ranching but she knew a grass fire
was a terrible and threatening event.
The wind kicked up and a heavy gust slammed
against her. The scent of rain hung ripe in the air. Daphne cast a
wary glance at the darkening skyline. Deep grey clouds blocked the
setting sun. She could feel the temperature shift on her bare skin.
The sky would open up soon and drench the parched ground.
“ You'd best get in the
house.”
The unexpected sound of Cord's voice
startled her. She whipped her head in his direction, shocked to see
him standing just a few feet from her. How the hell had he snuck up
on her like that?
“ I'm perfectly capable of
deciding when to seek shelter. I'm not a child,” Daphne said, a bit
more defensively than necessary.
Cord fixed her with a long, hard look. “No,
you're not. All the same,” he tilted his head, “I'd rather you not
get zapped by lightning. I don't think your parents would take very
kindly to that. I'd hate to get sued. Might make things tricky with
Derek and Katie.”
“ I hardly think my parents
would waste the lawyer fees to sue for this scrap of land."
Instantly, she regretted her words. She'd always been quick to snap
and say mean things. It was that part of her mother's awful temper
she'd inherited.
To her surprise, Cord snorted and laughed.
“Probably not."
"I'm sorry, Cord. I shouldn't have said
that. It was catty."
He shrugged and glanced toward the sky
again. "At least you're honest. More than I can say for most women
I've known."
"Speaking of women you know, shouldn't you
be heading out? I'm sure you'll want to hit the bar early so you
can scope out the scene and stake a claim."
"Oh, I've already got my eyes on
someone."
"Really?" Daphne tried to ignore the punch
of anguish that struck her belly. She should have known. A man like
Cord probably had his pick of the beautiful faces in town. "Well I
won't keep you." She flicked her fingers. "Go on. I've got to pack
my bag and pick one of these rooms. I'll lock up when I leave."
"Maybe I won't go into town tonight."
Daphne's gaze snapped to his. Something
flashed in his eyes, something so primal and real she shuddered
under its power.
Cord took a step closer. “Are you cold?”
Daphne shook her head and slipped her phone
back into her pocket. Before she could stand, Cord offered his
hands. She stared at them a moment, not trusting herself to let go
when the time came. His warm, dry fingers wrapped around hers.
Rather gently, Cord pulled Daphne to her feet. The bottom dropped
from her stomach as she came into contact briefly with his hard
chest. Cord stepped back immediately and let go of her hands. He
seemed to be fighting some battle within his mind.
Daphne started to speak but the oddest
sensation overcame her. The hairs on her arms and the back of her
neck rose suddenly. The very air she breathed seemed electrified. A
split-second later, a bolt of lightning struck nearby—too close for
comfort—and rattled the ground beneath her feet. Screaming, Daphne
flung her hands over her head.
And then the strongest arms were wrapped
around her shoulders and under her knees. In one swift movement,
Cord lifted her from the ground and hustled her back to the porch
lining the rear of the house. She clung to him like a terrified
child. Thunder rumbled around them, threatened to shatter her ear
drums. Fat raindrops gushed from the saturated clouds and soaked
through their clothing.
When they reached the safety of the covered
porch, Cord carefully set her down. He gently pulled her arms from
his neck and swept a searching gaze over her body. “Are you all
right?”
Gulping, she nodded. Her limbs shook wildly
and teeth chattered. “I can't stop shaking.”
Cord gathered her close, his heat and
strength soothing her overexcited nerves. He tenderly touched her
face, his thumb grazing her cheek. Daphne's eyelids lowered at the
sensation of his callused hand on her face. She'd imagined this
moment so many times. Fantasy didn't come close
was a terrible and threatening event.
The wind kicked up and a heavy gust slammed
against her. The scent of rain hung ripe in the air. Daphne cast a
wary glance at the darkening skyline. Deep grey clouds blocked the
setting sun. She could feel the temperature shift on her bare skin.
The sky would open up soon and drench the parched ground.
“ You'd best get in the
house.”
The unexpected sound of Cord's voice
startled her. She whipped her head in his direction, shocked to see
him standing just a few feet from her. How the hell had he snuck up
on her like that?
“ I'm perfectly capable of
deciding when to seek shelter. I'm not a child,” Daphne said, a bit
more defensively than necessary.
Cord fixed her with a long, hard look. “No,
you're not. All the same,” he tilted his head, “I'd rather you not
get zapped by lightning. I don't think your parents would take very
kindly to that. I'd hate to get sued. Might make things tricky with
Derek and Katie.”
“ I hardly think my parents
would waste the lawyer fees to sue for this scrap of land."
Instantly, she regretted her words. She'd always been quick to snap
and say mean things. It was that part of her mother's awful temper
she'd inherited.
To her surprise, Cord snorted and laughed.
“Probably not."
"I'm sorry, Cord. I shouldn't have said
that. It was catty."
He shrugged and glanced toward the sky
again. "At least you're honest. More than I can say for most women
I've known."
"Speaking of women you know, shouldn't you
be heading out? I'm sure you'll want to hit the bar early so you
can scope out the scene and stake a claim."
"Oh, I've already got my eyes on
someone."
"Really?" Daphne tried to ignore the punch
of anguish that struck her belly. She should have known. A man like
Cord probably had his pick of the beautiful faces in town. "Well I
won't keep you." She flicked her fingers. "Go on. I've got to pack
my bag and pick one of these rooms. I'll lock up when I leave."
"Maybe I won't go into town tonight."
Daphne's gaze snapped to his. Something
flashed in his eyes, something so primal and real she shuddered
under its power.
Cord took a step closer. “Are you cold?”
Daphne shook her head and slipped her phone
back into her pocket. Before she could stand, Cord offered his
hands. She stared at them a moment, not trusting herself to let go
when the time came. His warm, dry fingers wrapped around hers.
Rather gently, Cord pulled Daphne to her feet. The bottom dropped
from her stomach as she came into contact briefly with his hard
chest. Cord stepped back immediately and let go of her hands. He
seemed to be fighting some battle within his mind.
Daphne started to speak but the oddest
sensation overcame her. The hairs on her arms and the back of her
neck rose suddenly. The very air she breathed seemed electrified. A
split-second later, a bolt of lightning struck nearby—too close for
comfort—and rattled the ground beneath her feet. Screaming, Daphne
flung her hands over her head.
And then the strongest arms were wrapped
around her shoulders and under her knees. In one swift movement,
Cord lifted her from the ground and hustled her back to the porch
lining the rear of the house. She clung to him like a terrified
child. Thunder rumbled around them, threatened to shatter her ear
drums. Fat raindrops gushed from the saturated clouds and soaked
through their clothing.
When they reached the safety of the covered
porch, Cord carefully set her down. He gently pulled her arms from
his neck and swept a searching gaze over her body. “Are you all
right?”
Gulping, she nodded. Her limbs shook wildly
and teeth chattered. “I can't stop shaking.”
Cord gathered her close, his heat and
strength soothing her overexcited nerves. He tenderly touched her
face, his thumb grazing her cheek. Daphne's eyelids lowered at the
sensation of his callused hand on her face. She'd imagined this
moment so many times. Fantasy didn't come close
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