Taming the Lone Wolf by Joan Johnston

have dreamed it, this lonely man already possessed a part of her soul...the part that had been missing all her life.
    Tess dressed quickly and left quietly, closing Stony’s bedroom door behind her. She was relieved that Rose wasn’t yet awake and took advantage of the slight respite to spend some time alone in the living room.
    She sat cross-legged on the comfortable sofa in front of the wood stove and watched the flames flickering inside the glass door.
    She should leave.
    Only, where would she go? Her situation hadn’t changed one iota since she had accepted Stony’s charitable job offer. She didn’t want to continue imposing on him now that she was well. But she had tried to find a job in town once the cast was off her arm and discovered there was no job to be had until the season began. She was stuck here until spring.
    She felt Stony’s presence before she heard him. She supposed a man used to sneaking up on rustlers had to be able to move quietly. It irritated her nonetheless that she hadn’t heard him coming. Although, when all was said and done, there was nowhere she could run.
    She turned and found him standing right behind her dressed in nothing more than a pair of jeans. He had left the top button undone, and it was plain he wasn’t wearing anything beneath them. The aged denim hugged his body like a glove, revealing the vivid outline of his arousal.
    She wrenched her gaze away and turned to stare at the fire.
    â€œWe have to talk,” he said, vaulting over the couch and settling softly beside her, his legs crossed Indian style.
    She was aware of him, the heat of him, the musky male scent of him. “I have nowhere to go—”
    â€œâ€”or you’d leave,” he finished for her.
    â€œYes, I would,” she said, her chin jutting. “This...thing...between us is...disturbing.”
    â€œWhat if I said I understand what you’re feeling?”
    She glanced at him quizzically. “You do?”
    â€œSomething...unusual...has happened—is happening—between us.”
    â€œSomething magical,” she said quietly, almost wistfully.
    His gaze softened as he met her eyes. “You felt it, too?”
    She nodded, then ruffled her hair with her hands. “It doesn’t make sense.”
    â€œAll I know is I don’t want you to leave right now,” he said.
    Her lips twisted cynically. “Lucky for you, I can’t get another job until the season begins in the spring.”
    He smiled. “That settles it, then. You’ll stay.”
    â€œBut this...thing...between us... What are we going to do about it?”
    â€œIf this is something we both want, I don’t see why we can’t enjoy each other—take physical pleasure from each other—without letting it go any further than that. I don’t want a wife.”
    â€œOr kids,” she reminded him.
    â€œOr kids,” he agreed. “But I do want you.”
    â€œAnd I want you,” she admitted. “So we merely take what physical pleasure we can from each other for a few weeks or months without any other commitment between us?”
    â€œI don’t see why not,” Stony said.
    Tess saw more than a few pitfalls in his plan, but she looked at him and realized she wanted to feel again the wholeness she experienced when he held her in his arms. “All right,” she said. “Until spring. Agreed?”
    â€œAgreed.”
    She held out her hand, and he took it. Electricity arced up her arm. She tugged her hand free and stood,needing to put some distance between them before they ended up in bed again.
    â€œWhen’s supper?” he asked. “I’m hungry.”
    â€œI’m hungry, too,” Rose said, appearing in the doorway to the kitchen.
    â€œYou’re barefoot again, young lady,” Stony admonished.
    Rose yelped and raced back toward the bedroom.
    â€œWhere’s she going?” Stony asked.
    â€œTo