Bucking the Rules (Roped & Wrangled) by Murray Kat

Author:Murray, Kat [Murray, Kat]
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Brava
Published: 2013-06-25T05:00:00+00:00

She relaxed slowly, almost by inches. Trace enjoyed watching Jo more than anything else that night. He barely tasted dinner. It could have been a five-star steak or baby food for all he paid attention to it. But he would never forget the pleasure in Jo’s eyes when she ate something delicious, the flush in her face from her third—and final, she swore—glass of wine, her enjoyment of the quiet atmosphere with interesting art.

She was at home here. Comfortable. Her bar was home, too, but this was another sort of home. A coming back. It wasn’t anything fancy, likely not for her anyway. But it wasn’t peanuts and draft beer, cowboys in dirty boots, and women vying to be the next rodeo queen. It was . . . sophisticated. City.

Or as city as they could get within a reasonable drive of Marshall.

And she fit like a glove. But she fit in Jo’s Place, too, with her hair back in a ponytail, her simple black polo and jeans, and her brash, easy way of handling customers.

Jo Tallen. Multifaceted woman.

He waited until the waiter presented the check, then sat back. “Enjoy yourself?”

“Mmm.” She took the last sip of wine, dabbing a finger at the stray drop that clung to her bottom lip.

He resisted the urge—just barely—to reach across and lick her lips himself. God, she drew him like nothing else.

“Trace?”

“Yeah?” His eyes never left her lips. Couldn’t. He was mesmerized by watching the way they moved while she spoke.

“This was nice.”

“Very.”

“But you know it’s not going to change anything, right?”

The pleasure bubble burst and he looked up into her eyes. “What was that?”

She chewed a little on that bottom lip he’d been so intent on a minute ago. Then, as if she was mentally strapping on a suit of armor, she leaned back and slipped into Jo, the untouchable lover. “We’ve got a great thing between us in bed. And I like you out of bed, too, which is something remarkable for me. I like spending time with you. But I don’t want you to get any ideas about where this is going.”

Annoyance flickered, but he pushed it away. “Why don’t you tell me where you think I’m trying to steer you?”

“Toward a relationship. A real one, where you spend every night with me, or me with you, and we date in public. You bring me flowers, we have an anniversary, and then people around town start speculating about when we’re going to tie the knot.” She looked like she wanted to throw up, either from nerves or pure distaste at the thought.

“And that would be plain awful, right?”

Her brows drew together. “It’s not my style. I didn’t think it was yours, but you’re starting to worry me a little. Maybe you’re more ‘hearth and home’ than I originally thought.”

“Kiss of death, apparently,” he muttered into his napkin.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He tossed the linen on the table and held out a hand, standing with her. “What is it about relationships that kills it for you?”

“They tie you down,” she answered quickly.

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