"You startled me. I didn't realize anyone was here," she said with her hand going to her heart as she recovered her breath. She felt her face flush redder and was thankful that she had an excuse.

"Well, you wouldn't with those things stuck in your ears."

"Point taken." She conceded, fidgeting on the spot.

As his fierce gaze dragged down her body, she became aware that she was hot and very sweaty. Beads of perspiration slowly rolled down her neck and chest and disappeared down the cleavage of her high b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Her clothes clung to her and her shorts showed damp patches at the top of her thighs. She must look and smell like a dog's dinner but, strangely, one that he looked like he wanted to eat.

He took a step closer, and his nostrils flared. She heard a low deep rumbling sound, and it made her yearn for his intimate touch again.

"Just, you know, keeping fit, venting some frustration." She gave a quick nervous smile.

He blinked slowly and in a deep, low voice drawled, "Yeah, I've heard that intense physical activity is supposed to be good for stress."

He smiled wickedly. "Although I can think of other, more fun and engaging ways."

He surprised her with that line. She didn't think that teasing came naturally to him.

Rachael's heart raced faster, and before she could stop herself, she was squeaking her automatic response. "Yes, well, can I help you with anything?"

She realized how it stupid and uptight it sounded as soon as the words were out, but before she could babble on further, he growled, "Yes, most definitely."

He cleared the distance between them in a heartbeat and leaned down to cover her lips with his. We need to talk. I need a shower. But, oh, it's so good. Her thoughts swirled just before her brain shut down 72 and instinct took over. She parted her lips under the pressure of his pa.s.sionate kiss, and she was swept away by the sensations flooding her, causing her to melt against him. She moaned as one hand caught up in her hair and the other brushed down her spine, rested on her a.s.s, and pulled her in even closer. Unconsciously, she shifted and slipped a leg either side of his, squeezed herself around it, and rubbed slightly against him. He gave a throaty growl in response and deepened the kiss. She was lost to it, couldn't think straight, and wanted more. Her juices flowed and her core muscles clenched with antic.i.p.ation. Her hands mirrored his, one reaching up around his shoulder and the other firmly cupping his backside before slipping around his hip and tentatively rubbing up the length of his barely contained erection.

He groaned again and the vibration transferred from his mouth to hers, conveying his pa.s.sion. Her whole body hummed with desire.

His hand roamed from her a.s.s to her chest and pulled down the front of her sports top to expose her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. Gently, he stroked the back of his hand over a very sensitive erect nipple before palming and squeezing the whole globe of satin-soft flesh. It was her turn to moan as his mouth left hers and trailed kisses down her neck before stopping between her b.o.o.bs and taking a long lick. Oh, G.o.d. It was erotic and animalistic and her pelvic floor fluttered.

He locked his mouth over a breast and sucked, flicking the nipple with his tongue before doing the same to the other. More fluttering; h.e.l.l, her p.u.s.s.y must have developed muscle memory. She stroked her fingers through his thick hair and arched toward him. Oh, Lord, she felt consumed. She felt vibrations deep inside, she felt-wait, she did feel vibrations, persistent vibrations-b.l.o.o.d.y h.e.l.l, her cell phone was ringing!

His pa.s.sion-roughened voice sounded next to her ear as he moved up her neck to kiss her there. "Christ, ignore it."

She wanted to, really wanted to. She wasn't on call, but who would be ringing before seven in the morning? It could be an emergency. With one hand still in his hair, she righted her top.

73.

"I can't," she sighed, looking at her phone and seeing Colin's name flash up.

She pulled his hair so that his forehead rested briefly against hers, then pushed against his firm chest, stepped back, took a deep breath, and answered her mobile.

"h.e.l.lo, Colin, is everything all right?"

She was suddenly all business, and began to pace back and forth along the veranda, concentrating fiercely on the phone conversation.

She looked at him and covered the phone with her hand. "Do you know where the Jackson Water Hole is?"

"Yeah," he sighed miserably. "It's about four miles from here as the crow flies, but about twenty if you take the road."

"Can I take my Jeep there, off road?"

"Not across the Sweet River. That's what your stream eventually flows into. The crossing place is only suitable for a horse."

"How long would it take for you to ride there with two?"

"About twenty-five minutes, much faster than you'd get there by car."

His answer was firm and precise. She nodded then turned, rapidly speaking into the phone before closing the call.

Feeling frustrated but resigned, she explained. "That was Colin.

Roy Crossling's had an accident at the water hole. He's okay, but he thinks his horse was bitten on the face by a snake, a cottonmouth.

Colin knows I'm staying here and was wondering if I could get there quickly and help until he arrives with the horse box and antivenom kit. If you can take me there, I can at least ease the animal's suffering.

I have an emergency kit in the house." She looked at him expectantly.

"What? You're going to help that b.a.s.t.a.r.d Crossling?"

"No, I'm going to help that b.a.s.t.a.r.d Crossling's horse."

She dashed into the house. There was no time to take a shower.

She threw on a pair of baggy khaki trousers, and grabbed a small pack with her white coat and the emergency kit inside. She then found a long knife and cut two pieces off the garden hose. If necessary, it 74 could be used to keep the horse's nostrils open and thereby prevent suffocation as its tissues swelled in response to the venom.

"Life around you is certainly never boring," he commented as she jumped down the cabin's steps to where he was waiting on Star.

"Here," he held out his arm, "grab a hold and swing up behind me."

"Okay, Tonto."

"You're Tonto. I'm the Lone Ranger-it's my horse."

"Whatever you say, ke-mo sah-bee. Let's go." She deftly swung up and settled herself behind him.

"Hold on tight."

"Oh, I intend to."

After about fifteen minutes of cantering, they came to the river where they slowed down to cross.

"Oh, b.u.g.g.e.r it," she groaned. "You know what that horrid Crossling is going to think when I turn up with you at this time in the morning."

"If Colin had phoned an hour later, he'd be right," he growled.

She couldn't think of what to say. To deny it would make her a liar. What was she doing? This was so unlike her. She had her professional reputation to think of and had worked too hard, in what was mainly a man's world, to fall foul of disparaging gossip now, yet she couldn't bring herself to regret her reaction to Joshua. He rang all her bells and then some. Just sitting so snug against him as his b.u.t.t ground against her mound was driving her crazy with every sway from the horse's gait. She was jolted from her musings when they started to canter again, and sure enough, about ten minutes later, the water hole came in sight.

Roy Crossling looked surprised to see the lady vet and Ryden.

Both had belittled him, and he hated them for it. Together so early in the morning could only lead to one conclusion in his mind.

"Well, well," he smirked, "sorry to interrupt you."

Both Joshua and Rachael ignored him. It was the horse they were here to see, and it was laboring hard to breathe.

75.

"I'm going to open his airways with the hose pipe and then inject an anti-inflammatory to slow the swelling and antibiotic to prevent infection. That should help until Colin gets here with the antivenin."

Rachael quickly set about her tasks.

"That's a lot of 'antis.' Are you qualified?" he sneered.

"Yes, Crossling, I am, but I am not yet licensed to practice here. If you have a problem with that, please say so now and your horse can die."

Roy stayed silent as she worked, keeping as much distance as practical between himself and Joshua. Rachael was soothing the horse as best as she could when Colin finally arrived. She was relieved. The sooner the antivenin was injected, the better the chance that the horse would survive. Colin set to work, then loaded the animal into the horse box.

"Another good effort, Rach, thanks. Thanks to you, too, Josh. I'll take the horse back with me." He looked from Rachael to Joshua and gave her an amused, knowing look "You don't need to come. All the work's been done. It's just a case of keeping him under observation."

"Okay, let me know how he's doing later."

"When are you thinking of starting work?" Colin queried.

"Well, I was hoping to take another week off to do some local exploring and put the final finishing touches to the cabin. Of course, if you need any help in that time, just call."

"That's a great idea, and thanks for the help again."

Crossling said nothing to Rachael and went with Colin without a backward glance. She noted that he avoided Joshua's hostile glare and gave him a wide berth. Standing next to Joshua, she could feel the dominant aura that radiated from him. It reminded her of an alpha male dog, or more like a wolf. They rarely had to fight because their sheer size and a.s.sured presence was enough. In a pack, they were never the jumpy, yappy animals, but the calmer, more aloof ones.

Until now, she hadn't met a human male who was so obviously an 76 alpha, and it really turned her on. It was most disconcerting. She felt like a b.i.t.c.h in heat.

Rachael moved away from Joshua to try to clear her mind. She collected her gear together and stowed her white coat in the backpack.

"You know Crossling is not going to keep his mouth shut." She sighed. "He's a slimy individual."

"Do you care?" He was watching her intently.

"No, not really. After all, there have always been rumours about the Lone Ranger and Tonto." She tried to smile. "Seriously, though, I do care about my reputation, professional and personal. I'm definitely not a prude, but I don't do casual, Josh, despite what happened." She couldn't withhold a blush.

"I know."

"I made an incorrect a.s.sumption last night, and I'm sorry, but it just shows that we don't know each other very well."

'Yet," he said firmly. "But I like what I've seen so far." He moved closer, leaned down, slowly picked her up, and held her close in a soft embrace before placing her on his horse. "Come on, I'll take you back to the cabin." He swung up behind her and shifted close. With his legs firmly planted either side of hers, they cantered back toward her cabin.

Rachael's heart was racing. Being this close to the man made breathing difficult. That he sat tight up against and behind her amplified the reaction. She felt both protected and vulnerable, which sent a shiver down her spine. From this position, he was in control, and she relished it. He was so big, virile, and masculine, but not intimidating-not to her, anyway-although she knew he had that affect on others. He made her feel feminine and as s.e.xy as h.e.l.l.

Joshua Ryden was by far the most interesting individual she had ever met. He was clearly a capable man, used to being the boss, and that appealed to her on some primal level. She decided to take the bull by the horns and ask the question that intrigued her most.

77.

"Joshua, why don't you want the same lifestyle as your parents?

They were happy, weren't they?"

"Very."

"So?"

He spoke slowly but fluidly, which suggested that he had given a lot of thought to the issue. "For a number of reasons. First, although I have friends, there isn't another man I'm that close to. The only person I'd consider is James. I'll be honest with you, we have experimented casually."

Kinky and erotic images formed in Rachael's mind, and she couldn't help squirming between his thighs, unavoidably grinding back against his groin.

As he continued, he sounded strained. "Although James is his own man, I don't think that it would be healthy for him to always be in the role of younger brother. A menage relationship with me would only reinforce that role. Second, James and I have different," he paused to find the right words, "desires. s.e.xual needs." When he spoke, his voice was low and his lips were close to her ear. "I'm a dominant man, Rachael, especially in bed."

In response, she felt a shiver course down her spine and a flush of moisture between her legs, and she shifted in the saddle. He could not be unaware of her reaction, and she felt her face redden. His thighs pressed more firmly against her-yes, he knew.

"James likes to share. I don't. I want you all to myself. I want you to be mine, n.o.body else's."

She squirmed again. He was so intense. "And what about you? I'd demand the same."

He snorted. "I don't take demands, darlin'. I make them." He paused as she stiffened. "But, from you, I'd expected no less."

When they arrived at the cabin, he dismounted first, then helped her. He slid her slowly down his hard body and stopped her when her eyes were level with his and her feet were still dangling off the ground. His face was so close that their noses almost touched.

78.