Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 82671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 82671 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 413(@200wpm)___ 331(@250wpm)___ 276(@300wpm)
“Nice tattoo.”
He grunted, his head hanging low. I moved my hands to his neck, gliding and stroking. Using my thumbs in a stubborn area, I felt his tension releasing. I wanted to touch him forever. To feel the give of his muscles as I helped him relax. I had the strongest desire to crawl into his lap and hold him. Kiss him. Help him unwind in a totally different way. Then hold him as he slept.
I had a feeling he needed that.
I shook my head. Where the hell were those thoughts coming from?
I stood, letting my hands drop. “That should help,” I said brightly.
I returned to the sofa and picked up my glass, draining the Amaretto in one swallow. “I’m off to bed.”
“Thank you,” he said.
I dared to look over at him. Our gazes locked and held. I felt the current flowing between us, live and hot. “That felt incredible,” he said.
I swallowed the thickness in my throat. Refused to let my feet head his way.
“You should drink some water and go to bed.”
He nodded and stood, still watching me.
I turned and walked toward the hall.
“Why are you limping?” he asked.
“It’s nothing,” I called over my shoulder. “A little stiff from today. I’ll be fine in the morning.”
I kept walking, not stopping until I reached the safety of my room.
Hours later, I gave up. I sat up, once again trying to stretch out the muscles that were keeping me awake. Tylenol hadn’t helped. The ice pack I had tiptoed down the hall to get from the freezer barely took the edge off. My ass and my lower back hurt from falling, and the thought of getting on a horse again in the morning made me shudder. I padded to the bathroom, searching the cupboards for some liniment or a heating pad. Anything that might help. I came up empty-handed. I went to the kitchen, trying to be quiet, and poured some cold water, walking to the front of the house and staring out the window as I sipped.
Outside, the trees bent to the breeze, the darkness deep and quiet. It was so peaceful here. I shut my eyes, swaying slightly. I was tired and going to be more tired in the morning. With a sigh, I turned to go back to my room, jumping in fright when I saw Luke leaning against the table, his arms crossed and watching me.
“Holy— You scared me.”
“Sorry.”
“What are you doing?”
“Wondering why you’re roaming the house at one in the morning.”
“Oh, I was thirsty.”
He nodded. I hesitated, then had to ask. “You don’t by chance have a heating pad, do you?”
“Yep. Back sore?”
“Yeah.”
He headed down the hall toward his room. I followed, stopping as he switched on the light and opened a cupboard. He rummaged for a moment, then pulled out a heating pad and handed it to me.
“Thank you,” I said gratefully. “This should help.”
“Have you taken Tylenol?”
“Yes. Didn’t help much. This will, I’m sure.”
I headed back to my room, clutching the heating pad like a prize. I plugged in it and lay down, sighing as I felt the heat begin. I startled as Luke walked into my room, and I sat up.
“What are you doing?”
“Helping you.” He turned on my bedside lamp, setting down a bottle of something. “Roll over.”
“I beg your pardon?”
He chuckled, the sound low and deep in the room. “Relax, Lady. This stuff will help with the pain. Roll over.”
I should tell him to get out. That I would rub whatever that was on myself. Instead, I did as he asked. He slid his hand under me, lifting the heating pad away. “Once I’m finished, I’ll put this back on, and you’ll get some relief.” Then he cursed. “You’ve got some bruising from your fall this morning.”
“Not surprised,” I muttered.
Before I could say anything else, I was rendered speechless. Luke ran his hands over my thighs, his touch light and gentle. He added some cream and began to rub it into the aching muscles, and I couldn’t help the moan that escaped my lips. He faltered for a moment, his hands stilling, then he began again.
“You should have said something.”
“I thought I’d go to sleep and it would be fine.”
“You’re not getting on a horse tomorrow.”
“Yes, I am.”
I startled at the unexpected feel of him smacking my ass. “No, you’re not. We’ll use the ATVs tomorrow.”
He slid his hands higher. “This is going to hurt. You’re bruised here.”
I felt a rush of tears as he went over the painful area. He probed gently, stroking and kneading. “Nothing is broken, but no wonder you can’t sleep. This will help.”
“What is it?”
“I have no idea. It works on the horses.”
I spun my head, meeting his teasing gaze.
He shook his head in amusement. “It’s like Voltaren, but stronger. My doc prescribes it.”
I could already feel the ache diminishing. He kept rubbing the ointment in, and I felt myself relax as the pain subsided. I stayed on my stomach, sighing as he situated the heating pad over the affected area and drew up the covers. I drifted as he left, hearing the water as he washed his hands, returning. He stood by the bed and I felt his gaze on me, but I was too tired to open my eyes or talk much.