Not My 1st Rodeo Read Online Free PDF Page A

believed in it.” They skirted around a group of teens who crowded the walkway on their way towards town.
    â€œSure, in the grand scheme of things. Sometimes the practicality of it is quite different.” She shrugged. “Maybe a few dates will at least, I don’t know, get me out there again. Give me some confidence.”
    â€œGreat. So I’m your guinea pig?”
    His tone was teasing and she laughed. It felt really good. “How about…training wheels? I try to stay away from animal testing.”
    He laughed in return. “Training wheels. I don’t know how to feel about that.”
    â€œOh, don’t worry. Hell, I haven’t even…” She broke off, halting mid-sentence as her face flamed. Wow, had she gotten so comfortable that she’d been about to admit to her sexual dry spell too? That she hadn’t had sex in nearly two years? Twenty-seven. She’d been twenty-seven when the truth had hit. They’d been married for eighteen months. God, she’d been divorced longer than she’d been married. Twenty-nine was feeling much, much older than the number suggested.
    She could feel Brett’s eyes on her and she struggled to breathe. “Well, that’s embarrassing,” she murmured, and she heard his soft laugh.
    â€œIf it makes you feel better, I haven’t either. Not since Sherry left.”
    Sherry. That was her name. Then she absorbed what he was saying. They’d both been celibate since their splits. If anything did happen between them, they would be each other’s firsts. She was kind of glad about that. Like she was at less of a disadvantage.
    â€œOh,” she replied dumbly. The problem was, talking about the absence of sex in their lives had her picturing all sorts of things that she probably shouldn’t be picturing on a first date.
    They were getting farther away from the main part of town now, the path meandering along the river bank to where a bridge crossed over, marking the end of the business district. The path passed beneath the bridge, and it was cool and shaded in the shadows. And private, she realized. They hadn’t met anyone on the trail since the teenagers, and the kids were long gone.
    Her heart pounded a little harder simply from the knowledge that they were alone. Had he brought her here on purpose? She felt about sixteen years old, sneaking away with a boyfriend to find some secluded corner to make out. And God help her, she loved it. It was exciting. It made her feel vibrant and alive again. And maybe just a little bit adventurous since Brett was virtually a stranger.
    â€œMelissa.”
    She didn’t bother correcting him. Her name sounded different on his lips this time, like a caress, and his voice was dark and soft as it echoed off the concrete.
    â€œYes?” She turned to face him, and her heart leapt even more at the serious expression on his face.
    He reached out and took her handbag from her shoulder and placed it on the ground by her feet. “Maybe we should just get this out of the way.”
    â€œM…my bag?”
    He shook his head, stepped closer so that their bodies were nearly brushing and she could hardly breathe.
    â€œKissing,” he said, the timbre of his voice deeply intimate.
    She didn’t want to stammer. Wanted to be flirty and confident and seductive, but that had never been her style. “Oh. Well, I suppose it would be a good litmus test, you know, to see if we’re compatible and all and…”
    She was babbling. And she stopped abruptly when he put a finger gently against her lips.
    In the next moment, he was kissing her. Or almost kissing her. It was hard to tell, because she could barely feel his lips on hers. But they were there, fluttering, teasing, inviting rather than possessing. Their breath mingled and her eyes fluttered closed as she simply enjoyed the anticipation of what might come next. One thing for certain—Brett Harrison knew