Hearts Are Wild (5 page)

Hanging up the phone, she asked, “When do we leave?”

Chapter Four

The irony that she almost died in a fire when that same fate happened to her father didn’t escape her. Riding beside Josh in his red dual-cab truck, Sabrina took a deep breath then smiled at her rescuer. Her head still felt tender but at least it wasn’t pounding any longer thanks to the painkiller the doc had given her.

Josh pulled up to a large ranch house. Even though the lights were off, she could see its overall size in the dim starlit night. He quickly walked around to her side of the truck and opened the door for her, saying, “We’re here.”

Clasping her hand in his to help her out of the truck, he didn’t let go when he shut the door behind her. His cowboy hat hid his expression, but she knew he was looking down at her because instead of letting go of her hand, he laced his fingers with hers and stepped closer to her body until his thighs brushed against hers.

He literally towered over her. With his broad, muscular shoulders, she felt very petite and protected standing in front of him.

Josh lifted her chin until she looked up toward his face. “Welcome to the Double K, Sabrina,” he said in a serious tone, his voice filled with pride.

It was almost as if he were saying “Welcome home”, he had such sincerity in his voice. Regardless of how he meant it, that’s how Sabrina took his sentiment. A feeling of rightness settled over her as she wrapped her arms around his waist.

Laying her head on his chest, she inhaled his smoky, masculine scent and breathed out. “Thank you for rescuing me and for taking care of me.”

Josh started to wrap his arms around her when the porch lights came on behind him.

The screen door squeaked as an older woman wearing casual gray lounge pants and a matching top stepped outside. “Hi, Josh. Nan called me and told me you’d be bringing Sabrina here. I’ve put her in your old room since the guest bedroom is in a shambles while we’re remodeling it. Your room is next on the to-be-renovated list,” she finished with a grin.

Josh addressed his mom, “Well, it’s about time you’re finally getting around to my old room. You’re up really late.” Putting his arm around Sabrina’s waist, he said, “I planned to take Sabrina to my place.”

“No, sir. Not tonight,” his mother insisted while she stepped off the porch and walked toward them. Placing her arm around Sabrina’s shoulders, she pulled her out of Josh’s embrace and gave her son a meaningful look. “You can sleep on the couch if you don’t want to go to your place.”

Turning to Sabrina, she said, “Hi, Sabrina, I’m Julia Kelly. Come with me, dear. I know you must be exhausted.”

With Julia’s expressive eyes and short blonde hair, Sabrina saw where Josh got his good looks from. As Julia led her away, she asked his mother, “Would it be possible for me to take a quick shower?” Looking at her dirt-smudged skirt and top that held a strong smoky smell, then down to her muddy sandals, she finished with a grimace, “I feel so grimy.”

Julia’s smile reminded her of Josh’s genuine grin. “Sure you can. I’ll give you a change of clothes for you to sleep in and to wear back to the Lonestar tomorrow.

“How awful what happened tonight. I’m just thankful Josh was there to save you,” Julia rambled on as she walked Sabrina into the house, steering her through the warm kitchen with its pale yellow walls and decorative navy blue accents. Once they walked through the kitchen, she turned down a long hall to the last door on the right.

Opening the door, she looked over her shoulder at her son who had followed them and gave him a stern look.

“Josh, Sabrina needs her rest after what she’s been through. I’ll let you say good night while I get her some clothes and then it’s off to the couch with you.”

Sabrina watched his mother walk down the hall, her steps assured and steady as she opened a door and disappeared into one of the bedrooms.

Despite how tired she felt, she turned in the doorway and met Josh’s gaze. Winking at him, she said, “Your mother’s a lovely woman. I see you get your smile from her.”

Josh leaned his arm on the doorjamb and used his thumb to push back the brim of his hat. “Why, thank you, ma’am,” he said with a grin, purposefully drawing out his Texan drawl.

Sabrina’s stomach tensed and her heart hammered in her chest when he leaned close, his five o’clock shadow brushing against her cheek as he whispered in her ear, “Sweet dreams, good lookin’.”

As she watched him walk down the hall, those faded jeans fitting his nice ass to perfection, her stomach flip-flopped. Instead of following him down the hall like she wanted to, she had to force herself to walk into the bedroom and await his mother to return with some clothes.

Julia returned within a minute, handing her towels, soap, shampoo, and a hairdryer along with a pair of jeans, some tennis shoes, and a T-shirt for the next day. She’d also included a soft cotton, lavender nightgown…one that buttoned all the way to her neck and went all the way to her calves.

Sabrina suppressed her amusement at the
prim
nightgown and gave Josh’s mother a smile of thanks before she headed for the bathroom.

When she’d finished showering and drying her hair, she looked around Josh’s childhood room for a few minutes. Sports trophies lined the desk and certificates of achievements in sports and academics covered the walls. She glanced down at a picture of a young blond-haired boy around seven or eight wearing fireman’s gear. He had his arm around another boy with dark brown hair who was wearing a police officer’s uniform. Halloween costumes, perhaps? she thought with a grin.

Either way, the smile gave the blond boy away. It was Josh’s smile.

When she looked down at the twin bed, she noticed the man’s white T-shirt neatly folded on the end of the bed. Picking it up, she put the material to her nose and inhaled. Josh. He must’ve left it for her while she showered.

The shirt smelled like him…the way he’d smelled yesterday when she’d met him for the first time in the stables. Had she really just met him for the first time such a short time ago? It seemed like she’d known him so much longer. Then again, tragedies had a way of bringing people closer together, right?

Pulling off the nightgown Josh’s mom had given her, she slipped into his T-shirt, which fell almost to her knees she noticed with a chuckle, and turned off the light.

The house wasn’t overly cool, so she pulled off the quilted comforter and slid in between the cotton sheets.

Lying down on the pillow, her mind shifted back to Josh. All she knew was their first meeting wasn’t the most common for two people to have, nor was their second for that matter, she thought with a wry smile. No wonder they seemed to have known each other for ages. That had to explain the instant chemistry she felt whenever he was around.

She thought of his warm hand on hers, remembered his hard chest against her back as he’d helped her groom Lightning. Closing her eyes, she pictured his handsome face and sexy smile, imagined him pulling her close, how he would kiss. Would he be an aggressive kisser? Or would he let her take the lead? She let out a low moan at her wandering thoughts.

“I hope that sound is for me,” came a man’s whisper next to her bed.

Sabrina started to let out a gasp of surprise, but Josh put his finger over her lips and sat down next to her on the bed saying, “Shhhh, it’s just me. Everyone’s in bed, but I promised I’d keep an eye on you for at least another half hour.”

The outside lights gave off some illumination in his room, allowing Sabrina to see the slow smile that spread across his face as he let his gaze roam over her form under the sheet. He smelled like soap. He must’ve taken a shower too.

Sabrina allowed her gaze to drop to his bare chest and felt her own chest tighten at the sight of the sprinkle of blond hair across his muscular pecs—gorgeous, sexy hair that vee’d its way down his hard abs before disappearing into his jeans. With his belt gone and the top button unbuttoned on his jeans, damn, a man had never looked sexier to her than Josh Kelly did as he leaned over her next to his childhood bed, staring down at her as if he wanted to devour her.

Sabrina smiled, drew back the sheet, and scooted over on the narrow bed to give him room. “Looks like there’s only one place to sit.”

Josh flashed her a quick grin and crawled into bed beside her. Leaning back against the headboard, he pulled her into his arms and said quietly, “Somehow this just seems the right way to end a day like today.”

“Amen,” she replied as she snuggled against his bare chest and wrapped her arm around his trim waist.

“Do you have any family?” Josh asked in a quiet voice.

She nodded against his chest. “I have two older brothers and my mom. My…my dad passed away.” She was glad she was able to get that out without dwelling on the subject.

“I’m sorry, Sabrina,” he commented in a genuine tone as he lifted her long hair and put it to his nose.

“He died a few years ago,” she replied, ready to talk about something else. As he inhaled her hair’s shampooed scent, she asked, “Tell me about the boy who used to live in this room.” She wanted to learn about the man who had saved her life and held her in his arms as if he’d known her forever.

She felt him shift under her cheek and realized he was looking at the wall of trophies and achievement awards she’d noticed earlier.

“He was a good kid. He’s got a brother and a wonderful mom and dad. He was always happy with his lot in life, even if he was the competitive type, hence the sports trophies,” Josh said and she felt, rather than saw, his amused smile.

“You mean you never gave your parents a bit of trouble?” she asked, surprise in her voice as she glanced up at him.

His chest rumbled with low laughter. “I didn’t say that. My brother and I gave our parents hell growing up. I’m just highlighting the good parts.” As he laced his fingers with the hand she’d had on his chest, Josh ran his other hand down her spine, spreading his fingers to cup her hip in an intimate manner. “How else am I going to impress you?”

Heat radiated from his hand on her hip as she laughed up at him and said with a grin, “How indeed?”

Snuggling against him once more, she asked, “So tell me about you and the little boy in the picture you were playing ‘dress up’ with.”

Josh’s entire body tensed when she asked the question and Sabrina instinctively knew she’d hit a nerve.

After a few seconds, he relaxed and ran his fingers through her hair in a rhythmic manner as he spoke, “Nick was my best friend growing up. We got into all kinds of trouble as kids. Who knows how much more mischief we’d have gotten into if… Well, he’s gone now…”

He trailed off and she thought she’d heard a hitch in his voice as if he didn’t want to speak of it or couldn’t speak of the past with his friend. Apparently, it wasn’t easy for Josh to talk about.

Sabrina hugged him tight and whispered, “I’m sorry, Josh…for whatever happened.”

Josh put his finger under her chin and lifted it. Their gazes met and locked and he leaned closer, his lips a breath away from hers.

“I’ve wanted to know ever since I held your sweet body against mine while you retrieved that damn brush,” he said, his voice full of desire, his gaze hungry and intense.

She raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Impure thoughts?” she whispered, letting her gaze drop to his mouth. If he didn’t kiss her, she thought she’d die. Her heart rammed in her chest and her breasts ached for his touch.

“Very impure thoughts,” he responded.

She really, really wanted him to kiss her, but if she let him, she knew she wouldn’t want him to stop. For that matter, she’d kill him if he did stop. But tonight, in his parents’ house, she wanted to respect his mother’s moral standards.

Placing a finger on his lips as he had done hers earlier, she stopped his mouth’s descent to hers.

“Josh, it’s important for me to respect your mother’s home and her wishes.”

Josh’s gaze flared for a second before he playfully bit her finger. “You need your rest tonight anyway, but there’s no reason I can’t
tell
you what I want to do to you,” he finished as he pulled her hand from his mouth and laid a kiss on her open palm.

Liquid heat flowed south as he then kissed her wrist and growled low in his throat.

“You smell so damn good, I want to taste you everywhere.”

He met her gaze once more and continued with a heated look, “And I do mean
everywhere
.”

Tapping her nose, he said, “I’d kiss you here.” Then he slid his finger down to her lips and said, “And here—” before he slowly drew a line down her throat to her rapid pulse and continued, “—and here, so I could feel how much you wanted me to continue down the rest of your body.”

Sabrina’s heart thudded against her chest and her sex throbbed as he ran his finger down her chest, stopping at the peak of one of her hard nipples through the thin cotton shirt.

“I’d tease your nipples with my mouth through this shirt, making it wet so I could see the pink color through the material. Then I’d nip them just to hear you moan a little deeper.”

She felt her sex pulsing to the beat of his words and the lowering descent of his hand. Unconsciously she rubbed against his jean-clad thigh to assuage the sexual tension building inside her.

Josh took advantage of her movement and grasped her bare thigh, pulling her leg over his until she was wrapped around his thick, hard thigh.