Tempered Hearts

Tamera trembled as his fingers brushed over the exposed skin of her shoulders and across the top edge of the blanket. Her flesh burned where his touch lingered. She heard his sharp intake of breath, trembled with an answering shiver and kept her gaze lowered for fear of the need glowing in his eyes, afraid of the hunger that reached into her soul in ways she didn't understand. Gently, very gently and slowly, his finger traveled from the top of the blanket to lift her chin. When it became obvious he was waiting for her to look at him, she raised her wary gaze to his.

"Why are you here?" he whispered, his voice so thick, breathing so sharp and painful, he could barely get the words past his raw throat…….

….Though confident about her knowledge and skill with the horses, Tamera found herself painfully shy and naive when it came to him. Especially the way he watched her, his gray eyes glistening with undisguised hunger. So she concentrated on the filly in her arms until the flush of excitement turned into heated embarrassment and she found herself aching in ways she never knew existed. And thus began her duties at the Rockin' H ranch.