I hadn’t been able to recover from the way Eric kissed me on the plane. The passion that curled through me from his mouth and the way he’d held me against him left me breathless.

No man had ever kissed me that way, and I was afraid I was getting more involved with him than I should. After all, he was a client, and I didn’t fool around with clients. Yet what was happening between us was more than just playing around. The attraction was like a sparkling current of electricity igniting midway between our bodies. It didn’t surprise me that both my brothers and their wives had been suspicious.

And then there was the guilt. Knowing how much Eric had affected me brought back memories of someone else who had once drawn similar emotions from my body. The one person who made me feel like the world belonged to us. I was his and only his: laughing, crying, sharing secrets and making plans for the future. He’d moved from Vienna to be with me. Dropped everything that he loved and planned to open a bakery in New York just so that he could wake up next to me in the morning. And he was taken away so quickly. It had been two years since David died, and it was my fault. For months I couldn’t even say his name. I’d moved out of our apartment at my parent’s guest house, leaving everything behind. And when I finally began dating again, I knew the moment I agreed to a date that it wouldn’t last longer than a week. I hadn’t been able to let go of the past with anyone.

Eric was so much more than I’d expected him to be. That first kiss spun my head, and the second one had me nearly climaxing as I rubbed myself against his erection. And whatever piece of jewelry he sported on his nipples – I wanted to see it, to lick it and play with it with my tongue. First it was the tattoo, and now his piercings? Pressed against him, the abrasive metal rubbed on my cleavage with excruciatingly delightful force. If he didn’t pull away, if he didn’t stop, I was sure I’d melt underneath him and start removing his clothes. I was all ready to rip that shirt off him when he pulled away. With my mind finally free, desperately trying to return to earth, or at least back to our flight, I’d lost myself in my work.

If Eric was able to fry my mind with a kiss, what would happen if… No, I couldn’t think about being in his bed, his naked body above me, him slamming into my wet core, burying himself deeper and deeper with each thrust, driving me mad with the way his hands would roam my body, as he caressed my curves with his divine mouth. Oh, God, what was his mouth capable of, exactly? I shook my head. My lecherous thoughts had me soaking between my legs.

How would I be able to resist him? Thank God I was staying at a nearby motel. That way I could keep my distance and focus on the job.

Once we landed, I gave Eric the directions to the motel I’d booked, and watched the farm fields roll by the side. The little time I’d had to research Eric’s town, which was only a few miles away, hadn’t turned up anything out of the ordinary. The information about John Huntz was another story. This man wanted to stay hidden. Not only that, but it appeared he had made his way back to Ogden every six months or so without anyone knowing. How he’d stayed concealed in a town that small, without anyone seeing him or hearing from him, surprised me. I had a feeling his daughter, the only relative he apparently had, would know more – who else would he have been contacting? I didn’t want to share that information with Eric yet. He’d freak out that the man who had kidnapped him and his sister had made his way back to the little town. My gut told me there was something in Ogden he wanted, and what that was would remain a mystery for a while longer.

As we pulled up to a house, my attention came back to where we were.

“This isn’t the motel,” I said.

“Welcome to my ranch, Emma,” he replied, opening the car door for me.

I stepped out, and with my hands dropped to my sides, I took in the picturesque log home and its surroundings. To the right, an enclosed area stretched as far as I could see. Far in the distance a group of horses grazed the fields. I felt as if I’d just stepped onto a movie set for Legends of the Fall.

Turning around, I noticed the pathway we’d taken to drive up to this beautiful ranch. Tall willow trees lined its sides, with white fencing running all the way through, beyond which I assumed Eric’s horses frolicked. How did I miss this? I’d been so busy thinking about the case that I hadn’t seen any of Eric’s home.

“This is yours?” I asked in awe, suddenly aware that this stopover wasn’t where we were originally heading.

“Yes.”

“It’s beautiful. And so peaceful.”

“Thank you. It definitely is different than New York.”

Wow! I wasn’t sure I could find words eloquent enough to describe this property and do it justice. And in my mind, more questions began to spill over. How could someone as young as Eric afford this? From the background check I’d done on him, I knew he was only two years older than me. Looking at the land stretching out in front of me, I couldn’t believe how quiet and peaceful it was, and I immediately felt my shoulders sink lower as I wondered what it would be like to live like this, so far away from people. I couldn’t imagine not having a friend like Grace living just a few floors below me, or a family within an hour’s drive. Although Eric’s parents didn’t live that far away, it still seemed like they could have been on the other side of the country. Standing here, for that brief moment, I wished I could stay at this ranch instead of the motel.

“Wait, you are going to take me to the motel, aren’t you? You know I can call a cab if it’s an issue.”

Eric simply laughed, shaking his head and murmuring under his breath, “A cab.”

“What?” I asked.

“You’d have to wait quite a while for a cab around here. Mr. Carlton’s old Buick doesn’t go faster than thirty miles per hour, and that’s when he’s sober enough to drive.”

“There’s only one cab?”

“If you call it a cab. He just drives people to places when they can’t get there. But don’t worry, I can take you to the motel if you’d like, Emma. That is, if you want to sleep with bed bugs and God knows what else, then you’re more than welcome to. But I promise my bed is much more comfortable.”

“You want me to stay here?”

“Of course. I wouldn’t have it any other way. Seeing how your brothers were ready to hang me if I let anything happen to you, I’d prefer to have you within sight at all times.”

“I can take care of myself.”

“I don’t doubt that. All right. Let me give you another motive then.” Eric stepped closer to me. His voice lowered, charged with the yearning of a man who was on a mission. I watched his chest rise and fall in slow motion. He was so close, the heat beaming off his body wrapped around me and the smell of his morning aftershave and a little bit of sweat filled me.

“I want you like I haven’t wanted a woman in my life, and at this point I couldn’t stand being away from you for a moment. I understand you’re working and need space. I’ll keep my distance for now. But once you’re done, all bets are off, Emma. You will be mine. Please, stay with me.”

He gently kissed me and pulled away.

My heart nearly jumped out of my chest. How was I supposed to reply to that? Eric’s forward yet gentlemanly nature somehow took away all those witty words that usually came out of my mouth.

“Now, let me show you to our bedroom.”

“Our?”

“It’s mine, but since you’ll be using it, it’s yours. Making it ours.” He grinned. “Don’t worry. I’ll be sleeping somewhere else.”

“Too bad.”

Eric halted mid-step.

Crap! Did I say that out loud?

“It is, isn’t it? Look at it this way. The better you’re able to concentrate and find Huntz, the quicker I can give you all the attention that you deserve. And believe me, I want to give you all my attention, Emma.”

“That’s very forward.”

“I don’t play games. And I hope you won’t either.”

For the first time in my life, I didn’t want to play games either. I’d had enough of the cat and mouse chase with men I was so used to. I loved Eric’s determination and confidence. And most of all, I loved how much I wanted to learn more about this cowboy. There weren’t enough dates I could have with him that would have bored me. I wanted to know what he liked to eat, about his favorite games as a child, how he got that scar in his brow and whether beyond Huntz he had any fears. I’d seen the way his temple twitched at the mention of Huntz’s name. It took all my strength not to kiss it and ease Eric’s pain. I’d do anything to erase that dreadful past, but I couldn’t. Instead, I’d do everything in my power to give him the kind of justice he sought, and once the bastard was behind bars, I’d soothe his agony with my kisses, until he could only remember my mouth grazing all over his skin, his abs, his chest.

I followed Eric inside the house, which reminded me of one of our family cottages up in Colorado, and my cousin Gabe’s home in Austria’s Alps, except this one appeared a bit smaller and it was a bungalow. Wooden beams stretched across the wall, exposed joists supported the roof, and right smack in the middle of the house was a fireplace, splitting the family room and the dining area in half. Beyond was a kitchen that opened up onto a wooden patio. The open concept of the home with country tones and artifacts filling every nook and corner felt warm and inviting. It gave the home more interior space than I would have thought from the outside. Fluffy blankets spread across the two couches and chair. Fat pillows lay in one corner of a room, right by a basket filled with books, all spread over sheep skin. The smell of vanilla candles and farm air filled me as I felt a slight tug at my hand.

“This way,” Eric led me to the right side of the house where he opened the bedroom door.

A standard king-size bed was the focal point. A rocking chair was set in the corner of the bedroom with a dresser right beside it.

“The sheets are fresh. Please make yourself at home. This is not a five-star hotel, but I hope it’s sufficient for what you need. I’ll freshen up and go make some food. We can visit Ogden after we eat.”

Was he kidding? This was the best hospitality I’d had in a long time. No hotel host could have been as personal or kind as Eric had been.

“Great, thank you.”

“And if you need anything, Emma, don’t be shy.”

What I really needed now was Eric on that bed. I’d been curious about those muscles hidden underneath his shirt since the evening we’d met at the strip club. Now that I’d felt his pecs with my hands, I couldn’t wait to see those jewels decorating his nipples. A Cowboy with piercings – that must be a first! But something inside me snapped. I’d never been this quiet or timid in my life. I didn’t think this could actually be happening to me. Shy had never been part of my vocabulary, but with Eric at my side, I was beginning to feel more embarrassed about my usually bold ways each minute. What was happening to me?

“Thank you. I shouldn’t be long.”

Once Eric left, I released a long held breath and sat on his quilt-covered bed. The bounce lifted me up a couple of times, and I lay back on the bed, thinking about how many times Eric had slept here, and whether he did so naked. I swept my hand across the bed and flipped on my stomach to smell the bouquet of farm scents mixed with fresh soap.

I quickly changed into a fresh shirt and jean shorts, getting rid of my somewhat conservative clothing, and joined Eric in the kitchen. I froze midway, and with my mouth open stared at the nakedness in front of me.

Eric was preparing food behind the kitchen counter, and seemed to have lost his shirt. I bit my lip, concentrating on his chest sprinkled with a dust of dark hair on his pec. I regarded his arm and the intricate detail of a horse on his shoulder. The design weaved down to his wrist in patterns of horseshoes, cowboy boots and hats, so beautifully connected by patterns and lines – I’d never seen anything this beautiful in my life. My gaze drew lower. I so hoped he still had his pants on, but I couldn’t see beyond the half wall. He was the epitome of perfectly sculpted body. And I was right. Two barbell piercings decorated his nipples. I felt my own buds pebble at the sight. Memories of the hard muscles I’d felt against me as he hovered above me on that plane, teasing me with his abrasive front, were all rushing back at once, slamming into me as if it was him, taking me all over again. Heat flew through me body, settling deep in my belly as the need to have that overwhelming feeling of being taken swept through me. Before he noticed me, I watched him chop vegetables and pour lemonade into two glasses. The smell of broiling meat in the oven wafted through the room as Eric bent over and removed a pan full of chicken wings, setting it on top of the stove, and finally catching my stare.

“You look hungry.” The tease rolled off his tongue, and my knees buckled. Taking a hold of the kitchen bar stool, I replied, “I am. Is it customary to cook naked in these parts of the country?”

“No, but I’m afraid I’m a klutz in the kitchen and spilled sauce on my shirt. Didn’t get a chance to get a fresh one from my bedroom and didn’t want to intrude on your privacy. Why don’t you grab the plates, and I’ll go get dressed?”

Crap! I shouldn’t have said anything. I’d prefer if he remained half-dressed all the time – better yet, undressed.

Eric returned to the kitchen a few minutes later. We ate the delicious brunch, and given that his collection of appliances lacked a dishwasher, I helped him wash the plates.

“So, what’s on the schedule, Cowboy? I’d like to get to Ogden as soon as possible.”

“The town’s about a half hour drive from here. I can get some supplies while you look around town. We can go see my parents tomorrow.”

“Good, I have a lot of questions about the farm and Huntz and the day of the kidnapping.”

“Wait, you can’t mention him to them. Neither Huntz nor the kidnapping. In fact, you can’t say what you do.”

“You want me to lie?” I showed him my crooked smile, mocking him.

“Shouldn’t that be one of your specialties at this job?”

“It’s a specialty, all right. Growing up with two over-protective brothers I had to fib a bit to have some kind of a life. Why do you not want me to say who I am?”

“They blame themselves that Huntz was never caught, and that my sister moved away because of it. They’ve been through enough. I don’t want to stir up all those painful memories.

“How are you going to explain my presence, then?”

“Easy.” He strolled toward me and wrapped his arm around my waist, pulling me to his side. “From now on, you’re my girlfriend.”