“I kind of think I might like your whole mind-reading ability thing.” Words continued to spew from Natalie’s mouth. She was tired of trying to stop them. Aaron’s truck bounced over the cattle guard between Luke and Grant’s portions of the ranch. They were heading to her house, and she was using all available brain power to keep from panicking.

“I can’t read your mind, Nat. I can just tell when something I say or do bothers you. And I’m glad you kind of like it because I kind of can’t turn it off. Sometimes I wish I could.”

“If you know what I’m thinking, then even if part of me gets scared while we’re…you know…we can still keep going because you’ll know I’m not scared of you.”

“Not how that’s going to work. If you’re scared, we stop until you’re ready to keep going. Doesn’t matter why you’re scared or who you’re scared of.”

“I’m ready. I think. I don’t know. I told you I was terrible at all of this.”

“You’re not terrible at anything.”

“Oh, so you mean going over to Luke’s was a good idea for a date?”

“Okay, we both suck at last minute plans. That wasn’t your fault. I should’ve planned something. I’ll do better.”

Natalie rolled her eyes. “We’ll both do better. I’m sorry he threatened you. He’s always been like that. I’m also sorry my father has apparently traded the PBR channel for Kat Von D.”

Aaron’s genuine laughter sent a rush of fresh air back to her lungs. She could handle whatever was about to happen. He was one of her favorite people. She just had to get it together.

“Don’t worry about your daddy. You’re his little girl. I get that, but Luke hasn’t always been this way.”

“Yes, he has.”

“We went out a half-dozen times over a year or so ago and he encouraged it. This time he’s pissy about it. Says you’re acting different this time around.”

“Oh God, you didn’t tell him I asked you to sleep with me did you?”

Natalie’s body lurched forward when Aaron slammed on the brakes. Intensity was aflame in his cool blue eyes. It rolled off his body in waves. Instinctively, she slid back from the heat of his gaze.

“Nope.” He caught her hand and pulled her back toward him. “Not running away this time. Listen to me. What we share, what we do, what you ask me for, what you’re scared to ask for, the way I’m going to make you feel, the way I’m going to get to see you, the knowledge I will own, that’s all for me and no one else. I would never share any part of our relationship with anyone, most certainly not your brother. Do you understand that?”

Natalie managed a haggard nod. She swallowed twice, trying to remedy the dryness in her throat.

“Good.” He eased off the brake and they were on their way again.

Uncertain if the trip to her house had taken a week or a minute, Natalie stumbled out of the truck. Time seemed oddly variable all of a sudden. Aaron caught her hand and with another one of those cocky smirks, steadied her on her feet.

“Do I make you dizzy, babe?”

“No.” Yes, damn you.

His chuckle said he knew she was lying once again.

No one ever locked their doors in Pleasant Glen. Thankful she didn’t have to try to unlock anything, as she was beyond certain she did not currently possess the ability to slip a key in anything, she opened her front door and let the dogs inside. “I’ll get them some water.”

“I can do it, just tell me where bowls are,” Aaron scoffed.

“There are some old mixing bowls in that cabinet. Do you want anything to drink?”

The twitch of his full lips shot another round of pure lust through her veins. She made herself a glass of water after he’d filled the bowls for Lulu and Buster. Mixing alcohol in with her current woozy condition couldn’t possibly be a good idea.

“You want my honest answer or a polite one?” His tone lowered to that throaty rasp she loved.

“I always want your honesty. I guess. Maybe.” My God, Natalie, make a fucking decision. Who are you?

“I honestly don’t want anything to drink because I don’t want any flavor in my mouth but yours.” He licked his lips driving home his point.

“I thought you said we weren’t…”

“We’re not. That sure as hell doesn’t mean I don’t want to know the flavors of your mouth and your skin though, sweetheart. There’s so much I want to know.”

Spurred on by curiosity and stubbornness, Natalie forced her feet to move forward. No more looking back. She was doing this. Resolve strengthened in her spine. “What else do you want to know?”

Another dark chuckle. He leaned back against her countertop, casually. Why did she have to be the only one who was nervous? “Still want honest?”

She nodded. “Yes. I always want honest.”

“You’re sure now?”

“I’m sure.”

“Good. Come here to me.” His darkening eyes drew her to him with just as much force as his hand taking hers and pulling her closer. “I’m about to be all kinds of ungentlemanly. Don’t tell your brother.”

“I won’t. I promise.”

“I want to know which way you lean your head when I’m hungry for your lips. I want to know what they taste like. I want to know how pink and swollen I can make them. Throwing all sense of politeness out for the moment, I can’t fucking wait to know the same things about your pussy lips as well. I want to know the kinds of sounds you’re going to make when I make you forget how to speak. And I will, honey, I will make you forget everything but my name and I’ll make you scream that.

“I want to know every square inch of your body. I want to know how tight and achy your nipples will get for me. I want to know the flavor of them as well. I want to know what your tits feel like swollen and full in my hands. I want to know precisely where I can touch you to keep you right on the edge of release. I want to know how long I can keep you there before you beg me to give you everything you need. I want to torture you in the most delectable ways. I swear you’ll like it. You’ll ask me for more. I want to know what your pussy looks like wrapped around my cock. I want to know how slick and milky I can make it. I want to see it covered in my cum. I want you to know how hard I get for you but how gentle I’ll be until I know you’re wanting more. And that’s just the beginning of all the things I’m going to discover about you. You okay with all of that?”

“Oh my God, yes.”

He’d given it his all. The long line of patience he’d been extending since the night before disintegrated into smoke with her greedy declaration that she wanted all of that as well. Forcing himself to enjoy this moment where she’d lost a little of her trepidation, he traced his thumbs over the hollows of her cheeks.

Her eyes fell to half-mast.

“I’m about to kiss you, baby. That okay?”

“Please.”

He caught the single word with his lips, trapping the consent between them. She wanted this. She needed this. Maybe not quite as badly as he did, but my God they both deserved a relationship that could heal them.

The confection of her lips melted against his. He brushed his tongue against her mouth, constantly seeking more, needing her to open to him and for him.

Her lips parted. His moan rang with his own victory. But she stiffened and drew back, before his tongue could begin a thorough exploration. Dammit all to hell.

He lifted his head. Before he could apologize, Buster leapt on his hind legs landing his paws on Natalie’s chest, attempting to thank her for the water she’d provided them.

“I love my dogs but they do not get to feel you up before I do. Get down, boy. Go sit.” Aaron pointed them to the living room.

Natalie laughed. Okay, so maybe he hadn’t screwed up too bad. “I’m sorry I got nervous. I just… I never…”

“Never what?”

Heat bloomed across her features adding to the arousal he’d brought to her cheeks.

“Just tell me, baby? Never be embarrassed with me.”

“That’s easier said than done.”

“Come on.”

Her gaze landed somewhere in the vicinity of the cabinet above his head. “I never know what to do with my hands.” She wrung her hands as if trying to rid her body of them. “I’m the only grown woman on this planet that doesn’t know how to kiss.”

Trying to temper his humor over her confusion, he winked at her. That always seemed to make her smile. If that wasn’t addictive as hell he didn’t know what was. “Trust me, you kiss like a dream. Drove me wild. Did the last time we did that, too. Just relax for me. Want me to do something with your hands? Then you won’t have to worry about them.”

“I guess that depends on what you do.”

“Let’s give it a try, okay?”

This time he only got a nod, but he’d take it. Guiding her to a wall between her kitchen and living room, he turned caging her between a rock and his hard place. “This good?”

Another nod. Improvising happened to be one of his specialties. He’d make do with whatever she was comfortable with. “Look at me, Nat. Be right here with me.” That was key. He had to remember that. No flashbacks for either of them.

Her eyes met his and he gathered her wrists gently in his hands. Her breaths disintegrated into shallow gasps. “I would never hurt you or make you do something you don’t want, baby. You know that.”

“I know. I just don’t know what you’re about to do.”

“I’m about to do this.” With his right hand he pressed her wrist against the wall over her head. He repeated the action with her left.

“Oh God,” she choked on a half-moan. Well, well, well, perhaps he’d just discovered a little something.

“Then I’m going to do this again.” He layered his greedy lips to hers, letting her flavors soak through him. Her chin moved against his beard and she allowed him in without prodding this time. Soft, open-mouthed, needy kisses. The perfect antidote to most anything in the world.

Her tongue filled his mouth. His baby was so hungry for him and still afraid to ask for what she needed. Innocence was penned in the flavors of her saliva.

The knowledge racked like hot, leaden weight in his balls. He memorized the wet heat and the hunger, the inexperience and the desire. Desperation shot through his veins. His muscles ached with need. She was his. He would be the only man who ever knew what she felt like when she came. What she felt like when her body squeezed and flexed around his cock.

When their teeth bumped, he lifted away from her, leaned the other way, and helped himself to another heady dose of Natalie.

She arched into him this time. Her denim trapped pussy moved instinctively against his groin. A low growl wrenched up from his gut. Fuck. If she kept that up he was going to come. It had been too damn long. He’d dreamed about this too fucking many times. He’d wanted her since the moment he saw her.

She ground with more vigor, so damn needy.

His groans were constant now. He had no more hope of keeping them contained than he did of making her stop.

She bucked again, spreading her legs more this time. The heat of her made him throb against her. This time it was her giving him a needy whimper for more.

His entire body drew taught. He released her hands. They traveled down his chest, nearing his now painful package. “Shit. Baby, stop.” He spoke the words while his own hands toyed with the end of her tank top. Skin. He just needed to feel her soft skin in his hands. Needed to know where she most wanted his touch.

His face moved from her mouth to her neck. He inhaled the scent of her.

Glancing down at his jeans he was shocked they weren’t actually on fire. Unable to help himself, he traced his index finger along the low collar of her shirt. Her head fell back offering him more. “Tell me to stop, Nat. Jesus, just say it and I will. I swear.” His hand encapsulated her right breast. His mind willed her bra and shirt away.

Her gasp held no note of fear, only of need.

Her body knew how to ask for what she wanted, even if she couldn’t verbalize it. She thrust against him again, faster now.

Refusing to come in his jeans, something he hadn’t done since he was seventeen, he stepped back.

Her eyes flew open. “Why did you stop? Did I do something wrong?”

“I sure as hell didn’t want to stop, Nat, but I’m not doing this tonight. We’re taking our time. If we keep this up it’s all going to be over way too soon.” He tensed his jaw and tried to discreetly adjust himself. A mischievous grin spread across her face.

“I did that?” She pointed to the bulge against his zipper line.

“You did that.” He chuckled. “I’m strung so tight I may not be able to walk out to my truck.”

She gnawed on her lip for a moment, furrowing her brow.

“What? Just say it.”

“I really liked all of that. I’m sorry you can’t walk though.”

“My God, I’m an asshole.”

“Why do you think that?” Genuine confusion lit the golden flecks in her eyes.

“I wasn’t going to go that far. You’re just so sweet and I’m a greedy bastard.”

“I’m not sweet. I prefer to think of myself as a badass, thank you very much.”

“Oh yeah? Well you’re the most beautiful, innocent badass I’ve ever met.”

“You’re supposed to be helping me lose the innocent part.”

“And you’re one hundred percent sure you want me to do away with it all right now?” He knew the answer.

“Not one hundred percent, maybe.”

Keeping his eyes on hers he leaned in for one more quick kiss. “That’s what I thought. You sure you want to go with me tomorrow night?”

“I am sure about that. It’ll be fun. I don’t know much about your life before you got here. I’m excited to meet your family.”

“I’m not really related to any of them.”

“Blood isn’t necessary for family.”

Aaron knew in that moment if he wasn’t extremely careful he could end up falling head over army boots in love with Natalie Camden.

“I’ll pick you up around 4:00.”

“I’ll be ready.”