appreciated the defense.
“Amber trusts her completely,” Shohn agreed. “I’ll be sure to tell her how careful Nadine was before letting me have Rookie.”
“Well,” Roxi said with hesitation. “I can’t really let you have him, either. I need to give him to Nadine.”
“Sure, no problem.” Shohn walked over to the wall so he could see her. “You about done? Your assistant needs to see you.”
Done recuperating? No. Done breathing heavy? Not even. Nadine pasted on a smile. “Just finished up.” As if she’d been cleaning, she dusted off her hands as she rounded the wall.
Roxi smiled. “You heard?”
“Yes, and since I got a little hung up here, I, too, appreciate it that you brought Rookie over. Let me say goodbye to Shohn and I’ll be right up.”
Roxi nodded. “It was nice to meet you, Shohn.”
“And you.”
He watched her go, but when she was out of sight, he immediately turned to Nadine, kissed her before she could decide if she wanted him to again—but of course, she did—and then he took the leash.
He was smiling as he stroked the dog. “You ready to go, buddy? Amber will be home soon.” At the mention of Amber’s name, Rookie barked his approval.
“Goodbye, Shohn.”
He winked at her, saying, “I’ll see you around, Nadine,” as he gathered his clothes and headed off the porch.
Not unless you get a dog, Nadine thought. For her own well-being, she intended to steer clear of the awesome Shohn Hudson. He was too dangerous, too outrageous, and far, far too appealing.
If she wasn’t careful, she’d end up like all the other ladies after all.
* * *
Shohn hung around his uncle Morgan’s house, waiting for Amber to get in. At twenty-six, a year older than him, Amber had her own place. Her own business, too, a nice bookstore that kept up with the times and pleased everyone in Buckhorn. But whenever she returned from out of town, she always spent the night with her folks for a little R and R before returning to work.
And so Shohn waited.
His parents had come up the hill to visit Morgan and Misty, too, and they all sat on the front porch, his mom and dad on the porch swing, Morgan in a big chair with Misty on his lap. Shohn lounged on a step. He’d pulled his shirt back on, but the night air remained muggy so he hadn’t bothered to button it.
Since Morgan had been the town sheriff for a long time before becoming the mayor, everyone in the family was used to seeing a Hudson with a gun strapped on. No one reacted to it—in fact, he just realized that Nadine hadn’t reacted much to it, either. Huh.
Usually the ladies either acted fearful, or turned on by the idea of him being armed. Nadine had just been...Nadine. Bossy and spirited, casual and easy to be with.
Why had he never before realized how special that was?
It was nine o’clock, and the sky had turned a deep purple streaked with crimson over the lake. The sight never failed to lull him—even when he felt more testy than usual over a certain soft but stubborn woman. Damn, but she’d tasted good.
“See that look on his face, Sawyer? I do believe the boy might have women troubles.”
Shohn smirked and turned his head to address his uncle Morgan. “Doesn’t matter how old you get, you always have Misty in your lap.”
Morgan hugged his wife to his chest. “Old.” He snorted. “Don’t make me get up or you’ll regret it.”
“I was just saying.” He did love tweaking Morgan.
“Never