Her fingers threaded into his hair, pulling hard enough it must have hurt, but Adam just groaned and pressed closer. They fit together perfectly, creating sensations she had never felt before. It wasn’t the first time she’d been kissed. But it had been when she was younger, young enough not to realize that the boys she was with had no interest in her other than a brief dalliance. When they’d been young enough that most of the boys she knew hadn’t yet finished growing, but she had. She’d towered over most of them since she was twelve years old, and few ever caught up to her. And were too immature to ignore that fact or make the experience pleasant for her.
But Adam. His entire intent seemed to be to bring her as much pleasure as possible. For the first time she actually felt…small. Dominated. It felt good to let go and allow someone else to take the reins for once. Someone who would have her sobbing for more if she let him continue for much longer.
She shouldn’t. She should stop this. She should…
He pressed his thigh against her core, and she ripped her lips away from his, gasping at the bolt of pure molten heat that shot through her.
She should shut up and just enjoy it.
He grabbed her chin again, bringing her lips back to his, and she moaned, gripping his shirt so she could drag him more fully against her. His hand skimmed down her arm and—
A bucket of cold water sluiced over both of them, and Nora gasped, wiping at her eyes. Adam whirled around, his hand going to his holsters.
“You reach for those guns, and it’ll be the last thing you do!”
Nora peered over Adam’s shoulder. “Pa?”
…
Adam whipped his head around to look at Nora before immediately turning back to face the man who was holding a gun on them. Well, more specifically, on him.
Now that he was a little less occupied, he did recognize the man he’d helped Nora load into the wagon what felt like a lifetime ago.
He gave the man a cautious nod. “Mr. Schumacher.”
“Don’t you Mr. Schumacher me when you’re in my barn, taking liberties with my daughter,” he shouted. He wasn’t weaving on his feet, but his words were slightly slurred. Not the best state to be in when handling a loaded weapon.
“Put the gun away, Pa,” Nora said, pushing her way out from behind Adam.
Adam frowned. He didn’t want her in the line of fire if her father lost control, but short of physically shoving her back behind him, he didn’t think he would get her out of the way.
“I’m not putting nothing away until this no-good sidewinder gets offa my property.”
“I said he could be here, Pa. It’s my property and—”
“Not yet, it’s not. And yer still my daughter and will do as you’re told. Now get in the house. You should be ashamed of yourself, out rutting in the barn like a cat in heat. I’ve never been so ashamed in my life. I have half a mind to—”
Adam opened his mouth to lay into the man, but Nora beat him to it. “You’re ashamed ofme? Did you really just say that? Do you know the first time you met Adam you were dead-cold drunk, and he had to haul you into the back of the wagon just so I could get you home? And you have the nerve to say you’re ashamed ofme? I’m a grown woman, I can make my own decisions, and you have no right to say one word about it when I’m the only reason we still have a roof over our heads.”
Her voice cracked, and Adam reached for her, but she pushed away from him, arms folded tightly across her chest. She glared at her father as if she were trying to find the right words, but she just shook her head and muttered something about getting changed before she stomped out of the barn.
Adam made to follow her, but her father swung the gun around again. Unfortunately for him, he wasn’t nearly sober enough to be threatening anyone. Let alone someone with Adam’s expertise. All it took was one quick step forward and Adam was able to wrest the gun from the man’s hands.
Mr. Schumacher grabbed his shoulder when Adam tried to move past him. “Don’t think just because my daughter let you take liberties that I’ll stand by and—”
Adam gripped the older man’s wrist until he let go. He didn’t want to hurt the man. He wasn’t in his right mind, and he was Nora’s father. Regardless of how she might be feeling about him at the moment, she wouldn’t want harm to come to him.
However…
“The only reason I’m not soundly beating you for the words you just said to your daughter is out of respect for her. But if I ever hear you say such vile things about her again, I will make you eat the words, whether she would approve or not. And then I’ll make sure you never step foot near her again.”
“Don’t you threaten me, boy. My daughter wouldn’t know the right end of a snake if it bit her. She needs me around to—”
“She doesn’t need anyone,” Adam said, “least of all you. That woman is more than capable of fighting her own battles and is definitely more than capable of taking care of herself. And anyone else who comes along.”
Like himself, for instance, though he didn’t bother pointing that out.
Her father looked like he was about to argue again, so Adam stepped closer. “Nora is by far the most intelligent, capable woman I have ever met. From what I’ve seen, she’s kept this place from falling down around your ears while running two businesses, keeping food on your table, and making sure you are dragged home every night. Without her, you’d probably be lying in a ditch somewhere. So when you speak of her, you will do so with the respect she has earned. You owe her that much.”
