Crazy for Cowboy by Roxy Boroughs Page B

back to Houston, her fingers brushing against his. A wave of heat coursed through her. She held her breath as he reached up and pushed a strand of hair away from her face, his palm cupping her cheek in a soft caress.
    “I’d like to see you again, Emily.”
    This was the time to speak up, to tell him that she wasn’t interested. But, the synapses between her mouth and the speech center in her brain weren’t functioning properly. Not while he was touching her. She opened her lips to give him his walking papers but something entirely different came out.
    “Did you get the job?”
    His hand dropped. “The what?”
    She didn’t need a psychologist to figure out that she’d just employed a delaying tactic, using the old switch-o-change-o routine and substituting another topic in place of the one that she couldn’t handle. Fortunately, in her case, it seemed to work. Houston got the message and pulled back. “Sam told me all about it.”
    “He did?”
    Boy, had he ever gotten the message. Her cowboy had gone from talkative to monosyllabic in ten seconds flat. “Yes, about how you teach the kids to ride by showing them what not to do. Your routine the other day was hilarious. You must have the children in fits.”
    Houston stood up, walked over to the base of the tree and picked up a stick. His head was down, his mood dark.
    “I’m sorry. Was it supposed to be a secret?”
    “No. That’s okay.” He tossed the branch, javelin-like, toward the buggy.
    It obviously wasn’t okay. Emily pulled herself up and moved to his side. “Didn’t you get the position?” The thought of his leaving for the next job in the next town left her feeling numb. “Look, I can put in a good word for you, if you like. I think you’d be just perfect for the—”
    “It’s all right. It’s just that I...” His words evaporated as he turned and looked at her. Emily grew warm under the intensity of his gaze. Her fingertips were cold, but the rest of her was hot.
    Red hot.
    Her tongue slid out from between her teeth and moistened her lips. It wasn’t until after she’d accomplished the action that she realized what she’d done. She’d sent a message to Houston as clearly as if she’d spelled it out for the guy.
    Kiss me, please. I’m desperate for you.
    The idea brought her back to reality with a jolt. She was supposed to be fending him off, not egging him on. She wrapped her arms around herself and took a step away.
    The picnic had been a mistake. Every minute she spent with Houston was another minute that threatened her resolve. How could she keep her vow when all she wanted was to feel his arms around her? Experience his lips on hers.
    “I should be heading back.”
    He looked confused for a moment and that was fine with her. Hell, why should she be the only one who was confused.
    “Sure. Whatever you say,” he answered, his jaw tight.
    “I’ll start tidying up.” Emily bent over and began to cover the food, swatting away a couple of flies and several yellowjackets.
    It was then that she saw the shadowy mass. It hovered near a large, papery gray cone, which hung from the footboard of the abandoned buggy.
    And something odd was poking out of that cone. She squinted until she could see what it was.
    Houston’s stick, the one he had thrown, had made a perfect landing. It was impaled right through the middle of the nest. And a dark swarm of angry insects was on its way to express their displeasure at the cowboy’s lucky shot.
    “Wasps!”
    In an instant, Houston was at her side, grabbing her hand. “Run!”
    She didn’t need to be told twice. They booted it over the hill, Emily’s heart pumping in time with her legs.
    She caught Houston sneaking a peek behind them. “Don’t look back.” he ordered. “Keep running.” Without warning, he changed direction, pulling her along with him. “There’s a pond. Come on.”
    They ran to the edge of the water, past two startled horses, and jumped in.
    “Hold your breath,”