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  Maddie Brooks was the last woman on earth he should touch.

  But he wanted her. Just once.

  He leaned in, bending to cup the back of her head with his hand. Her silky hair fell against his palm as he gently tilted her up, toward him.

  “Trey, what are you doing?” she asked, her voice a breathless whisper against his lips.

  “Being a damn fool.”

  Then he brushed his mouth over hers.

  Two

  Nothing could have shocked Maddie more. Trey pulled her up against him and brought his lips down, taking her in a dreamy kiss that belied every single fantasy she’d ever had about the elusive cowboy. Their bodies brushed intimately as Trey made his claim. Confusing and wonderful, mystifying and breathtaking thoughts rushed into Maddie’s head.

  She fell into his kiss like a thirsty woman given a tall, cool drink. She imbibed heartily, kissing him back, pressing her lips against his with equal passion and desire. She’d dreamed of this too many times to count. Feeling his heat, the gentle yet commanding way he possessed her, went beyond anything Maddie might have imagined. In her heart of hearts, she’d always known Trey Walker could turn her inside out.

  If he was a damn fool as he’d claimed, then Maddie was easily out of her mind.

  Trey toyed with Maddie’s hair, stroking the strands and then taking a fistful. The playful tug then release triggered rippling waves of electricity to course throughout her body and a soft moan tumbled from her lips.

  Trey wedged his body closer, tightening the gap, meshing fully against her as he continued to kiss her. He coaxed her lips open, and when their tongues mated she braced herself against the onslaught of his passion, the erotic joining being almost too much to bear. A completely male sound escaped his throat and Maddie too was lost.

  Moonlight beamed down in soft rays, and in the background, Maddie heard Storm whinny and stomp his front legs before taking off in a fast run around the corral. The stallion had a spirit all its own. Wild and untamed and one with the land, so much like Trey Walker.

  Maddie lifted her arms up grazing Trey’s shoulder, her fingers dipping into dark wavy locks of hair at the base of his neck. He smiled into her mouth, obviously pleased with her display, and slanted his mouth once again over hers, taking her in another long deep, sexy kiss.

  Maddie breathed in his scent, leather and earth—so raw, so masculine, so completely Trey. He was a man’s man, a special breed and a man who knew how to please a woman. As his lips claimed hers once more, Maddie realized that she could easily fall under his spell again.

  Too soon, Trey pulled away and cool Texas air replaced his body’s heat. They stood there, facing each other, eyes locked, hearts beating.

  Trey blinked.

  Maddie tried for a smile, but his expression wouldn’t allow it. He appeared shaken, taken completely unaware. So many expressions crossed his features that Maddie didn’t know what to think. She didn’t know what to say, either. Moments ticked by and then Trey finally broke the silence. He stood with his head bent, scratching his neck in the same spot where Maddie’s fingers had explored just seconds ago. “That was entirely my fault. A big mistake.”

  Maddie crossed her arms over her middle and stood her ground. In the past, she may not have had an abundance of experience with men but she had excellent female intuition and Trey Walker wasn’t getting away with this. He’d wanted her. And he wasn’t so much of a fool not to see that she’d wanted him back. Finally, after all this time, Trey had come around. She didn’t know why exactly, because for the past year he hadn’t given her the time of day but suddenly Trey had taken notice.

  What they’d shared tonight was something short of heaven. Maddie hadn’t felt anything like this before. And she wasn’t about to allow Trey to deny it. “It didn’t feel like a mistake.”

  Trey’s head snapped up. “Well, it was.”

  “Are you saying you didn’t want to kiss me?”

  “No…I mean…yes. What I’m saying is that it shouldn’t have happened.”

  “But it did, Trey. It happened.”

  He sighed. “Maddie.”

  Maddie took one step forward, keeping her eyes on Trey. She spoke softly. “I liked it, in case you didn’t notice.”

  He swallowed, his gaze locking onto her lips. “I noticed.”

  Trey Walker had turned her life upside down this past year. She needed to know how he felt inside. She needed to hear the words. She smiled and spoke softly again, taking a brief glance below his belt buckle. “And I noticed how much you liked it.”

  Trey’s brows shot up. She might have shocked him.

  “Okay, damn it. It was hot. Probably the hottest kiss I’ve ever…it doesn’t matter, Maddie. We’re business partners and I shouldn’t have taken such liberties. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about before Storm acted up.”

  Hurt and disappointed, Maddie’s voice rose. “That was what you wanted to talk about. You and me, kissing?”

  What was Trey trying to do, add insult to injury? He’d just kissed her senseless, probably ruining her for any other man, and now after he’d given her a small taste of heaven, he wanted to tuck her safely away and pretend nothing had happened. He wanted to make sure that nothing like that would ever happen again.

  “Not exactly. I wanted us to sit down and have a logical, reasonable discussion about our living arrangements. I’ve never had a woman live out here with me and well, I suppose it’s a fact of nature that in a weak moment…” He paused, taking a breath of air, before continuing. “What I mean to say is that the only way this is going to work is if we keep our distance. I wanted to make sure you saw it the same way.”

  With chin held high, Maddie stepped closer until she stood boot to boot with him. “You call kissing a girl until her knees buckle, keeping your distance?”

  Trey focused on her mouth. “I’m taking all the blame.” And those incredible intense eyes softened. “It was a great kiss, Maddie. But wrong.”

  “If you knew it was wrong then why’d you do it?”

  Trey looked away. And they were immersed in silence. Only Storm’s occasional quiet snort could be heard. Patiently, Maddie waited.

  Trey turned and his dark eyes pierced hers. This time she knew she’d have the truth. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for a long time.”

  Maddie’s heart lurched. She hadn’t expected to hear him admit anything of the sort. All of this time, he’d been aloof and detached, giving her no reason to hope. He’d spoken about having a weak moment, but now Maddie knew it wasn’t just that. He’d been thinking about her, just as she’d been thinking about him. “You have?”

  He nodded and spoke with firm conviction. “But it isn’t right.”

  “Why, Trey? Why isn’t it right?” she asked, trying to puzzle through Trey’s admission.

  Trey shook his head, his expression filled with regret. He softened his tone, but his words cut straight through her heart. “Because wanting you and doing right by you are two different things. It’s best you understand that. I’m not the man for you, Maddie. I never could be.”

  Trey stalked off and headed to the older barn, leaving Maddie standing there in the moonlight. He’d made a world-class mess out of things and he’d hurt Maddie in the process. Nothing about this night had turned out as he’d hoped. Why couldn’t he have left well enough alone? Why’d he have to kiss her? His body still hummed from the impact of that kiss, the soft sweet way Maddie had given herself to him. The way she told him with every movement, every little moan, that it could only get better.

  That kiss blew his mind.

  Trey’s well-honed control had been tested to the limit and had failed. Miserably. One petite little redhead had thrown him off-kilter. She’d made him hard. She’d made him want.

  It had been a long time since Trey had taken up with a woman. He’d made a pact long ago that “temporary” involvement was all he could manage. One-night stands were even better. Not that he’d indulged lately, but he knew that stic
king to his plan, especially with Maddie, would benefit everyone and hurt no one. Trey’s vow to keep his distance couldn’t be sharper or laid out more clearly because now he knew what kissing her was like; now he knew that he wasn’t immune to her wholesome charm.

  Trey walked to the stall that housed one of Maddie’s patients. “Hey there, Maggie. How’re you doing, girl?”

  The fair-haired dog looked up with big sad eyes. She’d been accidentally shot with a round of birdshot by Willy McGill, a young boy who’d been playing with his daddy’s gun. “Feeling any better tonight?”

  Trey bent to scratch the old girl behind the ears, gently stroking her coat. “The doc fixed you up real good. You’ll be going home soon.”

  Trey stood and checked on all of the other animals, making note of how well cared for they all appeared. After the fire that had claimed Maddie’s office Trey had worked like a demon to get this place ready for the animals, mucking out the stalls, cleaning them the best he could. He’d laid down blankets for the larger animals and had gathered up cages he’d had on the grounds for the smaller ones. Of the eight stalls, more than half were filled with animals on the mend.

  The tack room in the back served as Maddie’s office and examining room all in one. She’d brought in what few supplies she’d salvaged, others she’d purchased including a makeshift examining table made of heavy aluminum. She had all that she needed to start up her practice again.

  Trey shouldn’t lose sight of that. He shouldn’t forget the good Maddie coming to 2 Hope Ranch would serve. The animals needed her expert care. The deal he and Maddie had made insured the animals would receive it.

  In the year since Doc Benning had left Hope Wells, Maddie’s practice had grown. She’d gained a reputation as a compassionate, intelligent veterinarian who loved all animals, seeming to have special talents communicating with them. She’d been young, coming straight out of college, but it hadn’t taken her long to earn the town’s trust. And for the time being, she’d be working here, treating the animals.

  And living with him.

  Trey would just learn to adjust.

  Maddie entered the kitchen through the back door and glanced at the coffee cups that had been left on the table. All of this had started by Storm’s sudden outburst. The stallion had interrupted what would have been Trey’s attempt at setting up their “business” arrangement. What he’d really wanted to do was lay down the rules. Rules, according to Trey Walker, not to be compromised or challenged. Rules that left no doubt in Maddie’s mind that the cowboy simply was not interested.

  She cleared the coffee cups from the table and loaded them in the dishwasher. Then she refilled the sugar bowl and creamer and put them away, straightening up the kitchen the best she could, keeping her vow to pitch in and share in fifty percent of the daily chores. She owed Trey that much. He’d been kind and generous, coming to her aid when she’d needed help the most.

  Her mind still raced at one hundred miles per hour. She doubted she’d be able to concentrate on one single thing tonight, other than Trey’s incredible kiss. Maddie would never forget that earth-moving, heart-stopping experience, but it seemed that for Trey, it hadn’t been enough. It hadn’t been what he wanted. Maddie would have to respect his wishes. She was here at 2 Hope living off his hospitality, with a roof over her head and, more importantly, a place to treat the animals.

  That mattered to her above all else.

  With the kitchen clean, Maddie headed for her bedroom, taking one last peek out the window. Storm pranced and snorted, making his way around the perimeter of the corral, his shiny, sleek mane catching starlight.

  “He’ll never be all yours,” Trey had been told.

  How well Maddie understood that. The stallion’s instinct, his spirit, the very heart of the animal, wouldn’t allow it. Stallions could be trained, but they could never be fully trusted. Just when you believed them tame, their wild side would emerge, creating havoc and fear. An untamed spirit exposed their true temperament—one that thrived solely on strength, independence and freedom. Storm belonged to no one but himself.

  And Maddie realized now what Trey had seen in Storm.

  He’d seen himself.

  Maddie woke early the next morning after a restless night. She’d never been one for change, and sleeping in a strange bed in someone else’s home hadn’t been as easy as she’d hoped. She missed her small apartment in town. She missed her things. Unfortunately most everything she owned had gone up in smoke. She had few worldly possessions now—not the fancy rhinestone hairclip that had seen her through her teen years, not her favorite pair of worked-in jogging shoes or her tattered but extremely cozy chenille bathrobe. She’d loved to surround herself with books and they’d come in all varieties from pleasure reading to heavy-duty research books. To her sad chagrin, she realized she missed her old college books, too, even the ones she knew she’d never use again.

  Instinctively Maddie fingered the silver charm around her neck. She still had Aphrodite. The precious heirloom brought her a good measure of comfort and Maddie’s cheerless mood instantly changed. She had plenty to be thankful for.

  She glanced around the large bedroom that would now be her home. There was space enough to move around in this room. She’d slept in a good-size bed, a thick hand-quilted comforter keeping her warm throughout the night. Her meager belongings were housed in a lovely carved oak armoire that stood against the opposing wall. The armoire’s intricate workmanship spoke of decades past giving this room a sense of history, but it was the fresh flowers placed in a cut glass vase on top of the armoire that tugged at Maddie’s heart the most.

  Trey must have put them there sometime yesterday as a gesture of welcome. He must have known how hard this was for her, coming to live at 2 Hope Ranch, invading his territory so to speak, while attempting to start up her life again.

  In so many ways, Trey Walker was a mystery to her—an unreadable man who rarely let his guard down, who rarely allowed anyone inside. He’d given her a taste of that last night by pulling her into a deep passionate kiss, then closing up tight, not allowing her even a glimpse of his true feelings. He’d pushed her away. She’d gotten the message. She’d have to forget the wonderful kiss they’d shared and the way it felt to be tucked into Trey’s strong embrace. She’d have to put him out of her mind and try to establish a cordial, but businesslike relationship with him from now on.

  Sunlight beamed in bright and warm through the shuttered window, and Maddie was reminded that she had better get a move on. Today would be her first official day on the job since the fire. She had to set up her office and see to the animals. She couldn’t wait to get started. Maddie tossed off the covers, donned her robe and headed straight for the bathroom. With thoughts of a refreshing shower, Maddie pushed open the door and stopped dead in her tracks.

  Shirtless, Trey stood facing the mirror with razor in hand, the unshaven half of his face still lathered up with white foam. Fresh lime permeated the air, the soapy clean scent appealing to all of her female senses. “Oh, sorry.”

  Trey glanced her way for one second then faced the mirror again, taking a swipe at his beard and examining his progress. “Nothing to be sorry for. I should’ve been up and out early this morning. Would have been if the pipe hadn’t busted in the other bathroom. Now, it looks like we’ll be sharing this one until I get the plumbing fixed.”

  “Oh,” Maddie said numbly. When she’d made this bargain with Trey he’d offered her this bathroom, closest to the bedrooms, while he had opted to use the one nearest the kitchen during her stay. “I hope it isn’t too serious.”

  But as she looked at him, Maddie knew it was serious. She fought to direct her gaze away from the wide expanse of Trey’s solid chest. She struggled to seriously adjust her focus from the tiny hairs curling around his nipples, leading down his torso in a narrow path that flowed into a tight pair of unbuttoned jeans. Tall, tanned, muscular and about as sexy as a man could get, Trey seriously took her breath away.

 
“Don’t know. My uncle Monty’s the expert. He can fix just about anything.” Trey took another swipe at his beard then rinsed the razor in the sink. “I gave him a call, but he can’t get out here until next week.” He stopped shaving to turn to her. “If it’s a problem, I’ll call in a plumber today.”

  Struck by the full force of Trey’s appeal, Maddie tried for nonchalance. After all, he’d set down the rules last night. Maddie would learn to ignore Trey Walker, even if it killed her. She shrugged. “Not a problem at all. I’ll shower later.”

  The last thing she wanted was to be a burden. Or cost Trey any money. She knew from their deal that Trey wasn’t in good financial shape right now and hiring a plumber could get expensive. If need be, she’d share the bathroom but she’d make darn sure not to barge in on him again.

  Maddie turned to leave, but Trey stopped her. “Maddie?”

  She looked up. “Yes?”

  Trey leaned both hands on the tiled counter and bent his head, staring into the sink. Half-shaven, half-naked and more tempting than Maddie wanted to admit, he spoke softly, “About last night—”

  With a tilt of her head, Maddie finished his thought. “It was a mistake.”

  His head snapped up and his dark eyes studied her for a moment. “Right.”

  “And it’ll never happen again.”

  He hesitated. “Right.”

  “Anything else?” She asked on tiptoes, ready to turn and make a quick retreat.

  Trey glanced at her lips then let out a breath. “Just that I think it’s best that we move forward and forget about—”

  “Already done, Trey. It’s forgotten.”

  “That easy?”

  The question seemed to have slipped from his tongue and if he could have pulled the words back, Maddie was certain he would have.