Steal My Heart - J.H. Croix Page 0,3

Opening her eyes again, she looked over at me. “How did you end up in Wyoming?”

“Just passing through on my way home. You know I’ve been working with hotshot crews out in Colorado, right?”

Ash nodded. “Yeah, you stayed out West after college in Colorado. Have you been there the whole time?”

“Nah. I was there for a bit and also did a stint in Montana. Most recently, I was in Idaho. First responder work for those crews tends to be seasonal, so I followed the jobs. When Jackson let me know a position opened up in Stolen Hearts, I decided it was time to go home. How did you end up out here?” I asked, putting the focus back on her. I didn’t really like thinking about why I’d stayed away from home for so long.

“You know, all this started because I was doing that vet work for the horses for that rodeo program. Remind me what an idiot I am next time you see me even thinking about dating.”

I wasn’t touching that comment with a ten-foot pole, so I took a long swallow of my coffee. As if conjured by my need for a distraction, so I didn’t have to look too rude for ignoring Ash’s comment, our waitress magically appeared with her ever-ready coffeepot to fill my almost empty cup again.

“Anything else?” she asked, her tone almost too chipper, considering it was going on midnight.

“Nah. Can you bring the bill when you get a chance?” I asked.

“Of course, hon.”

“Do you already have a hotel for tonight?” I asked after the waitress departed.

Ash shook her head. “Nope. You?”

At my nod, Ash’s lips twisted sideways, but she didn’t say anything else.

Roughly a half hour later, Ash stood at the foot of the bed with her hands on her hips. “I’ll take the floor,” she announced.

Oh, for fuck’s sake. I tossed my bag on a chair by the window before reaching up to pull the heavy drapes closed. Turning, I shook my head. “Nobody’s taking the floor. It’s a king-sized bed. We can keep practically three feet between us.”

I was teetering on the edge of exhaustion. I’d driven for eight hours before I even ended up in this Wyoming town whose name I’d already forgotten. I was in no mood to sleep on the floor and wasn’t going to put up with Ash trying to argue the point.

She met my gaze as I turned around and rolled her eyes before snorting a soft laugh. “True.”

After a minor argument over who was going to shower first, I won that one and insisted Ash went first by pointing out that I had manners and Jackson would give me hell if I didn’t use them.

After I’d finished showering, because I needed one to wash off a day of travel, I discovered Ash curled up in bed on the far side of the mattress, and she was already sound asleep. I’d gotten under the covers, acutely aware of her presence, but thinking it would be no big thing.

A few hours later, I came awake and rolled my head to the side to see the clock read 4:00 a.m. I’d fallen asleep quickly despite the unexpected turn of my evening and the surprising and unsettling reaction my body was having to Ash. Until now. I’d woken in the darkness to find myself curled up behind her with her sweet bottom nestled against my achingly hard arousal.

This was awkward and inconvenient, to say the least. I had no idea who migrated toward the other first, but we were smack in the center of the bed. The scent of her curled around me. She smelled like fresh soap with a hint of her sweet musky scent underneath. I had an arm wrapped around her with my palm splayed on her belly. Under her T-shirt.

I silently thanked God she wasn’t in just her T-shirt and underwear. Of course, the thin cotton of her leggings wasn’t much of an added barrier because my cock was nestled right between the cheeks of her bottom.

I debated if it would be more likely to wake her if I moved, or if I should just pray my arousal away. It didn’t help matters that she felt so fucking good, all warm and soft. She moved slightly in her sleep, shifting her bottom against me and nearly making me groan out loud.

I had a serious problem, and I needed to solve it. Fast. I decided moving was my only option. If I woke her, perhaps she