“What are you smiling about?" Rider asked. Willow glanced at him and flushed. "That must have been some daydream you were having."If you only knew, Willow thought."Come on, Freckles, it's time you get back to the ranch. I have work to do."His big work-roughened hand swallowed hers as he helped her to her feet. Against her will, her body responded to its warmth. She snatched her hand away, garnering a searching expression in his dark brown eyes.She quickly excused her reaction with a flirty smile. "I promised not to touch you, remember?""Yes,but I dont't recall promising not to touch you." He wiggled his brows in a comical imitation of an evil villain in a bad play.She laughed and shook her head. "Help me mount Sugar before I decide to wipe that grin off your face.""And how do you propose to do that?" he asked, retrieving the horses and returning to he side. He bent down, cupped his hands, and boosted her into the mare's saddle. "You weren't planning on slapping my face again, I hope," he said, reaching for Sultan's reins."Oh,no, nothing like that." She batted her lashes coquettishly, the affect intensified by the naughty twinkle in her eyes."You better stop looking at me like that, or I'll have to follow Sultan's example and break down your door tonight.""I don't think Juan would be too happy about making me two new doors. It wasn't easy explaining what happened to the first one!”

“You didn't think I really liked you? Do you think I really like you now?"He turned toward her, uncertainty in his face."You did go quite a lot of effort to be having this conversation, but... I don't want to read too much of what I hope into that."Val stretched out beside him, resting her head in the crook of his arm. "What do you hope?"He pulled her close, hands careful not to touch her wounds as they wrapped around her. "I hope that you feel for me as I do for you," he said, his voice like a sigh against her throat.And how is that?" she asked, her lips so close to his jaw that she could taste the salt of his skin when she moved them.You carried my heart in your hands tonight," he said. "But I have felt as if you carried it long before that."She smiled and let her eyes drift closed. They lay there together, under the bridge, city lights burning outside the windows like a sky full of falling stars, as they slid off into sleep”

“This hand says you spend the rest of your life with me," he said, holding out his left hand, "and this one says I spend the rest of my life with you. Choose."She bit her lip, tears welling in her eyes. She took both of his hands in hers and he shuddered. "I will die protecting you," he says.There was a look of dismay on her face. "Just like a man of this kingdom, Finnikin. Talking of death, yours or mine, is not a good way to begin a-"Isaboe gave a small gasp when he leaned forward, his lips an inch away from hers. "I will die for you," he whispered.She cupped his face in her hands. "But promise me you'll live first. Because nothing we are about to do is going to be easy and I need you by my side.”

“Couldn't I come along with you? I've been trapped inside for days now and I need some sunshine and exercise. If you're really busy today, maybe I could hhelp. It's not as if I'm a greenhorn who'd get in your way.""This isn't a good idea, Freckles, and you know it."The feisty redhead grinned. "I admit I'm somewhat ignorant on the subject, but I've never heard of doing "it" on the back of a horse."A roguish grin dangled from the corner of his mouth. "Sweetheart, you'd be surprised where...Never mind."Though he'd tried to sound gruff, Willow detected a slight wavering in his determination. "I'll promise not to attack your body, if that's what you're worried about." She started laughing.Moving closer, she backed him against the door. Then tilting her head, she hit him full force with her big blue-green sparklers. Her lips parted in a very seductive, very naughty smile. "Please, just a short ride?" She toyed with the edge of his black leather vest, the backs of her fingers sliding up and down his chest.Rider sucked in a gulp of air. "Dammit, woman,what's Mrs. Brigham been teaching you? Stop that!" He batted her hand away, laughing despite himself. He was beaten and he knew it."Well?" She smiled slyly.He grasped her arms and set her away to a safer distance. "All right, all right. I give up. I'll take you for a ride." When her face lit up,he raised a cautioning finger and hastened to add, "On one condition. You have to keep yours hands to yourself. No touching!""Yes! I promise!" Willow threw herself into his arms and pulled his face close for a brisk buss on the cheek. Then she sprang free and skipped past him to the door. "I kow, no touching. That was just a thank you. Hurry up, I'm all ready to go."Following in her wake, Rider groaned, "Yeah,so am I-in more ways than one.""What did you say?" she called back."I said you were a little flirt!"She gave him an innocent smile over her shoulder and sprinted off to saddle Sugar.”

“It shouldn't make a difference to me, I suppose,but it does. I've grown to trust you, and I'd hate to think that I've been wrong about you.""Well,it's real nice to hear you like me, Freckles," he teased. "I kind of like you,too." He wiggled his eyebrows as he had earlier.Willow laughed and leaned over to swat at him but missed. "You know, I really don't have freckles. Why don't you call me Williw like everyone else does?""Maybe, because everyone else does." He shrugged. "Freckles is mine. My special name for you, that is. And you do have freckles, cute little ginger-colored freckles, all-l-l aross the bridge of your nose.""I don't!" Her mouth twisted in annoyance."Tell you what, we'll race on it. You win-you don't have freckles. I win-you do have freckles."Knowing her only chance to beat his big stallion was to get a head start, Willow didn't waste time agreeing to ny terms. She dug her heels into Sugar's sides and tore off across the desert."Hey!" Rider called, laughing and spurring Sultan into a run. "You're supposed to wait till I say go."Her laugh drifted back on the wind."Come on,Sultan. Let's show Miss Freckle Britches who she's dealing with."The spirited stallion's legs stretched out ith effortless grace, his body lowering in a ground-eating pace, and Willow's little mare was no match for the big stallion."See you back at the ranch, Freckles," Rider laughingly taunted as he rode past.”

“Mmm, nice," he said close to her ear. She turned her head to look at him and their lips were almost touching."What's nice?" she asked breathlessly."You." He sat down and pulled her into his arms, brushing her lips lightly and then deepening the kiss. "Lord, I've been wanting to hold you all day," he whispered against her lips. She cupped his lean, square jaw in her hands. "Me,too. Please, can we go someplace to be alone?""Darlin', God knows I crave that delectable little body of yours but we really shouldn't. It's not fair to you."Willow slid off his lap and knelt, shaking her finger at him. "Listen, Tumbleweed, I'll tell you what's not fair. It's that damn kiss-and-run routine! It ain't fair to get me so...so...horny!"Rider burst out laughing. God how he wished he could tell her how much he loved her. He settled for folding her in his arms and showing her instead.When they both came up for air, she smiled seductively and threaded her fingers through the dark hair exposed in the vee of his shirt. "Rider," she whispered seductively. "I love touching you."Rider was lost.”