“Men don’t what?”
“Not even Joaquin. We never…” She licked her tongue along the rim of her lips as if finding something unfamiliar there. Nate had to look away. There was something completely innocent and totally seductive in the way she tasted herself.
“Never what?” Despite the interest swelling behind his zipper, he reminded himself this was apology time, not round two of kissing his frustrations into submission. “I didn’t hurt you, did I? I’m sorry if I overstepped any boundaries. I imagine you’re still grieving—”
She snapped her attention back to him, perplexed and alert. “Why did you kiss me?”
Huh? Nate studied the disbelief in her expression. He didn’t think this was about intruding on grief or over-stepping boundaries. She hadn’t recognized his lusty response to her. Wasn’t aware that she’d given it back in spades. Had it been that long since he’d kissed a woman?
“California?” Her fingers pinched the hair on his chest as she clutched a fistful of his shirt, urging him to answer.
“Ow.” He gently plucked her hand away, hating the nickname but resigning himself to the distance it forced between them. He splayed her fingers apart and slipped his in between, binding them in a more comforting, less painful position against his chest. “It seemed like a good idea at the time. It’s been a long couple of days for me. I acted without thinking and just did what felt right.”
“So you’d do it again?” Her fingertips curled around his. Was that hope in her eyes? Or trepidation?
Nate honestly didn’t know how to answer. He hadn’t come to Texas looking for anything beyond the chance to do his job. But he’d found a sexy, confounding angel who pushed buttons in him he never realized he had. Yeah, he’d kiss her. He stroked his thumb across the backs of her fingers. Even the skin there was smooth like velvet. He’d touch her again. Hold her. Do whatever it took to see her beautiful smile and keep her safe.
Safe. Hell. Nate’s out-of-control libido came to a grinding halt. He shouldn’t be having this conversation. He was here to make sure she got back to her father in one piece, not to piece together a relationship with her. She was so young and full of energy, she probably wouldn’t even be interested in a relationship with a gimpy old soul like him, anyway.
Steeling himself, Nate gave Jolene the only answer he could under the circumstances. “No. That won’t happen again.”
Her audible gasp cut deep into his conscience. She was either insulted or relieved. “I…well…” Jolene snatched her hand away as if the appendage had betrayed her. She rubbed her belly and tilted her chin. Nate braced himself. The fire was back and she picked up the argument right where they’d left off. “Well, good. I have things to do, anyway. You’d better keep it in check next time, Kellison.”
He bit down on the impulse to defend himself. She was right. He couldn’t lose control like that again. One of them had to be responsible. As usual, he volunteered for the job.
Before she could make good on whatever foolhardy idea she’d hatched, Nate reached around her shoulder, picked up the reins of the sorrel gelding and retied him to the stall gate.
“What were you doing with Sonny, anyway?” he asked, reading the name-plate beside the stall. “Please don’t tell me you were going after that bull in this weather.”
Oddly enough, the abrupt change in topic didn’t seem to phase her a bit. But then, he was quickly learning to expect the unexpected from this woman. “I want to get back to the Double J and make sure I’ve battened down all the right hatches.”
“Is that so?” Removing the heavy bags she’d draped behind the saddle, Nate peeked inside to find a variety of tools and supplies that could mean only one thing. Her heart might be in the right place, but she had no sense of survival. “And if you happen to run into Rocky along the way, you’ll just herd him back here before checking the old homestead?”
When he reached for the lariat she’d draped over the saddle horn, Jolene tried to snatch it from his grasp. “Look. I don’t know how they do things out in California, but down here in Texas, neighbors help each other. Lily’s a good friend. If there’s something I can do to help—”
“I know.” He’d heard this argument before and still didn’t like it. “You’re going to do it. Isn’t it enough that you helped