widened. She hadn’t been expecting that. “But,” he added, holding his finger up. Her grin disappeared. “But, you have to convince me you aren’t being stubborn. You have to change my mind in order for that to happen. I think I’ll be the one to change your mind in the end,” he finished with confidence.
She stuck out her hand. There was no way that was happening, not when she knew she was right. “Let’s make it official,” she said.
He looked at her hand, his smile matching hers. She realized he was a pretty even match for her. This man believed in himself as much as she believed in herself. What did that mean for either of them?
He took her fingers in his, but he didn’t shake. He held her hand, his thumb caressing her palm, causing goosebumps over her arms and neck, and her breath to hitch. His eyes held her captive. Never breaking their gazes, he pulled her hand up and ran his lips across the top of her knuckles, making her stomach clench as heat flooded her.
She couldn’t have spoken in those few seconds for all of the money in the world. He could’ve said I’ll give you the land right this second if you utter a single word, and not one would’ve passed through her tight throat. She felt as if she was making a deal with the devil — and the devil just so happened to be encased in the six-foot-plus beautiful frame of a man who was too charming for his own good.
“It’s a deal,” he said, his voice husky, her hand still clasped in his. She didn’t have the strength to pull away from him. His eyes dilated, and she had no doubt lustful thoughts were written all over her face and no doubt he was remembering how well their bodies fit together just as she was.
Without another word, he tugged on her hand, making her fall against him. She let out a breath she hadn’t been aware she’d been holding as he let go of her hand and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her against his hard body.
“On second thought, let’s seal this deal the correct way. I’ve wanted to do this from the second you walked back into my life.” She got no further warning before his head descended. A millisecond of a thought of stopping him vanished as his hot breath rushed over her lips.
And then he kissed her. His warm lips slid across hers . . . once, twice, then a third time. His fingers flexed against her back as her stomach fluttered and her core sprang to life.
Her arms lifted, winding behind his neck as she stretched against him, utterly lost in the moment. His tongue traced her bottom lip, and she sighed against his mouth, her brain shutting down and her body taking over.
With that sigh of surrender, his arms tightened around her and he kissed her like she wanted to be kissed — like he’d kissed her right before carrying her into his bedroom. His mouth closed over hers and his tongue darted inside as he tugged her hips against his, leaving no doubt about how turned on he was.
She groaned against his mouth, her body on fire, her mind a complete blank, and her worries floating away in the slight breeze of the cool morning. She was willing to do anything he wanted as long as he continued making her feel this good. She’d only felt like this one other time in her life — and that had been with him.
It was that thought that woke her up.
With a gasp, she pulled away. His eyes opened, their dark color glazed, his mouth open, his cheeks flushed. He seemed as confused as she was as their gazes locked. She tugged against his hold, and he immediately released her. She staggered back, knowing it wouldn’t take much for her to beg him to take her into his trailer and show her the same pleasure he’d shown her a month before.
“That can’t happen again,” she finally panted. Her body was on fire, and she still couldn’t catch her breath.
“I don’t mind that happening again — not at all,” he countered. “Why should we fight something when we both know how good it is?”
“No!” she said, grateful she was getting her voice back. “We made a mistake a month ago, and I don’t repeat mistakes. However, we’re still on for the other part of our deal, as long as