Bowles, Jan - In Debt to the Dom [Guilty Pleasures 1] (Siren Publishing Classic) by Jan Bowles

obvious she was sound asleep.
    He felt—what did he feel other than anger at her betrayal of his trust?—a deep need to cherish and protect her. Surely these feelings were at odds with each other. But the experiences they’d shared over the last few nights had marked her indelibly on his psyche.
    He had forced her to submit to his will. He had pushed her limits. He had gained her compliance and submission. By giving him those things he craved the most, he owed her at least her well-being.
    He leaned down and touched her shoulder. Almost immediately, she sat bolt upright. Her eyes widened as she fought for air. In her panic, her hat fell to the ground.
    He picked it up and handed it to her. “Sorry, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
    She took the hat and fanned her face. “It’s okay. I was dreaming. What time is it?”
    “A little after six.”
    “Oh?” She looked surprised. “I must have been asleep for hours.”
    He felt guilty. He’d barely let her have any sleep these past few nights. He dug into his saddlebag and pulled out a bottle of water and a wrapped sandwich. He handed them to her.
    “Helena tells me you haven’t eaten any breakfast or lunch for that matter.”
    She eyed his offerings suspiciously, looking first at him and then at the food and water.
    “Go on,” he urged. “At least have the water. You must be thirsty.”
    She stopped fanning herself and placed the hat on her head, and then took the sandwich and bottle from him.
    “What’s the matter, Keaton? Frightened I might not be fit enough for tonight?”
    Her accusation cut into him, but he wouldn’t be provoked. “You might not believe it, but I do care about your health. I don’t want you becoming ill.”
    “No, because I wouldn’t be able to pay your money back in that case.”
    “Look, Maddie. It’s eighty degrees out here. You’ve been gone all day without any water or food. You will become seriously dehydrated and ill if you don’t start acting sensibly.”
    “Really?”
    “Yes, really. Anyway, it’s out of your hands now. You’ve forced me to take action. I’ve told the staff not to let you have a horse unless you’ve got food and water with you.”
    In exasperation, he picked up a handful of stones from the pebbled bank and began skimming them across the water. Just to spite him, Maddie would probably rather die of thirst.
    “I haven’t done that,” she said, as she opened the bottle of water and took a sip, “since I was a child.”
    He hurled another stone, watching it bounce several times, before sinking into obscurity. A trail of ripples expanded out in ever-increasing circles. “What, this?”
    She nodded and swallowed more of the water.
    “The secret is choosing the right stone.” He hurled another, pleased that she was at least drinking something. “The flatter the stone, the better it will skim.”
    “I’ll have to have a go in a minute. I must admit I do feel a little light-headed.” She opened the sandwich and began eating. “I don’t usually fall asleep during the day. Can’t think why I should now.”
    He heard the sarcasm in her voice, but when he turned to look at her, all he saw was a sexy half smile on her lips as she stared back.
    “Is that so?” He nodded, letting his gaze drift over her upturned face. Such a beautiful face. He couldn’t decide if her cheeks were glowing from the heat or embarrassment. He felt sure she wanted to add to the conversation. “Go on. What’s on your mind?”
    “I don’t know how much to tell you. You might use it against me later on.”
    “I can’t promise anything. What we know about each other will always have a bearing on our actions.” If she confided something to him, he wouldn’t be able to separate it off. “Anyway, I have the distinct feeling that you enjoyed it as much as I did.”
    “Yes, but what I can’t understand is why?”
    He skimmed another stone across the water. “How do you mean?”
    “It puzzles me—given the