Page 35 of The Cowboy and the Stray

For a single, suspended heartbeat, we stared at each other.

Then she was gone, spinning away to hurry up the path without a backward glance. I let her go, my outstretched hand falling to my side.

I stayed rooted to the spot long after the slam of the screen door faded, staring at the dark outline of the house. Tess's scent clung to my fingertips, taunting me. I fisted my hand against my thigh.

I was losing my damn mind. What the hell was I doing? She was human. Temporary. Off-limits in every possible way. An alpha didn't get to follow his heart. His wants, his needs, came second to what was best for all.

And yet.

And yet, when I finally went inside to climb the stairs to my empty bed, it was Tess's face that followed me into sleep. Tess's phantom touch that made me ache and sweat and bite back snarls in the dark. She’d branded me.

I dreamed of her. Dreamed I'd pulled her back to me on that moonlit path, crushed my mouth to hers until we were both trembling. Dreamed of her nails on my shoulders, her thighs around my hips as I lay her down in the long grass and lost myself between her legs.

I woke angry and restless, my cock a heavy, insistent weight against my stomach. The sheets were twisted around my ankles, spotted with dampness.

Swearing viciously, I kicked free of the covers and rolled to sit on the edge of the mattress. I scrubbed my hands over my face, digging the heels of my palms into my eye sockets until colors burst behind my lids.

Get a grip, Maddox. You’re acting like a damn pup.

This couldn't go on. I couldn't lead like this, couldn't think straight when every third thought was Tess. Her scent, her skin, the sleepy rasp of her voice when she stumbled into the kitchen in search of coffee.

I was so screwed.

17. CALDER

I crossed the ranch yard, gravel crunching under my boots. Ahead, the barn door stood ajar, and I could hear Tess moving around inside, her low curses drifting out on the dusty air. Irritation pricked at me for a moment. I couldn't leave her alone for five minutes. But then I saw her struggling with the water buckets, determination in the stubborn set of her mouth. I sighed. That girl had no damn clue what she was doing. But she was trying. I'd give her that.

I shouldered the door open, the creak of hinges announcing my presence. Tess spun around, sloshing water over the rim of the bucket. Her eyes went wide when she saw me, color rising in her cheeks.

"Sorry," she blurted out. "I was just trying to help out a bit. The horses looked thirsty."

I held up a hand to cut off her explanations. "S'alright. I'll show you."

I took the bucket from her, our fingers brushing for a moment. She jerked back like I'd burned her. I pretended not to notice.

"I've got a horse with a hot hoof." I led the way down the aisle. "Gonna need to soak it. Do you wanna help?"

Tess trailed after me, her footsteps hesitant. "I don't really know anything about that."

"Time to learn then." I stopped in front of a stall, setting the bucket down. Inside, a big bay gelding stood with one hind hoof cocked, his ears flicking back and forth.

I unlatched the stall door. "He's not normally so ornery, but he's hurting now, so we gotta go easy on him."

I grabbed another bucket, then mixed in some Epsom salts. Brimstone snorted and sidled away as I approached, his eyes rolling.

"Whoa, easy." I kept my voice low and even, one hand out. "Easy now."

Behind me, Tess said, "Poor guy," she whispered.

I shot her a look over my shoulder. "He can smell fear, you know."

"I'm not afraid," she said quickly. "I'm worried about him. He's my buddy now."

I turned back to the horse, moving slowly and carefully. Brimstone huffed, but he let me run a hand down his flank, his hide twitching under my palm.

"Gonna have to pick up that hoof," I said. "Lift it into the bucket so we can soak it."

"Shouldn't we call a vet or something?"