Cathy Thacker - A Cowboy to Marry

In fact, he had never met a more fascinating woman in his life. And if she hadn’t started out as his best friend’s girl, he might have pursued her himself.

His sister broke through his reverie. “And if I didn’t know better—” Emily smiled and playfully punched Holden’s arm “—I’d think you had a thing for her.”

“WHAT WERE YOU AND EMILY talking about?” Libby asked, after everyone had left.

She thinks I am falling for you. Which is ridiculous, since at the end of the day I’ll still see you as the woman who was once married to my best friend.

Pretty sure Libby was not ready to hear any of that, Holden shrugged indolently and cut to the chase. “Like everyone else I know, my sister wants me to get out there and start dating again.”

Libby kept her eyes on his a disconcertingly long time, then lifted her chin and regarded him suspiciously. “Did you tell her about us?”

Holden tried not to notice how much trouble she had gone to for their “first date.” She had put on a ruffled Western blouse, formfitting brown cords and lace-up tan boots. Her hair had been swept up into a loose, sexy knot on the back of her head, her lips softly glossed. She smelled of her trademark cinnamon-and-spice perfume. He forced himself to sound as casual as they’d agreed they would be.

“I figured we would actually go out first.” See how it went. “Speaking of which …”

“I know.” The enticing curves of her breasts pushed against the fabric of her blouse as she inhaled. “I’m sorry.” Her tiny reindeer earrings jangled as she tilted her head slightly to one side. “I didn’t mean for that to happen, but when Miss Mim and Rosa called, wanting to brainstorm and bring along a few others, I couldn’t say no.”

Holden’s glance fell to the delicate hollow of Libby’s throat before returning to her eyes. “I understand.”

She raked her teeth over her luscious lower lip. “I didn’t expect it to go on so long.”

Aware he was beginning to get aroused—also not part of their bargain—he glanced at his watch. “It’s only nine-thirty. We could still do something.” Anything to kill the desire building within him.

“Like what?” Libby moved around the room, picking up a few stray glasses and plates. “The late movies have already started.”

She hurried past him, her long, sexy strides adding fuel to the fire already burning deep inside him.

“And most of the restaurants are already closing down. Not that I’m hungry—” Libby chattered on, setting the items in the sink “—since everyone who came over brought some sort of food.”

Holden caught up with her and put the things he had gathered down, too.

Aware she looked increasingly tense and worried—as if afraid to be alone with him—he put his hands on her shoulders. “Relax.”

She tensed even more at his touch. “Sorry.” Swallowing, she forced a nervous smile, stepped back.

This would not do.

Holden shook his head in mute rebuke. Using humor to ease the sudden stress, he winked. “You’re as skittish as a cat who just had her tail caught beneath a rocking chair.”

The comparison worked to quell her nerves. “Funny.” Libby returned his droll look with one of her own.

“Seriously.” Holden stepped back and suggested smoothly, “We could go out and get a beer. Listen to music at the dance hall.”

Libby lifted an elegant brow. “And no doubt run into your mom—because she owns the place?”

He rubbed his hand across the back of his neck. “You’re right,” he admitted. “That would be a little claustrophobic for a first date. Even a very casual one.”

Libby sighed and held up a hand in surrender. “Maybe we should just call it a night,” she said apologetically. “Try again—I don’t know—sometime next week.”

Holden knew a woman about to back out on him when he saw one. He caught up with her in the hall and kept pace. “What’s wrong with tomorrow?”

Libby frowned at the sight of a dirty glass she had missed. She picked it up and held it in front of her like a shield. “I’m going to be at the library to help remove the uncontaminated books that are coming to my home. After that, I’ll be busy setting up temporary stacks in my living room.”

“I can help with that,” Holden volunteered.

She shook her head. “You don’t have to.”

He studied her, knowing they could not leave it like this and expect things to get any better between them. “I want to,” he insisted quietly.

Libby seemed completely at a loss as to what to say or do next. Which in turn made Holden take a step closer, and ask, “Are you trying to get rid of me?” He scanned her head to toe, his eyes narrowed suspiciously. “Because you suddenly seem very nervous.” And he wanted to know why … so it wouldn’t happen again.

“I’m just wired,” she said evasively, setting the lone glass on the foyer console rather than carry it all the way back to the kitchen. She jammed her hands on her hips. “It’s been a long day. A lot has happened.”

“Mmm-hmm.” Holden studied her some more. “Sure it’s not something else?” he prodded.

She widened her pretty eyes, all innocence. “Like what?” she asked with Texas belle sweetness.

And if there was one thing Libby was not, it was a coquette.

Holden stepped even closer. “Like the kiss … that almost happened. That is still on both our minds every time we are alone.”

Color swept into Libby’s cheeks. “So what if it is?” she taunted defiantly. “I’m sure we’ll get rid of the notion sooner rather than later.”

Holden grinned, the man in him rising to the womanly challenge in her. “I prefer sooner,” he murmured.

Libby scoffed and tossed her head. “Well, so would I! But … there’s no way to do that.”

“Sure there is,” Holden told her confidently. “I’ll show you.”

Holden threaded his fingers through her hair, then bent and kissed first her temple and then her cheek.

“Trust me,” he whispered, as his mouth drifted slowly, inevitably toward hers. “This is the only solution … if we’re ever to have any peace….”

Much as she was loath to admit it, Libby knew he was right. Giving in to the curiosity that had been plaguing her for years now, she went up on tiptoe. Holden groaned, pulling her flush against him. Her heart racing, Libby parted her lips to the investigating pressure of his. He responded by kissing her even more deeply. Her entire body going soft with pleasure at the unhurried coaxing of his lips and the seductive stroking of his tongue, she wrapped her arms around his neck and tilted her hips to his.

For the first time in her life, she began to see what she’d been missing. This was the kind of kiss she had always dreamed about and never received. Evocative. Inundating. Tender. The kind that made her feel all woman to his man. The kind that made her feel that being close to someone again might not be such a crazy idea, after all….

HOLDEN HADN’T COME HERE tonight intending to kiss Libby. In fact, his plan had been to delay the physical indefinitely.

But that had been before he’d seen the veil come over her eyes yet again, in a way that made him wonder why intimacy of any kind with him was such a threat to her.

And suddenly he knew.

He broke off the kiss, dropped his arms to his sides and stepped back. “All this time I thought the reason you were so ill at ease with me was because we almost kissed.” He paused, looking deep into her eyes. “But that isn’t it at all. Is it?”

OF ALL THE THINGS she did not want to discuss, her foolish behavior had to be at the top of the list. “I was an idiot that night, long before I hurled myself at you.” One giant mess of hormones and pent-up emotion.