The Ashtons - Cole, Abigail & Megan

as he felt.
    His chest tightened when he leaned back to look down at her. Her porcelain cheeks wore the rosy blush of desire, and her lips were slightly swollen from his kiss. She was absolutely beautiful, and his body throbbed with the need to claim her as his.
    He laughed, dispelling some—but not nearly enough—of his pent-up tension. “If this goes on much longer, I’m afraid I might end up suffering the same fate as poor old Harold.”
    To his surprise, instead of laughing, she shook her head. “You don’t need to worry about that ever happening,” she said softly. Then, leaning forward, she pressed a kiss to the skin exposed at the open collar of his shirt. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Russ.”
    Feeling as if his heart was about to pound a hole right through his rib cage, he watched Abby walk to the end of the stable and disappear through the wide double doors. He had to concentrate on taking first one deep breath, then another.
    He’d bet everything he owned that one of two things was going to happen this weekend. They were either going to make love, or he was going to go stark raving mad.

Chapter Five
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    W hile Russ parked the gooseneck trailer at the campground next to the rodeo grounds, Abby led Dancer over to the small barn not far from their campsite. When they’d first arrived, Russ had explained that, because of the many small rodeos and horse shows the arena hosted, the campground owners provided stalls for horses as a courtesy to visiting contestants.
    After she got the gelding settled into one of the large stalls, she returned to the trailer to find Russ unlocking the door to the living quarters. Grinning, he stepped back and swept off his Resistol in a gallant gesture. “Your home away from home awaits.”
    Laughing, she stepped up into the camper area of the trailer and looked around. There was a tiny bathroom with a shower, a galley kitchenette and a bench-type sofa that could be converted into a bed. In the elevated gooseneck section, a large, comfortable-looking bed spanned the entire width of the trailer.
    “This is really nice, Russ.”
    He shrugged, but she could tell by the look on his face that her comment pleased him. “It’s not The Vines, but it makes traveling a lot easier.” He opened the small refrigerator. “Would you like something to drink before we turn in?”
    His mention of them going to bed caused her stomach to flutter. They wouldn’t be sleeping in the same bed, but there would only be a few feet and a flimsy privacy curtain separating them. Why hadn’t she thought of how intimate sharing such a small space was going to be?
    Taking a deep breath, she decided it was better not to think of that now. “Thank you, but I think I’ll pass on the soda.” They’d stopped a couple of hours ago to unload Dancer in order for him to stretch his legs, and, before getting back on the interstate, they’d gotten a burger and French fries at a fast-food restaurant. “I’m still stuffed from dinner.”
    “I don’t see how,” he said, frowning. “You ended up giving me most of your fries and part of your sandwich.”
    “I wasn’t very hungry.” Abby wasn’t about to tellRuss that her lack of appetite had been due to the butterflies in her stomach that seemed to multiply the closer they got to the campground.
    Switching on the built-in television, he smiled and reached for the doorknob. “Why don’t you kick off your boots and get comfortable while I feed Dancer and see that he has plenty of water for the night. When I get back, it’ll just about be time to go to bed.”
    Every time he made a reference to night, turning in or bed, her spine tingled and her stomach did a backflip. “When does the first event start tomorrow morning?”
    “Not until ten, but registration starts at seven,” he said, opening the door. “Besides, we’ll need to eat breakfast. And by that time, I’m betting you’ll be pretty hungry.”
    “Maybe.” She doubted she’d be able to eat much of anything all weekend.
    “Make yourself at home while I’m gone.” He stepped down, out of the trailer. “I’ll be back in a few minutes.”
    Abby waited until he’d closed the door before she released the breath she’d been holding. What on earth had she been thinking when she’d made the decision to come to the rodeo with him? The living quarters were miniscule. And hadn’t it been proven, time and again, that they couldn’t be close without falling into each other’s