Daring Her Love by Melissa Foster Read Online Free

IT WAS HIS eyes. Definitely his eyes. They were the type of eyes that said things Kat Martin had spent a lifetime spotting—and the last year avoiding—at Old Town Tavern, the bar where she worked in Richmond, Virginia. She could spot a player a mile away, from the expensive suit to the open-necked dress shirt, showing just enough skin and a smattering of chest hair to make a girl’s insides quiver. And boy did this man show it well. Her insides were doing some kind of crazy sex-me-up dance. Even from across the crowded airport bar, the intensity of the insanely sexy man’s seductive gaze beckoned her, goading her into doing naughty things she had no business doing at this point in her life.

Kat had spent enough years sowing her wild oats. Ever since her best friend, Brianna, had been swept off her feet by professional race car driver Hugh Braden, Kat had longed for more. Watching her friend fall blissfully in love with a man who treated Bree and her daughter, Layla, like they were the very heart and soul of his being, Kat had become pickier about men and the treatment she’d accept. And she had to admit, she was a little lonelier because of it. Finding a tough alpha male who was also loving, monogamous, and romantic was like searching for a tick in the woods.

Oh boy. Mr. Fuck Me Eyes was on the move, and holy hell, this man didn’t move; he prowled. Slow, determined steps, clearly meant to amp up Kat’s pulse—Damn, you do it so well—were intensified by eyes radiating power, sex, and sinful promises. Promises that a year ago Kat would have been aching to explore, but now she was looking for Mr. Right, not Mr. Goodbar.

Sweet Jesus, he had that tousled, just-been-fucked hair thing going on, too, and the perfect amount of scruff covering a not-quite-chiseled chin, which, unfairly, only made him hotter. And his mouth. Well, fuck me sideways. Kat had a thing for mouths and all the pleasures they could give. This guy had two sweet bows over a full lower lip, the kind she’d love to sink her teeth into. She hadn’t had these types of thoughts about a guy in so long that she had to wonder what she’d done to deserve this temptation. She’d already missed her flight because of a storm. Did she really need to spend her evening fending off Adonis himself? He probably had an anaconda in his pants, too. Wouldn’t that just top it all off?

He placed a hand on the back of her chair, and the temperature in the room spiked. Lowering himself to the seat beside her and smelling like heaven on legs, he looked at her like he’d already staked his claim. Kat knew guys like him were about notches on belts and conquering prey, and she was done being prey. She was looking for a bird who would stay in the nest, not a cuckoo flying over it.

She chanced a glance at him, instantly regretting it. His features were well defined and disarmingly youthful, like he’d grown into a man but the rebellious teenager in him refused to completely grow up. A trait Kat knew and loved so much, it caused her mouth to go dry.

He motioned to the bartender. “Bourbon sour, please.”

The drink of bad boys. “Of course.” Shit. She didn’t mean to say it out loud, and from the way his lips quirked up, he obviously knew exactly why she did. She tried to ignore the musky scent permeating her senses, tipped her head back, and gulped down her martini. That’d calm her nerves.

The bartender placed his drink before him.

“Thank you. Can you please get this beautiful lady another of whatever she’s having, too? It seems I’ve driven her to drink by ordering a bourbon sour.” His eyes narrowed just a hair and filled with wickedness that revealed his true cocky colors, and hell if it didn’t turn her on even more.

This was not the way to find Mr. Right.

She didn’t even try to pretend he’d misread her comment. This guy was too sharp for her to play innocent. “Thank you. A lemon-drop martini, please.”

“My pleasure.” He leaned in closer, his knee brushing hers. “I’m Eric.”

His amber eyes were even more alluring up close, a daunting haze of yellow and brown looking at her as if he was thinking about all the things he’d like to do to her and gauging her reaction closely. She shifted in her chair.

“Kat,” she managed.

Eric paid for their drinks and lifted his glass. “To bourbon sours and lemon-drop martinis.” His voice was rich and confident, with an undercurrent of strength and desire. “And whatever else will be.”

Holy. Crap. She could imagine a lot of whatever else, and that was a problem. She should get up and walk out right now. Save herself an hour of innuendos that would only leave her wondering why she wasted her time. This wasn’t a stay-in-the-coop type of guy. Hell no. This was a sneak-into-the-coop, take-his-fill, and get-the-hell-out sly fox. She knocked back her drink, relishing the sweetness as it slid down her throat.

He leaned in even closer. “I don’t bite,” he said.

If Kat had learned one thing working at the tavern, it was that there was only one way to handle a guy like this, and that was to beat him at his own game.

“That’s a shame,” she said with a smirk that had slayed many men. She hadn’t played this way in a long time, and reveled in the excitement tickling up her spine.

Eric slid his leg between hers, brushing her inner thigh and causing her dress to inch up, which he followed with his very large, very hot hand. Deliciously lewd thoughts simmered inside her, coalescing with heat prickling her in all the best places.

He leaned in so close she could see sparks of lust in his eyes. “Darlin’, I’ll bite, nip, suck, lick, and anything else your gorgeous body desires. I’ll turn you on in ways you never knew possible.” He hovered there, his cheek a fraction of an inch from hers, his warm breath caressing her ear, and his searing heat seeping into her skin.

Kat. Couldn’t. Breathe.

She loved men, and she loved hot sex, but she’d never find Mr. Right if she was playing around with Mr. Wrong. This was supposed to be her big starting-over weekend. She’d officially quit her job and was heading to Colorado so Brianna, a photographer, could take pictures for her website and portfolio. But Lord did he smell good, and the way those promises slid from his tongue made her believe…

Maybe one last goodbye to the old me…

His fingertips slid beneath the edge of her dress, causing her breathing to hitch in her throat and her hand to cover his, stopping it from moving any farther north. If her brain was short-circuiting over his voice and his hand on her leg, what would happen if that luscious mouth of his touched her skin? She needed to break this spell, but it had been a long time since she’d been this turned on—and the idea of turning off the lust coiling deep in her belly was not nearly as enticing as the man before her.

If I do this, I’ll regret it seven seconds after we’re done.

He leaned back just enough for his face to come back into focus, and her resolve slipped away like silk off skin.

“Or,” he said, his gaze penetrating and controlling, “I can be gentle, tender, and make it last all night.”

Yes, please.

Kat needed to get ahold of herself. “Awfully confident for a guy who’s only said a handful of words to me.”

A coy, smoky smile curved his lips, bringing as much heat as his hand tightening around her thigh. “I’m a man who knows what I want, and I know how to pleasure a woman. And you”—he lifted his hand from her leg, leaving a wanting ache low in her belly, as he traced the edge of her jaw with his finger—“look like someone I once knew, which makes me a little bawdy.”

She didn’t know what to make of that comment, but his gaze was too distracting for her to think. His brows knitted together, and even the amber rims of his eyes seemed to darken. God he was beautiful, in an unforgettable kind of way. Kat swallowed past the lust threatening to drown her, and forced words from her lungs.

“Excuse me for a moment. I need”—room to breathe—“to visit the ladies’ room.”

“Of course.” His hand sank to her thigh again, then dragged down to her knee as he sat back casually, as if he hadn’t just set her world on fire.

Kat stood on legs way too wobbly, and as she shimmied her dress down her thighs, he rose beside her. The perfect gentleman. Oh, he is good. Why had she thought it was a smart idea to wear the slinky dress Brianna had sent her? She should have worn jeans or sweats. Something that wouldn’t have gotten her into this position. And why was he standing so close, sending incendiary thoughts about what he’d feel like lying above her, with those muscular thighs pressing down on her?

“Don’t get lost now,” he said as she took a step away.

She felt his eyes on her as she walked down a long, dimly lit hallway to the ladies’ room and fumbled for her cell phone. She called Brianna, silently hoping Brianna would tell her to run.

“Hey, did you get on a flight?” Brianna asked.

“I’m about to get on something if you don’t stop me,” she said, nearly breathless.

“What? Kat, are you okay?”

“No. Yes. Fuck. Bree, I don’t know.” She paced the bathroom floor, her heels echoing off the tile.

“Okay, slow down. What’s going on? It’s okay if you can’t get a flight. Hugh has a friend coming out from Virginia at some point. I’m not sure when because of the storm, but he can probably come save you from whatever’s going on.”

“Save me? Yeah, that’d be great if he can get here in the next thirty seconds, because I’m flirting with danger, and danger has never looked so good.”

Brianna laughed. “Wait. Are we talking about a guy? You’re at an airport—remember, Kat?”

“No shit. The old Kat is rearing her ugly head. I need reinforcements. It’s been a year, Bree. A year since I’ve felt this turned on, but I know I shouldn’t even consider this—”

“I’m not sure which this you’re talking about, but if you feel that turned on, go for it.”

She pictured Brianna’s thinly manicured brows arching with mischief, and she shook the image away. “Who are you? Please put my best friend on the phone, because she’d never tell me to get it on with a guy in an airport.”

“Kat, when I met Hugh, you pushed me past my comfort zone, remember? You told me to live a little. You’ve been good for so long, and you haven’t met Mr. Right yet. What if it takes another ten years? I’ve learned a lot being your friend, and I say, take your own advice. Go for it. Just this once, then move on.”

She considered that, eyeing herself in the mirror. Could she be the old Kat for a night and be the new Kat tomorrow? She pushed her blond hair off one shoulder and admired the way her dress clung to her narrow hips and waist, accentuating her breasts. She imagined Eric’s hands on her, and her insides shuddered. Shuddered! It had been way too long. “He is delicious, Bree. Like he walked off Hollywood Boulevard and right into the airport. But I don’t know.”

“Does he seem safe?”

“Not by sexual standards. Not by a long shot.” Goose bumps chased up her limbs at the thought of being bad, very, very bad.

“If you don’t do it, will you make me crazy wishing you had?”

“Yeah, probably.” Brianna knew her so well.

“Do him and forget him. You’ll be here by tomorrow and he’ll be wherever he’s going, and you can go right back to finding the right guy. And you won’t drive me crazy.”

Kat sighed. “Bree, you’re the best friend ever. But this change has been good for me. I like who I’ve become over the past year, and I don’t want to go back to being less discerning.”

“Oh please. You’ve always liked who you were, and so has everyone else. Please tell me what you need from me, because my incredibly sexy husband is waiting for me in the bedroom. We finally got Christian to sleep, and now Mama wants to play.” Bree had worked so hard, and given up so much, to raise Layla. Knowing she now had a baby boy, too, and a husband who adored her, delighted Kat—and made her long for the same.

“I wanted you to talk me out of it,” Kat admitted.

“Okay. Don’t do it. He’s wrong for you. He’s a player. He’s…Wait. I don’t even know him.”

“Bree!”

“Okay, okay. Don’t do it. He probably has a disease, or he’s a freak, or he—”

Kat laughed. “Stop. It’s not working. I still want him.”

“You’re impossible.” Bree giggled, and Kat heard the low murmur of Hugh’s voice. Jealousy slithered through her. Talk about luck. Hugh looked like Patrick Dempsey and practically defined romance. Kat used to make fun of the twelve-year abstinence plan Bree had sworn to for the sake of her daughter. After all, how many women in their midtwenties gave up sex and dating? But it had paid off for her threefold. She was so in love with her husband that it had driven Kat to reevaluate her own lifestyle and choices. Being more discerning with men hadn’t brought her Mr. Right yet, but that didn’t mean she was giving up.

Kat ended the call with Bree and took another look in the mirror. Inhaling a deep breath, she was still unsure of what she was going to do. Who knew how long it would be before she caught a flight, and she already had a nice little buzz going. Maybe she should just enjoy the chase and not satisfy the throbbing ache between her legs.

She shoved her phone back in her purse on the way out of the ladies’ room, stopping cold at the sight of the tall, dark, and infinitely sensual man stepping into her personal space and squashing any hesitations she might have had.

THE HALLWAY WAS dark, Kat was hot, and although Eric hadn’t been looking to get laid tonight, that had changed the minute he’d first spotted Kat across the bar. Something in the tilt of her head, the way her honey-blond hair fell in front of her eyes, reminded him of a girl whom he’d tucked away in his memory long ago but hadn’t ever been able to forget. A bright light in his otherwise dark past. He’d been unable to look away, riveted by the haunting familiarity and her striking beauty. And now, as he stepped in closer, settling his hands on her supple curves, he saw that up close she was even more riveting.

There was no denying the heated look in her eyes she was desperately trying to ignore, or the heat pulsing between them as he tightened his grip on her hips and breathed in her feminine scent.

“What…?” She narrowed her gorgeous blue eyes, and it was there, in her eyes, where he felt himself getting lost.

“Not what, darlin’.” He pulled her against him, pressing his hard length against her hips, as he did what he’d been aching to do since he’d sat down beside her. He slid a hand to the nape of her neck. Her skin was just as smooth as he’d imagined. Her reaction, a quick inhalation, the pulse point in her neck vibrating, was exactly what he’d counted on. “Where.”

He gauged her reaction carefully, not wanting to scare her off. Judging by the sensual vibes radiating from her, he knew that would be hard to do. Her lips parted as he lowered his mouth to hers, hovering a breath away.

“Tell me no, and I’ll walk away.” He searched her eyes, and as a sweet sigh of surrender left her lips, he nearly took his cue and slanted his lips over hers. But Eric had too much at stake to go into this blindly. Consent went a long way in keeping his wallet away from money-hungry vultures. Most women didn’t follow the Capital Series Grand Prix races, but those who did would see him with dollar signs in their eyes. “Words, darlin’. Give me the okay, or send me away.”

Her brows pulled together as her hand slid between his legs and cupped his balls. “Clear enough?”

Their mouths crashed together, tongues tangling for control as she stroked him through his pants, and he backed her up against the wall with a thud. Fuck. He didn’t mean to be so rough, but there was no calming the beast within. Holy fuck, it’d been a while since he’d kissed such a luscious, forgiving mouth. He could only imagine what it would feel like around his cock. Acutely aware of their less-than-private surroundings, he kicked open the men’s room door and tugged her inside. They slammed against the door, kissing and pawing, as he hiked up her dress, needing more of her, and shoved his hand inside her lace panties. She was hot and so damn wet he couldn’t stifle a groan as he dipped his fingers into her heat and settled his teeth on her neck.

She palmed his cock, rubbing him through his pants as he stroked over her swollen clit. A stream of sexy sounds sailed from her lips, and he sealed his mouth over hers again. Her hand fell away, and he gripped her wrist and held it above her head.

“Come for me, darlin’. Come on my hand, then my mouth, then my cock.”

Their mouths came together again in a hot mess of a kiss, filled with greed. She strained against the hand that held her wrist as she gave in to her release, crying out into his mouth as her body pulsed around his fingers. He brought her down slowly, running his tongue over the swell of her lower lip, loving the flush of her skin, her breathlessness, the way her body went soft against him as he dropped to his knees and buried his tongue in her velvety heat.

She spread her legs wider and fisted her hands in his hair. “Yes. So good. Harder. Oh, yes…”

She tasted sweet and hot and so damn good. He took her clit between his teeth, flicking it with his tongue and earning another cry of pleasure as a second climax gripped her. He stayed on his knees, gripping her hips, laving her swollen sex, until the last shudder of pleasure rolled through her. Then he was on his feet, taking her in another punishing kiss as he blindly fished a condom from his wallet and sheathed himself. His hands clutched her hips as her eyes came open.

“I don’t usually do this,” she claimed.

He searched her eyes, and somewhere behind the lust he saw the honesty in her words, and that chipped away at the ice around his heart.

“That either makes me a hell of a lucky guy, or a dick for corrupting you.”

Her lips curved into a smile as she slipped out of her panties and tucked them into his jacket pocket. “Let’s go with lucky. If your performance sucks, then we’ll go with the latter.” She dragged her tongue over his lower lip, then sank her teeth into it.

He tasted blood, which sent heat searing straight to his groin. Who was this potently feminine woman with an undercurrent of devilish vixen who played him as well as he played her? He’d never been so turned on in his life. He tucked his hand beneath her knee and hiked it up to his hip.

“What I wouldn’t give for an hour alone with you in a bedroom. Buckle up, darlin’, because you’re in for a wild ride.”

He drove into her in one hard thrust, causing them both to gasp a breath. Then their hands and bodies took over. She grasped his biceps as he pounded into her and claimed her luscious mouth in another mind-numbing kiss. Gripping her ass, he lifted her from her feet. Her legs wound naturally around him, squeezing him so tightly, it brought him to the brink of release.

“Fuuuuck, that’s good,” he said through gritted teeth.

“Been a…” She dug her nails into his arms. “Long time.”

Her head tipped back with a needy moan as her climax claimed her. The sound of her ragged breathing and the sight of her surrendering to him so completely had him giving in to his own intense release.

Her chin fell to her chest with a heavy breath. “Damn, you’re totally not a dick.”

He laughed. “And you’re fucking beautiful.” Holding her tightly with one arm, he slid his other hand to the nape of her neck again, brushing his thumb over the delicate hairs there. “What time is your flight? Let’s have another drink.”

Her eyes turned serious, and she wiggled out of his hands, shimmying her dress down over her hips. “I, um. This was fun, but…” She slipped on her heels, which must have fallen off during their tryst.

“But?” A sense of urgency gripped him. He wanted to know more about her, to spend more time with her. He could count on one hand the number of times he’d wanted to know more about a woman. He didn’t know what the hell had come over him, but his gut was clenching at the thought of her walking out of that door.

She nibbled on her lower lip for a moment, her eyes rolling over him, and then she squared her shoulders and said, “This was fun, but now I intend to forget it.”

HOLY SHIT. HOLY shit. Holy shit. Kat hurried away from the lounge and ducked into the first ladies’ room she saw. One look in the mirror confirmed what her body, still vibrating from head to toe, was telling her—that was fucking incredible. She was still catching her breath as she pulled her comb from her purse to try to tame her well-fucked look. She pressed a palm to the counter, needing the stability while her legs regained their strength. What was she thinking? She’d gone a year without amazing sex, and now? Now it was like she’d had a taste of fine chocolate and she had to walk away from it. Walk away! She’d never been good at leaving sweets behind. Even when she hid a bag of M&M’s from herself she knew she might as well put a spring on her ass, because every time she sat down, she popped back up for more. And now…she wanted more.

She lifted her eyes to the mirror again. Her face was flushed, her lips swollen from the intensity of their wicked kisses, and down below? She didn’t think she’d ever stop humming down there. Lordy, Lordy that man was hung like no other, and damn did he know how to use all those gloriously hard inches.

She snagged paper towels from the dispenser and cleaned herself up while she tried to calm her racing heart. Her body was still trembling ten minutes later, as his words rolled through her mind. Come for me, darlin’. Come on my hand, then my mouth, then my cock.

Check. Check. Double check.

How had she gone so long without feeling the temptation of a real man? Who was she kidding? She’d never felt anything like the power behind Eric…Eric? Ohmygod. She didn’t even know his last name.

That was reckless.

Irresponsible.

I’m a hookup in an airport bathroom.

She couldn’t suppress the smile on her lips. He was so worth it! She dug out her cell phone, in need of a little pep talk from Bree, and realized she’d missed several texts from her. Kat scrolled through them, smiling and finally calming down as she read three identical texts, each repeating their secret pep talk, a line from The Help.

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

You is kind. You is smart. You is important.

The last text read, 1, 2, 3, click your heels and forget. Poof! Your conscience is clear again. Love you!

“No doubt about it, Brianna, you are the very best friend in the world,” Kat said aloud before sending Bree a thank-you text.

She left the bathroom feeling edgy and a little dazed, her body still reeling from their encounter. An hour later she was finally seated on a flight to Colorado. The man beside her smelled like cigarettes and looked like he’d slept in his clothes. She closed her eyes and rested her head back, thinking of Eric. She could still feel his fingers pressing into her ass, the coarse hair at the base of his cock against her sensitive skin, and the way his eyes bored through her. Her cheeks heated as his naughty words came back to her again.

As the plane lifted into the air, she reveled in the weightless feeling, but it was the slow burn in her belly as she revisited the feel of Eric’s tongue taking her to the edge of ecstasy that had her squirming in her seat. God, she must be losing her mind. She could smell his cologne all around her.

A heavy hand landed on her thigh, and her eyes flew open as she pushed it away—and her chest constricted at the devilish grin smiling back at her. Eric.

“Hey there, darlin’.”

“Eric? What are you doing here?” Her heart was beating a mile a minute. Could he tell that she’d been fantasizing about them? That the mere sight of him had her twitching in places that had no business twitching?

“I offered the kind gentleman who was sitting here a little something to exchange seats with me.”

“You paid him off so you could sit here? But—” Ohmygod. How would she forget about him now?

“Don’t you worry yourself over him. I’m sure he’s happy as a clam sitting in first class.”

“First class?” You gave up first class to sit with me?

“Some say it’s the only way to travel.” His eyes rolled over her, lingering on her mouth before dropping to her breasts, making her body go ten types of crazy. “I think they’ve got it all wrong. I’ve got the best seat on the plane.”

Her mind was spinning. “You’re going to Denver?”

“Weston, actually, but Denver’s the closest airport.”

“Weston?” No way! That was where she was going.

“Yes. I’ve got business there. Where are you headed?”

“Weston.” Her stomach dipped, but her engine was revving again with the possibilities of what this could mean.

No. No. No.

She needed to nip these thoughts in the bud. No good could come from a guy who’d banged her in an airport bathroom.

“Vacation, work, or family?” he asked.

She shook her head, unable to clear her thoughts enough to answer. She didn’t want to talk about her plans. She needed him to know exactly where she stood. The sooner he returned to first class and sent the smelly guy back to his rightful seat, the sooner she could forget what she’d done. Although, she had a feeling that forgetting Eric was not going to be easy. If it was even possible.

“Eric, I’m not sure what you’re thinking, but”—she lowered her voice to a whisper—“I’m not looking for another hookup. I shouldn’t have done what we did. I’m really not that person anymore.”

“Anymore?” He arched a brow and lowered his voice. “We can visit that later. For now, I think I got the message pretty clearly when you said you intended to forget what happened between us.” He placed a possessive hand on her thigh and said, “But I don’t intend to let you.”

She was too shocked to respond, and embarrassingly, totally turned on by his aggressive behavior.

“You see, Kat, I like you. I like the fire in your eyes, the strength in your convictions.” He pressed his lips to her ear and said in a gravelly voice that made her insides melt, “I love the taste of you and the way you look when you lose control.”

Heat stroked over her. He lifted one shoulder in a casual shrug, his lips curving up in a sinful smile that made her wish his hand would inch up her thigh again. Holy fuck. Those eyes of his must be hypnotizing her. How on earth would she make it through a long flight sitting beside him? She glanced at his hand, currently possessing her thigh, and placed her hand over his, trying to lift it from her leg.

He laced their fingers together, still smiling, but with a clear challenge in his eyes as he said, “Tell me to leave and I’ll go back to my seat.”

She could barely think past the blood rushing through her ears and the fire heating up her veins at his audacity, which should have turned her off but was totally turning her on. He was controlling, but thoughtfully so, giving her an easy out with every step. Allowing her to be in control of her decisions. Sort of. Was there a woman alive who could resist his charms? She didn’t even know his last name, and she found herself relaxing her hand as he turned his so they were palm to palm, and laced their fingers again.

“What’s your last name?” she asked.

“James. Eric James. You?” His gaze never wavered as he waited for her answer.

“Martin.”

“Kat Martin,” he said under his breath, as if he were memorizing it or weighing the feel of it on his tongue. He raised their joined hands and pressed a kiss to the back of hers. “Tell me, Kat, what turns you on besides dirty talk and a hard cock?”

She bristled.

“I struck a nerve. So dirty talk is only okay in quiet conversations or intimate moments. Duly noted. My deepest apologies.”

Kat was seriously considering getting up and walking away, when he leaned in closer and said, “That tells me what you said is true. You’re not a typical hookup girl.”

“I think I made that clear,” she said sternly.

“Verbally. Yet you’re still here, holding my hand, and that flush on your cheeks isn’t caused by the altitude. I know it’s caused by me, because a girl who was interested in hooking up with any willing and able man wouldn’t have flinched at what I said.” His piercing gaze made her pulse ratchet up another notch—or ten.

“You have a strange way of getting to the heart of matters,” she said, taking her hand back from his, and—confusingly—she missed his touch.

“I think I’m pretty direct. Besides, there’s nothing more beautiful than the spark of confidence in your eyes right now.” He lowered his voice again. “And knowing that while your eyes are holding my gaze, you’re asking yourself, what do I want? Should I walk away? Do I want to hold his hand again? Does he want to hold mine?”

Her mouth went dry at his uncanny ability to rattle and excite her at once.

“You’re intrigued, turned on, and maybe a little scared. But not by me, because I’m hardly someone who’s dangerous in that way, but rather, you’re scared by the feelings I evoke in you. Should you walk away? Only if you want to truly forget what you felt back there. I know I don’t want to forget one second of it. I was more alive when I was touching you, tasting you, fucking you, than I’ve ever been.”

She’d never been spoken to in such vulgar terms, and she might go straight to hell for this, but she loved every single word he said.

When she finally responded, her voice was shaky but audible. “I wondered what other talents your mouth was capable of.”

His head tipped back with a nearly silent laugh, and then he pinned her with a piercing stare. “I’m good at a lot of things, like being honest. I’ve never met a less forgettable woman than you, Kat. I want to know everything about you. What you feel like when you’re dancing close to me, what makes your eyes light up in the mornings, and what you sound like as you fall asleep. What you’re into—in and out of the bedroom. But mostly, right this second, I want to know how your hand feels in mine again.” He turned his hand palm up and held it out to her.

His smile warmed, became less sexual, and somehow, he was already becoming familiar. She gazed at his hand, and as she lowered her palm to his, that felt familiar, too.

AIRPORT HOOKUPS WEREN’T new for Eric, just as hookups anywhere else on the planet weren’t, but the sense of loss he’d felt when Kat had walked out of the bathroom had struck him numb. It didn’t make any sense. She hadn’t done any one thing, said any one thing that was remarkably significant, but she’d made his entire being hum. From his thoughts to his heartbeat to the fire racing through his veins, Kat electrified him. And then there was the sense that he somehow already knew her, and it lingered like a web in a tree, almost invisible, yet undeniably present.

The minute he’d seen her walk on the plane, his heart had tumbled in his chest, and that, too, was new. He wasn’t about to take the chance of never seeing her again, not when she’d already turned his mind, and his body, inside out. As a professional race car driver, Eric James was used to making snap decisions that his life depended on. When he set his sights on something, he didn’t back down. Hell, backing down wasn’t even in his vocabulary. But usually those decisions happened on the racetrack. Never before had he felt possessive of a woman—and certainly not after just meeting her. But the possessive, and some might say, obsessive, traits that made him a world-champion racer were riding the surface of his skin and gnawing at the pit in his gut—the gut that produced instincts he trusted with his life.

He knew he was testing Kat’s boundaries, but in addition to knowing what he wanted, he knew himself too well to play games with either of their emotions. She needed to know the real him, not the guy the rest of the world saw in magazines and on television. He rarely let anyone inside the walls he’d constructed around himself, but he was so drawn to her, he instinctively knew he had to go in no holds barred or not at all.

The churning in his gut calmed when she set her hand in his.

Kat blinked up at him, and the confusion in her eyes pulled all his strings. Even the ones he never knew he had.

“I don’t know why I’m holding your hand. You’re a dirty-talking guy I barely know. You paid someone off so you could sit beside me, and for all I know, you’re a crazy-ass stalker.”

He laughed. “All of that is true. For all you know I am a crazy-ass stalker, and yet…” He held up their hands.

“I’m so not this person,” she whispered harshly.

“I have on good authority that you are Kat Martin.”

“Yes, but not the woman”—she leaned in closer—“who has sex in a bathroom and then does this.” She lifted their hands.

“Then tell me who you are.”

She sighed and rolled her eyes, looking so fucking adorable he had to fight the urge to kiss her again. He had no idea what compelled him to hold her hand, except that he had wanted desperately to be closer to her, to keep their connection, and he was thrilled that she allowed him to.

“I’m a waitress slash bartender slash”—she paused, as if debating whether to continue, and then added, “going to see her best friend, and I’m totally uninterested in talking about myself.” She turned a scrutinizing gaze on him. “Who are you?”

“This is where I run into trouble.” He was always wary of revealing what he did for a living, because no matter what, it always changed the way people treated him. They were either in awe of his celebrity, or immediately wrote him off as a pompous ass.

“Let me guess: You’re married, on a business trip, wife and kids are at home.” She tried to pull her hand away, and he tightened his hold.

“First of all, you couldn’t be further from the truth. I’ve never been married, am not in a committed relationship, and I have no children that I know of.”

“That’s reassuring,” she said with another eye roll.

“Hey, all I can give you is the truth.”

“Okay, then tell me who you are. No games, no lines, just lay it out there.”

The truth came easier than he’d imagined. “Eric James. Capital Series Grand Prix racer.” The airplane rumbled and bumped, knocking them both forward. Eric put an arm out in front of Kat to keep her from jolting forward. Her eyes were wide and fearful. “It’s okay. Just a little turbulence.” He took both her hands in his and reassured her. “Just a few bumps from the storm. You’re okay.”

She nodded, but he could tell she was still frightened.

“You don’t fly much, do you?”

She shook her head.

He gathered her as close as he could while strapped into their seats. “It’s okay. Focus on our conversation. Ask me anything you want to know, Kat. Look at me. Focus on me.”

The fear in her eyes nearly did him in. He wanted to press his lips to hers and kiss away the fright. Instead, he kissed her forehead. “I’ve got you. You’re safe. Talk to me, Kat.”

“Are you really a race car driver?” Her voice was thin, shaky.

“Yes. I really am.”

“As in the Grand Prix racing series that Hugh Braden has won a bunch of times?”

“You follow racing?” He loved driving—the speed, the freedom, the risk—and would be thrilled if she followed the series, but she didn’t look like a racing groupie.

“No, but I follow Hugh. His wife is my best friend.”

“You know Brianna?” The plane jostled again, and she sucked in a sharp breath. He lifted the arm of the chair to bring her in closer, then stroked his hands down her back. “It’s okay. Tell me how you know Brianna.”

“We worked together at the tavern where she met Hugh.”

“Oh, shit. You’re that Kat?” Hugh had told him a little about Brianna’s best friend over the years. He knew how close she and Brianna were and that she was godmother to Brianna’s daughter, Layla. Hugh had said Kat was spunky, and that as a single mother, Brianna had relied heavily on her.

“Is that bad?” She raised her brows, and he couldn’t resist tucking her hair behind her ear so he could see her eyes more clearly.

“No, darlin’. Hugh speaks very highly of you. I had no idea you were that Kat.”

“I love Brianna. She’s the strongest woman I know, and such a good mother.” Her eyes warmed and her voice turned thoughtful. “Hugh is so good to her.”

“Hugh’s a good man, and he loves her and the kids to the ends of the earth. He’s a lucky man.”

“Because she loves him?”

“Because they love each other, and he has a family.” Something I never really had until I met Hugh. He thought about his friend and the way Hugh’s father, Hal Braden, had always treated Eric like a son, and Hugh’s five siblings treated him like family, too. His heart ached at the thought of his biological family. He’d left home at sixteen to escape the nightmare of two heroin-addicted parents, and despite the fact that they’d since gotten clean, they still didn’t have a warm relationship. He pushed past the familiar thickening in his throat and turned his attention back to the incredibly sweet and beautiful woman beside him.

“Tell me about your family, Kat. Are you close?”

“I’m close to my parents and my younger brother, and Bree’s mom is like a second mother to me. We’re really close, too.” She smiled and added, “And Hugh’s father, well, he treats everyone like they’re his children.”

“Hal Braden is an amazing man, that’s for sure. His love has pulled me through more times than I’d like to admit.” He realized what he was about to reveal and changed the subject. “So you and I are both headed to the Braden ranch?”

“You’re staying there?” Her eyes were wide, but it was the excitement in her eyes he couldn’t miss, and damn did he like it.

“Yes, I am.” I’m a lucky bastard.

“Oh, no. We can’t. You and I…”

“Relax. It’s not like I’m going to take you on their kitchen floor.”

“Oh, God,” she said in a whisper. She separated their hands, lowered the arm of the seat between them, and held up her palm, staving him off. “Stay there. Just…stay there.”

He was amused by her sudden nervousness. “Whatever you say.”

“God, Eric. I had no idea you knew them, much less were staying with them. What we did was supposed to be a one-time thing. A last fling; then I’d go back to looking for Mr. Right, and—”

“Whoa. What?” He cocked a brow.

She covered her mouth and closed her eyes for a beat. When she opened them, the worry was replaced with humor. “Looking for Mr. Right.”

“You’re looking for a husband?” A trickle of worry skittered through him.

“No. Yes. I don’t know. Not exactly looking, just…trying not to attract the wrong type of guys.”

He scoffed. He was totally the wrong type of guy, and yet he couldn’t imagine walking away from her.

“What? Is it wrong to want to be adored? To want romance? With flowers and wine and sweet words that make my stomach flutter?” She sighed dreamily. “I used to live like tomorrow may never come, you know, less discriminatory with the guys I dated, staying out until all hours. And do you know where that got me? Not far, that’s for sure. I had tons of great sex, but great sex doesn’t equate to true love, and in my case, it equated to a lot of lonely nights after the great sex.” She shrugged, smiling like she was amused by her life. “Ten years of working the same job, several years of night classes for a business degree that I’ve never used, and wondering why my life wasn’t going where I wanted it to, and then Brianna met Hugh and everything changed.”

She could have been reciting the soundtrack to his life.

“I took stock in my life and what I wanted out of it, and a year ago I told my boss, Mack, whom I adore, that I wanted more, and he totally got it. I mean, where was I going as a bartender and a waitress? I confessed my dreams, poured my heart out to him, because really, he is so much more than a boss. He’s always been like an older brother I could tell anything to. I admitted that I wanted to do something to help others, something exciting, breathing life into the dreams of others. And trust me, I know how stupid that sounds, but Mack connected me with his friend Shea Steele, a public relations rep to the rich and famous, and she’s been mentoring me in PR day in and day out. I’ve probably got more diverse experience than half the PR reps out there. It’s been a wild and crazy ride, but I’ve always tried to face my fears, and this was just one of a few that I hadn’t conquered. My dream of owning my own business.”

“So, this trip?”

“This trip is about breaking free. Starting over. I quit my job, and I’m going for it.” She leaned in close and whispered, “Like our hookup. My last bite of cake before my big diet.”

He smiled, but inside he felt the burn of longing. He didn’t want to be a last bite of cake. He wanted to be the whole celebration.

“So, you’re going into PR for the rich and famous?” he asked.

“No. No offense to you, but I feel like celebrities don’t really need the type of PR help I want to give. I mean, so much exposure comes from just being rich and famous. I want to help the little guys, and I don’t care if that means earning peanuts, or not gaining exposure for my business as quickly as I might if I helped bigger names. I want to focus on nonprofits, companies and people who are doing good in the world in bigger ways. This trip is about getting ready to dive in feetfirst. Brianna is taking pictures for my website and brochures, which is fitting, considering it was Brianna and Hugh who gave me the inspiration to do all of this. I was there the day they met, and looking back? It was nothing short of magical that the two of them would meet so randomly. And even though they met at the tavern, I couldn’t imagine it happening twice, and I worried that it was also putting me in a bad place to meet the kind of person I would like to be with in the future. Someone stable and loving, and interested in the world around them, not just the next good lay.”

She held his gaze for a long time, and he wondered if she was thinking that he belonged in that group of people, too. He wanted to tell her that it was Hugh’s relationship with Bree, and the way it had sated Hugh so completely, that had Eric carousing less with random women and focusing on fleshing out the things that were important to him, like creating a scholarship for his foundation, the Foundation for Whole Families, that helped families affected by drug use. The foundation gave him fulfillment vastly different from what racing or women ever could.

But he held his tongue, because surely these coincidences would seem far-fetched to Kat, and perhaps even contrived. Neither definition entered his mind, but the word fate certainly did.

“Now,” she finally said, “I’m ready for everything. A fulfilling career and hopefully, a loving, stable relationship. Maybe I don’t deserve that, but I want it.”

She made him want that, too.

“I already have contracts with four nonprofit clients Shea sent my way. They were too small for her, but perfect for me. So, to answer your question, I’m not really looking for a husband, but I’m definitely trying not to attract the wrong kind of guys anymore.” She leaned her head back against the seat and laughed. “I’m not very good at that, am I?”

“On the contrary. I think you’re very good at not finding the wrong type of guys.” Eric took her hand in his again. “Maybe it’s your definition of wrong that’s off.”

WESTON, COLORADO, WAS a small ranch town, markedly different from the fast-paced city life Kat was used to. Here, dressing up meant a nice pair of Levi’s and shinin’ your boots, and she loved it. She’d been to Hal Braden’s ranch a number of times, but the breathtaking view of rolling hills and green pastures never failed to fill her with a peaceful feeling, which shockingly overrode the nervous energy of riding in the rental car in close proximity to Eric. Small talk had come surprisingly easy, even if most of it was laced with flirty comments and naughty innuendos. The more time Kat spent with Eric, the more she liked him. But she couldn’t ignore the warning bells going off in her head. The man was a definite player, and she was over that part of her life.

It was well after midnight when they finally pulled down Hal’s dark driveway.

As they stepped from the car, Eric pointed to the horses in the pasture. “Do you ride?”

“No, but it’s on my list of fears to conquer.”

“How’s that going for you? Conquering your fears?”

Kat watched her handsome driver with interest as he rounded the car and grabbed his bags from the trunk. He’d asked her several personal questions on the drive over, like what she did with her time now that Brianna was gone and how her best friend traveling so much affected their relationship. Most guys wouldn’t give a hoot about such things, or even think to ask. She liked that about him. He wasn’t as self-centered as she’d originally pegged him.

“Okay,” she finally answered. “I’ve got a few left to overcome.”

“Like?”

“Gosh, I don’t know. Like flying, maybe, as you saw.”

“You did great on the plane tonight.”

She rolled her eyes. “I can do better. And my other fears are sort of silly. I know you’ll laugh, but I used to be afraid of driving fast.”

He arched a brow.

“Don’t worry. I totally love driving fast now. Of course, fast in Richmond means sixty-five miles per hour. Nothing like the high speeds you and Hugh drive.” She reached for her bag, and he touched her hand.

“I’ve got it.”

“It’s okay. I can take it.” She didn’t want to lead him on, but there was no denying the heat between them, which had only gotten stronger on the drive over.

“Don’t worry, you don’t have to sleep with me for me to carry your bag.” His lips quirked up, and before she could respond, he added, “But you’ll want to, and who am I to try to dissuade you?”

Hell, yeah, she wanted to—but she couldn’t go there. Not at the Braden ranch and not with a man who’d already proved that he could easily turn her world upside down—and would then move on.

“Eric, I’m not sleeping with you again.” No matter how much I want to.

He closed the trunk, and with moonlight shining down on his gorgeous face and his eyes boring into her, he stepped closer and said, “If the airport was all we’ll ever have, then how about one final kiss?”

“A kiss?” She was already salivating at the thought.

“One kiss.” He stepped closer, causing their thighs to brush, and she felt the heat of him from her head to her toes and in all the best places in between. “Then that’s it. A send-off, if you will.”

“A send-off.” This guy was trouble with a capital T. She’d like to get him off, not send him off.

The darkening of his eyes told her that he didn’t miss the breathlessness she felt. He ran his fingers through her hair, settling his warm palm over the nape of her neck and sending a now slightly familiar rush of anticipation through her.

“Tell me no,” he said in a rich voice, “and I’ll back off.”

No, was on the tip of her tongue, but it got lost somewhere between please and kiss me now. She clutched the waist of his pants, unsure of her voice, and hoped he’d take it as confirmation that she wanted the kiss just as much as he did.

“Kat,” he whispered against her lips. “You’re not going to be able to forget me. I won’t let you.”

He sealed his lips over hers, and their bodies bumped, causing the bag he had slung over his shoulder to slide down his arm and crash against their hips. They both smiled for a blink of an eye, and then his mouth was claiming hers again, pulling her in to his taste, his scent, the slick slide of his tongue over hers. She tried to hold on to her thoughts—make it a short kiss, a short farewell—but his hand sank to her ass, pressing her against his formidable erection, and her thoughts spun away. No man had ever tasted so good, tested her resolve so aggressively.

When their lips finally parted, she kept her eyes closed, reveling in the electric currents coursing through her body, the stinging of her lips, the ache of desire in her loins. His fingers brushed through her hair, and she heard him exhale a soulful breath as his forehead touched hers. She opened her eyes and found him looking at her in a way he hadn’t before. His gaze was tender, a little confused, and intense with something more than desire. She wanted to take a picture and disappear into that look for hours.

“Who are you, Kat Martin?” he whispered. “You feel so familiar, like I’ve known you forever.”

The porch light turned on, and neither of them moved. She wasn’t sure they even breathed. The sound of the front door opening broke through her foggy brain. She forced herself to swallow the thick taste of desire and take a step back. But their eyes held, and she had a strange feeling that she’d left a piece of herself with him.

ERIC COULDN’T SHAKE the feeling that he’d met Kat before. He searched her eyes, looking for some sense of recognition beyond the obvious, but he sensed he was alone in his recognition. The relief was bittersweet. She stirred memories of his troubled youth, memories that he usually kept buried so deep that no one could unearth them. Only these memories were laced with something pleasurable. Fleeting feelings of happiness that broke through his treacherous upbringing.

Kat touched her lips, as if she could hold in the heat of their kiss, but it was the lingering look of desire in her eyes that told him there was no way in hell she was going to forget their kiss. He knew he couldn’t. How could he when she was so sweet, so sexy, and sparked such good feelings inside him?

He slung her bag over his shoulder and stepped in close as Hugh and Brianna descended the porch steps. Kat was nibbling on her lower lip again, watching their friends approach, and he could read the worry filling her eyes. He touched her hand, prepared to reassure her that he wasn’t going to say anything to Hugh and Brianna, when her eyes narrowed.

“That never happened,” she said harshly before pasting a smile on her lips and hurrying into Brianna’s open arms.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Brianna hugged her. “And I’m so glad you met Eric. How did you guys hook up?”

Kat’s smile fell flat, a beat that Hugh obviously didn’t miss as he shot a quizzical look at Eric.

“We met in the rental car line,” he explained quickly, “and decided to save a few bucks.” Kat’s relieved sigh was a nod of approval.

“I’m so glad. Come on. The kids and Hal are asleep, of course, but I’ll get you settled in your room.” Brianna and Kat headed for the house.

Both men were well over six feet, and they stood eye to eye. The coy look in Hugh’s dark eyes wasn’t lost on Eric as he embraced his friend.

“Good to see you, Hugh.”

“It’s been a while. How was your trip?” Hugh closed the trunk of the car, and they headed down the gravel path toward the front door.

“Great. No issues other than the delays.”

They’d known each other since their early racing days, when they’d shared everything from secrets to women. But love had changed Hugh, and even now, a few years and a baby later, Eric could see the fulfilled look in his friend’s eyes.

“Want to talk about the vibe you two are giving off?” Hugh asked.

Hugh had been too good of a friend to Eric for him to lie to him, but he also had the unexpected urge to protect Kat’s privacy.

“She’s a gorgeous woman. I’m a good-looking guy. We’re gonna have some kind of vibe.” Easy enough and not a lie.

“There is truth in that statement, my friend.” They climbed the porch steps, and Hugh touched Eric’s arm before opening the door. “Eric, how are you really? Anything new on the parental front?”

Nothing like starting with the hardest subject. “I’m well, and no. Nothing new. They live their simple, and thankfully sober, lives, and I live mine. I’m glad to be here, though, Hugh. Nothing beats a weekend at Hal’s.” Eric had gotten a job at the racetrack when he was fifteen, and a mechanic had taken him under his wing. At sixteen, he’d moved out. Eric had thought about reaching out to his parents many times those first few years, but it had been too painful seeing the people who were supposed to care for him being unwilling to care for themselves. And later, when they’d finally cleaned up their lives, they were still disinterested in him. To this day, their interaction was minimal.

Hugh searched his friend’s eyes, and Eric wondered what he saw there. The longing for a childhood he’d never have, unresolved anger toward his parents, or the longing for a woman who had somehow infiltrated the walls he’d built around himself and who’d overtaken his thoughts in the space of a few hours.

“Well, bro,” Hugh said. “You’re here now. Let’s get you settled in.”

Settling in wasn’t something Eric had ever been good at, but between the Bradens’ welcoming arms and the knowledge that Kat was inside, he wanted to try.

AFTER A SLEEPLESS night of beating herself up for what she’d done with Eric, Kat decided to forgive herself. After all, she was only human, and Eric James was some kind of sexual god. Any woman would have given in to his sweet seduction.

Now if she could only stop thinking about him.

That wasn’t likely to happen anytime soon. She’d spent the entire night reliving their last kiss, playing over the sound of his voice when he’d said he felt like he’d known her forever. She couldn’t deny feeling a thread of familiarity when they’d kissed in the driveway, but she’d assumed it was because they’d been kissing in the airport and those kisses were still fresh on her mind. As was the rest of what they’d done.

It was almost six o’clock Saturday morning, and Kat was sitting on the back patio, listening to the sounds of the ranch coming to life. She’d always been an early riser, and with the time difference between Virginia and Colorado, her body thought it was eight o’clock. The sun peeked over the mountains, sending ribbons of pink across the sky, and not for the first time, she wondered what it would be like to live someplace like this, away from the noises and smells of the city and surrounded by family. Hal’s sons Treat and Rex owned the neighboring properties to the ranch. She knew Treat and his family were away at one of the many resorts he owned. She’d seen Rex, a burly cowboy with linebacker shoulders and long, ink-black hair topped with an ever-present Stetson, down by the barn when she’d come outside. Rex ran his father’s ranch, and it seemed to Kat that he worked from dawn to dusk.

“You look a million miles away,” Eric said as he came through the patio doors, looking devastatingly handsome in a pair of jeans and a white T-shirt that stretched tight over his muscular chest and biceps. His voice still carried the grogginess of sleep, and his hair was standing on end, as if he’d just rolled out of bed. She wondered if that was his daily look, sexily rumpled.

He sat in the chair beside her, and she noticed his feet were bare, and for whatever reason, it upped his sexy factor even more. She loved a man who was confident and comfortable in his own skin, and Eric was the epitome of both. She smiled, taking in the warmth in his eyes and the absence of the intensity she’d seen last night.

“Just thinking about what it would be like to live here,” she answered.

He handed her his coffee mug. “Sip?”

“Sure. Thanks.” She closed her eyes, savoring the warm liquid. “You take cream and sugar, too. That’s convenient.”

“I’m sure we have a lot in common,” he said as she set the mug in his hand. He raised his index finger and placed it over hers, holding her hand gently in place.

Her pulse quickened. Guys hit on her all the time at the bar and she never paid them any mind. But something about Eric made her entire body take notice, and most curiously, her heart warmed when he was near.

He smiled and released her finger. Even without his touch, their threaded connection remained, and she tried again to remind herself that he was a one-night stand, not a potential boyfriend.

“I have a place in upstate New York like this, in the Silver Mountains. I don’t have horses like Hal does, but I’ve got about a hundred acres of wooded mountain property with a stream that runs through it. It’s nice. Quiet.”

“Sounds beautiful. Do you spend a lot of time there?”

He sipped his coffee and shook his head. “Between my race schedule and my charity efforts, I don’t get as much time there as I’d like.”

She wondered how much of his time was spent chasing women, too, and it bothered her that she cared.

“I figured you’d be tired after our late night. I expected to be alone for the sunrise.” He took another sip of his coffee and gazed out over the mountain.

“You came out specifically to watch the sunrise?”

He nodded. “I always do when I’m here. There’s nothing more beautiful than a Colorado sunrise.” He brushed her hair from her shoulder. “Except, it appears I was wrong. You’re far more beautiful than the sunrise.”

She laughed. “There you go again, showing me all your mouthy talents.”

“You haven’t even begun to see how talented my mouth can be.” He rubbed his scruffy chin. “But that wasn’t a line, even though it sounded like one. I’m sorry if I came across too strong, or managed to turn you off in some way, but I’m not going to deny how attracted to you I am.”

She felt her cheeks heat up and shifted her eyes away. He turned her chin, so she had no choice but to look at him.

“Are you embarrassed by my honesty or turned off by it?” His gaze was serious, his words sincere, and she felt her heart warming again.

“Do you always say what you’re thinking?”

“Yes. My filter is set rather low.” He smiled and handed her his mug again, which she gladly took. She needed caffeine for this conversation. “Do you always avoid answering questions that make you uncomfortable?”

“Do you like to make me uncomfortable?” She couldn’t stop herself from playing along. He was different from any man she’d ever met, and as much as his directness repeatedly caught her off guard, she was completely drawn to it, to him.

“That’s a loaded question.” He turned in his chair, bringing his leg between hers. His hand came to rest on her knee, but his heated gaze never wavered. “I might be purposely trying to push your buttons, but it’s only because I find you incredibly attractive and interesting.” He leaned in close, sucking all the air from her lungs. “Were you able to forget our kiss?”

Her lips tingled with the reminder.

“Tell me something, Kat. Do you remember every man’s kisses like you remember mine?”

Hell no.

“Do you still feel my lips on yours? The press of our mouths, the slicking of my tongue over yours? Do you still taste me the way I still taste you?” His thumb stroked slow circles on her knee, making it hard for her to think. “Last night when you were in bed, did you close your eyes and remember the feel of me filling you up the way I remembered the tight hold your body had on me?”

He paused, and she didn’t know if it was for effect or because he saw that she was no longer breathing. Either way, she was thankful, because her body was so tightly wound that he nearly had her coming apart with nothing more than words—and that damn thumb of his, which was sending pinpricks of desire racing up her thigh.

He lifted his hand from her leg, leaving a wave of cold air behind, and he cupped her cheek, brushing that talented thumb over her lower lip. She could barely breathe as he leaned in even closer.

Kiss me.

“All night I thought about what it would be like to wake up with you in my arms. To kiss you good morning and feel your body soft and warm against mine. I want to kiss you, Kat. One kiss.”

She didn’t think before the whisper left her lips. “Kiss me.”

He pressed his lips to hers lightly, warm and sweet. Her insides quivered at the tenderness of this unobtrusive kiss, the delicious feel of his mouth touching hers. When he pulled away without deepening the kiss, she had a burning desire for more, and that’s when her brain began kicking into gear again. She shook her head, trying to ward off the dreamy intimacy he’d suffused her with. What was she doing?

“Last night was supposed to be our last kiss,” she reminded him.

He smiled. “Did you want it to be?”

She pushed to her feet, feeling agitated and annoyed at the way her body thrummed from his touch. She was frustratingly turned on. No, she didn’t want that to be their last kiss, but she didn’t want a weekend fling, either. He was watching her as she paced the patio, and that annoyed her even more, because she knew he sensed her frustration and was just letting her pace it off. That should piss her off, but it was another goddamn turn-on, the way he was so in tune with everything about her. She’d never met a man who looked that closely into her feelings or her actions.

“You’re messing with my head,” she finally admitted.

He set the coffee mug on the ground beside his chair and stood, taking her gently into his arms. “Then tell me not to, Kat. Tell me to leave you alone once and for all.” His words were rough, challenging, belying the way he embraced her. His grip on her hips tightened. She loved his strength and had thought all night about how hard he’d thrust into her, reliving the intensity of their sex for hours upon hours.

He rocked his hips against hers, and her breath left her lungs in a rush.

“You’re all about hookups,” she said, pushing at his chest, and wanting to keep him close at the same time. “It’s too easy to get swept up in you,” she finally managed.

“How do you know I’m about hookups?” His gaze was unyielding.

“You picked me up in the airport bar,” she reminded him.

“One could say you picked me up.” He smiled, but it didn’t dampen the heat in his eyes.

She fisted her hands in his shirt, unsure if she was holding him close or keeping him at bay. “You followed me to the bathroom.”

“You wanted me to.”

“I did not. You kissed me!”

“That’s not how I remember it. I remember asking you to send me away, the same way I just did, and you grabbed my cock.”

Oh shit. He was right.

“The truth is, I have always enjoyed fast women. You read me right, darlin’. No doubt about that.”

Aha! See!

“But that’s not why I approached you in the bar. You looked familiar, not fast. Yes, you were sexy and gorgeous with a killer body and eyes that make my cock take notice, but you felt familiar. You felt different, right, in a way other women don’t. And when I tasted you…”

Her knees weakened as his lips brushed against hers.

“There was no going back. There is no going back. You feel it too, Kat. I know you do.”

“I…” Do not say it. Do not tell him you want him. “I don’t want to be a hookup.”

His eyes narrowed, and his voice filled with desire. “What do you want to be?”

How the hell should I know? A girlfriend? A date? A lover? She was a woman who conquered her fears and took life by the horns, but she couldn’t come up with an answer to save her life. All she knew was that she wanted to be something to him, which was probably a very bad idea.

“When you’re ready to tell me what you want, let me know.” He released her, leaving her weak and confused as he picked up the coffee cup and headed for the door. He reached for the handle, and she swallowed to keep her heart from climbing out of her throat.

“I want what you can never be,” she finally managed.

He stopped with his hand midreach. His chin dropped, as if in defeat. He turned slowly, and the determination in his eyes was unmistakable. She swallowed hard at her misinterpretation of his actions as he closed the distance between them.

“How can you possibly know what I can and cannot be?” His tone was so dark and serious that it momentarily numbed her.

“You said you were all about fast women.”

“No. I said I have always enjoyed fast women.”

“What is it with you and words?” She crossed her arms, a barrier between his heat and her heart.

“Words are clear. If you use them well, they leave no room for misinterpretation.” His gaze softened. “I have always enjoyed fast women. Past tense. That’s a true fact. But for whatever reason, I find myself completely and utterly captivated by you. I want to know everything about you, what fears you want to conquer, what emotions you’re hiding. I want to explore and enjoy you, Kat. Present tense.” He paused, and the silence pulsed and swelled between them. “So tell me, Kat. What is it that you want?”

The door to the patio slid open and Layla ran out, barreling into Kat. “Auntie Kat!”

Kat tore her eyes from Eric’s, relieved at the interruption. If they’d been alone for one more second, God only knew what answer she would have given him. The man was so intense, and everything he said was so impassioned, she was surprised the sparks between them didn’t ignite.

“Hey, sweetie!” She hugged Layla, eyeing Eric over her head and still floundering for an answer. “Look how tall you’ve grown, and your hair has gotten so long. You are gorgeous, just like your mom, but you look twelve, not ten.”

Layla giggled. “I’ve missed you so much. Mom’s giving Christian a bath and Daddy is making breakfast.” She was the spitting image of her mother, with cocoa-colored eyes, shiny dark hair, and a sparkling smile. She turned to Eric and wrapped her arms around his waist. “Uncle Eric, I’ve missed you, too.”

As Eric scooped Layla into his arms and kissed her cheek, the tension Kat had felt only moments ago disappeared. “I’ve missed you, too, kiddo.”

“Daddy said to tell you to stop bothering Auntie Kat and to go inside and help him cook breakfast.”

He set Layla down on the patio, but his focus never left the little girl. “Then I’d better go help. Your father is a mess in the kitchen.”

“No, he’s not,” Layla said with a laugh. “He loves to cook.”

Eric crouched beside her and whispered something in her ear that made Layla giggle. She looked up at Kat and nodded. Kat wondered what the heck he was whispering, but she wasn’t about to ask. Eric reached behind Layla’s ear, and when he opened his hand, there was a gold charm bracelet in his palm.

Layla gasped as he hooked the bracelet around her slender wrist and rose to his feet, then bowed dramatically. “I bid you farewell, my beautiful ladies.”

After he walked inside, Layla held her wrist up for Kat to admire the pretty bracelet with the heart charm dangling from it.

“That’s beautiful, Layla. Does Uncle Eric bring you gifts often?”

“Uh-huh. Sometimes he sends them in the mail with a card. He sends them to Christian, too.” She blinked up at Kat with mischief dancing in her eyes, and Kat felt her heart squeeze at Eric being so thoughtful. “He said soon you were going to call him Prince Eric.”

Kat’s jaw fell open. She remembered when Hugh and Brianna had first met, right before Layla’s sixth birthday, when Layla was going through a major princess phase. She’d called Hugh Prince Hugh. What in the hell would make Eric say such a thing to a little girl who obviously adored him? It was one thing to mess with her feelings, but a little girl’s?

She didn’t know how to respond, and she really didn’t know what to make of the man who was so sweet with Layla, fully engaged, warm, and loving, while he oozed sexuality and possessiveness with Kat. How would she make it through the weekend when every time they were close he nearly brought her to her knees with desire?

ERIC SPENT THE afternoon catching up with Hugh and discussing the setup of the foundation scholarship while futilely trying not to think of Kat. She and Brianna had been chatting and laughing and carrying on with the kids just outside the open window, drawing his attention at every sound of her sweet voice. Kat’s laugh was so carefree and full of life, and it tweaked his heart at every turn with a whisper of familiarity.

“Dude, you’re fading out on me here,” Hugh said.

“I was just thinking about something.”

“You mean someone?” Hugh lifted his chin toward the window.

“There’s something so familiar about her. I feel like I know her, Hugh. It’s weird as shit and a little unsettling.”

“Unsettling in a bad way? Because as I mentioned last night, the vibes you two give off are not at all unsettling.” He pushed from the table and retrieved two bottles of beer from the fridge, giving one to Eric.

“Thanks.” He opened the bottle and took a swig, then sat back and crossed his ankle over his knee. “I feel like I know her. She reminds me of this girl I knew as a kid.”

“Hey, stranger things have happened,” Hugh said. “Ask her. Maybe it’s her.”

No way was he asking Kat if she went to Camp Kachimonte. He’d snuck into the camp the summer he’d turned nine, when he’d needed a reprieve from his stoned parents—and, embarrassingly, when he’d needed to eat. His parents weren’t big on providing for him as much as feeding their drug habits. Hugh knew about his parents, but what he didn’t know was that Eric had snuck into the camp cafeteria most afternoons that summer. He didn’t have many distinct memories of those afternoons, as most of them blended together in a jumble of fear and shame, but three instances stuck out in his mind. Once when he’d stopped a big kid from picking on a younger boy, and a little doe-eyed, blond girl who couldn’t have been more than five or six years old had told him that he was the bravest boy she knew. The second time was when that same little girl had dropped her ice cream sandwich in the dirt and he’d snuck into the kitchen after it was closed to get her a new one. She’d told him that he was the kindest boy she knew. Those things shouldn’t mean much to a nine-year-old boy, but Eric hadn’t received many accolades when he was growing up, and he’d held on to those little golden nuggets of praise and used them to pull himself through the harshest of days.

“No. There’s no way it’s her, and it was a long time ago. She reminds me of her, that’s all.”

He thought about the third, most powerful memory, the one he revisited most often. Not for the praise, but for the look in the little girl’s eyes when she’d said the words that to this day he still struggled with. He’d been swimming in the lake a good distance away from the kids from the camp when he’d seen the little girl flailing in the water. He’d been caught a few weeks earlier sneaking into the camp, and when the police had brought him home, his stoned father had taken the belt to him. He knew what was waiting for him if he got caught again, but when he’d seen the little girl go under, he didn’t hesitate to save her. He dragged her up to the beach and turned her on her side, the way he’d seen the lifeguards teaching the older kids during one of their safety lessons. She’d spewed water, coughing and gagging, and when she’d finally sat up, her tear-soaked eyes had widened and she’d pressed two tiny palms to his cheeks. He could still feel the pressure of them on his skin. You saved me. You’re my real-life hero, she’d said before pressing her lips to his. She was a little girl, and there was nothing sexual about the kiss. It was a frantic, relieved expression of gratitude, but when the counselor saw them, his eyes had blazed with fury and a chase had ensued. Thank God Eric was a fast runner. He’d scaled the fence and taken off like a bat out of hell. He’d had lots of practice running in those early years—and he’d spent every day since trying to escape his past.

HAL BRADEN CAME through the patio door and scooped little Christian into his arms, pressing his lips to the squirming boy’s forehead. He was a formidable man at six foot six. Even at almost seventy, he had a commanding presence, with shoulders that filled a doorframe, a barrel chest, and a deep, gravelly voice that rivaled Clint Eastwood’s. He was a man made of love and loyalty, having raised six children by himself after losing his young wife to cancer, and Kat loved him dearly. He’d not only embraced Brianna and Layla like they were his own flesh and blood, but he’d welcomed her into their tight-knit family, too.

Layla ran from the table where they’d been sitting and hugged him. Holding Christian in one arm, he leaned down and kissed her head. “How’re my favorite girls?”

“We’re about ready to do our photo shoot,” Brianna said. Today they were taking candid photos and headshots of Kat for her promotional materials and website. She could still hardly believe her business was coming to fruition.

“Are you ready to go see Uncle Rex and Auntie Jade?” Hal asked.

“Yes! Yes! Uncle Rexy said I can ride his new horse!” Layla ran to Brianna and hugged her goodbye.

“Take your riding boots, Layla, and tell Auntie Jade I said not to pump you full of chocolate this time.”

“Aw, Mom. Auntie Jade says you can’t rule me when I’m there. I’ll go get my boots.” She ran for the door, and Hal laughed.

“You might as well give that up, darlin’. Jade’s got a bun in the oven, and she’s bubbling over with mama love. Let her spoil the child a little.” Hal settled a hand on Brianna’s shoulder and kissed her head the same way he’d kissed Layla’s.

“Well, paybacks will be fun, I suppose,” Brianna said. “I’ll sugar up her little muffin baby and then give him or her back buzzing with energy.”

“That’s what family’s for. Love ’em up the best you can. No harm in that.” Hal turned his dark eyes on Kat and spread his large hand on her shoulder. “How about you, darlin’? You have a beau on the horizon?”

His use of darlin’ touched her heart, and she realized it was the same endearment Eric used for her. She wondered how much time Eric had spent with Hal over the years.

As if on cue, Hugh and Eric sauntered outside. They were both gorgeous men, but heck if Eric didn’t make her weak in the knees even though she was sitting down. He was still barefoot, with a beer in one hand and a crooked smile hovering somewhere between scorching and volcanic. Was she the only one who felt his potent masculinity like a vibrator set on high?

“Not at the moment, Hal,” she finally answered as Eric took the seat beside her, bringing a heat wave with him.

Hal’s knowing eyes shifted between the two of them. “Uh-huh. Well, don’t you worry, darlin’. Your heart’ll lead the way.”

“Pop, are you preaching love again?” Hugh put an arm around his father’s shoulder and kissed his son’s pudgy cheek.

“Preaching truth, son. Preaching truth. I’m taking the kids over to Rex’s now so y’all can get on with your evening.”

“Thanks, Dad. You sure you don’t want to go to dinner with us after Bree and Kat wrap up their photo shoot?”

“I’m going to hang around here in case Rex and Jade need me to take over. Christian here loves his grandpappy something fierce, right, Christian?” Hal kissed the little boy’s cheek, and Christian giggled. “You kids have a good time.” Hal patted Hugh on the back and smiled at the others as he said, “I love y’all, though.”

The open affection Hal lavished on them tugged on Kat’s heartstrings and reminded her why she wasn’t interested in being a weekend hookup, not even for mega-hot, ultra-orgasmic Eric. She wanted more for herself.

“Bree,” Hugh said with a hopeful smile, “it would be great to have some professional shots for the announcement of the foundation’s scholarship next month. We were thinking that in addition to the pictures you’ll take at the foundation picnic tomorrow, maybe you could take a few shots of us today?”

“Sure. We should take those at the track, though, right? With you guys in full race attire?” Bree asked.

Kat pictured Eric in the jumpsuit she’d seen racers wear. She loved a man in uniform. Cringing inwardly, she realized how superficial that was, a little too reminiscent of her past, and again she reminded herself that she was supposed to be taking charge of her future, not hooking up for a weekend.

“That would probably be best,” Eric said. “Kat, I hope you’ll be joining us at the picnic tomorrow.”

Kat’s stomach flipped at the prospect of spending more time with Eric. So much for her resolve to remain distant. She’d go anywhere he asked. Twice.

“Oh my gosh,” Bree said. “I forgot to mention it. I’m so sorry, Kat.”

“I’d love to go. It’ll be a great experience to watch your PR people in action. Thanks for the invitation. I guess I’ll go change and fix my makeup for the pictures.” Kat stood, and Eric rose beside her.

He smiled as he pulled her chair out for her to step around. “Kat, is it okay with you if we tag along? I don’t want to take over your shoot, or make you uncomfortable by being there.”

Little did he know that he made her the best type of uncomfortable by doing hardly more than breathing. She knew that his being there when she was having her picture taken would be distracting, but this was take-charge Kat. She was facing her fears and she was not going to run from this one—fear of falling for a player who could make her body sizzle with nothing more than a glance.

“Thanks for asking, but I’m fine with it. It’ll be fun.”

The wicked glint in his eyes stayed with her long after she walked inside, and she knew her attraction to him was too intense to be ignored.

DOWNTOWN WESTON HAD been built to replicate an old Western town, complete with old-fashioned storefronts and hitches to tie up horses, although Kat imagined those were just for show. She couldn’t imagine anyone riding a horse into town for business. It was late enough in the afternoon that the streets weren’t crowded but still early enough that Brianna and Hugh were garnering attention from people walking by while they set up the photography equipment. Bree smiled and answered their questions easily, as if this were what she’d done every day of her life. Kat knew better. Becoming a professional photographer had been a lifelong dream for Brianna, and although she’d worked with a well-known photographer in Richmond and she was talented beyond belief, it wasn’t until she and Hugh had come together that she’d allowed herself to indulge in the activity she loved most as something more than a hobby.

Kat tried to calm her nerves by looking herself over one last time in the full-length mirror Brianna had brought with them. She’d had no idea that taking pictures would be such a production. They’d had to take two cars to allow for all of Bree’s equipment. Kat assumed they’d find a few locations in town and then maybe take a couple of candid shots with the mountains in the background. She’d thought the whole photo shoot might take an hour, but Hugh and Brianna were setting up big white umbrellas and plugging lights and fans into generators. It looked like a movie set, and it had Kat’s nerves going all sorts of crazy.

The longer she looked over her cap-sleeved navy blue dress, the more she worried that the neckline was too low or the dress was too tight. She caught sight of Brianna and Hugh in the mirror, wondering if she should ask Brianna if she should change since they’d brought several outfits for the photo shoot. Hugh touched Brianna each time he walked past. He leaned in close and whispered something that made Brianna blush and turn toward him. When Hugh wrapped an arm around Brianna and lowered his lips to hers, Kat shifted her eyes away from their reflection and caught Eric’s.

He wore a pair of faded jeans and a black T-shirt. She knew now that the just-been-fucked hair was his natural style, and like every time she saw him, her stomach fluttered and flipped. He was standing a few feet behind her with a serious, assessing look in his eyes that made her worry over her outfit again.

She glanced over her shoulder, trying to see the back of her dress to make sure she hadn’t gotten dirt on it. “Do I have something on me, or does this dress just look bad?”

“You could wear rags and you’d still be the most beautiful woman around.” His smile was warm and sincere. A flash of the gentleman had come out to play.

“Thank you,” she said, relieved by both the warmth and the compliment. “You looked deep in thought.”

“Did I? I’m just thinking about the scholarship fund for the foundation. I’m excited to get it launched.” His eyes turned serious again.

This was a side of him she hadn’t yet encountered. “You mentioned a foundation and scholarship earlier. What type of foundation is it?”

“It’s called the Foundation for Whole Families. We help children of drug-addicted parents and reunite families whose lives have been shattered by drugs.” His brows drew together. “There are so many children who need help. Many are barely making it from day to day; they’re in need of food and general caretaking. These kids need to know that someone cares about them.”

The passion in his tone and the intensity of his gaze coalesced, bringing him into a whole new light in Kat’s eyes. This was not the all-about-sex player she’d met in the bar. This was a man clearly affected by the plight of those he was helping, and that touched her deeply.

“Our efforts are focused on the safety and future of the children, of course, but the goal isn’t to simply remove them from their unsafe environments. We provide counseling for the entire family, treatment when necessary, and ensure that the children have a safe place to stay while their parents are in treatment, or for some, while their parents are in jail. But that’s just the beginning. These children need to have a chance at a future, not just the tools to get there, and that’s where the scholarship comes in.”

“You’re giving them hope for a better life. And you said we. Are you on the board for the foundation?”

A humble smile reached his eyes. “I’m actually the founder. The picnic we’re going to tomorrow is for the foundation. I give a lot of my time to the foundation, and to the kids.”

She wondered how many more layers were hidden beneath his bold facade. This side of him was so unexpected. She wanted to know more, not just about the foundation, but also about Eric and what made him tick.

“I knew we were going to a picnic for charity, but I had no idea it was for your foundation.”

“The picnic not only enables us to do fundraising, but to visit with families we’ve helped and thank our donors. It’s one of my favorite events.” He ran a hand through his hair, and a contented look filled his eyes. “There’s no better feeling than knowing a kid—a family—has a chance at being whole and having a future.”

Boy had she misjudged him. Her stomach clenched at the assumption she’d made that he was interested only in a piece of ass. She noticed that Hugh and Bree were finished setting up, and she didn’t want to hold them up, but she felt bad for judging Eric so unfairly, and apologizing to a man who was doing so much for others couldn’t wait. Not one single second.

“Eric, I think I owe you an apology. I know I’ve been a little off-putting, and I’m sorry. I misjudged you, and I had no right to judge you in the first place. I hope you can forgive me.”

He stepped in closer, and the earth shifted beneath her. The vortex that was Eric James sucked her right in. Her heartbeat quickened, her breathing went shallow, and the familiar sparks that she’d come to expect when they were together sizzled and popped. How he went from one extreme to the other so seamlessly intrigued her even more.

“Darlin’.” His gaze moved slowly over her face, returning to her eyes with all the heat that was missing when he was discussing work, along with a new flicker of unexpected tenderness. “Don’t apologize for being cautious. You’re making a big change in your life, one that takes insurmountable courage and determination. The last thing you need is to fall for the wrong guy.”

She swallowed past her fear of the answer and asked, “Are you the wrong guy, Eric?”

“Only you can make that determination. I told you where I stand. Have you given any thought to what it is that you want, Kat?”

His words from this morning sailed through her head. I find myself completely and utterly captivated by you. I want to explore and enjoy you, Kat. Present tense. She was completely enamored with him, from his aggressive sexuality to his intelligence and passion to help others. But Kat wasn’t naive, and he’d made his intentions clear. Present tense. Not future tense. Not that she expected him to think past today after having just met her, but for her own sanity, she needed to acknowledge what she was considering. A weekend hookup.

In the space of a breath, she decided that she was probably overthinking the situation. They were visiting friends, and staying at Hugh’s father’s house, so there weren’t going to be many chances to be alone anyway. It wasn’t like they were going to have wild sex on Hal’s kitchen table—although her tightening nipples seemed to love that idea. The most she and Eric could do was sneak a few kisses, and she knew by the vibrations thrumming through her that a few kisses would never be enough.

He touched her arm, bringing her mind back to the moment.

“I think I’d like to get to know you better,” she said.

He smiled, and just as it reached his eyes, it turned sinful.

She quickly added, “But I respect Hal and our friends, and I’d never want to jeopardize our friendship over a tryst, so we should just keep that in mind.”

He leaned in close and said, “I can promise you that I will try to remain discreet, but honestly, Kat, I’ve never been as drawn to a woman as I am to you, and there may be times when that attraction surpasses even my most valiant efforts to keep it concealed.”

THE SWEET AND sultry look in Kat’s eyes sent Eric’s stomach tumbling, but the tilt of her chin when she turned at the sound of Brianna calling her name sent a shock of recognition through him. It was the same wave of familiarity he’d had from the moment he’d first seen her. Only now that faint familiarity mingled with what he intimately knew about Kat—the feel of her body pulsing with need and wet with desire, the claw of her nails against his skin, the strength of her inner muscles when she was in the throes of ecstasy, and the sound of his name as she cried out in pleasure. Aroused didn’t begin to describe the feelings building inside him. It wasn’t just the desire to have her naked beneath him, to run his hands and mouth over every inch of her flesh. He wanted to know more about the woman who was strong enough to walk away from everything she’d known for ten years and start anew. The woman who said she faced her fears and didn’t fawn over him because of his celebrity.

He watched her join Brianna, her eyes sliding to him every few seconds. The late-afternoon sun danced off her blue eyes as she let Brianna guide her into position, and she adjusted her stance and posed for the camera. A rosy blush spread across her cheeks as Brianna called out commands as if Kat were a model. She could have been, with that silky blond hair and a body that could—was—stopping traffic. Determination filled Kat’s eyes, as if she’d decided that this was just another fear she had to overcome, and he wondered if he, too, was one of her fears.

Hugh came to his side, watching Bree with the same intensity that Eric was watching Kat.

“You okay? Do you mind waiting while she does the shoot?” Hugh asked.

Eric was still stuck on the idea of being one of Kat’s fears. He didn’t know if it was because he was around Hugh and Brianna, who radiated commitment, or if it was Kat herself, but he swore then and there that he wasn’t going to allow himself to be slated as that guy.

“’Course not. What could be better than watching a beautiful woman pose for the camera?”

“Watching a beautiful woman take her picture,” Hugh said, eyeing Brianna.

They both laughed.

“You’re a lucky guy, but I’m not telling you anything you don’t already know. How’s Brianna holding up with Christian and the race schedule?” Their schedule was grueling for a single man, and Eric had wondered how the racers’ wives held up with children to care for while they were on the road. Layla was already six when she and Bree had begun traveling with Hugh, but a baby took all sorts of preparation, not to mention that it couldn’t be easy getting a baby to sleep in unfamiliar surroundings.

“You know Brianna. She loves our kids and she loves me. Even if it were too difficult, she’d never admit to it. But I’m ready to slow down. I’m cutting my schedule back even further next season. I want Layla to have more stability, and I don’t want to be racing around the country without my family.” When Hugh and Brianna had first married, Hugh had cut his schedule way back, and he’d made no secret of wanting more for his family than life on the road.

“That’s a huge step, but it’s not unexpected.”

“It’s time,” Hugh said at the same moment Brianna took Kat’s hand and led her farther down the sidewalk, breaking their spell. “Think about how crazy our schedule is. This is the one weekend we’ve had off in months, and we had to coordinate seeing our friends and family on the exact same weekend—at my father’s house of all places.” Hugh patted Eric on the back. “I’ve won enough races to last a lifetime, but there’s never enough time to spend with my family.”

Eric imagined that if he’d grown up with a father like Hal and five siblings who all looked out for one another, he’d crave that settled-down feeling, too. He watched Kat come out of an office building, where she must have changed her clothes. She looked hot in a pair of jeans and a low-cut white blouse, the perfect blend of sexy and professional. Brianna fiddled with Kat’s hair, and they both laughed. Kat’s eyes shifted toward Eric, and her lips curved up in a sweet smile that erased all of Eric’s thoughts with the exception of one. He didn’t want this weekend to end.

“ARE WE GOING to pretend that the sexual tension between you and Eric isn’t thick enough to cut with a knife?” Bree asked as she parked at the racetrack.

“If I say yes, will you believe me?” Kat had already filled Bree in on their airport sexcapade, and she knew it didn’t matter what she told Bree; her bestie would see right through to the truth. And it was the truth that worried her. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, wondering about all sorts of things, not just the incredible sex.

“Not likely.” Bree cut the engine and turned a serious gaze to Kat. “He’s a good guy, Kat. When he’s with us, he’s so great with the kids, and he’s done amazing things with his foundation.”

“Yeah, I get that impression.”

“But…he’s not exactly good boyfriend material, and with all the changes you’re making in your life, I think you need to know that.”

“Really, Bree? A guy who fucked me in an airport bathroom isn’t good boyfriend material?” Kat laughed. “I’m not so sure I’m good girlfriend material, either, despite the changes I’ve made.”

Brianna opened her car door. “How can you say that?”

“Because. Yes, I’ve been more careful about the guys I’ve dated, and I’ve upended my life to follow my dream, but…” She pressed her lips together, steeling her resolve to be honest with her friend, and with herself. “Don’t you think there’s a reason I had sex with him at the airport?”

“Of course. You’re making all these changes and needed to relieve some stress, and he’s hot and sexy. I mean, other than Hugh, he’s the best definition of heartthrob I’ve ever seen. And if you tell Hugh I said that, I’ll totally deny it.”

They both laughed, but in her mind, she wasn’t laughing at her own confession, which was vying for release. Kat clutched the door handle.

“Bree, I’ve been lonely. Bored, even.”

“But you have all this exciting stuff going on. How can you possibly be bored?”

Kat leveled a serious stare on her best friend, waiting for her meaning to come through. Bree hadn’t enjoyed her sexuality after Layla was born until she’d met Hugh. She hadn’t had the same freedoms, explored the darker sides of her passions like Kat had. Finally, Bree’s eyes widened with understanding.

“Oh, you mean…” Her cheeks pinked up, which made Kat laugh because, even though she knew Bree had an amazing sex life with Hugh, her friend was still the sweet, shy girl she’d always known.

“Yup.” She sighed.

“But, Kat, what does that mean? That you can never have a monogamous relationship because you like doing it with strangers?” The concern in Bree’s eyes and her worried tone made Kat cringe.

“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I don’t think I like sex with strangers, per se. I just…” She tried to figure out how to explain what she’d felt at the airport—and every time she’d seen Eric since they’d met. “When I first saw Eric in the bar, I could tell he was a player. You know I can spot them a mile away, and I was ready to turn him away. But the minute he spoke, my insides turned to mush. I swear that man sprinkles gasoline with every word, and his smile is all the fire he needs to ignite the flames. Bree, I know I shouldn’t admit this, but I wanted him more than I’ve ever wanted a man in my life.”

“But just him? I mean, does that happen with other guys? You said you haven’t been hooking up with guys for a long time. You’ve been dating, but I don’t think that’s what you’re talking about with Eric.”

They got out of the car, and Kat spotted Eric and Hugh coming out of the clubhouse wearing their racing suits and carrying their helmets. They were looking at each other, smiling as they talked. Kat’s pulse ratcheted up about fifty notches, and when Eric turned those amber eyes on her, her breath hitched in her throat. She reached for Bree’s arm, steadying herself as desire weakened her knees again.

“It’s just him,” she managed. “Definitely just him.” Whatever else Bree said didn’t register as three women, wearing skimpy skirts and barely there tops, ran from the other side of the parking lot, flipping their hair and touching Hugh and Eric in a way that made Kat’s blood boil. Kat wasn’t usually a jealous person, but there was no denying the claws of jealousy piercing her skin or the fierce determination in every step as she closed the distance between them, determined to rip the girls to shreds.

“Kat!” Bree grabbed her arm, holding her back. “They’re groupies. It’s all part of it.”

“Doesn’t that bother you?” Kat snapped. She was breathing hard, tugging her arm from Bree’s grip.

“It used to, but Hugh knows how to handle it.”

Kat broke free as Eric’s eyes locked on her again. She stopped cold a few feet away from him as he signed autographs, watching her the whole time. What was she doing? He wasn’t her boyfriend. Jesus, he wasn’t even her date! She had no business being jealous, but that didn’t stop anger from curling inside her like a snake preparing to strike. She spun around and stomped back to the car with Bree on her heels. Kat pressed her palms to the hood of the car and let her chin drop to her chest.

“Holy crap. What is wrong with me?”

Bree leaned her butt on the car beside her, smiling like she had just unearthed all Kat’s secrets. “I think you just might be monogamy material after all.”

“That’s great, Bree. Just what I need. One-sided monogamy.”

“I hear it’s all the rage these days,” Bree teased as the men approached.

Kat sensed Eric’s presence before she turned and saw the intense look in his eyes. Hugh and Bree retrieved the equipment from the backseat while Kat tried to remember how to function like a normal person instead of a jealous groupie.

“That look you gave me back there was definitely a turn-on,” he said quietly enough that only she could hear him.

“It was the look of insanity.” Like the torrent going on inside me right now.

His eyes narrowed as he rubbed the back of his neck and stepped in closer. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think it was jealousy.”

Kat circled the car to help carry the equipment. “Don’t flatter yourself.” She hoisted a bag toward her shoulder, and Eric intercepted it, pinning her in place with a dark stare.

“I thought you wanted to get to know me better. Shouldn’t I be flattered by your look of insanity?”

She closed the car door, and they headed across the parking lot toward the track. The girls who had fawned over Eric and Hugh had joined a group of people by the clubhouse. Kat tried to ignore the insanity prickling her nerves.

“Don’t you get enough of an ego boost from being fawned over by strangers?” She knew it was a bitchy thing to say, but she was powerless to stop the attitude from flying in his face like a big red flag. He stopped walking and gripped her arm—hard. The wicked look in his eyes told her that he didn’t see it as a red flag at all.

“I said I was interested in enjoying you, Kat. That means you, not some girls who want an autograph.” The hint of anger in his voice had her stepping back, and him stepping forward. “I’m a public figure. I get hit on all the time.”

“Good for you.” She walked toward the track where Hugh and Bree were setting up the equipment, and he gripped her arm again, more gently this time, keeping her beside him.

“Yes, good for me.” The words were cold, but his eyes were warm. “I can get as much ass as I want, whenever I want. I can also risk disease or bad press, right? That’s real attractive. Let’s not forget the shame that follows a good hookup.” His tone turned thoughtful, and Kat swore she saw a shadow of hurt wash over his face. “We both know that shame, don’t we?”

She knew that shame, and she hated it almost as much as she hated that she’d made him feel bad for just being the celebrity he was. “Yes,” she said quietly.

“For the first time in my life, I didn’t feel that shame, Kat. Not for one second after being with you.” He paused, and she wondered if it was so she could let his words sink in or for him to gather his thoughts as his eyes searched hers. “I know we just met, but I feel something between us that’s more powerful than I’ve ever felt before. I want a chance to explore that with you.”

He slid his hand to the nape of her neck and stepped in closer, bringing their lips a whisper apart. He didn’t seem to care who saw them, and she didn’t care either, because being this close to Eric, feeling his heat embrace her, seeing the desire in his eyes, consumed her. She desperately wanted to press her lips to his, to tell him she was sorry.

She opened her mouth to apologize, and before she could say a word, he said, “I’ll never lie to you and pretend that there wasn’t a time when those types of girls turned my head. But right here, right now, there’s only you and me. And until we decide otherwise—until you and I make that decision together—you don’t have to worry about what I’m doing with any other woman.”

He stared at her for a long stretch, long enough that his words sank into her heart and filled her with hope.

THE SECOND ERIC had seen jealousy flash in Kat’s eyes, he’d known that he never wanted to make her feel that awful emotion again. And he was going to do everything within his power to ensure she never had a reason to feel that way. After signing autographs for the women, he’d asked Hugh if he’d mind if he asked Kat out, and thankfully—God, thankfully—he didn’t.

Eric didn’t waste a second as he gazed into Kat’s eyes. “Go out with me tonight. Just the two of us.”

Her eyes shifted to their friends. “But we’re visiting Bree and Hugh.”

“I asked Hugh if he minded, and he doesn’t. I’d be happy to ask Bree, too, if you want. And I know I’m asking you to take time away from your best friend, but if you give me tonight, Kat, I’ll fly you back to see Bree whenever you want. One night, that’s all I’m asking.” Although I want so much more.

She opened her mouth to speak, and he pressed his lips to hers. He didn’t need to hear her say she didn’t want a fling, because he didn’t either. She kissed him tentatively at first, but as he slicked his tongue over the seam of her lips, she opened up to him, meeting his passion with her own. Her body melted against him, and when he deepened the kiss, her arms wound around his neck. This was what he’d dreamed of all night and longed for all day. The taste of her desire, the total release when she gave herself up to their kisses, the feel of their bodies fighting for more.

The sound of girls giggling pulled him from the heat of the moment, and he remembered they were in a parking lot surrounded by strangers and leaving Hugh and Bree waiting.

He reluctantly ended the kiss, keeping her so close he could hear every breath she took. “Say yes, Kat.”

Her eyes were smoky, her skin was flushed, and her answer came in a whisper. “Yes.”

“Yes,” he repeated, because he felt like he might burst with gratitude and needed a release before he gathered her in his arms to kiss her again.

“You don’t know a thing about discretion, do you?” she asked quietly as her eyes darted around the parking lot, finally landing on Bree and Hugh, who were smiling and whispering, with their eyes locked on Kat and Eric.

“I know a hell of a lot about discretion, but I don’t want to be discreet with you.” He offered her his hand, and when she slid her fingers between his, relief swept over him. He lifted their interlocked hands and kissed the back of hers.

“But didn’t we just talk about this? Not that I’m complaining, but…” Her smile told him that she was totally on the same page with him.

“I thought that was about having sex in Hal’s house, which is something I’d never do unless you were officially mine in the world’s eyes.” Eric stopped in his tracks as his mind became laser focused. That was exactly what he wanted, for the sassy blonde who wasn’t afraid to call him on his shit or act on her emotions to be his in the eyes of the world.

“I HAVEN’T BEEN this nervous about a date in years.” Kat set her hairbrush on the sink and turned to Brianna. “Are you sure you don’t mind that we’re going out? I feel bad about going out with Eric when I’m supposed to be visiting with you.”

“Oh, please. Do you really think I’d complain about having a night to go to bed early with my incredibly hot husband? Go, have fun.” Brianna fluffed the back of Kat’s hair and looked at her reflection in the mirror. “You look gorgeous. Those jeans fit perfectly, and only you could wear a shirt that tight and show that much cleavage without looking like you’re trying too hard.”

Kat bumped her with her shoulder. “Shut up.”

“That man will not be able to stop kissing you tonight. After that kiss at the track, I can’t even begin to imagine how you’ve thought of anything since.”

“He is an incredible kisser, but I still feel guilty about going out. It’s not even like this can lead anywhere. I’ll probably never see him again after this weekend, and I’m missing out on time with you and Hugh and the kids.”

“Trust me, you’ll see enough of us tomorrow at the picnic, and you’ll be glad you had the reprieve from the kids. And as far as seeing him again goes, Eric has houses all over, including Richmond. If you two want to see each other, you’ll find a way.” Brianna’s brows knitted together. “I’ve never seen you this nervous. What’s really going on?”

They went into the bedroom, and Kat slipped her feet into a pair of boots. “He told me not to wear heels. What do you think that means?”

“It means you’re not going flamenco dancing and that you’re avoiding the question.”

“Fine, but you’re going to think I’m crazy because we both know he’s had a busy social calendar and nothing can come of this. But…I’m really attracted to him, and not in just a sexual way. Sometimes when he looks at me, I feel like he’s looking inside me, like he can see all the things I’m trying to hide. I feel like so much hinges on this date, and I know that’s insane.” The word tripped the memory of the scene in the parking lot, when jealousy had consumed her, and she knew her feelings for Eric were already bigger than she was letting herself admit.

Bree looped her arm in Kat’s and they headed toward the stairs. “After being a single mother for six years, prepared to be one for twelve more, and then meeting Hugh when I least expected it, nothing seems insane to me.”

“So you don’t think I’m making a huge mistake? Going backward from the progress I’ve made toward being more responsible where men are concerned?”

They stopped near the top of the staircase, and Bree smiled at Kat. “I never thought you needed to change in the first place. That was all in your head. I thought you were perfect, and happy, the way you were.” She looked down the stairs, and Kat’s gaze followed.

Eric stood at the bottom of the staircase holding a bouquet of red roses in one arm. His dirty-blond hair was still damp, and he wore a pair of dark, low-slung jeans and cowboy boots, and looked hotter than sin. His black button-down shirt was open at the top, revealing the same patch of chest hair that had Kat’s heart racing when she’d first seen him in the airport. His cheeks were clean-shaven, giving him a completely different edge than the scruff had. His eyes were dark and serious, taking a slow stroll over every inch of her as she descended the stairs. By the time she joined him she felt naked under the heat of his gaze. His spicy, earthy scent swallowed her whole as he leaned in and kissed her cheek.

“You look beautiful, darlin’.”

She’d never tire of hearing him call her darlin’.

He handed her the flowers. “These are for you.”

“You didn’t have to get me flowers.” She wondered when he’d even had time to pick them up.

“A little birdie told me that you like romance.”

“I’ll put those in a vase for you,” Brianna offered.

Kat had been so swept up in him that she’d forgotten anyone else was there. “Thank you.” She handed Brianna the flowers, and that’s when she saw Hugh across the room. He was holding Christian and had a wide smile on his lips. Layla and Hal were there, too, and the approval in Hal’s dark eyes was inescapable.

“Are you guys sure you don’t mind if we go out?” Kat asked, feeling fairly embarrassed by the depth of emotion in Eric’s eyes, which she was sure everyone else could see just as clearly.

“Who are we to stand in the way of young hearts?” Hal crossed the room and put a hand on Eric’s shoulder while Kat’s embarrassment etched into her skin.

“Dad said that Eric might be your Prince Charming, like he was Mom’s,” Layla said as she reached for Hugh’s hand.

Kat drank in Eric’s appreciative gaze, his tender, confident smile, and even though she knew the appropriate reaction would probably be to feel guilty for going out and letting a child believe that something could actually come of this date, she couldn’t help hoping that maybe Hugh was right.

FROM THE FIRST moment Eric saw Kat standing at the top of the stairs, looking beautiful in a pair of jeans and a tight shirt that showed off every lush curve, he’d wanted to take her in his arms and never let her go. He’d thought about her all day, and after that amazing kiss they’d shared in the parking lot, he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about kissing her again and again, but he’d promised himself he’d take it slow tonight. This date wasn’t about getting her into bed. It was about getting to know her and letting her know he wanted more than a quick hookup.

He closed the door behind them and reached for Kat’s hand as they descended the porch steps and he led her toward the yard.

“Where are we going?” Kat asked as they crossed the grassy lawn to the large barn at the foot of the hill.

Eric pulled open the doors, and the scent of leather, hay, and manure assaulted them. He drew in a deep breath. “Smell that? That’s the scent of stability, family, and strength.”

“Because of Hal?” she asked as they walked into the barn.

“Because of all of the Bradens. Their love knows no boundaries, and it’s always been a source of strength for me.” He walked to the stall of an old red mare named Hope. Hope pressed her muzzle into his sternum, and he petted her wide jaw.

“How’re you doing, Hope?” he said to the horse. “Are you ready to give us a ride?”

“Wait, what?” Kat’s eyes widened. “I don’t ride.”

He took her hand in his. “Not yet, but with me and Hope, you’ll do fine. That is, if you trust me to help you conquer your fear of riding.”

“I don’t know,” she said, nervously stepping back.

He pulled her in close and gazed deeply into her eyes. “Do you think I’d let you get hurt? Trust me, Kat. I’ll be right there with you, holding you. I’ll make sure you’re safe.” He turned to Hope, who neighed and nodded her big head, as if confirming his idea was a good one. “I want to take you someplace special, and horseback is the only way to get there.”

“But…” She trapped her lower lip between her teeth, looking so damn cute he had to press his hands to her cheeks and kiss her.

“I’ll make you a deal. If we get up on the horse and you’re too scared, we’ll end this part of our date and go into town.”

She hooked her finger into the waist of his jeans. “You really won’t let me fall?”

“Never.”

“What if Hope takes off running and you can’t stop her?” The worry in her eyes was palpable.

He gathered her in his arms. “That won’t happen. Hope knows how to take care of her riders, and I know how to take care of you. Trust me?”

She swallowed hard and nodded.

He slid his hand to the nape of her neck and gazed into her blue eyes. God, he loved her eyes, and the way her neck fit perfectly into the curve of his hand.

“I’ve never met anyone like you, Kat. You’re as strong as you are vulnerable. I want to do dirty things to you and protect you at the same time.”

“Your filter is slipping again.” A rosy blush colored her cheeks.

“Yeah, that tends to happen around you.” He led Hope out of the barn.

“Where are we going, anyway?” She petted Hope’s side, and he could see her fingers were trembling a little.

“Let me help you up, and then I’ll tell you.” He hoisted her onto the horse, and she held on to Hope’s neck for dear life. A low laugh escaped Eric’s lungs, earning him a scowl from Kat. “I’m not laughing at you. It was just a loud smile at how cute you are.”

He grabbed a leather backpack he’d packed earlier and shrugged it on, then mounted Hope behind Kat. “Normally I’d have you sit behind me, but I don’t want you to feel unsafe, and besides, this way I can put my arms around you.” He circled her waist with one arm and hugged her close, then pressed his lips to her cheek. “And you can learn how to manage the reins. Okay?”

“Yeah. I think so.”

“You sound a little nervous.”

“Uh-huh. Go, before I change my mind.”

He laughed and showed her how to hold the reins. “Okay. Put your hands on either side lightly so you can feel how I do this. You’re lucky. Hope practically has the entire mountain memorized, so she’s the perfect host for your first lesson.”

Kat leaned her head back against his chest and slid her hands along his forearms. “You’re the perfect host for my first lesson.”

Eric’s heart swelled in his chest. He pressed a kiss to her cheek and reveled in how right the moment felt. How right Kat felt, pressed up against him, putting her faith in him to take care of her.

Rex had long ago cleared the trail so that Jade could ride without worrying about her horse running over felled trees or large rocks, and he’d installed solar lights along the path for evening rides.

“This trail runs all the way to the river,” Eric explained as they entered the forest. The last rays of sunlight peeked through the trees, illuminating the dirt trail.

“When the sun goes down, won’t Hope have a hard time seeing?”

“When it gets a little darker, the solar lights that Rex installed will come on.” He pointed out lights attached to the trees. “Safety first, remember?”

They rode up the mountain, serenaded by the sounds of the breeze rustling through the trees and skittering along the ground. Eric felt Kat’s body relax against him. He hated not being able to see her face, but he was learning to take his cues from her body language and from changes in her breathing.

“Feeling more at ease?”

“Yes, thank you. Hope is so gentle, and you make me feel safe.”

“Thank you. Hope is a doll. Hal bought her for his wife, Adriana, when she first got sick. He swears he can communicate with Adriana through the horse.” He had never understood how a man could love a woman so much that he refused to let her go, even after death, and he’d never been one to believe in love at first sight, but every minute he spent with Kat made him question those beliefs.

“Hal’s heart belongs to Adriana,” Kat said. “He probably sees her in everything and everyone he loves, don’t you think?”

“Maybe so. Can you hold the reins for a minute?”

“Sure, but what if I do something wrong?” She pressed her back to his chest, like she needed the contact and reassurance.

“You won’t. Just hold them gently. Don’t tug in one direction or another.” He released the reins and wound his arms around her waist. “I just needed a minute to be closer to you.” He rested his cheek against hers. “Don’t you love being out here, without the noise of the city or commitments nagging at you?”

A happy sigh escaped Kat’s lips as Hope followed the trail around a wide bend. The smell of damp earth and chillier air enveloped them as the river came into view.

“I’ve always loved it here,” Kat said. “But I like it even more being here with you.”

“Me too. I think you’d like my property in Sweetwater. I’ll have to take you there sometime. We can skinny-dip in the lake.” He felt her bristle against him.

“I don’t do deep water.”

Eric tightened his hold around her middle, thinking of the little girl from his past. “Just another thing we can overcome together.”

As the sun set, the lights on the trees came to life, illuminating the trail down to the river. He held tightly to Kat as they descended the mountainous slope, and when they reached level ground, Eric helped Kat off of Hope.

“How’d you do?” He brushed her hair away from her face so he could see her eyes and felt himself getting lost in the emotions he saw there.

“That was remarkably romantic. I never knew riding a horse could be romantic, but that was…” She sighed a contented, dreamy sigh that tugged at his heart. “Wonderful.”

He touched his forehead to hers and breathed her in. “I’m so glad. And there’s more romance where that came from.” He kissed her softly, loving the sweet sound of appreciation she made.

Together they unpacked the backpack and spread a blanket out on the ground. Kat took out the sandwiches he’d made while she was getting ready for their date.

“When did you have time to make these?”

“Right after I picked up your flowers.” He smiled, watching her move to Hope’s side. She looked thoughtfully at the horse.

“Don’t we have to tie her to a tree or something?” She petted Hope.

“Any other horse, maybe, but not Hope. She never takes off. I swear sometimes I think Hal is right about her ability to understand humans.” He removed a bottle of wine and two plastic wineglasses from the backpack.

“You thought of everything,” she said as she came to his side.

Eric held up one finger as he took candles out of the side pockets of the backpack. “Now all we need are candleholders.” He scanned the ground and found two big, flat rocks and placed them by the edge of the blanket. He set the wide-based candles on them and pulled a lighter from his pocket. “Feel free to lavish me with praise now,” he said as he lit them.

She rolled her eyes, and he tugged her against him, making her laugh. He loved her laugh. Hell, there was no denying how much he loved everything about her. She was sassy and sharp, and the way she looked at him made his stomach go all sorts of funky, in a very good way. It occurred to him that he should probably be freaked out by how quickly he’d become taken with her, especially since he’d felt himself falling for her from the moment he first set eyes on her. But freaking out wasn’t anywhere near his radar screen. He wanted to bring her deeper into his life, to drive full speed ahead into the feelings she stirred in him.

He pressed his lips to hers, and they sank down to the blanket side by side. He handed her a sandwich and poured the wine. “To our first date.”

“So, this is how a race car driver woos a woman? I was expecting fast cars and faster hands.” She leaned back on her palm and shifted onto her hip, looking radiant in the evening light. Her lips were curved up in a smile, and her baby blues hovered between shy and seductive—a look that was not only hard to resist but also seemed to come straight from her heart. It was probably the most honest look he’d seen on anyone in a very long time.

“You’ve already experienced my fast hands, and you know I love fast cars.” He sipped his wine, enjoying the way she was waiting to hear what else he had to say. She was so different from the women he usually dated, none of whom would enjoy a meandering horse ride to a river. He wanted to enjoy every second with her and not rush through any part of their date.

“I don’t usually woo women, but I think you know that by now.” He stretched out beside her. “I want to woo you, Kat. I want to get to know you and let you see the real me, which I can assure you, will also include fast hands and fast cars.”

“The real you? Tell me about the real you.” She finished her wine and set her glass aside.

Eric thought about her question as they ate, and when they finished, he slipped off his boots, then rolled up the bottom of his jeans. “The real me wants you barefoot, please.”

She smiled and did as he asked. “I’m game.”

He rose to his feet and reached for her hand. With their jeans rolled up to midcalf, he led her along the water’s edge.

“Are you avoiding my question?” she asked.

“No. Just thinking about it. I don’t often think about who I am with any real significance, and I don’t want to give you a glib answer—a race car driver, an adrenaline junkie. I guess over the past few months I’ve been learning more about who I want to be, so who I am is changing.”

“For the better?” she asked.

He stopped to pick up a rock and tossed it into the water. “I’d like to think so. The growth of the foundation is part of that.” He drew her in close and kissed her. “Maybe you’re part of that, too.”

“YOU MAKE THIS seem so easy and so right,” Kat said, gazing up at him with appreciation.

“Should it be difficult?” He picked up another rock and studied it for a moment.

“Complicated, maybe? I don’t know. Usually when I go out on a date it doesn’t feel like this. It’s more…questionable. There’s nothing questionable about how I feel when I’m with you. I want to be with you, and I can sense that you want to be with me, too.” She watched his lips curve into a smile as he tossed the rock into the water and reached for her hand again. Even though she’d been surprised by his kiss at the racetrack, she loved that he was openly affectionate. Something as simple as holding his hand made her feel special.

“Tell me about your foundation. How did you choose what type of families to help when there are so many families in need?”

“Experience,” he said, and that one word, spoken with a modicum of heaviness, made her wonder if he’d had drug issues in the past.

“Personal experience?” she asked carefully.

He sank down to a boulder and pulled her down beside him. “This isn’t something I usually talk about, but since we seem to be breaking all the rules…”

“I didn’t mean to pry,” she said quickly.

“You’re not prying, and if there’s a chance you’ll go out with me again, which I hope you will, then I want you to know the real me, like I said.” He squeezed her hand, but his eyes searched the river, as if he might find some answers there.

He turned to face her, and the way he took her hand between his underscored the importance of what he was about to reveal. Kat readied herself for a confession of drug use, which was something she wasn’t sure she could deal with.

“I didn’t have what you’d call an ideal childhood. My father was a stonemason, and he hurt his back when I was three or four. My mom was a stay-at-home mother, but after my father hurt his back and was put on disability, she took a job at a grocery store. My father was left to care for me while she worked, and between his pain and my being a rambunctious little boy…”

His voice was laden with sadness, and when he shrugged like it was no big deal, Kat knew he was just trying to act strong.

“I’m sorry. Was he abusive?”

“Not often. He went from pain pills to heavier drugs. Heroin mostly, and my mom eventually quit her job to care for me, but somehow she got tied up in the drugs, too. I don’t really know how or why, but by the time I was six or seven, they were both a mess.”

Her heart cracked wide open at the thought of Eric as a little boy, having to deal with that situation. “Did you have any other family members who could take care of you?”

He shook his head, and in the next breath he squared his shoulders, lifted his chin, and strengthened his tone. “No other family members, but I took care of myself. I learned to stay out of their way, to sense when they were high, or when they were in a bad place needing to get high.”

Kat couldn’t imagine living like that, and at such a young age. She wrapped her arms around him, wanting to comfort him and wishing she could make all the hurt she saw in his eyes disappear. At first he didn’t embrace her back, but she pressed her cheek to his chest, listening to the steady beat of his heart, and a few seconds later his arms came around her and he breathed deeply. She felt tension seep from his body, and she was thankful he trusted her enough to open up to her.

“I’m sorry you went through such a hard childhood.” She pulled back and pressed her hands to his cheeks, holding his gaze. “Look how far you’ve come. You’re a real-life hero, helping other families.”

Eric’s brows knitted together. “Say that again.”

“Look how far you’ve—”

“No, the hero part,” he said quickly, searching her eyes.

“You’re a real-life hero?”

“That’s how I know you, Kat.” He scrubbed his hand down his face. “Holy shit. You’re Kay. You were at Camp Kachimonte. You were my bright light the summer I turned nine.”

Her chest constricted, and now she was the one searching his eyes. “How did you know I went there? I didn’t become Kat until I was a teenager and wanted a cool name. I went to camp the summer I was six.”

“I was there. That was a particularly difficult summer with my parents.” The muscles in Eric’s jaw jumped a few times. He rubbed the back of his neck, as if the conversation had caused a knot there. And when he finally spoke again, it was with a heavy tone. “We rarely had food in the house, and I spent most of my time outdoors, keeping a low profile to stay out of their way. But that summer I snuck into the camp.” He caressed her cheek and said just above a whisper, “And I met you. I knew you looked familiar when I first saw you in the airport, but I thought I was imagining it.”

“I don’t understand.” She had only a few fleeting memories from that summer, none of which included Eric.

“I met you that summer. You dropped an ice cream sandwich, and I snuck into the kitchen and got you a new one. And I stopped a bully from beating up a kid. You told me I was the bravest boy you knew.”

Kat smiled, but she had no memory of those incidents. “I must have been too young to remember.”

“Do you know why you’re afraid of deep water?” He pulled her up to her feet and walked to the water’s edge, kicking water up and speaking fast. “I wasn’t supposed to be there. I’d already gotten caught sneaking in once, and the punishment was pretty harsh, but I saw that you were in trouble, flailing in the water, and no one was helping you. I couldn’t let you drown. I dove in and dragged you to shore. You were so scared. God, I’ve thought about this a lot over the years. Your words pulled me through some of my darkest nights. You grabbed my face, the way you just did, and you said, You saved me. You’re my real-life hero.”

Kat’s heart thundered against her ribs as memories came rushing back. “I remember now. You ran away.”

He nodded. “The counselor came after me. After you said that to me, you pressed your lips to mine. You were so little, so scared. It was like relief was flooding out of you. I think the counselor thought I was doing something wrong, because you were crying, but I couldn’t stick around to explain and chance being brought home by the police again.”

“I called after you. I think I said, Boy, come back!” She remembered now. Eric’s wide eyes had stared back at her, and then he was gone. “You must have been so scared.”

“Only of what waited at home if the police had brought me to the door again. I can’t believe it’s really you. It’s surreal. Like you’ve been there all the time, just waiting for me to find you.”

She smiled at that. “Do you know how slim the chances are that we’d meet again after all these years? Or that you’d even remember something like that? Like me?” She took a moment to digest it all before saying, “I think I’ve just seen your sentimental side, and I really, really like it. What happened next?” They held hands as they walked back toward the blanket.

“I don’t know. The years blur together in a shameful nightmare of making it through each day. Lots of scary nights, fights, days where my parents were too drugged out to speak to me. At fifteen I got a job working at the track, and a mechanic there took me under his wing. I eventually moved out of my parents’ house, and they eventually got clean.”

“And that’s why you help families that have been affected by drugs.” She understood so much about him now and admired him even more for what he’d been through.

“Yes, and believe me, the irony of the fact that I’ve spent my life moving as fast as I can, and that it probably has something to do with escaping my past, is not lost on me.”

“That doesn’t matter. What matters is that you were strong enough to not only stay safe and sane, but you’ve taken your painful past and turned it into a way to help others. I think that’s the most admirable thing a person can do.” She went up on her toes and pressed her lips to his. “You really are a true-life hero. And I’m lucky enough to have found you twice in one lifetime.”

He touched his forehead to hers. “I’m the lucky one, sweetheart. You brightened my summer then, and you’ve turned me upside down over the past two days. You make me want things I’ve never wanted before. I can’t believe how much I feel for you already, or how happy I am when I’m with you.”

“Thank you for trusting me enough to share your secrets with me.”

He breathed deeply again, as if a great weight had been lifted from his chest. “Thank you for not judging me for my past.”

“Judging you? We can’t pick our parents.”

“Even so, thank you.”

She eyed the river. “You inspire me. Since you’re helping me overcome my horseback riding fear, would you be willing to help me overcome my fear of deep water? It’s one fear I haven’t been able to conquer yet.”

“I’ll help you with anything, anytime. But are you sure you want to swim here?”

She was already stripping down to her underwear, and he was drinking her in with a lascivious stare. “Scared?”

“Hell, no. But if you’re going to walk around in that skimpy silk and lace, I can promise you that you should be scared. Very, very scared.”

“Oh gosh.” She feigned wide-eyed innocence. “Then I’d better take them off.” She turned her back to him and slipped her bra straps down her arms.

“Kat.” His voice was thick with desire.

She glanced over her shoulder as she wriggled out of her panties, giggling when he stepped from his boxer briefs, fully erect, every muscle pulled taut as she crooked her finger.

“I need my big, strong hero to help me into the deep water.”

ERIC THOUGHT HE must have died and gone to heaven. Kat stood in waist-deep water, her skin shimmering in the moonlight as she clutched his hand. She wasn’t the least bit shy about her body, and he loved that about her. Just like he loved so many other things about her. The strength of her convictions, the courage she had to take control of her life. She was warm and understanding, and excruciatingly sexy. It was killing him to keep his hands to himself, when what he really wanted was to take her in his arms and make love to her.

“I think this is more an effort in overcoming my desires than conquering your fears,” Eric said. “This is some kind of test you’re giving me, and I’m going to fail. Big-time.”

Kat giggled. “You’d better not fail. I’m counting on you to help me overcome my fear. I can’t remember ever being in water deeper than this.”

He pulled her in tight against him and felt her trembling. “At least not since that time at camp, huh, baby?” He kissed her temple. “Are you nervous or cold?”

“Both.” She wrapped her arm around his waist.

“You’re killing me. Do you have any idea what it’s like to see your bare breasts in the moonlight, with that sweet, trusting smile on your lips that makes me feel like a total letch for wanting to touch you?”

She stepped in front of him and pressed her naked body to his, and he scooped her up into his arms and carried her deeper into the water. She squealed, but it wasn’t a frightened squeal. It was a delightful, playful sound that filled him with happiness. She clung to him so tightly that he sensed her delight was turning to fear as they sank chest deep. He tightened his grip and said, “I’ve got you, sweetheart.”

“Don’t drop me. Don’t let me go,” she pleaded.

“Never.” He guided her legs around his waist, and she narrowed her eyes. “I’m not trying anything. I just want to get a better grip on you.”

“Uh-huh.” She tightened her legs around him. “Hey, careful with that water snake poking its head where it shouldn’t.”

He laughed. “If you put a den by a bear, you can’t complain when he takes shelter.” He’d never do anything she didn’t want to, but he realized that this playful banter was a great distraction. He took a step into deeper water, submerging their bodies up to their necks. She dug her nails into his skin.

“Wait.” She drew in a deep breath.

He stopped walking and reassured her. “I’ve got you. I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise. Talk to me, Kat. What scares you most about the water?”

“Drowning,” she snapped.

“Look at me.” When he had her full attention, he asked, “Were you ever taught to swim?”

She nodded. “I know how. My father made me learn that summer when I almost drowned, but even though I knew how, it never helped waylay my fears.”

“Okay, then staying afloat is completely within your control.”

Her legs tightened around his waist, pressing against his erection.

“Keep doing that and I won’t be responsible for what happens.” He smiled to let her know he was kidding. “I’ve got you. We’re just going to stay right here for a few minutes, neck-deep. When you’re comfortable, just loosen your grip a little. Trust yourself. Trust your ability to save yourself.”

“That might take a while.”

“I’ve got all night,” he assured her.

“I’m talking months.” She looked from side to side, and her gaze softened. “The river’s really pretty, actually. It looks like the moonlight is dancing off the ripples.”

“Yes, it’s almost as pretty as you.” He ran a hand down her back and patted her butt.

“Flirt.”

“Truth teller.” He pressed his lips to hers. “I can’t believe I’m going to ask you this, because there is no better position than this one right here—unless of course you’d agree to sink down about eight inches.”

Her eyes widened. “Tsk! I’d smack you if I weren’t afraid of falling under.”

“Damn. Thought I could trick you into loosening your grip. Focus on me, and I want you to untangle your legs from around me and let them hang in the water. I’ll hold you. I promise.”

“No.” She clenched her jaw.

“Fierce belligerence. That’s a total turn-on.” He pressed his hips forward, and she gasped.

“Hey!” Her eyes filled with mischief. “You’re supposed to be helping me overcome my fear of deep water.”

“It’s not my fault you’re sexy as hell and even hotter when you’re mad. Now, drop your legs and trust me to keep you safe, or I’ll carry you out of this water and you’ll definitely have an active snake on your hands.”

She laughed, and he breathed a sigh of relief.

“I have faith in you, Kat. You can do this.”

She rolled her eyes and slowly unwound her legs. “Don’t let go.”

“I would never.” He held her around her waist. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, and their mouths were at the perfect height for him to seal his lips over hers. He kissed her sensuously, relishing the slick feel of her body against his, the easing of her hold around his neck, and the melting of the tension from her body.

“You’re doing so well,” he said against her lips. “Keep kissing me, and you’ll be able to tread water in no time.”

She giggled as he took her in another kiss, this one turning up the heat by about a zillion degrees. His hand slid to the bottom of her spine, pressing her body to his as he took a step into deeper water.

She drew back quickly, and he leaned forward, capturing her mouth in another kiss.

“You’re tricking me,” she snapped.

“No, Kat. I’m opening the door so you can see that you’re really in control of everything. You’re holding yourself up.” He ran his hands lightly over her ribs. “When you’re ready, let go, and I’ll hold you until you feel comfortable.”

“Let go?” Her eyes skidded to the water.

“Kick your feet and move your arms, and I’ll hold you right here.” He gripped her ribs. “You won’t go under. I promise.”

She nodded, and he could see her readying herself for her moment of truth, swallowing hard, gritting her teeth, then licking those delicious lips of hers.

“I’m so proud of you right now. You can do this.”

She slid her arms down his shoulders and over his biceps, gripping them tightly.

“It’s okay. You can hold me. Kick your feet. That’s a girl. Now use your arms to tread water. I will not let go until you tell me to.”

Her arms slid into the water, and she treaded water beautifully.

“How do you feel?”

“Like a child.” She smiled.

“Trust me, you look nothing like a child.” He blew her a kiss. “Do you feel buoyant? Want to try on your own?”

“I remember how, even though the last time I swam was so long ago. I’m just scared. I always tried to conquer this fear, but I never made it. I’ve never been able to force myself to go into deep water. There are only a few things I’m still trying to overcome, but this one scares the daylights out of me. But with you, I want to try harder. I want to overcome it.”

“Like I said, I can stand here all night. Take your time.”

Kat treaded water, her eyes never leaving his, and a few minutes later she said, “I’m ready.”

“Okay.” He took his hands away, keeping them open in the water so he could grab her if need be.

“Ohmygod. I’m doing it. Eric!” She squealed as she treaded water. “This is amazing. It’s fun. It’s freeing!”

“God, you’re beautiful.” He stayed close as she swam around, never putting her head underwater, but keeping herself afloat with a sidestroke and breaststroke.

“I’m doing it. I’m not going under.”

“You’re capable of anything, Kat. There’s nothing you can’t do.”

She swam over to him and wrapped her arms and legs around him. “There is one thing I can’t do.”

“I don’t believe that for a second.”

She sealed her lips over his in a mind-numbing kiss. “I can’t carry you out of the water and have my way with you.”

He scooped her up into his arms again and carried her from the water, their bodies dripping wet, their lips locked in a searing-hot kiss. He laid her on the blanket and reached for his wallet. A minute later he was sheathed and perched above her, silently noting the burgeoning emotions filling his chest.

As he came down over her and their bodies joined together, she reached up and touched his cheek.

“What have you done to me, Eric James?”

“Whatever it is, it’s not enough. One night is not enough. Nothing will ever be enough. I feel like I’ve been waiting for you all my life. Promise me one more night, Kat.”

“Just one?”

He lowered his lips to hers, and beneath the moon and the stars, as Hope stood sentinel, their bodies fell into sync, and Eric found the only thing that had ever felt like home—and she was right there in his arms.

BY SEVEN THIRTY the next morning the Braden house was bursting with energy. Christian was stuffing Cheerios into his little pudgy cheeks, and Layla was in full waitress mode. Her bangs were pinned up on top of her head in a pretty barrette, bringing her wide smile into full focus. She was obviously pleased to have a big-girl responsibility as she placed a plate of pancakes in front of Hal.

“Would you like butter, Poppy?” Layla asked.

Hal wrapped a thick arm around her and pressed a kiss to her temple. “No, thank you, sweet girl. These look delicious just as they are.”

A proud smile passed between Kat and Brianna. Kat had grown up in Richmond, and when Brianna had first interviewed for the job at Old Town Tavern, she and Kat had immediately hit it off. Kat had been part of Brianna’s life since before Layla was born, and she could hardly believe how many years had passed. Layla was obviously flourishing as part of the Braden family.

Eric walked into the kitchen, freshly showered, with hair that looked towel dried and oh so sexy. His eyes immediately found Kat, and his lips curved up in a sinful smile that made her heart race. Every second they’d been together last night had brought them closer to each other and taught her more about herself. She could hardly believe that she’d blocked out the episode at the camp when she was younger, but now her fear of deep water made total sense. Eric had been so thoughtful with her last night when they’d taken Hope down to the river. He had an innate ability to be seductive and careful at the same time, and that brought out the good girl and the wicked girl in Kat. The combination had surprised her, after she’d tried for so long to be discerning and to act more responsibly. What she’d learned last night was that she was happier just being herself. She simply hadn’t found the right man, one who brought out the naughty and the nice aspects of her personality the way Eric did. Going skinny-dipping with him was the biggest thrill, and the most intimate moment, she’d ever shared with a man. Maybe she should be embarrassed by her brazenness in initiating the striptease, but she wasn’t. Not one single bit. How could she be when her heart felt so full? And now, as she watched Eric press a kiss to Christian’s cheek and swoop Layla into his arms as she walked toward the kitchen, making her giggle like crazy, she found herself picturing Eric as a father.

“Are you cooking this morning?” Eric asked Layla, bringing Kat’s mind back to the moment.

Shocked at where her mind had traveled, she tried to distract herself from her thoughts by taking a sip of orange juice. It didn’t help.

Layla giggled again. “No. I’m serving. Do you like my outfit for the picnic? Auntie Riley made it.” Riley was engaged to Hugh’s brother Josh. The two of them were fashion designers in New York City.

Eric set her on her feet and twirled her around with a low whistle. “You are going to be the belle of the picnic.”

Kat loved that he gave Layla his full attention, and obviously Layla did, too, because she hugged him again before rushing off to serve another plate.

“What can I do to help?” Eric asked.

Hugh walked into the room behind him and patted him on the back. “Why don’t you take that seat next to Kat. I’ve got this.” Hugh touched Hal’s shoulder. “Hi, Pop. More coffee?”

“No, thank you, son.”

The front door opened, and Rex’s deep voice echoed through the house. “I smell pancakes.” He had an arm draped around his very pregnant wife, Jade, and his cowboy boots clunked across the hardwood floor as they joined them at the table.

“Pop.” Rex patted Hal on the shoulder. “How’s it going, Kat?”

“Wonderful. How are you?” Kat asked.

“Mighty fine. Thanks for asking.” Rex swept Christian out of his high chair, making the little boy squeal with delight and kick his feet. He tucked the boy against his burly chest as he pulled out a chair for Jade. “Sit down, babe. I’ll grab your food.”

“I’ve got it, Uncle Rex.” Layla set a plate in front of Jade.

“Well, aren’t you the perfect hostess?” Rex bent to kiss her. Layla beamed at his praise. He sat beside Jade, bouncing Christian on his knee.

“You’re anxious for your own baby, aren’t you?” Kat asked as Eric sat beside her and draped an arm over her shoulder. She glanced at him, surprised by, and reveling in, his display of affection.

“That I am.” Rex leaned over and kissed Jade’s cheek, then pressed his large hand to her belly.

“Rexy has been ready for this baby since the day he asked me to marry him.” Jade leaned forward to kiss Christian, who was busy trying to get his fingers into Rex’s mouth. “You should probably put him back in his high chair before he thinks it’s playtime instead of breakfast time.”

“How about you, Kat? Do you want children?” Eric asked, surprising the hell out of her.

“Yes. I definitely want children one day. I love kids,” she answered with her heart in her throat.

Beneath the table he placed his bare foot on top of hers as he said, “So do I.”

“Whoa,” Hugh said as he came into the room and set platters of pancakes and eggs on the table. “What the heck happened on your date last night?”

“Did Hope treat you well?” Rex asked.

Brianna carried a tray of fruit to the table, and Hugh pulled out a seat for her. She had her eyes locked on Kat. Kat had been bursting at the seams this morning, and she’d already shared the details of their incredible date with Bree.

“Hope was quite a lady,” Eric said, setting a warm gaze on Kat. “She made it easy for Kat to relax into the ride.”

Was she the only one who heard that double entendre? She hoped so.

“Hope has a way of making people comfortable.” Hal’s eyes traveled around the table.

“Yes,” Kat said. “Thank you for letting us take her out. And the lights on the trail were so romantic.”

Jade smiled up at Rex. “That’s my Rexy for you. Always full of romance.”

“Safety first, romance second,” Rex corrected her.

Jade rolled her eyes. “What is it with men? Can’t they just admit that romance is what drives them?”

“Hey, don’t lump us all together.” Hugh draped an arm over Bree’s shoulder. “I’m totally a romantic at heart. I just didn’t know it until I met Bree and Layla.” He winked at Layla.

Eric placed a possessive hand on Kat’s shoulder, and she tried to keep from grinning like a lovesick fool. From the smiles on Bree’s and Jade’s faces, she’d failed miserably.

“It takes a special woman to bring out the romance in a man,” Eric said casually, as if he hadn’t just sent her whole world spinning.

Hal set his napkin on his lap and said, “You’re all full of hogwash. Your hearts are driving your cart, not your heads.” He shook his head. “One day y’all will understand the power of love. You can’t dissuade it, you can’t escape it, and you sure as hell can’t rule how or when it presents itself.”

Kat didn’t care if it was wishful thinking or a rationalization on her part, but she clung to Hal’s words and felt better about her heart summersaulting in her chest after she’d known Eric for only two short days.

BY TWO O’CLOCK Weston County Park was packed, and the fundraising event for the Foundation for Whole Families was in full swing. These types of events brought the foundation to life for Eric. He loved seeing the families they’d helped to reunite and enjoyed meeting some of their generous donors. When he’d first started the foundation, there’d been a part of him that had played out the scenario of a foundation such as this coming into his life as a youth, causing him to imagine reliving that part of his life differently. But he’d quickly nixed those painful dreams, knowing the impossibility of such a thing. Instead, he used those hopes to help grow the foundation, poured his passion and desire for a better childhood into every family they helped. Watching some of those families flourish made it all worthwhile.

He watched as Emily Braden, Hugh’s cousin, approached with her fiancée, Dae Bray, a demolition expert. Emily was an architect and an expert in the passive-house movement, and she’d been at Eric for a while to build green with his next outpatient center. He’d been meaning to contact her about his plan to build in Trusty, Colorado, the neighboring town to where Emily and Dae lived.

“I heard some smart-mouthed race car driver just bought the five-acre commercial lot a block off Main Street in Trusty.” Emily brushed her long dark hair from her shoulders and hugged Eric. “How’s it going, smart-mouth?”

“A pleasure to see you, too, Em.” He embraced her, then opened his arms to Dae. “How’s it going, man? I see being engaged hasn’t made her any less feisty.”

Dae pulled Emily into his arms. “That’s my girl.”

“I’ve been meaning to call you about checking out passive structures for the new Trusty Outpatient Center.” Eric noticed Hugh heading their way.

“Now you’re talking my language,” Emily said. “It’s not like I haven’t been drawing them up for the past three years, waiting with bated breath for you to get off your ass. I’ll email you Monday with some ideas.”

“Who’s the smart-mouth?” Eric teased.

Hugh joined them and greeted his cousin and Dae with open arms. “It’s a regular reunion.”

“We’re just passing through.” Emily pointed to the baseball fields, where two softball games were just beginning, one for older kids and one for adults. Emily pointed to the Wiffle ball field, and as she headed for the softball game, said, “But you boys should join that game.”

Eric laughed and waved as they walked away, his eyes skirting the property, seeking the woman who had so quickly touched his heart. He found her across the grassy field, carrying Christian and holding Layla’s hand as Brianna talked with another woman a few feet away. He could watch her all day long, and she looked so natural with the baby in her arms while chatting with Layla that it did funky things to his stomach again. He watched them walk over to a clown who was doing magic for a group of families. She pressed her lips to Christian’s cheek, then said something as she pointed to the clown. Damn, the emotions she incited in him had his whole body going warm and made his mind jump ahead to something he’d never imagined settling down enough to have. Family.

He shifted his eyes away, the unfamiliar urges telling him that he was somehow falling for Kat after only a few days. He tried to focus on the people walking by, on Hugh’s voice as he talked about the picnic. Hell, on anything but the little voice in his head saying, She’s the one. The only one.

He focused on the table with the raffle prize baskets, thinking about how few donations they’d received the first year. Now the table overflowed with donations. The Denver Broncos donated baskets of football paraphernalia, and dozens of local businesses donated goods, from jewelry baskets, books, and leather goods to lotions and hardware. The generosity of the community was endless.

“We did well, basing the event here,” Eric said to Hugh. It had been Hugh’s idea to make Weston the home base for the fundraiser each year, and since Eric hadn’t had the benefit of a close-knit community growing up, he was happy to become part of Hugh’s.

“Weston cares, that’s for sure.” Hugh pointed to Kat and Brianna. Kat was holding Christian and tickling his stomach. “Looks like Kat’s taken to my boy.”

Eric’s heart warmed again at the sight of her loving up Christian. “I can’t believe you’ve kept Kat a secret from me for so long.”

“Shit. You haven’t wanted a girlfriend. Ever. To be honest, I was completely floored this morning when I saw you two at breakfast, but Bree wasn’t. She said she knew the minute she saw you two together yesterday morning that you were meant to be together. Something about vibes.” Hugh cleared his throat, as if to say, Told you so.

Eric had never been more excited to see a woman than he was this morning. He’d slept fitfully, wishing Kat were in his arms and wondering if she’d been thinking of him, too. It had taken all of his restraint not to walk down the hall and knock on her bedroom door. When he’d finally seen her, he’d had to fight the urge to take her in his arms and kiss her good morning. But after only one date, he knew that was presumptuous, regardless of how intimate they’d been, how close he felt to her, or the fact that she’d already promised she’d go out with him again tonight. Relationships weren’t something he had experience in, and he was taking his cues from her.

“I’ve always said that your wife’s a smart woman,” Eric said. “Kat and I connected on every level from the moment we met, and even so, this is all so new to me that I was a goddamn nervous wreck this morning. I was worried that she’d changed her mind. That she’d look at my history with women and decide I wasn’t worth the risk.”

Hugh slung an arm over his shoulder. “Dude, you’re an amazing man. You must know that. Any woman would be lucky to be with you.”

“This isn’t about being lucky to be with me. I know my downfalls. You and I both know that I’ve never been a settling-down type of guy, but ever since I began thinking about the future, I’ve felt different. And Kat…Holy hell, Hugh. Kat? She’s the most intense, passionate, intelligent woman I’ve ever met. I finally understand how you fell for Brianna so quickly.”

“And Layla, man. I fell for them both. I love Layla like she’s my own flesh and blood.” Hugh gazed lovingly at his family a few feet away and took a few steps in their direction.

“I know you do. I have to tell you, I meant what I said this morning. I’m thinking more and more about settling down and having a family. And Kat just might be the oil in my gears. I was thrilled when she didn’t shy away from me during breakfast.” Kat looked up, and their eyes caught. His heart skipped in his chest, and the ability to walk and talk at the same time suddenly eluded him. He stood stock-still and said, “I’m the lucky one, man. If she’ll have me, I’ll make sure she never regrets it.”

Before taking the few final steps to Kat, he said, “I think your father was spot-on about the heart leading this cart. I could no sooner walk away from Kat than I could walk away from racing.”

ERIC HELD UP a burlap sack, smiling at Kat and ignoring the smirk Hugh was giving them while he and Layla stepped into their own potato sack. Rex and Brianna and about a dozen other couples were also preparing for the big race, while Jade, who was too pregnant to take part, stood off to the side with Christian, cheering them on.

“Wanna jump in the sack with me?” Eric asked Kat.

“Heck yeah, I do.” Kat held on to his arm, loving the feel of his hard muscles and the heated glint in his eyes. She lowered her voice and said, “Bragging rights. I can say I got the head of the foundation in the sack.”

His head tipped back with a hearty laugh. “Darlin’, you can have all the bragging rights you want where I’m concerned.” He pressed a kiss to her lips, and she nearly melted on the spot.

She’d spent the entire day in awe of the way he handled himself. The man hobnobbed with wealthy donors and heads of corporations with the same zeal as he scooped babies into his arms and tossed a ball with teenagers. He gave his full attention to the adults and children in equal measure, which endeared him to Kat even more. Eric’s presence was as stable and commanding as a towering tree. Kat imagined that he’d have been just as debonair in a dark suit and tie as he was in his jeans. And now, as he draped an arm around her, grinning like a fool, he also looked like an eager kid ready to win a race—and the whole combination of hot, sexy, and playful made her swoon a little more.

The race started with a roaring cheer from the crowd, and Kat promptly tripped on a lump of grass and lost her footing. Eric caught her before she face-planted into the dirt and pulled her against him.

“You okay, graceful girl?”

She laughed. “Nice. Let’s win this race!”

With his strong arm around her waist, they found their groove, quickly catching up to Rex and Brianna. Rex reached out and grabbed ahold of their potato sack.

“Going somewhere?” His Stetson was perched high on his head, and the challenge in his dark eyes made Kat burst out laughing and nearly tumble to the ground again.

Eric’s grip on her waist saved her. He shot Rex a competitive stare, and Rex was now laughing, too. “We’re only going one place, my friend. Ahead of you.” He glanced at Hugh and Layla and said to Kat, “Let’s let Layla beat us.”

She fell a little harder for him that very second and knew she was steps away from tumbling head over heels from not only the ground but for Eric, too.

Eric kept an eye on Layla, holding them back until she crossed the finish line. Layla was so excited, she jumped into Hugh’s arms, squealing with delight. Then she ran to Eric and Kat and hugged them both.

“You guys were so good. I’m sorry you didn’t beat us, but you still did really well!” She turned to Rex and Brianna and threw her arms around Bree’s neck. “We beat you, Mom! Dad and I beat you!”

Kat swore she saw longing in Eric’s eyes as he watched the scene unfold.

“You sure did,” Brianna said to her exuberant daughter. “You were amazing!”

“Yeah, but you were still great!” Layla hugged her again before racing back to Hugh and hugging him again.

Brianna’s gaze caught on Kat’s, and the dampness in her eyes nearly pulled tears from Kat’s. She knew how much it meant to Brianna for Layla to adore Hugh the way she did. She felt Eric’s arm circle her shoulder, and she leaned in to him.

“God, I love that little girl,” she said wistfully.

“I have a feeling you’ll have your own little girl who is just as wonderful one day.” Eric hugged her close, and when she gave him a quizzical look, he said, “What? You’re a woman who wants children. I’m just sayin’…”

She didn’t know what surprised her more—the fact that the man she’d pegged as a player was holding her in front of so many important people and talking to her about a future, or the fact that she could actually imagine a future with him after knowing him for just forty-eight hours.

ERIC WAS STILL riding high from the afternoon when he and Kat left the ranch for their date later that evening. They’d been inseparable after the potato sack race, and by the time they’d returned to the ranch after the picnic, they’d felt like a couple. He hadn’t hesitated to keep Kat in his arms as they visited with Hope, even though Hal was there chatting up the old mare—and thankfully, not only had Kat been receptive, but she’d reciprocated his affections in earnest.

He parked the car at the racetrack and cut the engine.

“What are we doing here?” Kat peered into the darkness.

“You’ll see.” He came around the car and opened her door, pulling her in close as she stepped from the car. “You said you liked to drive fast, and you really can’t do that safely on the roads, but here…”

“I am not driving a race car,” she said adamantly.

“No? Well, then, come with me, but first…” He lowered his lips to hers, giving in to the urge that had consumed him for far too long. Her lips were warm and sweet, and when he slicked his tongue over hers, she made the sound of surrender that he’d heard in his dreams, and it nearly sent him into full-on take mode. It took all of his focus to draw far enough back to speak.

“I love kissing you,” he said against her lips, then pressed his mouth to hers again. “I never want to stop.”

He had a burning desire, an aching need, for another kiss, and as he sealed his lips over hers, his tongue plundering her mouth, his resolve to take things slow frayed with every sexy moan that escaped her lips. His hand moved over her hip to the curve of her ass. God, he loved her ass. It was firm and round, and he couldn’t wait to see it bare beneath him. He was hard as steel, and every move she made brought him closer to losing all control and letting his hands wander to all the soft, dark places he craved.

Fuck. This was anything but slow. But holy hell did she feel good, taste good.

With a groan, he tore his lips from hers. “Kat, I want to make love to you more than I’ve ever wanted any woman in my life, but…”

She pressed her hands flat on his chest, breathing hard. “We’re so bad for each other. Sorry.”

“No, darlin’. We’re perfect for each other, and this is all on me. I can’t resist you.” He lifted her chin so he could press his lips to hers again, lightly this time. “I want to give you a night you’ll never forget, and as much as I want that to include so much pleasure that you never want to touch another man, I promised myself that I’d be a gentleman.”

Her eyes darkened, as she said with a soft laugh, “Well, that’s a stupid promise.”

“If I take you to bed, I’m a player. If I’m a gentleman, I’m stupid. You’re going to be the death of me.”

She dragged her finger down the center of his chest. “But what a fun death it will be.”

With another groan, he took her hand and led her toward the track.

“Fast cars and fast men go hand in hand, don’t they?” she asked as he unlocked the gate.

“It takes a certain mentality to want to push limits to the extreme and risk your life every time you’re on a track, and that need for danger probably does play out in several other parts of our lives.” When their feet hit the pavement, the lights came on, illuminating the empty track and the bleachers beyond. Eric’s pulse kicked up at the spectacular sight. It happened every damn time, whether he was racing or not. The thrill of the race and his incessant need for speed sent a burst of adrenaline through him.

“Wow, how did you get them to let us come in all alone?” Her eyes were wide as she looked around the track, finally landing on his silver Jaguar XJ220. “And holy cow, whose car is that?”

He took out his cell phone and sent off a quick text thanking his buddy Clay for taking care of the arrangements for tonight and sticking around to handle the lights. “Celebrity has its benefits, and I rarely pull strings, but tonight”—he took her hand and led her to his car—“is special.” He loved the look of awe in her eyes, but not because he needed the ego stroke. He loved seeing Kat happy, knowing she was being treated special, like she deserved to be. He wasn’t kidding that he wanted to make this night unforgettable for her, and if that meant that he had to pull a few strings, her smile made it all worth it.

He opened the door to the Jag and motioned for her to climb in. “This is your night, darlin’. Take her for a ride.”

Kat took a step back and shook her head. “Oh no. I can’t drive a car that costs more than I’ve earned in my entire life.”

“You have no idea how adorable you are, do you?” He placed his hands on her hips and tipped her chin up with his finger. “It’s a car, Kat. Not an airplane.”

She shook her head. “I can’t.”

“You can. I thought you were all about conquering your fears.”

“I am, but—”

He pulled her in close. “Okay, then, I’ll take you for a spin first, and then you can drive.” He helped her into the passenger seat, loving the way her fingers played over the rich leather seats. “You look like you belong in this car,” he said as he hooked her seat belt. He couldn’t resist kissing her again before settling into the driver’s seat.

The car roared to life, and he gave her hand a gentle squeeze, then kissed her knuckles. “Hang on tight, Kitty Kat, because you’re in for the ride of your life.”

“Don’t crash,” she said as she clutched the edge of the seat.

“No chance of that when I have such precious cargo.” He leaned across the seat and kissed her again, because really, it was torture not to.

THE NIGHT WAS cool, but Kat’s entire body was on fire. She couldn’t believe Eric had made these special arrangements for her, and she wondered how he’d gotten his car here when he’d rented one at the airport. But those questions went out the window the minute he took off around the track, leaving her heart in the dust.

“Holy crap! This is so fast!” She couldn’t stop from yelling. There was too much fear, too much elation, rushing through her. Everything outside her window was a blur. She’d never been more frightened in her life, but Eric was the picture of calm, confident, and badass race car driver. His eyes were focused on the track, his chin was set tight, and his hands gripped the steering wheel with the strength of a hurricane and the grace of a new father.

“This is nothing. I’m just getting warmed up.” He winked without taking his eyes off the road ahead. “I’d hold your hand, but safety first at this speed.”

“How fast is this speed?”

“Not very. One forty.”

Ohmygod!

“Relax, darlin’. I have a little experience with driving fast.” He kicked up the speed, and Kat felt her whole body push back into the seat.

“Close your eyes,” he said. “Feel the rush.”

She closed her eyes, focusing on her heart slamming against her ribs. She wasn’t sure if it was the speed or purely Eric.

“Inhale deeply and blow it out slowly.”

She did, and then she did it again.

“That’s it, darlin’.”

“I can’t even feel any bumps in the road!” With her eyes still closed, it was the most incredible experience in the world, turning her trust over to him and really letting go of all control. “It’s like we’re aboveground, floating. But more intense, like a roller coaster without all the peaks and valleys.” She unfurled her fingers from around the edge of the seat and laid them in her lap. Her limbs prickled with adrenaline, but the fear began to slip away.

“One day I’ll take you out in one of my convertibles, and then you’ll really feel the rush. There’s nothing like the gust of wind blowing by. It’s rejuvenating.”

She felt his energy, his confidence, and when she opened her eyes, she saw that he had a big smile on his face, which calmed more of her anxiety. He was usually darkly intense, and now all that intensity was layered in light. “Wow, you really love this.”

“There are few things I love more than driving fast. Look straight ahead, not at what’s passing by. Feel the energy of the track, feel the control, the power beneath you.”

She tried to focus on everything he said, but her eyes kept darting back to him. Energy, power, and control radiated off of him, not the car, and it drew her further in to him.

He slowed as they drove the long stretch of track leading to where they’d first begun, and when he came to a stop, Kat’s heart was still racing. She was breathing hard, but it wasn’t fear that had her pulse skyrocketing; it was seeing the elation on Eric’s face, sensing the thrill he took from the ride. When he reached for her hand, she realized she was gripping her thighs. He took both of her hands in his and placed them between his own.

“Are you ready to take a spin?”

“I’m scared shitless, but I want to do it. I mean, I’m used to driving fast, but this is a whole new level of fast.” She trapped her lower lip between her teeth with the confession and placed his hand over her heart. “Feel that?”

“The thrill of the ride.” He leaned across the console and placed a kiss where his hand had been, sending shivers of lust rippling through her.

When he came around to her side of the car and helped her out, her legs were shaking.

“You’re trembling.” He pulled her flush against him and rubbed his hand down her back. “That’s totally normal. Don’t let it worry you.”

“I won’t go that fast, but you’ll be with me, right?” She felt his heart beating harder than he let on.

“Of course. I’ll be right there with you every step of the way.”

“Your heartbeat is going so fast, but you seem so calm.”

He pressed a tender kiss to her forehead. He was as strong as he was gentle, and she loved getting to know all of his complexities.

“My whole life has been about moving fast.” His eyes turned serious, and a look of something darker, deeper, washed over his face and quickly disappeared, as if he was used to doing that, too, locking away parts of himself. “Let’s get you started.”

He helped her into the driver’s seat and buckled her in, tugging the belt to test it out before letting go.

“Uh-oh.” She covered her mouth with the realization that she couldn’t drive the car. “This is a manual transmission. I can’t drive it.”

He laughed. “You’ve never driven a stick?”

She shook her head. “I feel so stupid. I was so caught up in the excitement that I didn’t even realize you’d been shifting gears.”

“Well, then, it looks like you’re in for a driving lesson.” He closed the door and went around to the passenger seat. “Do you know the mechanics of driving a manual transmission?”

“Sure. Push the clutch, shift, use my right foot for the gas.”

His lips quirked up in that sexy way he had. “Awesome. Go for it.”

“Wait. What? Can’t I ruin the clutch or something? I’ve seriously never done this before, and this car must have cost a small fortune.”

“Darlin’, I have a small fortune, and you’re not going to ruin the clutch. Let’s give it a try.”

“I like when you call me darlin’,” she admitted, trying to distract herself from being nervous.

“That’s good, because I like calling you darlin’.” His eyes darkened.

“Do you call all your women that?” Oh shit. Word vomit…Her nerves definitely had the best of her.

He shifted his eyes away, and when he turned back, they were serious. “It’s not like I have a harem of women that I keep around for the hell of it.”

“That’s not what I meant. I’m sorry. I’m just nervous and not thinking before I speak.”

“Kat, I’ve been with plenty of women, and I have no idea what I did or didn’t call them, but I can tell you that I’ve never felt with anyone what I feel when I’m with you. Darlin’ comes naturally when I’m with you, but if it makes you uncomfortable, I can call you something else.”

Now she felt stupid for asking. “I’m sorry. Please don’t change. I do truly love it when you call me that. It makes me go all gooey inside. It was a silly question.”

“Gooey, huh? Why does that turn me on?” He leaned across the console. “It wasn’t a silly question at all. It was real, and I like real. Believe me. I have a million questions I want to ask about the men you’ve been with, but the answers would only torture me, so I’m pretending you’ve never been with another man, and for now, that’s working mighty well.”

She laughed. “I’ll try that.”

He tipped her chin up again with his finger—she loved when he did that because he was giving her his full attention, and she knew he wanted her to give him hers, which meant that whatever he was going to say was important. “You just continue being yourself. I’ll answer all of your questions honestly.” He kissed her softly, then settled back into the passenger seat.

“Any more questions before we get started?”

“Just one.” She paused for a moment before asking, afraid of how the answer might feel. “Have you ever done this before for a woman? Taken her to the track after it was closed and let her drive your car?”

His intense gaze never wavered from hers. “Not once. I’ve never let a woman drive any of my cars. Hell, I’ve never let anyone but my team drive them.”

“Then why me?”

He stared at her for a long moment, and when he finally spoke, he began with a knitting of his brows and a smile. “I told you there was something about you that makes me want to be closer to you. I feel like you’re part of me. Like you have always been part of me. I know it’s crazy, but crazy has never felt so right.”

She exhaled a breath she hadn’t realized she was holding. “The camp.”

He settled a hand on hers. “Have I scared you off yet with my directness?”

“Not even a little. I’ve felt like you were familiar, too, and after last night, I can’t stop thinking about you. About us.”

“I think that’s the best thing I’ve ever heard. Now let’s see if we can make you a race car driver.”

“Okay.” She smiled at the excited glint in his eyes. “But here’s the thing. If I do ruin your car, you’ve been duly warned. All my worldly belongings would not be able to pay for whatever I might break. Of that I’m one hundred percent certain.”

“I’m sure you can pay me back in more interesting ways.” His face spread into a devilish grin as he placed his hand on her thigh.

“Gosh, you do know how to keep a girl on her toes.”

“On your toes is not at all where I’d like to keep you.”

How was she supposed to concentrate with that on her mind?

“Shall we?” He nodded to the track. “Some people like to get comfortable while the car is off, pretending to gas up and change gears, but I’m all for feeling your way through things. Why don’t you start her up and let her roll.”

“Start her up. Let her roll. Got it.” Her heart was racing from his innuendos. She tried to focus on shifting the car into first, and it jolted forward and stalled.

“That’s okay. Try it again.”

“I’m sorry. I suck at this.”

“No, you don’t,” he said with a comforting smile. “You’re learning, and learning to do anything can take time. Stop thinking about getting in my pants and think about driving.”

She laughed. “Oh, that’ll help.”

“You know you want me.” The heat in his tone made her cheeks flush. “I’ll tell you what. If you can get us around this track safely, I’ll think about giving you a shot at the old bod.”

She glared at him. “Like you wouldn’t if I couldn’t drive?”

He shrugged with a too-fucking-sexy smile. “Let’s not find out. Focus on the road and drive this baby so we can get to the fun stuff.”

She eased into first gear, then second. “Maybe I don’t want fun stuff.”

“Not likely,” he said as she shifted into gear. “Look at you. You’re made for this kind of driving. Keep it up, darlin’, and I might just let you drive my Ducati.”

“I don’t know what that is, but if it’s slang for your penis, you ain’t seen nothing yet.” She flashed what she knew was her best flirty, smug grin, while watching the road, and took the speed up to seventy-five. “This is awesome!”

He chuckled. “You’re incredibly sexy when you’re driving. How does it feel?”

“Amazing.”

“Give me real feelings, Kat. You’re too smart for cliché answers, and I want you to really experience the thrill of the ride. Focus on how it makes you feel inside. Tell me what you feel.”

She loved the way he challenged her, and she loved that he cared enough to ask for her real feelings. Feeling more confident with his words, she kicked up the speed to eighty. “It feels dangerous and exciting, like you.”

“I feel dangerous and exciting?”

“Definitely, and I wish the windows were down and I could feel the world racing by.”

“Loosen your hands on the wheel just a little. While it’s important to be in control, it’s also important not to forget that you’re in control. Part of that is recognizing the power it takes to manage the vehicle and where that power comes from. If you’re too tight, your reflexes will be slower.”

She loosened her grip a tiny bit, the ache of her death grip easing around her knuckles. “That does feel better. It’s like you have experience with this driving stuff,” she teased.

“Feel the power, Kat. Feel it everywhere. When you get out of the car, you’ll realize your entire body—back, legs, feet, hands, neck—were all tightly wound. Allow yourself to ease up just enough to remain in control of the car without the fear. Become one with the energy. Let it sink into you but not take you over. You control it.”

She focused on each muscle and realized that he was right. Her body was like one big bundle of nerves. “Amazing. Wait…” She wanted to dig deeper, to give him more. “Once I got past the dizzy, anxious feeling, it’s like a feeling of euphoria. It feels unreal, like I’m infused with a sense of freedom and power. I totally get the allure of driving fast.”

“My fearless wonder.”

She loved hearing the possessiveness in his voice.

“Are you ready to conquer more fears?”

“More? Should I pull over?”

“It’s up to you. This is your night. Take her around as many times as you’d like. I could watch you drive all night long.” He lowered his voice and said, “But there are other, more pleasurable things I’d like to do, too.”

That was too enticing to pass up. She could only imagine what more pleasurable things would mean with a man like Eric.

“I CAN’T BELIEVE you trusted me to drive that luxurious car. Thank you so much. That was more fun than any date I’ve ever been on.”

She had no idea of the night he had in store for her. “Is that it? Our whole date?”

“No, I just meant so far, it’s been amaz—more exhilarating than any other date. Ever.”

He pulled her in close. “You can say ‘amazing,’ Kat.” He brushed her hair from her shoulder, feeling her heartbeat quicken against his and loving the way she clung to him. “I just want to be sure that when you’re in the moment of doing the things you want to experience, you allow yourself to fully engage, on every level. Using every sense. Most people float through life on the surface, and it’s a richer experience if you allow yourself to take it apart layer by layer.”

“Layer by layer,” she said just above a whisper. “Now I’m thinking about using all of those senses in a different way.”

“Oh, we will. Like now, holding you in my arms. Your perfume fills my lungs, and I can taste, just from memory, your mouth on mine. The rapid beat of the pulse at the base of your neck underscores the feel of your heart beating fast and hard against mine. The press of your fingers on my back sends signals through my body, arousing all of my senses.” He pressed his lips to hers, taking a tender taste of what he hoped was yet to come. “Let yourself go to fully experience every aspect of everything you do.”

He lowered his lips to her neck and kissed her just below her ear. “The fear,” he whispered, then kissed the hollow of her neck. “The anticipation.” He pressed his cheek to hers, tightening his hold on her, letting her feel the effect she had on him. “The allure of the unknown.”

He felt her holding her breath and whispered, “Breathe, Kat. Let yourself feel.”

As he sealed his lips over hers in another, hotter kiss, it took every bit of his strength not to let his desire take over. He wanted everything with her, but mostly, tonight, he wanted her trust and for her to experience new and exciting things in life to help her understand how special she was. When their lips parted, they gazed into each other’s eyes, passion burning between them.

“You gave me one more night, and I intend to take advantage of every second of it.” He took her hand in his and led her out of the gates to the emergency-landing field behind the track, where his helicopter was waiting.

She stopped cold at the sight of it. “A helicopter?”

“Just to get us to dinner.”

“Dinner?” She tightened her grip on his hand. “I don’t like to fly in planes. What makes you think I’ll get in that whirling death machine?”

He smiled, sensing her strength beneath her fear. “You have complete control over what we do. If you say no, we’ll take the rental car to a restaurant. But if you trust me, I think you’ll see there’s no fear you can’t overcome.”

“But…it’s night, and we’re in the mountains.”

He pulled her in close again. “Both true facts. And the place we’re going to eat is on top of a mountain a few minutes away. This is a quicker means of travel and an easier way to face your fears. It’s all about the experience.”

“Are you trying to woo me with your money? Because I don’t care about money.” She crossed her arms.

“As much as that accusation stings, I understand why it might look that way. But the answer is no. I’m trying to woo you into seeing that you and I are made of the same stuff. I know all about fears, Kat. I know about running from them and overcoming them.” He paused, letting the truth of his confession sink in.

“I want to be the one to help you overcome yours, all of them. Kat, as far as I know, I have one more night to show you who I am. Not who the media sees, or who people think I am. I debated taking you to a low-key restaurant with champagne and dancing with the rest of Weston, Colorado. There is some allure in that. I get it. But that wouldn’t show you a damn thing about me. It would only prove that I know how to play the dating game, and with you, this doesn’t feel like a game. It feels real.”

He let out a breath and rubbed the back of his neck, trying to figure out how to explain what was going on inside him. But it was all so new that he had no idea where to begin.

She eyed the helicopter. “You really feel safe in that?”

“Always. Safety is my number one concern. And I hired my pilot tonight so that I could make sure you felt safe, too. I could have piloted it myself, but I want to be right there beside you in case you need me.”

Her gaze softened. “You did?”

“Yes. I’m not trying to impress you, or buy your affection, Kat. If I were, I’d have hired a limo to take us to the most expensive restaurant, bought the most expensive bottle of wine, and given you cheesy lines. I could have any number of women, just like you could have any number of men—which I’m totally not thinking about. And before you ask, I’ve never taken any woman up in my helicopter before.” He looked deeply into her eyes, hoping she’d see the sincerity in them.

“The truth is, I want you to fall for me for who I am inside. And a big part of who I am happens to be a guy who desperately wants to help you overcome your fears so you can enjoy life the way I do.”

She sighed, as if she liked hearing that. “Thank you for thinking of me like that. That means a lot to me.”

“Hopefully one day I will mean a lot to you, too.”

KAT COULDN’T BELIEVE she was even considering getting into the helicopter. But with Eric’s arms around her, and the protective way he looked at her, like he’d never let anything hurt her, along with what he said about experiencing life, she wanted to do this. And surprisingly, not just for herself, but for him, too. She saw in his eyes the same conviction she’d seen when he was talking about helping families through his foundation, and she loved knowing that it brought him pleasure to help her.

“You can say no, Kat, but if you give it a chance, you might enjoy it. It’s like driving fast, only a hundred times better, and I’ll be right there, holding you every step of the way. Not that you’ll need it. You’re stronger than you think.”

She inhaled a deep breath, gathering her courage. “You have to know that I’m scared shitless again.”

“The choice is yours, and I won’t be disappointed either way.” He caressed her cheek and softened his tone. “But you were scared shitless to drive the clutch and you made that car your bitch.”

Laughing, she pressed her cheek to his chest and said, “Fine. But if we crash, it’s on your shoulders.”

Kat was sure her heart would explode as she climbed into the helicopter, and she was thankful that Eric stayed close to her, helping her buckle into the plush leather seats and slipping a headset over her ears.

“We can hear each other through these, and they’ll help keep out the rest of the noise.” He took her hand in his and settled into the seat beside her. “I’m so proud of you.”

“You might not be when I’m crying like a baby and clawing to get out of this thing midair.”

He pointed to the emergency-equipment locker. “No worries. We have parachutes, and I know how to skydive.”

“Is there anything you don’t know how to do?” She had a feeling there wasn’t. She could practically see the gears behind those intense eyes of his churning before he finally answered.

“Maybe. I’ve never had a steady girlfriend, but I’m learning. I think day one is going pretty well so far.” He must have seen the surprise in her eyes, because he quickly added, “Don’t look so shocked. You said you’re trying to attract the right type of guy, and I want to be that guy. You’ve got your fears and I’ve got mine, but together we can accomplish anything.”

Before Kat could respond, the pilot asked Eric if they were ready and he gave him a thumbs-up. The headphones helped with the sounds of the chopper blades, but the feel of the vibrations and the way her stomach dropped as the helicopter lifted off made her wish she’d stayed on the ground.

Eric put an arm around her shoulders and brought her in close. “I’ve got you, Kat. It’s a little like being in an elevator.”

His voice in her ears was soothing, and his grip on her was strong and possessive, which made her feel much more comfortable.

“Can you hear me okay?” he asked.

She nodded.

“I’m going to talk you through this. Is your stomach okay? Do you feel sick at all?”

She shook her head. “It’s a little like floating, but roller coasterish, too.”

“Yes. You’ll get used to it as we move forward. If you get scared, squeeze my hand, okay?”

She nodded, but in her head she envisioned scrambling into his lap as the helicopter seemed to rise straight up, and she felt herself being pushed down into the seat. She squeezed his hand, and he tightened his arm around her shoulders as the helicopter moved forward.

“Better?”

“Yes,” she finally managed. His touch calmed her, and the way he was watching her so intently, as if he could and would fix any discomfort she might have—which she was realizing he probably could—made her feel completely safe.

“Look out at the lights of the city.” He pointed out the window, then quickly returned his hand to hers.

Kat’s chest felt full and tight, as the tail end of fear slipped away. “I’ve never seen anything so spectacular. We’re so much lower than the airplane was.”

“We’re going there.” He pointed over the mountains, and a few minutes later, a circle of green lights came into view. “That’s the helipad where we’ll land.”

“What’s up here?” The lights of the city fell away behind them, and there were only the lights of the helipad and a few others in the distance.

“Dinner,” he said casually, as if everyone in the world took a helicopter to the top of a mountain for dinner. “How do you feel?”

“Exhilarated. A little anxious, but not enough to stop me from doing it again, and lucky.” She gazed into his eyes and said, “Really, really lucky that you wanted to do this for me. I also feel spoiled rotten and like I owe you big-time after this.”

“Darlin’, you don’t owe me a damn thing, and don’t you ever let a man make you feel like you owe him anything. Ever. I do things because I want to, not to get something in return.”

The vehemence in his voice surprised her. The helicopter touched down, and Eric helped Kat out and hurried her away from the blades, shrouding her body with his as they dashed outside the circle of lights.

“Are you okay?” He searched her eyes, and his gaze rolled down her body, making her shiver.

“Perfect.”

“What do you feel?”

She loved that he asked for more. Most guys would be happy with a one-word answer. She was still reeling from the excitement of the ride, but she tried to get her brain to function clearly. “I feel a sense of power again. Like facing my fear made me even stronger.”

“That’s the beauty of the mind. Fear is all up here.” He tapped his head. “If you can capture that fear and put it into perspective, then you realize it’s not something that has to control you or limit you.”

“That’s what I realized with my job, but I hadn’t put that idea into play with my other fears.”

“Unfortunately, I had to learn it at a very young age. I recognized fierceness in you the first time our eyes connected at the bar,” he said as he pressed his hand to her cheek. “I need to speak to the pilot for a moment. Promise me you won’t come any closer to the helicopter than this. The blades are dangerous.”

“I promise.” She’d promise him anything. He was so caring and thoughtful, and yet, unlike other men, his tenderness was bordered by a sexual undercurrent like she’d never felt before. And she sensed that the honesty about his past wasn’t coming easily, but earnestly.

“I’m so happy you were courageous enough to do this.” He pressed his lips to hers. “I’ll be right back.”

She watched him talking with the pilot, glancing back at her every few seconds, attentive and protective. She’d never dated a guy who was so in tune to everything about her or who cared enough to try to be. She looked around the deserted mountaintop and wondered what he had in store for them next, because there was no restaurant anywhere in sight.

The pilot climbed back into the helicopter, and Eric jogged over to Kat. With his body between her and the gusting wind, he guided her farther away from the helicopter as it kicked up dust and dirt and lifted into the sky.

“He’s leaving us here? Are we going mountain climbing next?” she hollered over the sound of the blades as they carried the chopper away.

He laughed. “Would you be willing?”

“You look way too serious. No, not at night I wouldn’t, but during the day I might.” She loved that he tugged her in tight against him again. She fit there perfectly, and he smelled heavenly.

With the helicopter gone, he smiled at her and brushed her hair from in front of her eyes. “No hiking tonight, I promise.” He led her away from the lights of the helipad to a black Land Rover she hadn’t seen parked by the edge of the woods—and apparently, the edge of a road as well.

“You’re like James Bond, with cars and helicopters popping up whenever you need them.” She climbed into the passenger seat, enjoying his deep laugh as he settled into the driver’s side.

“James Bond, huh? That’s one I haven’t heard before.” He started the car, and the headlights illuminated a road that disappeared beneath an umbrella of trees. “We’re on our way to Falling Grace. Have you been there?”

“No, but it sounds either very creepy or quite romantic.”

He reached for her hand. “I assure you, there’s nothing creepy about it.”

A few minutes later they pulled up in front of Falling Grace, a chateau-style restaurant built near the edge of a cliff. Candles flickered in every window, and brilliant white lights lit up the woods on the periphery of the property, giving the evening a magical feel. In-ground lights illuminated a stone walkway that snaked through gardens with a fountain on one side and ornate sculptures on the other.

Kat looked down at her jeans, then at the expensive cars parked all around them. “I’m not sure I’m dressed for this.”

“Darlin’, clothes do not make someone appropriate for a restaurant. You’re just as gorgeous in your jeans as you were in your dress and your suit this afternoon.” He pressed his hand to the small of her back, bringing her body flush against his again.

She would never, ever tire of this closeness.

His eyes moved from hers to her mouth, then back up again, stealing her worries about her clothing one brain cell at a time.

“We’re both wearing jeans. The way I see it, we can lose the clothes altogether and go in naked, or take our chances.”

His smile was contagious, and his sense of humor only made him even more attractive. “Nothing ever rattles you, does it?”

“Life’s too short to get too rattled over things that don’t matter. Clothes are meaningless.” He took her hand and led her toward the entrance.

“I really do like the way you think. Have you always been this confident, or did that come with your success?” She noticed the way his eyes flashed serious for a second, then just as quickly brightened again. He did that a lot, momentary deep thinking.

“That, my darlin’, is a great question.” He held the restaurant door open without answering, making Kat wonder about the sore spot she’d just touched.

A pretty brunette greeted them with a pleasant smile. “Good evening. Welcome to Falling Grace. Do you have a reservation?”

“Yes,” Eric answered. “Two for James, please.”

The hostess’s eyes widened, as if recognition suddenly dawned on her. “Yes, of course, Mr. James. Your table is ready. Please, follow me.”

Eric’s hand never left Kat’s back as they followed the hostess through the dimly lit restaurant, past tables full of important-looking people dressed to the nines, with regal voices and assessing eyes. They passed through double doors at the rear of the restaurant, and to Kat’s surprise, they were led to an open elevator. A handsome gentleman dressed in a dark suit greeted them.

“Mr. James. Ma’am.” He moved to the side as they stepped inside.

Kat looked at Eric, hoping for a clue as to where they were going. His easy smile wasn’t giving anything away. He pressed his hand to her waist, and she moved happily against his side. They stood behind their host, and Eric’s hand slid to the curve of her butt. She glanced up at him, and he arched a brow. God, she loved this rakish side of him.

The elevator doors opened and the gentleman stepped out and led them down a hallway lit by candles. It was chillier than the restaurant, and Kat realized that they were surrounded by stone. The ceiling, walls, and floor were all hard rock. The hall opened up to a single room, carved into the side of the mountain. A glass wall overlooked a spectacular waterfall. Colorful lights beamed from the mountainside into the cascading water, providing the most magnificent, magical view she could ever imagine. She reached for Eric’s arm to steady herself.

“Eric,” she whispered, full of awe.

“Yes?” He smiled, and she couldn’t find her voice.

The gentleman pulled out a chair for Kat. She sat, and before she could thank him, Eric did.

“I’ll retrieve your drinks,” the man said before leaving them alone, and Kat finally breathed.

“I don’t think they minded our attire,” Eric said, settling in beside her. “I hope you don’t mind, but I ordered you a lemon-drop martini. I figured we could start over.”

“Start over?”

He reached for her hand. “I hope to be with you long past tonight, and the story you tell your friends should be a bit more romantic than picking each other up in an airport lounge.”

Her heart skipped a beat. “That’s really thoughtful.”

“And a little selfish, I’m afraid. I’m sure you have guy friends, and I don’t want them picturing you doing naughty things with me in the men’s bathroom.”

She laughed. “I’d never tell anyone that.”

He arched a brow. “I have a feeling Brianna knows.”

She nibbled on her lower lip, and he used his free hand to draw her closer by the nape of her neck.

“That’s okay, darlin’. I was kidding. I just want you to have a story you’re proud to tell, not one that makes you wonder if you made a mistake.”

“Thank you.” She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his.

He deepened the kiss, sliding his knee between her legs and moving closer. The press of his lips sent a rush of heat through her. She’d been dying to kiss him all evening, and now, with the crashing of the waterfall just beyond the glass and shadows dancing in their private candlelit room, she took her fill. His tongue swept over every dip of her mouth, over her teeth, and then he pulled back and slicked it over her lower lip, leaving her breathing hard and moving hungrily in for more. She wound her arms around his neck, and their mouths came together hard and fast. His hands slid to her hips, holding her there, burning right through her clothing. She wanted to move from her chair to straddle his lap and let their bodies decide where to go next, but the sound of footsteps brought her mind back to reality, and she moved away with a whimper of loss.

His hand slid from her hip, down her forearm, and his fingers laced with hers, as if he, too, couldn’t stand losing the connection.

She was acutely aware of the heat consuming them, and she was sure that when their waiter returned with their drinks and set them on their table, he felt it, too.

“Would you like a few minutes to consider the menu?” he asked.

“Yes, please. We’ll ring for you when we’re ready.” Eric nodded toward a button near the doorway that Kat had somehow missed. She wondered how he knew what it was for and realized he’d probably been there before.

She told herself it didn’t matter. He was with her now, and that was all that was important.

“As you wish, sir.” With a nod, the waiter retreated again.

“Where were we?” With both hands, he reached for her hips and pulled her onto his lap. He gathered her hair over one shoulder and kissed her cheek. “You’re incredibly hard to resist. I truly had the best of intentions for tonight’s date, so don’t try to get into my pants.”

“Tsk! You are infuriatingly sexy, and funny, and—”

His mouth covered hers hungrily, and his hands tangled in her hair, holding her as he devoured her. His lips were hard, like the rest of him, as he kissed and nipped and sucked her lower lip into his mouth before taking her in another greedy kiss.

She pressed her chest to his, and then his hands were on her back, traveling down her sides, and finally—Lord, finally—he caressed her breasts. Her head tipped back with the sheer pleasure of his touch. His teeth dragged over her collarbone, and his tongue made a hot path between her breasts.

“God, I want to taste you,” he said between kisses. He cupped her cheeks in his hands and searched her eyes. “I suck at good intentions with you, Kat. I can’t help it. When I’m alone with you, you obliterate my rational thoughts.”

“Stop talking,” she said as she pressed her lips to his.

His thumbs brushed over her nipples, bringing them both to tight peaks. They ached for more. She ached for more, as she writhed against his erection. His lips were demanding; then they softened, in a stretch of slow, drugging kisses that drew a moan from her lungs.

“Kat,” he said against her lips. “Open your eyes, darlin’. Let me see you.”

She blinked, only then realizing how lost in him she’d become, how hard she was breathing.

“Hi.” He tucked her hair behind her ear.

“Hi.”

“I’d like nothing more than to lay you on that table and make love to you. To watch your beautiful eyes as you give in to your pleasure.”

Her breath left her lungs in a rush.

“You’re so fucking sexy, you kill me.” His lips tipped up, and he touched his forehead to hers. “I want to touch you, Kat. Tell me no, and I’ll back off. Tell me yes, and I’ll make you come before dinner.” He pressed his cheek to hers and said, “And after, many times over.”

HE WAS SCREWING this up, he was sure of it, but Eric was powerless to stop touching Kat. He needed to feel her shudder against him, and he could see by the flush of her skin and the darkening of her eyes that she was wound just as tightly as he was.

He’d called ahead to request the private room, but his intentions had been to talk, not to make out. But with Kat, he was lucky he’d made it as long as he had. Everything about her, from the way she watched him to the feel of her hand in his, turned him on, and he knew he’d never get enough of her.

Her eyes never left his. “Okay,” she said with a tremble in her voice.

“Kat.” Her name came off his lips seconds before he took her in another mind-blowing kiss.

“Come here, sweetheart.” He brought her to her feet and kissed her again, deep and slow, savoring the feel of her pressed against him as he unbuttoned her jeans and slid his hand inside her panties. “Oh, baby, you’re so ready for me.”

He sealed his lips over hers as he teased her with his hand and deepened the kiss again. He dipped his fingers inside her, earning a needy moan. He backed her up against the wall. Aware of the harshness of the cold stone, he was careful not to push her back too far as he made love to her mouth and brushed his thumb over her clit, earning another heady moan.

“Love those sounds. So sexy.” He sealed his teeth over her neck as he pressed his fingers in deep, using his thumb to bring her clit to attention, while seeking the spot that would send her over the edge.

Her head tipped back, and he slid his other hand beneath her shirt, squeezing her nipple as he recaptured her mouth in a rough kiss. Electric currents seared through him as she went up on her toes, gripping his biceps so hard he was sure he would bruise.

“I want my mouth on you, darlin’,” he said in a heated breath.

He sucked her tongue into his mouth, but even that wasn’t enough. He wanted to drop to his knees and feast on her sweetness, but she was so close to coming, her breathing was hitched. He lifted her shirt and tore down her bra, exposing a perfect rosy nipple. With a moan of his own at the gorgeous sight, he took her breast in his mouth, grazing his teeth over the taut peak.

“Oh God,” she cried. “Eric…Yes…God…”

He sucked harder and quickened his efforts down below. Her legs trembled, and she fisted her hands in his hair, holding his mouth to her. He used his teeth, sensing her greed for more.

“Yes. Yes. Oh God.” She sucked in a sharp breath as she shattered against his hand. Hot and wet, her sex pulsed tight around his fingers.

He brought his mouth to hers again, bringing her down slowly. His fingers remained inside her until the last of her climax shuddered through her. He gathered her into his arms and held her until her breathing calmed and her body melted against him. And in that moment of intimacy, he was so damn sure that she was the only woman for him that he nearly told her so.

She gazed up at him, and the sensual look in her eyes nearly laid him flat. “What about you?” she asked so fucking sweetly that he nearly came undone.

“I can wait.”

“But—” She reached between his legs, rubbing his throbbing cock.

“My release is a bit messier than yours.” He kissed her again. “Anticipation will heighten the pleasure. It’ll be worth the wait.” He helped her right her pants and walked her to the ladies’ room they’d passed on the way in. “I’ll wait for you here. Take your time.”

After she went into the bathroom, he turned to the wall and pressed his fist against it, trying to regain control of his emotions.

The bathroom door opened, and she reached a hand out, snagged his shirt, and tugged him inside. Before he could get a word out, she was unzipping his pants and tugging them down.

“Kat, we don’t have to—”

She sealed her lips over his, cupping his balls and making him groan.

“Fuuuck.” He fisted his hand in her hair and held their mouths together.

She pushed from his chest. “Shush,” she said with a finger over his lips and a challenging gaze. “It’s my turn to play.”

She dropped to her knees, looking like his darkest fantasy come true, and licked his shaft, base to tip, lingering over the wide crown before taking him in deep.

“Holy fuck.” He pressed his palms to the walls to keep from grabbing her head and guiding her as he fucked her insanely talented mouth.

She cupped his balls again, sliding her finger over the sensitive skin behind them as she worked him with her other hand and her wicked mouth. She squeezed his sac and his hips kicked forward. It was useless. He couldn’t hold back. He tangled his hands in her hair as he rocked his hips. Holy hell, she was going to make him come fast if she kept up this pace. He closed his eyes against the tingling heat crawling up his spine.

“Kat,” he growled. “Stop, Kat. I’m gonna come.”

She released his throbbing cock and licked her lips. “Less mess this way.” She took him in deep again, holding his gaze and driving him out of his fucking mind.

“You don’t have to,” he said through gritted teeth. But fuck, did she feel good. Her mouth was a treasure trove of pleasure, hot and wet and oh so willing. Seeing her lips stretched around his cock was the most erotic thing he’d ever witnessed, and when she pulled back and ran her tongue over the sensitive glans and lapped up the glistening bead, he nearly lost it right then and there.

“I want to taste you,” she said, then she took him in deep again, and holy fuck, she ran her finger between his cheeks, shredding the last of his control. He came hard, groaning through his clenched teeth, and she swallowed every last drop.

His chin tipped forward with a hiss, and he lifted her to her feet as she licked her shiny, swollen lips. “You’re unfuckingbelievable.”

He sealed his lips over hers, tasting himself and not caring. Her desire for him turned him on even more. He was hard again in seconds, aching for more of her, to feel her wrapped tightly around him. He reached for the button on her jeans, but she was already pulling them down. He tore off his boots, pushed from his own pants, kicking them to the side, and helped Kat with hers.

“Condom,” she said quickly.

He snagged one from his wallet and tore it open with his teeth, sheathing himself quickly. He lifted her easily and lowered her onto his hard shaft. They both groaned with their intense coupling.

“What is it with us and bathrooms?” He pressed his lips to hers as he thrust into her hard and deliciously deep.

“Some people like hotels. I think we’re sexier.” She used his shoulders for leverage as he clutched her hips, and they moved together in a fast, even rhythm.

“You’re fucking sexy. But I’m going to get you in a bed eventually.”

“I can’t wait.” She lowered her lips to his, and he pressed her back to the wall so he could drive in deeper. “Wait,” she said against his lips.

She shifted from his arms and placed her hands on the wall, bending over slightly at the waist. When she looked over her shoulder and her hair fell over her eye, Eric nearly lost it.

She crooked her finger. “Take me harder.”

He wrapped his arm around her waist from behind and drove into her. “Fuck. I’m not going to last like this.” He used his other hand to stroke over her clit, and she was right there with him on the brink of release. He could feel it in her trembling limbs, in the tightness between her legs. He sank his teeth into the curve of her shoulder, and her hips bucked, her inner muscles clenched around him, and he followed her over the edge, chasing his own intense release.

He rested his cheek against Kat’s back, lost in a fog of lust and greed and fucking love. It was right there on his tongue. Three fucking words he never thought he’d feel, much less want to say. But he swallowed them down, holding her tightly until they were both breathing normally again. Then he turned her in his arms and kissed her sweetly.

“I WANT MORE than this with you, Kat.”

His gaze bored right through her. His words wrapped around her frantically beating heart and squeezed. She was afraid to admit she wanted that, too.

“I mean it. I want to talk with you, get to know you even better, and spend more time with you. I want to love you properly, in a real bed, and preferably, wake up with you in my arms.” He pressed his lips to hers. “I’ve never wanted that before.”

She wanted desperately to believe him, but she wasn’t naive, and she was afraid to believe he really meant that he wanted more, as in a future. “We’ve got this weekend. Let’s focus on that.”

His brows drew together. “Focus on that? You don’t want more?”

“I do. More than you could ever know, but I’m not going to fool myself into thinking that a guy like you can be satisfied with a girl like me.”

He ran his hand through his hair as he tugged on his jeans. “Seriously? I knew we shouldn’t have fooled around. A guy like me?”

Frustration rolled off of him as she pushed her legs into her jeans and zipped them up. She touched his arm, and he bristled.

“All I meant was that I don’t want you to feel like you have to make promises you can’t keep. I’m a big girl, Eric. I know you’ve got women galore, and you have a whole life out there that doesn’t include some bartender slash waitress turned PR girl from Richmond, Virginia.” She held his gaze, and when he offered his hands to her, she took them willingly.

He gathered her close, and his serious tone softened. “Kat, I’m not that guy. I don’t make promises I can’t keep. Hell, I don’t make promises. Period.” He searched her eyes, and she wondered if he could see how she was hanging on to his every word and her hopeful heart was hanging by a thread.

“Except to you, Kat. I want more with you, and I’m prepared to make you promises that I will most definitely keep.” He ran his fingers through her hair. “I want my life to include a bartender slash waitress turned PR girl from Richmond, Virginia.”

She could hardly breathe, her heart was so full.

“Say you want that, too, Kat. Say you feel what I feel. Tell me that you feel like the pieces of your life have finally come together.” He caressed her cheek, making the thickening in her throat even worse. “You’ve always been a part of me, and I never want that to change.”

She heard the honesty in his voice, saw the pleading in his gaze. God, how could she have fallen so hard so fast? “I want it, Eric. I want it all. I’m just scared.”

“Me too.” He pressed his lips to hers. “But not of us. I’m scared of walking out of this bathroom and never feeling what I feel again. I’m scared of not seeing you for another twenty years.”

She gulped in air to ensure she was still breathing. “I’m right there with you. But where do we go from here?”

His smile was relieved and sexy and so full of love she pressed herself closer to him, wanting to be sure he saw the same thing in her eyes as she did in his.

“I think we start with dinner,” he said as he pressed his lips to hers. “And then maybe dessert. And then, hopefully, we’ll fall into forever.”