Untamed by Nora Roberts Page A

grave eyes in the brightly painted face. With something between a sigh and a moan, she dropped her forehead to his chest. “Jamie, he makes me so mad! He could ruin everything.”
    â€œLet’s worry about it when the time comes,” Jamie suggested, patting her hair.
    â€œBut he doesn’t understand us. He doesn’t understand anything.”
    â€œWell, then it’s up to us to make him understand, isn’t it?”
    Jo looked up and wrinkled her nose. “You’re so logical.”
    â€œOf course I am,” he agreed and struck a pose. As he wiggled his orange eyebrows, Jo laughed. “Okay?” he asked, then picked up his prop bucket.
    â€œOkay,” she agreed and smiled.
    â€œGood, ’cause there’s my cue.”
    When he disappeared behind the flap, Jo leaned her cheek against the mare and nuzzled a moment. “I don’t think I’m the one to make him understand, though.”
    I wish he’d never come, she added silently as she vaulted onto the mare’s back. I wish I’d never noticed how his eyes are like Ari’s and how nice his mouth is when he smiles, she thought. Jo ran the tip of her tongue gingerly over her lips. I wish he’d never kissed me.
Liar.
Her conscience spoke softly in her ear:
Admit it, you’re glad he kissed you. You’ve never felt anything like that before, and no matter what, you’re glad he kissed you last night. You even wanted him to kiss you again today.
    She forced her mind clear, taking deep, even breaths until she heard the ringmaster announce her. With a flick of her heels, she sent the mare sprinting into the tent.
    It did not go well. The audience cheered her, oblivious to any problem, but Jo was aware that the routine was far from smooth. And the cats sensed her preoccupation. Again and again they tested her, and again and again Jo was forced to alter her timing to compensate. When the act was over, her head throbbed from the strain of concentration. Her hands were clammy as she turned Merlin over to Buck.
    The big man came back to her after securing the cage. “What’s the matter with you?” he demanded without preamble. By the underlying and very rare anger in his voice, Jo knew he had observed at least a portion of her act. Unlike the audience, Buck would note any deviation. “You go in the cage like that again, one of those cats is going to find out what you taste like.”
    â€œMy timing was a little off, that’s all.” Jo fought against the trembling in her stomach and tried to sound casual.
    â€œA little?” Buck glowered, looking formidable behind the mass of blond beard. “Who do you think you’re fooling? I’ve been around these ugly cats since before you were born. When you go in the cage, you’ve got to take your brain in with you.”
    Only too aware that he was right, Jo conceded. “I know, Buck. You’re right.” With a weary hand she pushed back her hair. “It won’t happen again. I guess I was tired and a little off-balance.” She sent him an apologetic smile.
    Buck frowned and shuffled. Never in his forty-five years had he managed to resist feminine smiles. “All right,” he muttered, then sniffed and made his voice firm. “But you go take a nap right after the finale. No coffee. I don’t want to see you around again until dinner time.”
    â€œOkay, Buck.” Jo kept her voice humble, though she was tempted to grin. The weakness was going out of her legs, and the dull buzz of fear was fading from between her temples. Still she felt exhausted and agreeable to Buck’s uncharacteristic tone of command. A nap, she decided as Buck drove Merlin away, was just what she needed, not to mention that it was as good a way as any to avoid Keane Prescott for the rest of the day. Shooing this thought aside, Jo decided to while away the time until the finale in casual conversation with Vito the