Marriage at the Cowboy's Command by Ann Major

the knowledge that his gaze burned her backside, she walked to the front door. Once inside she made her way down the hall, stopping to check on Daniel before returning to her own room.
    Long after she took more pain meds, she lay in bed feeling hot and needy. Her skin burned with the memory of him watching her dress and the blistering warmth she’d felt when he’d stared at her with such longing. Even now, some wayward part of her reveled in how urgently he’d clasped her to him on the porch.
    Part of her wanted to walk down the hall to his room, slide into his bed and wait for him to come inside so she could melt against his body and beg him to take her. She wanted him to kiss her endlessly. She wanted him inside her. She wanted sex, fast and hard, the kind of sex she hadn’t had since he’d left. Not that she’d had any sex—period. Maybe if she had him again, she would wake up free of his dark spell once and for all.
    But she wasn’t a man. She wasn’t as comfortable owning her true sexual feelings and needs as he obviously was. She was overly emotional about sex with Luke and had most likely romanticized it.
    When he’d made love to her in the barn that long-ago evening, he’d been infinitely gentle. He’d kissed her, held her, took the time to pleasure her, said sweet things that had made her feel special.
    â€œI’ve never been with a virgin before. I want it to beperfect for you,” he’d said in an awed tone, pulling her close.
    And it had been. Maybe because she’d been so madly in love with him, and he’d seemed equally in love.
    The second time he’d made love to her, he’d been driven. Yet nothing had ever made her feel so adored and complete as his shattering climax.
    Now, an hour or so after leaving the porch, she was still awake, when she finally heard him come back inside.
    Holding her breath, she listened as he shot the bolt. Then she counted his footsteps as he walked down the hall to his room. She heard him come out and go into the hall bathroom and take another long shower.
    A cold one, to quell his desire? Or a steamy one to relax him?
    How could even the sound of the tap arouse her, making her imagine him tall and naked? But it did. She felt wet and oh so achingly hot. Then he shut off the water, and that was worse. She imagined him warm and solid, his hard body wrapped in a white towel that would be so easy to remove, if only she had the nerve to admit all the things he’d accused her of.
    Fisting her sheets, she told herself she had to be strong.
    After his bedroom door closed a second time, she couldn’t stop thinking about him lying in his bed alone. She relaxed her hands, but her heart continued to race. More than anything, she wanted to go to him.
    She threw off the sheets and sat up. Tearing off her nightgown, she lay down again and stretched out in the dark. With fingertips that trembled she began to touch herself, imagining Luke’s hands on her body, bestowing all the forbidden caresses she craved.

Six
    T he next morning when Caitlyn woke up an hour later than usual, she was shivering because she was nude and her covers had fallen off. Leaning forward, she pulled the sheets and blankets over her and lay nestled in a plump pile of feather pillows. She was glad she didn’t have to do chores or get Daniel off to school. Feeling groggy and disoriented from her injuries and the pain medication, she lay there for some time, savoring the pleasant sensation of warmth and quiet in her semidarkened bedroom. How nice it was that Luke was here to shoulder a few of her responsibilities.
    With a sigh, she remembered dreaming of Luke making love to her. For a moment or two she savored those dreams, but as she grew more alert, she became unhappily aware that he was the last man she should be fantasizing about. He’d abandoned her. He was a billionaire with a beautiful countess for a girlfriend. Noway could he ever be