against her principles. “I will suggest they go to their local animal shelter to find a forever furry friend.” She couldn’t resist adding, “Hopefully, they’ll make a huge donation while they’re there.”
“You’ve thought a lot through since just yesterday.”
She rolled her shoulders in a shrug. “I’m also trusting you to roll out that charisma to smooth over any rough patches if need be.”
“Somehow I don’t think you’re complimenting me.”
Were his feelings really hurt? He seemed so confident most—all—of the time. She unbuckled and walked across the aisle to sit beside him and oops, she hadn’t given much thought to the fact that his arms were extended along the couch, which in effect put his arm around her.
She held herself upright to keep from leaning into his hold. “Why don’t you just keep Gem? Didn’t some client give him to you?”
“He’s not really mine. He may have been given to me, but he always preferred my grandmother.” He picked up a lock of her hair. “Truth is, Gem was a gift from a guy who had the hots for my grandmother and was trying to wrangle an in with the family, since she loves dogs.”
“Run that by me again?” How had she not known that?
“After my grandfather died of a heart attack, a lot of guys made moves on Gran,” he said darkly. “She was a rich widow. Pretty. Guys were lining up. Some were genuine,” he conceded. “Some were fortune hunters.”
“Yet she never remarried.”
“She says no one matches up to my grandfather.”
Johanna’s parents had felt the same way about each other. She wanted a love like that for herself and she wasn’t willing to settle. “That’s sweet and sad at the same time, loving that much and losing it.”
He shifted in his seat. “Back to the story of how we got Gem as a puppy...”
“Not so at ease with the emotional stuff, are you?” How many other times had he dodged speaking about deeper feelings when she’d just assumed he was jaded or insensitive?
“Puppy. Gem.” His firm voice made it clear he wasn’t taking her bait. He would stay in control of the conversation, going only as far as he decided to go.
“This guy thought he was being original giving me a dog to get to my grandmother. Little did he know, he wasn’t the first dude to try that. The first guy brought a puppy—Gem number one—when I was around nine. The guy who’d given him to me to get to my grandmother... Boy, did that ever backfire on him. The puppy hated kids, had zero interest in playing ball or sleeping at the foot of my bed. He just wanted to go on lazy walks, which sounded boring to me at that age.”
An image unfolded in her head of Stone as a little boy. And what little boy wouldn’t be thrilled over a puppy? How sad he must have been to have the first Gem ignore him, reject him. He wouldn’t have understood.
She leaned toward his hand ever so slightly as he toyed with her hair. “That’s why all the family members should meet a pet first before deciding on the best fit for their family. Otherwise, it’s not fair to the dog or the people.”
“So the guy learned as my grandmother showed him the door.” He wrapped the lock of hair around his finger as the jet engines hummed in the background. “The guy offered to drop the puppy off at the local shelter, which was totally the wrong thing to say to my grandmother. She dumped the guy flat and kept the puppy for herself.” He smiled fondly at the memory, his gaze shifting to the yellow Labrador asleep in her crate. “So the next time a guy brought a puppy trying to win Gran over, we named him Gem II. Both Gems were her favorite walking companions.”
Affection for his grandmother wrapped around his every word. Saying goodbye to Gem would start that letting go, the beginning of a grieving process Johanna wished she could take from him or make easier. Even thinking about all the pain he would face watching his grandmother’s health fail squeezed at Johanna’s heart.
Before she could stop the impulse, she wrapped her arms around Stone.
Kissing Johanna had rocked his world, always had. But since they’d begun this trip, he’d been the one to make the first move each time they’d touched. Having Johanna reach for him sent Stone rocketing into another orbit altogether.
He didn’t need any further encouragement.
Sliding his arms around her, he breathed in her flowery scent and savored the silky tease of her braided hair gripped in his fist. The plane engines hummed an echo of the desire buzzing through his veins.
And to think, he’d almost messed this up.
His first instinct when she’d offered consolation had been to shrug off her sympathy. Then his better sense had kicked in. He had Johanna in his arms. Touching him. Sighing.
He skimmed a hand down her pulled-back hair, releasing more of that floral scent. Her slim body molded to him, the softness of her breasts against his chest so familiar. So damn perfect. He nuzzled her ear, right beside the filigreed dream catcher dangling from her lobe. Her arms tightened around him, her hand cupping his neck. Just the feel of being skin to skin sent his heart slugging against his ribs.
Her fingers stroked through his hair, and he couldn’t hold back any longer. He kissed her, fully and thoroughly, with his mouth, his hands, his body. From the first time he’d touched her and tasted her, desire had pulsed through him. Stronger than any attraction he’d ever experienced. He’d known then. Johanna was special.
For years he’d seen her as only that kid wandering around the stable yard. Everything had changed the day she’d come riding in after getting caught in a rainstorm. Her clothes had been plastered to her body. He’d gathered a couple of towels to give her. Two pats in and he’d known. He’d wanted her.
Still did.
That had been two years ago, a couple of years after she’d finished vet tech school and taken a job at the Hidden Gem Ranch. A year later they’d been engaged. Five months later, she’d returned his ring.
His mind shied away from that part and back to the passion, the connection, the need. He stroked along her spine until he reached the waistband of her jeans. Her layered tank tops had ridden up to expose a patch of skin. He palmed her waist, drawing her closer. She wriggled nearer, her fingers gripping his hair, her mouth moving along his, meeting him kiss for kiss, touch for touch.
She might have only meant to console him, but she was clearly every bit as moved as he was by the moment. She wanted him every bit as much as he wanted her. There wasn’t a question in his mind.
He reclined her onto the sofa, stretching out over her. Her long legs twined with his. A husky moan vibrated in her throat. Her head fell back and she arched into the press of his mouth as he kissed down her neck.
Tucking a hand between them, he slid the button free on her jeans, then flicked her belly button ring. His thumb recognized the jewelry from touch, a tiny silver boot with spurs and a diamond stud at the top. Possessiveness stirred deep in his gut. He’d given it to her early in their relationship, when she’d still wanted to
