Page 17 of The Forever Cowboy (Noble Ranch #1)

She grew motionless too. A part of her knew she needed to open her mouth and pull back.

But this contact with his fingers was somehow exciting, the touch of him reminding her of the few times they’d kissed and how his lips had felt against hers—so soft and tender and also heated and filled with desire.

As if hearing her thoughts, or perhaps remembering their kisses too, his gaze slid back up to hers.

This time the brown was a rich molasses, thick and dark.

He held her gaze as though he couldn’t make himself let go, as though he wanted the moment to last, as though maybe, just maybe, he did still feel something for her.

Her heart fluttered with something of her own.

In the next instant, though, he swallowed hard, his Adam’s apple prominent in his throat. He dropped his hand from her mouth, glanced away, and took a step back, palming the back of his neck and looking everywhere but at her.

She closed her mouth over the candy and tried to focus on the deliciousness, but her mind was still processing the taste of Sterling and the pleasure of the contact with him.

Clearing his throat, Sterling reached for the spoon in the pan and filled it with more of the molasses liquid. “We have to make the candy before the snow melts.” He dribbled another spoonful onto Violet’s plate.

Hyacinth’s gaze was bouncing between Violet and Sterling, one brow quirked. When Sterling finished making another piece of candy, he handed the spoon to Hyacinth, and she began making her own formations in the snow.

As the piece in Violet’s mouth dissolved, she reached for the second piece of candy Sterling had created.

“Did you like it?” Sterling asked. Was there a hopeful note to his voice?

Her heart gave another soft flutter. She knew she shouldn’t let herself feel anything for Sterling. She didn’t want to hurt him again. And she didn’t want to put herself into a position where she might be hurt too.

Even so, she couldn’t keep from smiling up at him. “I loved it.”

His lips turned up into a grin—one that made the corners of his eyes crinkle with genuine pleasure.

Oh, she’d missed his grins. And yes, maybe it was finally time to admit how much she’d missed him and to acknowledge to herself that was why she’d come back to Colorado—because a big part of her heart belonged to him and maybe always would.

“Thank you for this, Sterling.” She waved a hand at the snow candy and at the pinecones. “I haven’t had this much fun in a long time.”

Hyacinth snorted.

Violet tossed her sister a censuring sideways look. “It is fun.” Hyacinth had never enjoyed decorating as much as Violet and their mother. She’d always done so grudgingly and only if it involved sewing, which was something she loved doing.

Hyacinth paused with a piece of candy halfway to her mouth and pinned a narrowed look on Sterling. “This whole experience is not fun. Not when I have to worry about Sterling’s motivation for being nice all of a sudden.”

“Hyacinth.” Violet couldn’t keep from scolding her sister. “We’re just trying to put the past behind us, and maybe it’s time for you to do the same.”

“I don’t trust you, Sterling.” Hyacinth didn’t take her gaze from him. “You hurt Violet once. How can I be assured you aren’t going to hurt her again?”

“Stop, Hyacinth.” Embarrassment surged through Violet, and she pushed up from the table, heedless of her ankle. “Sterling has always been a nice man to everyone. And that’s all this is. Nothing more.”

Sterling didn’t say anything. Instead, his eyes were locked with Hyacinth’s in a hard, silent battle of wills.

“Just tell me you’ll do better this time,” Hyacinth said evenly.

Violet released an exasperated sigh. What was Hyacinth talking about? “There is no this time .”

“We’ll see about that.” Hyacinth quirked one brow, then popped the piece of molasses candy into her mouth, all the while holding the stare with Sterling.

Sterling was finally the one to turn away, his back straight, his shoulders rigid.

Violet frowned and mouthed the word stop to her sister.

Hyacinth shrugged nonchalantly and took another bite of the candy.

Blowing out a long breath, Sterling reached for the sled he’d been fashioning, lowered himself to one of the chairs, and began working on it.

No doubt he was thinking that the sooner he finished, the sooner he would be able to return home.

Because no matter how nice he might be, their time together didn’t mean anything, and Violet couldn’t start to believe that it did.

From where she lay in the bunk, Violet couldn’t keep from watching Sterling as he locked the cabin door for the night. She and Hyacinth left the lantern on the table lit for him so that he didn’t have to walk inside to complete darkness.

He’d gone out for a little bit, telling them he wanted to check around the cabin and make sure everything looked all right. But Violet knew that he’d also stepped outside to allow her and Hyacinth to get ready for bed.

He was always so considerate.

Even now as he slipped off his boots, he did so quietly, likely not wanting to disturb them.

He hung his coat on the peg next to the door, then turned and scanned the room, his gaze landing on the lower bunk bed where she was lying next to Hyacinth.

Her sister had fallen asleep easily, clearly able to put all their concerns out of her mind—something Violet wasn’t as good at doing.

What was he thinking now after the past couple of days? He wasn’t exactly warm toward her, but the anger and disdain and even the coldness had dissipated. He hadn’t needed to make the snow candy earlier, but for some reason, he had.

“How is your ankle?” he whispered.

She wiggled her toes and felt only a small twinge of pain. The swelling had gone down, and the pain had diminished, likely because of his vigilance in keeping her ankle iced and elevated as well as preventing her from walking around. “It’s getting better, thanks to you and your doctoring.”

“Good.”

She tugged her blanket up.

He frowned. “Are you cold?” Before she could answer, he crossed to the stove and began to add more wood to the flames.

When he straightened, he stared at the fire for a few seconds before shifting to look at her again. “Hopefully that keeps you warm for a while.”

“You’re such a kind man, Sterling.” She was growing warmer, but not from the stove’s heat.

It was from his scrutiny, the way he seemed to linger over her.

And yes, it was also because she was letting herself get her fill of him.

In the dim lighting, his features were even more chiseled, his jaw strong, his cheekbones prominent, and his scruff dark. He was all brawn, lean and muscular.

She hadn’t met many cowboys before Sterling, and she’d been fascinated by him from the moment he’d introduced himself to her.

Tonight, at this moment, as her gaze slid down him, she couldn’t keep from noticing just how incredibly appealing his body was—a body that had been honed and shaped by the land and weather and the animals he raised.

The warmth inside seeped deeper, creating a strange craving to be close to him, to lie next to him and press against that hard chest.

What in heaven’s name was she thinking?

She quickly shifted her gaze to her blanket. Why was she having such wanton thoughts? She’d never had brazen desires for him previously. So why now?

Was it because of their close living quarters? Because she was in bed and sleeping so near to him? Or because he was more rugged and handsome and attractive than she’d remembered?

For several moments, she could hear him shuffling around the cabin. She kept her gaze off him, half afraid to look at him again in case she stirred up more cravings for him.

Besides, she didn’t want him to see it. That would be mortifying.

Finally, he put out the light, then made his way in the darkness to the bunk bed across from her and situated himself there.

When all was silent again, she allowed herself to take a peek at him.

She’d expected to have to strain to see him in the darkness, but the glow from the fire provided enough light that she could see he was lying on his side, facing her, his eyes closed.

With the frustration and determination gone from his face, he was even better looking—so much so that her heart pattered an extra-hard beat.

She situated herself more comfortably on her side. Maybe she would watch him all night. Would that be odd? Too much?

She let her gaze linger on the arm that he’d tucked under his head to act as a pillow. His shirt was taut against his bicep, his hair thick and mussed, and his shoulders relaxed.

He cracked open an eye and raised one brow at her as though questioning her scrutiny.

Oh bother. How had he known she was staring? She prayed that, through the darkness, he couldn’t see how mortified she was that he’d caught her ogling him.

“I’m sorry for sending you away.” His whisper was unexpected, as was his apology, and the sincerity in his eyes was almost more than she knew what to do with. “I shouldn’t have told you to leave the house by dawn.”

“It’s all right. I understand why—”

“No, I was wrong and rude and insensitive.”

“Sterling…” A powerful affection swelled inside her—an affection that was unlike anything she’d felt before. Once again, she wanted to be close to him and let him wrap her in his arms all night long. Instead, she closed her eyes to hide that longing from him and herself.

“Good night, Violet.” His voice was a caress.

“Good night,” she whispered, fighting the urge to open her eyes. If she did, she wasn’t sure what she might do with all the strange yearnings that were pulsing through her with growing intensity. The best thing was for her to go to sleep and force herself to forget that Sterling was there.

In fact, the best thing was to forget that she was attracted to him at all.