Black Hills

eyes. The goodness in them right there with it.
    He’d seen how she was with animals. Gentle. Farley didn’t hold with causing an animal harm.
    And with all that, she was so damn sexy his blood started humming in his head—and other places—whenever he got within ten feet of her.
    Like right now.
    He squared his shoulders, wished he wasn’t so damned skinny.
    “He sure keeps himself clean and tidy, doesn’t he?” While he was building up the gumption to sit beside her, Farley stopped by the cage to watch the old boy wash.
    He’d touched Boris once, too, when Tansy’d had him under to help Matt clean what was left of his teeth. It sure was a big experience, letting your hands walk right over a jungle cat.
    “He’s feeling good today. Had a good appetite. I worried if he’d last the winter, sweet old thing, when he had that kidney infection. But he just keeps going.”
    The words were easy, casual-like, but he knew—had made a study on—her tones. He heard the tears before he saw them.
    “Ah, now.”
    “Sorry.” She waved a hand. “We’re all having a rough day. I was mad, just mad, for most of it. Then I sat down here, and . . .” She shrugged, waved again.
    He didn’t need gumption to sit beside her. He’d only needed the tears. “I had a dog run over about five years ago. Hadn’t had him long either. Just a few months. I cried like a baby right on the side of the road.”
    He put his arm around her shoulders and just sat with her, watching the tiger.
    “I didn’t want to see Lil again until I settled down. She doesn’t need me crying on her shoulder.”
    “Mine’s right here.”
    Though he’d offered, sincerely, in the spirit of friendship, his heart took that extra beat again when she tipped her head to his shoulder.
    “I saw Lil.” He spoke quickly now before his mind went blank with the thrill. “She said to tell you she’s closing a little early, sending everybody on.”
    “She shouldn’t be alone.”
    “I’m staying tonight. I’ll bunk in the second cabin.”
    “Good. That’s good. I’ll feel better knowing that. It’s nice of you, Farley, to—”
    She tipped her face up and his tipped over. And in that moment, lost in her eyes, the comfort became an embrace. “Holy God, Tansy,” he managed, and pressed his mouth to hers.
    Soft. Sweet. He thought she tasted like warm cherries, and now that he was close enough he could smell her skin, and that had warm in it, too.
    He thought a man would never be cold, not a day in his life, if he could kiss her.
    She leaned into him, he felt her come in. It made him feel strong and sure.
    Then she pulled away, fast. “Farley, this isn’t—We can’t do this.”
    “Didn’t mean to. Not just that way.” He couldn’t help himself and stroked a hand over her hair. “I didn’t mean to take advantage of the situation.”
    “It’s all right. It’s fine.”
    Her voice was jumpy, and her eyes were wide. It made him smile. “It was fine. I’ve been thinking about kissing you for so long I can’t remember how long it is. Now I guess I’ll be thinking about kissing you again.”
    “Well, don’t.” Her voice jumped again, as if he’d poked her with a stick. “You can’t. We can’t.”
    She got to her feet. So did he, but more slowly. “I think you like me.”
    She flushed—God that was pretty—and started twisting the buttons on her coat. “Of course I like you.”
    “What I mean to say is, I think you think about kissing me sometimes, too. I’ve got a powerful yen for you, Tansy. Maybe you don’t have the same, but I think you’ve got a little one any way.”
    She pulled her coat together, still twisting at buttons. “I’m not . . . that isn’t . . .”
    “It’s about the first time I’ve seen you all flustered up. Maybe I should kiss you again.”
    The button-twisting hand slapped right out onto his chest. “We’re not going to do this. You have to accept that. You should be looking at—having a yen for—girls your own age.”
    His smile widened. “You didn’t say you didn’t have one for me. What we need to do is for me to take you out to dinner. Dancing maybe. Do this proper.”
    “We’re not doing anything.”
    She got a line between her eyebrows—he’d liked to have kissed it—and her voice firmed up. He just kept smiling.
    “I mean it.” Exasperated now, she pointed the index fingers of both hands at him. “I’m going to check in with Lil, then I’m going home. And—Oh, wipe that