Stone Cold Surrender (43 page)

strongly
in
the
institution
but
also
believed
that
marriage

wasn’t
for
him.
He
had
no
plans
ever
to
settle
down.
He
had
told
her
that
he
liked
his
life
just
the
way
it
was.
He
enjoyed
the
freedom
of
coming
and
going
whenever
he
pleased

and
not
being
responsible
for
anyone
but
himself.
He
didn’t
want
any
worries,
no
bothers
and
definitely
no
wife.

She
sighed
deeply
as
she
slipped
out
of
bed.
She
glanced
around
for
the
clothes
she
had
discarded
the
night
before
and
decided
that,
instead
of
putting
them
back
on,
she

would
slip
into
Stone’s
shirt.
It
hit
her
midthigh
and
she
liked
the
way
it
looked
on
her
because
it
symbolized
that
she

was
his
and
he
was
hers.

She
shook
her
head,
wondering
where
that
thought
had

come
from
and
decided
not
to
think
that
way
again.
Stone
wasn’t
looking
for
a
serious
relationship
and
neither
was

she.
Opening
the
door
she
knew
she
had
to
pull
herself

together
before
seeing
him.
The
last
thing
she
needed
was
to
put
more
into
her
relationship
with
him
than
was
really

there.

Madison
searched
the
house
and
found
no
sign
of
Stone.
She
stepped
outside
onto
the
porch.
Then
she
saw
him.
He
was
in
the
distance,
shirtless
and
riding
without
a
saddle.
Instead,
a
blanket
covered
the
animal’s
back.

She
leaned
against
the
column
post
and
watched
him.
He
had
told
her
that
he
knew
how
to
handle
a
horse
and
she’d
seen
firsthand
how
well
he
did
so
on
their
trek
up
the

mountains.
He
had
explained
that
his
uncle
had
made
sure
his
eleven
nephews
and
one
niece
learned
how
to
ride
and
had
taken
the
time
to
teach
each
one
of
them
how
to
handle
a
horse
when
they
came
to
visit.
She
had
to
admit
that

those
lessons
had
paid
off.
It
was
evident
that
Stone
was
a
skilled
horseman.
He
even
shared
with
her
that
he
owned
a
horse
that
was
stabled
at
Highpoint
Manor,
a
place
where
he
could
go
and
enjoy
the
Georgia
Mountains
on

horseback.
From
Atlanta
it
would
take
him
less
than
two

hours
to
reach
the
Blue
Ridge
Mountains
where
he
would

get
on
the
back
of
his
horse
for
an
excursion
into
the

wilderness.

Something
made
him
look
her
way
and
her
breath
caught
when
he
saw
her.
He
trotted
the
horse
over
to
her,
coming
to
a
stop
by
the
porch.
“Good
morning,
Madison.”

“Good
morning,
Stone.”

Some
part
of
her
felt
she
should
be
embarrassed
after
how
she’d
acted
last
night
and
everything
they
had
done

together.
But
she
felt
no
shame.
In
fact
she
wasn’t
even

feeling
self-conscious
that
she
was
standing
before
him

wearing
his
shirt
without
a
stitch
of
clothing
underneath.
It

seemed
that
all
her
proper
Boston
upbringing
had
gone

back
up
North
without
her,
leaving
her
doing
and
thinking
all

sorts
of
naughty
things.

She
tipped
her
head
back
to
look
at
him.
He
was
sitting
on
the
horse
looking
sexier
than
any
man
had
a
right
to
look.
Their
gazes
locked,
held
and
she
felt
a
quickening
in
her
stomach.
She
also
felt
a
stirring
heat
between
her
legs
and
as
he
continued
to
gaze
down
at
her,
she
saw
the
color
of
his
eyes
darken
as
desire
flooded
their
depths.

“Come
ride
with
me,”
he
said
throatily.
His
voice
was
so
husky
it
sent
a
sensuous
chill
down
her
spine.

Without
asking
where
they
were
going
or
bothering
to
bring
to
his
attention
the
fact
that
she
wasn’t
appropriately

dressed
to
go
riding,
she
accepted
the
hand
he
reached

out
to
her.
He
leaned
over
and,
with
one
smooth
sweep,

gathered
her
into
his
arms.
However,
instead
of
placing
her
on
the
horse
behind
him,
he
placed
her
in
front
of
him

turning
her
to
face
him.
When
she
lifted
a
brow
in
surprise,
he
said,
“You’re
beautiful
and
I
can’t
help
but
want
to
look
at
you
this
morning.”

Madison
smiled,
touched
by
his
comment.
“But
how
will
you
see
to
lead
the
horse
with
me
blocking
your
view?”

A
grin
touched
the
corners
of
his
mouth.
“You
won’t
be

blocking
it.
Besides,
I
get
the
feeling
this
horse
has
been
up
here
several
times
and
knows
his
way
around.
I
pretty
much
let
him
lead
the
way.”