Picking Up Cowboys by Lori Soard Page A

edged closer.  Cat had pulled her heavy blonde hair up on her head and a few stray tendrils trailed onto her neck, curling in the heated, moisture of the room.  Unable to stop his advance, even had he wanted to, Gage stopped just behind her.  He swallowed the urge to wrap his arms around her and nuzzle her exposed neck.  She was the enemy.  He must never forget that.  She was a Claiborne.
    “What are you cooking?”  He was standing so close, he could see the tendrils of hair stir slightly from his breath.
    Cat jumped and dropped the spoon.  “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
    “Sorry.”  He reached around her and rescued the handle of the spoon before it could slip under the gooey mixture in the pot.  His arm brushed against her side and Cat gasped.  Every muscle in Gage’s body hardened in response and he was grateful he was behind her, hidden from probing eyes that would spot his reaction in an instant.
    “What are you making?”  He spooned the gooey mixture up onto the end of the spoon and let it drop back into the pan with a plop.
    Cat shifted from foot to foot nervously, a slight shudder passing through her body.  Good.  He was making her nervous. 
    She brought her left hand up and secured one of the loose tendrils behind her ear.  “Fudge.  And I need to keep stirring it or it will scald.”
    Gage didn’t move.  Cat’s own unique scent mixed with the heady freedom of wildflowers seeped into his conscious.  He didn’t want to be attracted to her.  Hadn’t asked for it, but he was.  Now, he’d have to deal with it.  He saw two ways to handle the situation.  One, stay as far away from her as possible, not really a possibility unless he left Aspen Trails.  He refused to be ran away from his home a second time because of a Claiborne.  That solution was out.  The other was to take her to bed until he was over this insane obsession.  He grinned.  Now there was an intriguing thought.
    “Gage!  It needs stirred,” Cat wailed.
    “I’ll stir it, he started to move the spoon through the gooey mixture, his arm brushing against her with each movement.
    “No!”  Cat grabbed the spoon away from him.  “Just go sit down.”
    A warm flush spread up the back of her neck.  Gage grinned.  So Miss Catherine Claiborne could be ruffled, at least she wasn’t immune to him.  The holiday might have pleasurable possibilities after all. 

 
    chapter ten
     
     
    Finally, Gage moved away.  Catherine ignored the gooseflesh raising on her arms.  When his arm had brushed against her, heat had pooled in her and she’d almost collapsed.  How could one man be so aggravating and so attractive at the same time?
    “What kind of fudge?” 
    Catherine glanced over her shoulder.  Gage had one hip propped up on the kitchen table, his free leg resting on the floor.  His arms were crossed over his chest, outlining his muscles.  Catherine turned back to the stove and stirred furiously.
    “Chocolate.”
    “Why am I not surprised?” he drawled.
    Catherine laughed.  “It’s my favorite thing.”
    “Any kind of chocolate?”
    Catherine turned sideways, still stirring, but able to see his face.  “Yes, why?”
    “Chocolate icing?” His smile lit his eyes with a sensuous flame.
    “Yes,” Catherine answered a little more hesitantly.  What was he up to?
    Gage shifted away from the table and took a step toward her.  “Chocolate syrup?”
    Catherine cleared her throat.  Gage kept walking toward her, stopping within touching distance.
    “Why do you want to know that?”  His gaze was so heated she had to look away.  Catherine turned back to the stove, using the fudge as an excuse.
    “I just can see the possibilities.”  His voice was  husky as dry snow.
    Catherine dripped some of the fudge base into the cool waiting water and almost did a dance when the test proved the candy was ready.  Maybe she could escape this uncomfortable conversation.  Uncomfortable and way too