Reede didn’t whisk the image away, as he usually did. This time he let it stay, evolve. The fantasy was welcomed and indulged. He watched her blue eyes blink with surprise at her own eroticism, watched her tongue nervously flick over her lower lip.
He felt her against him, her heart beating in time with his, her hair tangled in his fingers.
He tasted her mouth again, felt her tongue shyly flirting with his.
He didn’t realize that he made a low moan or that his penis twitched reflexively. A drop of moisture pearled the tip. Yearning pressed down on him suffocatingly.
“Reede!”
The door to the room was flung open and the madam rushed back in, no longer looking cool and elegant.
“Reede,” she repeated breathlessly.
“What the hell?” He swung his feet to the floor again and stood up in one economical motion. He didn’t think to be embarrassed by his evident arousal. Something was desperately wrong.
As long as he’d known her, he’d never seen her rattled, but now, her eyes were wide with alarm. He was stepping into his briefs before she even started speaking.
“They just called.”
“Who?”
“Your office. There’s an emergency.”
“Where?” Already standing in jeans and an unbuttoned shirt, he crammed his feet into his boots.
“The ranch.”
He froze and swiveled his head toward her. “The Minton ranch?” She nodded. “What kind of emergency?”
“The deputy didn’t say. Swear to God he didn’t,” she added hurriedly when she could see that Reede was about to question that.
“Personal or professional emergency?”
“I don’t know, Reede. I got the impression that it’s a combination of both. He just said you’re wanted out there pronto. Is there anything I can do?”
“Call back and tell them I’m on my way.” Grabbing his coat and hat, he pushed her aside and ran into the hallway. “Thanks.”
“Let me know what happened,” she called down to him, leaning over the banister, watching his hasty descent.
“When I can.” Seconds later he slammed the door behind him, leaped over the porch rail, and hit the ground running.
Alex was in a deep slumber, which was why she didn’t associate the knocking on her door with reality. Subconsciously, she thought the racket was an extension of her dream. A voice finally roused her.
“Get up and open the door.”
Groggily, she sat up and reached for the switch to the bedside lamp, which always seemed to elude her. When the lamp came on, she blinked against the sudden light.
“Alex, dammit! Get up!”
The door was vibrating with each fall of his fist. “Reede?” she croaked.
“If you’re not up in ten seconds…”
She checked the digital clock on the nightstand. It was almost two in the morning. The sheriff was either drunk or crazy. Either way, she wasn’t about to open her door to him in his present frame of mind. “What do you want?”
Alex couldn’t account for the change in the sound of the thumping until the wood began to splinter, then shatter. Reede kicked the door open and let himself in.
“Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?” she shouted, gathering the covers against her as she sat bolt upright.