in high school, she'd been smooth and sophisticated when letting a guy know that she was his for the taking.
But here I was, years later, still a bumbling, awkward mess. Of course, it's not like I'd had a ton of practice in seducing guys who weren't my boyfriend.
Now, in the quiet barn, I held my breath and waited for Chase's reply. If he said no, I'd be totally humiliated.
And if he said yes, well, I wouldn't be playing it safe, that's for sure.
Finally, he flicked his head toward the ladder and said, "Ladies first."
Chapter 45
Chase
The view up her skirt just about did me in, making me feel more like a teenager than a grown man as I climbed up the ladder behind her.
Her panties were pink, and her ass – what I could see of it, anyway – looked just like it had in my dreams.
How could I not look?
Did she know I was getting an eyeful?
Above me, she said, "Careful of that next rung. I think it's loose." As she said it, she turned and looked down.
Just in time, I pulled my gaze from her ass and focused on her face.
It was no hardship. At that moment, I swear, she was the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen. And those eyes. A guy could get lost in them if he weren't careful.
This wasn't the first time I'd thought such a thing. And if I had my way, it wouldn't be the last.
When she turned away and continued climbing, I took another peek up her skirt. I mean, hey, if I couldn't see her face, why not enjoy the other view?
Above me, she stopped and said, "Careful, another loose one." I looked to her face, only to discover that she was eyeing me from above.
Our gazes locked, and I had to smile.
I was so busted.
But I didn't apologize, because I wasn't sorry. And from the look on her face, neither was she. Besides, this was her idea, and hey, it wasn't for me to second-guess it.
So instead, I gave her a shameless grin. "Nice ass."
She snickered. "You're just saying that because you were caught."
"No, I'm saying it because it's true."
Her lips curved into a sexy smile. "Is that so?"
"Hell yeah. And just so you know, I'll be taking a closer look." I winked. "Just to make sure."
With a laugh, she reached behind her and flipped her skirt outward, giving me an all-too-brief, but very sweet view of her backside before she scurried up the remaining steps.
And me?
I pursued.
When I reached the landing, she stood aside and held out a hand, as if preparing to guide me up. I didn't need the help, but I took her hand just the same. Anything to get closer.
When my fingers closed around hers, she gave my hand a playful tug. "Come on. I've got something to show you."
I sure as hell hoped so.
But it wasn't what I'd expected. Instead of getting straight down to business, she led me along the narrow walkway toward the main loft area, stacked with bales of hay and loose straw all along the floor.
She led me toward the far wall, where I saw a pair of big sliding doors, similar to the ones we'd used to enter the barn itself. Mina tugged me toward them saying, "You're gonna love this."
I was loving it already.
When we reached the doors, she released my hand. "Just wait." She turned and slid the doors wide open, nice and easy, like she'd done it a thousand times before. When she finished, light from the late-afternoon sun illuminated the entire loft, including Mina herself.
She was bathed in sunshine when she turned to face me. "You've got to see this view." Her eyes brightened. "It's amazing."
Yes, it was.
But I wasn't looking at anything outdoors. I was looking at Mina. Her hair shimmered in the afternoon sun, and her eyes were bluer than the sky itself. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips looked full and sweet.
She looked like every guy's fantasy.
My fantasy.
For how long, I wasn't even sure.
Our gazes locked and held.
As they did, my heart warmed and the world stopped spinning – like there was no past, and any promises I'd made about not getting involved were a distant memory.
I wanted her.
And not just for a half-hour.
Wordlessly, I moved toward her and raised a hand to her cheek. Her skin was soft and warm, and something inside me stirred. A quiet sigh escaped her lips as she leaned into my touch.
Oh, yeah. I wanted this