without.”
“Aw c’mon.” Beck crowded close to Charlotte, peering into the oven at the apple pie she was extremely proud of. He had a thumb hitched in his pocket, the same gesture Hank had. “You’ll give me a slice, won’t you, Charlotte?”
“Where’d you get her?”
She turned from the stove. Naturally, she drifted closer to the man she was more familiar with.
Hank almost closed the gap between them, his shoulder so close to hers that she felt his body heat. “Charlotte had car trouble. I’m working on rebuilding a transmission. In the meantime, she’s helping Momma.”
“Where’re you sleeping?” Kade waggled his brows, and Hank’s knuckles caught his brother’s jaw lightly, whipping his head around with very little force. If he wanted to lay someone out, he had the muscle.
“You leave off. Nothing’s going on here.”
Wasn’t there? Could she discount toe-curling attraction that made her ache when she lay in bed at night?
Yes, Hank was right. She was only fulfilling her side of the agreement, then she’d go on with her life. The thought of driving away from the ranch made her stomach clench. She didn’t like roaming, and she felt so comfortable here—and needed.
“I did hear my boys’ voices.” Ted stood in the doorway, hand braced on the jamb. “Get out of your Sunday best, boys. Got work to do.”
With a few grunts of annoyance, the guys filed out after their pa. All but Hank. He turned to her, eyes soft. The finger under her chin was softer. He tilted her face up. “You okay? They like to tease, but I won’t let them go too far.”
“I’m fine.”
He stared at her lips. “That’s good.”
She waited, but he didn’t raise his gaze or remove his finger. Her belly was melted chocolate, running all over and turning her to mush. The bald desire in his gaze made her heart trip faster.
“Actually,” his Adam’s apple worked up and down, “you’re more than fine.” He swooped in slowly, giving her time to duck. As his hard lips slanted across hers, she closed her eyes.
Drowning in sensation and desire, she cooed. He answered with a groan, hands bracketing her face. He brushed his lips over hers harder. Again. Faster this time. With increasing pressure, he stole her mind.
She didn’t realize she’d wound her arms around his neck until she felt the brim of his hat against her arm. He pivoted her to rest against the counter and parted her lips with his tongue.
She gasped, giving him total access. In a blink he took advance, driving his tongue inside, curling and tasting. White-hot need pooled between her thighs, wetting her silky panties.
He ravaged her, pulling her onto tiptoe and against his every hard inch. Through his jeans, those hard inches were quite apparent. Her nipples ached, and her pussy pulsated in rhythm to each pass of his tongue.
He planted a hand low on her back, molding her to fit his body. Her body screamed to get closer. He felt so good, tasted better. She loved the way he looked at her, and he knew how to treat a lady.
He inched his hand down, snaking it around her hip.
She froze.
Feeling the change in her, he straightened. Yet he didn’t let her go. Lights burned in his eyes, but something else flickered there—uncertainty.
“I...I’d best clean up this mess.” She darted under his arm and put distance between them. But damned if she could erase his touch. Her lips had been branded by his kisses and she felt as if honey flowed through her veins.
That touch on her hip, so strong and sure—it was too much. He didn’t know why and she couldn’t say the words. She had to keep this from happening again.
He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and forced her to look at him. “Charlotte, don’t pretend that didn’t happen.”
“It shouldn’t have.”
“It felt too good to be a ‘shouldn’t have.’”
She loved the way he said that, but she was out of Paradise Valley Ranch as soon as Maggie was on her feet and Hank had her car
“Aw c’mon.” Beck crowded close to Charlotte, peering into the oven at the apple pie she was extremely proud of. He had a thumb hitched in his pocket, the same gesture Hank had. “You’ll give me a slice, won’t you, Charlotte?”
“Where’d you get her?”
She turned from the stove. Naturally, she drifted closer to the man she was more familiar with.
Hank almost closed the gap between them, his shoulder so close to hers that she felt his body heat. “Charlotte had car trouble. I’m working on rebuilding a transmission. In the meantime, she’s helping Momma.”
“Where’re you sleeping?” Kade waggled his brows, and Hank’s knuckles caught his brother’s jaw lightly, whipping his head around with very little force. If he wanted to lay someone out, he had the muscle.
“You leave off. Nothing’s going on here.”
Wasn’t there? Could she discount toe-curling attraction that made her ache when she lay in bed at night?
Yes, Hank was right. She was only fulfilling her side of the agreement, then she’d go on with her life. The thought of driving away from the ranch made her stomach clench. She didn’t like roaming, and she felt so comfortable here—and needed.
“I did hear my boys’ voices.” Ted stood in the doorway, hand braced on the jamb. “Get out of your Sunday best, boys. Got work to do.”
With a few grunts of annoyance, the guys filed out after their pa. All but Hank. He turned to her, eyes soft. The finger under her chin was softer. He tilted her face up. “You okay? They like to tease, but I won’t let them go too far.”
“I’m fine.”
He stared at her lips. “That’s good.”
She waited, but he didn’t raise his gaze or remove his finger. Her belly was melted chocolate, running all over and turning her to mush. The bald desire in his gaze made her heart trip faster.
“Actually,” his Adam’s apple worked up and down, “you’re more than fine.” He swooped in slowly, giving her time to duck. As his hard lips slanted across hers, she closed her eyes.
Drowning in sensation and desire, she cooed. He answered with a groan, hands bracketing her face. He brushed his lips over hers harder. Again. Faster this time. With increasing pressure, he stole her mind.
She didn’t realize she’d wound her arms around his neck until she felt the brim of his hat against her arm. He pivoted her to rest against the counter and parted her lips with his tongue.
She gasped, giving him total access. In a blink he took advance, driving his tongue inside, curling and tasting. White-hot need pooled between her thighs, wetting her silky panties.
He ravaged her, pulling her onto tiptoe and against his every hard inch. Through his jeans, those hard inches were quite apparent. Her nipples ached, and her pussy pulsated in rhythm to each pass of his tongue.
He planted a hand low on her back, molding her to fit his body. Her body screamed to get closer. He felt so good, tasted better. She loved the way he looked at her, and he knew how to treat a lady.
He inched his hand down, snaking it around her hip.
She froze.
Feeling the change in her, he straightened. Yet he didn’t let her go. Lights burned in his eyes, but something else flickered there—uncertainty.
“I...I’d best clean up this mess.” She darted under his arm and put distance between them. But damned if she could erase his touch. Her lips had been branded by his kisses and she felt as if honey flowed through her veins.
That touch on her hip, so strong and sure—it was too much. He didn’t know why and she couldn’t say the words. She had to keep this from happening again.
He wrapped his fingers around her wrist and forced her to look at him. “Charlotte, don’t pretend that didn’t happen.”
“It shouldn’t have.”
“It felt too good to be a ‘shouldn’t have.’”
She loved the way he said that, but she was out of Paradise Valley Ranch as soon as Maggie was on her feet and Hank had her car
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