The Cowboy's Temptation Page 0,25

his. Good grief he was sexy, she thought.

“You’re not in my way,” he said, his deep voice was quiet and seemed to be a few inches closer than he was a moment ago.

“Oh,” Elissa said breathily. “Well, I guess I’d better make lunch then.”

Jake didn’t reply, but his lips formed a soft smile.

Elissa grabbed the loaf of bread and made several sandwiches, piling on the meat and cheese for the men. They all sat down at the large kitchen table that looked out over the pool shimmering in the afternoon sunlight. Rick and Jake talked about the plans for the afternoon while Elissa and Veronica just munched on their food. Well, Elissa munched. Veronica gorged. She ate two sandwiches before she declared that she needed a nap.

Rick took one look at her face and rushed around the table to lift her up into his arms. “Why don’t you just rest on the couch in here, Ronny?”

Veronica was almost asleep as soon as he picked her up so she nodded sleepily in response. Rick deposited his wife on Jake’s extra large sectional sofa, then pulled a blanket over her already sleeping form.

When he walked back into the kitchen, he smiled at Elissa. “Want your riding lesson today?” he offered.

Elissa curled her blistered hands up, then hid them under the table so the men wouldn’t see them. “No, I think I’ll pass today.”

“What’s wrong with your hands?” Jake asked, already standing up to come around the table to take a look.

Elissa quickly stood up and grabbed the plates. “Nothing, I just think you two have better things to do than to teach me how to ride Jemima. The horse might need a break as well,” she explained. A moment later the plates were taken out of her hands and Jake’s large, callused hands were gently turning hers over so he could see the effects of the past week on her soft skin.

“Why didn’t you tell me that your hands were like this?” he demanded, his eyes staring into hers.

Elissa tried to close her fingers over her palms but Jake wasn’t having any of that. He pulled her fingers out again, examining the blisters in the middle of her palms. “Come on,” he said and pulled her behind him out of the house.

“Where are we going?” she asked, almost running to keep up with him.

He didn’t answer her but pulled her along all the way to the barn. There, he pulled a jar out of a cabinet at one end. He put a thick cream all over her hands, rubbing it into the blisters and cracked skin.

“I can do that,” Elissa said.

He ignored her attempt to pull her hands away. “Stand still.”

Elissa couldn’t move even if she tried. The touch of his long fingers running along her hands was sending shivers through her entire body. He felt the first one and glanced into her eyes.

“Cold,” she explained.

Jake raised one eyebrow as he noted the small perspiration forming on her forehead but he didn’t comment. He continued to rub the soothing cream into her hands, gently massaging her palms and fingers.

Elissa thought it was one of the most erotic moments of her life. She was in a hay smelling barn, standing next to a big utility sink while a gorgeous, sexy cowboy rubbed what was probably horse cream on her hands and it didn’t matter. Jakes touch was too sensual, too exciting.

All the cream had quickly disappeared into her skin but Jake continued to rub her hands. But the touch changed. The movements were no longer soft and minstrating. They were light and teasing, as if he were thinking about something other than her blisters now. Elissa’s heartbeat tripled and her breathing became labored.

“That feels much better,” she said, trying to pull her hands away again.

But he held them, more softly this time. “Why do you pull away whenever someone tries to touch you.”

“I don’t,” she contradicted.

“You do with me. Why?”

Elissa couldn’t tell him that his touch was too dangerous for her peace of mind. In her heart, she suspected that he was different from the other men she’d known in New York, but she wasn’t willing to take the chance. She would rather be alone than to be treated that way by any man. She hated cheating, no matter what form it took. And with Jake, betrayal might actually mean more to her than just a slap in the face.

“I need to go help Ronny,” she said, and took a step backwards. Once