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Gillian laughed. Do people still use that line?
You know us country folks. We re a little behind city slickers like yourself.
She smiled up at him. I think you re doing just fine.
So, you ll tell me?
She shook her head. Nope.
If I guess? Will you tell me when I get it right?
Gillian sighed. Sure, why not?
Quint slowed his pace. How many?
How many what?
Guesses do I get. I mean if you give me forty-nine, I WILL eventually get it.
There are fifty states. Gillian pushed at the hair on her face for the fifth or sixth time.
Here. Quint whipped a bandana from his pocket and shoved it at her. You can keep the hair off
your face. He could smell her perfume. It wafted up around him as the breeze grew stronger. The sweet
scent tickled his nose and sparked thoughts of soft skin and long, lingering kisses. He had the biggest urge
to grab her hand and intertwine their fingers. Anything just to feel her. Maybe then pull her to a stop and
drop a heavy kiss on that challenging mouth of hers. Instead, he held onto the rope with both hands to keep
the temptation at bay.
Gillian s soft laughter pulled him from his thoughts. You giving up already? Or did you not know
there are fifty states?
Yes, I know there are fifty states, but I think we can pretty much rule out you being from Wyoming.
And since you didn t know where Montana was, I m going to give that one a pass as well. So now we re
down to forty-eight.
Okay, smarty pants. Four then. What do I get if you can t guess?
Quint s pulse raced. A kiss?
And that s MY prize?
It s a win-win for me, he thought. Absolutely. Best prize in the whole state of Wyoming.
Ha! Gillian crossed her arms over her chest. That work on the girls around here?
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Wrong Turn, Right Cowboy
Can t say that I ve tried to steal a kiss before.
They fall at your feet that easy, huh?
Quint stopped her with a hand on her arm. A strand of hair pulled loose from the bandana and danced
around her face in the growing wind. He couldn t resist the urge and tucked it neatly back into place. I m
not exactly sure what kind of guy you take me for.
When Gillian didn t pull away, Quint took it as a sign and leaned forward. Before he could even feel
the heat of her breath a shock of lightning streaked through the sky and they jumped apart.
I& A huge clap of thunder jolted him in his boots.
Gillian screeched and grabbed Quint s sleeve. Sorry.
Heat ran up Quint s arm even with her fingers not touching his skin directly. It pooled low into his
belly and spread through the rest of him.
The little horse pulled against the rope.
Quint tried to soothe him as small droplets of rain fell. There s a little shack up over the hill. He
held tight to the rope with one hand and took Gillian s hand in the other then led the pair toward the shelter.
As the topped the hill, the sky opened up.
You call that a shack? It s so dilapidated the wind may topple it onto us. She pulled back against his
hand as the colt pulled against the rope in the other. It won t even keep me dry much less all of us.
There was more of it the last time I was out here. Quint grabbed her by the shoulder and steered her
under the open slatted roof. The rotting shelter did little to protect them as the rain beat down with an
unrelenting pace.
Gillian shook, the cold, wet rain already soaking into her clothing. I m so sorry about this.
Not your fault. If I d ve made sure the gate was closed all the way& If anything I owe you an
apology.
You re gonna have to hold this again. Quint handed her the rope and she took it with little
hesitation. He shucked off his work gloves then removed his heavy denim shirt. Squeeze in. He held the
shirt over their heads. You re gonna have to get in closer if you wanna stay outta the rain.
Gillian hesitated for moment. Another lightning strike zigzagged overhead and she edged her head up
under his chin, got as close as humanly possible without actually touching him which, despite his
overwhelming need to touch her, was for the best.
Quint made the mistake of glancing down. Gillian s transparent shirt rose and fell with every breath.
Dark, tight peaks poked at the thin fabric.
You need to stop that.
Stop what?
Breathing.
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Gillian started to laugh, but as a shudder ran through Quint she sobered quickly. I thought you didn t
like me much. You re always teasing.
Darlin , I like you just fine. Too much, in fact.
Their eyes met as lightning slashed through the sky.
Oh, hell. Quint ducked his head and captured Gillian s mouth. Rain soaked the pair as he lowered
his arms around her to pull her tight up against him, his shirt falling to the ground.
She settled one hand on his bare chest; the other gripped the rope harder, digging it into her palm.
Quint s heart beat steadily. The sandy hairs tickled her fingers.
His hands tightened around her, trapping her hand between them. Even as the water pelted her face
and neck, she could think of little else but the kiss. Being stuck out in the middle of freaking nowhere with
the sexy-as-hell guy made all her anxiety flee. All replaced by heat and a passion she didn t know she was
capable of feeling.
Quint s hand slid up her back and into her hair. He slanted her head and delved his tongue in,
deepening the kiss when she sighed.
He tasted of coffee and something sweet.
A sharp tingle ran up Gillian s spine. She wanted so badly to lean back and look into his eyes, but was
too afraid to break the kiss. Afraid she might not ever feel this heat again. Because once she stopped there
would not be a repeat.
Quint s lips left her mouth far too soon. She wasn t expecting him to then lave her earlobe. Nibble on
her neck. A shudder ran through her and she fought to free her hands. Once she could, she slid them around
Quint s back all the while hanging onto the rope. Her nipples rubbed against her cotton top. Sensations,
too many to count, flooded her system, threatened to weaken her knees, but his powerful arms kept her
upright and pressed to him as if life depended on it.
A tear came loose and ran down her cheek. Gillian wasn t sure if it was from the tender way Quint ran
his hand over her hip something she had yet to ever feel before or the knowledge that she was pretty
damn sure she d never find a man who d make her feel this way again, even if she looked for the rest of her
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