Jimmy was pumped. Adrenaline poured through his veins as wild as the Mustangs while he’d chased after the horses. Now the rush had left, he was dog-tired and looking forward to sharing his news with his boss. But not smelling as he did coming off the range.
“Sherry, you are one beautiful horse. You knew what to do better than I did. Or was it that handsome stallion that had you moving so fast?” He frowned as he gave his horse a good rubdown, remembering the incident with Midnight Rain. How could he and Melissa get back to a normal working relationship? Would she even care about his success tonight? Animosity rent the air whenever they were near each other.
He’d bite the bullet and take the first step by sharing his news. After all, he hadn’t asked to bring Sherry with him and it had been rude to assume it would be all right.
After returning to his room, he headed straight for the shower. He’d clean up and change clothes before going to find Melissa. He and Tippy had corralled eighteen Mustangs tonight. He’d hoped for one or two, as on previous occasions, but they’d been lucky.
He showered in record time and went into the bedroom to find clean clothes, a towel wrapped around his waist. That’s when he noticed the lights on in Melissa’s room. She’d gone to bed. Maybe she just wasn’t interested.
Would she mind if I cross the courtyard and knock on her door? He stood close to the glass pane, trying to catch a glimpse of movement that would indicate she was still up. Nothing moved. The lights blinked off as he stood there, undecided. Well, that settles that. Letting the towel drop, he turned toward the bed. He’d tell her tomorrow, if she asked.
Exhausted beyond belief, he fell asleep almost instantly.
* * * *
Oh, wow! Melissa felt like a voyeur. A wanton and extremely needy voyeur.
When he came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, she should’ve turned away, but she couldn’t. Her feet seemed glued to the floor.
From the way he filled out his clothes, she’d known he had a great physique. What she hadn’t known, and couldn’t possibly guess, was how splendid a body he did have.
His broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, not a spare ounce of flesh on him to be seen. Perfect abs, muscled biceps, and those legs, long and lean. Her legs shook in reaction, threatening to give way. She was about to start drooling. Never had she seen such a perfect body.
Certainly not Marcus’s. She giggled, remembering his paunch. Too much wining and dining did that to a person. Served him right, the adulterous jerk.
She watched as Jimmy crossed his room, walking up close to the patio doors. Was he coming to see her? Dressed like that? Had she given him reason to think he could? Melissa's insides tightened in response as she turned off the lamp. She almost parted the blinds and waved when he looked her way…until he dropped the towel.
She’d moved then, peeking through the blinds to try and determine if Jimmy was retiring for the night, or just winding down.
Her eyes threatened to pop out of her head and she knew her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t look away. She took one step backward, then another, never taking her eyes off his muscular physique. When he turned and headed for bed, she almost cried out for him, such was her need. Instead, she stood there and admired his fine tush until he covered it with the blankets and turned out the lamp.
“Good night, Jimmy,” she whispered into the darkness. “Sweet dreams.” She undressed and crawled in between the sheets, punched her pillow into submission and settled in to get some shut-eye. Sleep did come, eventually, and with it exquisite dreams of the man across the way.
“Sherry, you are one beautiful horse. You knew what to do better than I did. Or was it that handsome stallion that had you moving so fast?” He frowned as he gave his horse a good rubdown, remembering the incident with Midnight Rain. How could he and Melissa get back to a normal working relationship? Would she even care about his success tonight? Animosity rent the air whenever they were near each other.
He’d bite the bullet and take the first step by sharing his news. After all, he hadn’t asked to bring Sherry with him and it had been rude to assume it would be all right.
After returning to his room, he headed straight for the shower. He’d clean up and change clothes before going to find Melissa. He and Tippy had corralled eighteen Mustangs tonight. He’d hoped for one or two, as on previous occasions, but they’d been lucky.
He showered in record time and went into the bedroom to find clean clothes, a towel wrapped around his waist. That’s when he noticed the lights on in Melissa’s room. She’d gone to bed. Maybe she just wasn’t interested.
Would she mind if I cross the courtyard and knock on her door? He stood close to the glass pane, trying to catch a glimpse of movement that would indicate she was still up. Nothing moved. The lights blinked off as he stood there, undecided. Well, that settles that. Letting the towel drop, he turned toward the bed. He’d tell her tomorrow, if she asked.
Exhausted beyond belief, he fell asleep almost instantly.
* * * *
Oh, wow! Melissa felt like a voyeur. A wanton and extremely needy voyeur.
When he came out of the bathroom wearing only a towel, she should’ve turned away, but she couldn’t. Her feet seemed glued to the floor.
From the way he filled out his clothes, she’d known he had a great physique. What she hadn’t known, and couldn’t possibly guess, was how splendid a body he did have.
His broad shoulders tapered to a narrow waist, not a spare ounce of flesh on him to be seen. Perfect abs, muscled biceps, and those legs, long and lean. Her legs shook in reaction, threatening to give way. She was about to start drooling. Never had she seen such a perfect body.
Certainly not Marcus’s. She giggled, remembering his paunch. Too much wining and dining did that to a person. Served him right, the adulterous jerk.
She watched as Jimmy crossed his room, walking up close to the patio doors. Was he coming to see her? Dressed like that? Had she given him reason to think he could? Melissa's insides tightened in response as she turned off the lamp. She almost parted the blinds and waved when he looked her way…until he dropped the towel.
She’d moved then, peeking through the blinds to try and determine if Jimmy was retiring for the night, or just winding down.
Her eyes threatened to pop out of her head and she knew her mouth was hanging open, but she couldn’t look away. She took one step backward, then another, never taking her eyes off his muscular physique. When he turned and headed for bed, she almost cried out for him, such was her need. Instead, she stood there and admired his fine tush until he covered it with the blankets and turned out the lamp.
“Good night, Jimmy,” she whispered into the darkness. “Sweet dreams.” She undressed and crawled in between the sheets, punched her pillow into submission and settled in to get some shut-eye. Sleep did come, eventually, and with it exquisite dreams of the man across the way.