“Coming!”

Another unexpected visitor at my door. I was willing to bet it was the same pair of laughing light blue eyes as it was the last time.

Fresh from a much-needed shower thanks to a bad reaction to testing a new product, I raced to the door. Half breathless and half annoyed as I pulled the door open.

“I was kind of hoping you’d wait for me to make you come.” There he stood, all six-feet, four inches of smiling, charming man. “But I’m game to watch first and join later.”

With my poor neglected hormones, that was literally the best offer I’d gotten in forever. “Did you stop by to proposition me for sex, or did you have a valid reason?”

“A proposition isn’t a valid offer?”

“From you? Hardly.” He looked offended for about half a second before he must have remembered it was the truth. He held up one of the fancy paper bags he was carrying. “It’s a little late for housewarming presents, I’ve been here a few years.”

He laughed. “Funny. Actually, I brought a few things to make this space look like we both live here.”

I froze. “Why would you need to do that, Chase?” Fear rose in my body and blood rushed in my ears as I took in what I could see in the bags. The edge of a throw pillow, a clock box and some kind of stand.

He stepped forward, but I didn’t budge, blocking his path into my house until I had a clear idea about what was going on. “Can I come in? Please?”

“Start talking, Chase.”

He grinned and took another step forward, my hand nothing more than an annoying little gnat on his chest. His hard, wide chest. He took another step and another, a sexy grin on his face as he forced my feet back.

“Look, it just kind of happened Kenzi so don’t get mad.”

“Don’t get mad about what?” His purposely vague words did make me angry.

“Sterling called because he’s coming to town with his wife and wants to take us to dinner. Before I could stop my mouth, it was inviting them to have dinner at our house.”

“We don’t have a house!”

“I know, which is why I took it upon myself to go shopping and us-ify this place.” He grinned so wide and so proud, as though he hadn’t created the problem he’d just so graciously solved. “I’ve got pillows and frames for us to fill, lamps that don’t match your place so it looks blended.”

That was actually pretty damn thoughtful. “Despite the good drugs you must be taking, this was the perfect fix.”

“Thanks,” he said proudly.

“For a problem you created.”

“Noted,” he groaned as he dropped the bags and draped an arm around my shoulders. “So, are you okay to make dinner for four?”

I glared up at him, wishing I could be mad for this clear violation of our agreement. I should give him hell for promising my time for his charade. But I couldn’t because he would help me too. Eventually. “What were you thinking?”

He shrugged, full of boyish charm even though he was pushing thirty. “It just kind of came out and then he was on board, waxing poetic about home cooked meals before I could take it back. Are you breaking up with me?”

“I should,” I poked a finger at his chest. “But I will cook and allow you to invade my home. Temporarily,” I reminded Chase and myself. Because whenever he was around, it was hard to remember he was the boy who’d pretended to be my friend, only to hit it and quit it. Those thoughts though, helped no one.

He nodded. “Unless you decide to keep me.” He wiggled his eyebrows and sniffed the air. “Have you eaten?”

“No, but I got a few trout from Earl if you want to stay. You can tell me if you parked your horse and buggy when you picked up these frames.”

He laughed. “Real couples will have photos of themselves all over the place. Trust me, Mom and Dad have them everywhere. Everywhere.”

I laughed. “I do trust you, but I have a few digital frames that can show a few different photos. Photos fade so I digitized the ones of Gran and Grandpa so I could have a copy forever.”

“That’s pretty cool.”

“Sure is. Now how’s about you goin’ to get some coal for the stove?” He glared at me and I laughed.

“I never realized what a horrible smart ass you were.”

“Really? Interesting.” He glared again, sending me into another fit of laughter, the same way he’d always done. “We actually have to take pictures now, you know that?”

He nodded and glanced around the room. “Fine. Since you are my bride to be,” he pulled the t-shirt over his head, “I’ll let you take a few naughty photos of me.” As the shirt flew to the sofa behind him, my gaze was riveted to his chest. So golden and wide, hard and well muscled. So damn delicious I felt my core clench tight as I imagined sliding my hands and then my mouth all over those miles of smooth muscles.

I cleared the lust from my voice. “If you insist.” I held up my phone and snapped several photos that I absolutely would not use later when I pleasured myself. “Smile for the camera. You’re fabulous, darling.”

He laughed and the photo I took just then stole my breath. “You want to see more?”

“Sure, but you shouldn’t. You absolutely should not remove more clothing, Chase.”

He flicked the button on his jeans and sucked in a breath. I licked my suddenly dry lips. “Why not?”

“It would be a bad idea.” A terrible, horrible, wrong in every sense bad idea. “Yep, bad,” I said before turning on my heels and heading into my safe space. The kitchen.

His footsteps were so light behind me, I didn’t realize how close he was until his body heat enveloped mine. “Tell me why, Kenzi.”

I shivered at his warm breath on my neck, his big hands leaving scorch marks up and down my arms. “Because last time-,”

He cut those words off with a kiss.

A kiss that should have a word better than kiss, because it wasn’t your average kiss. It was intense, without a doubt. But it was also hungry and urgent, like he couldn’t get enough. My head spun and my hands curled around his biceps as I sank into his kiss. I gave in. Caved. Acquiesced. I was weak. Aroused as all hell. My nipples grew tight and hard, my panties were damp even as my chest heaved, breathing him in. His scent was all man and earth and salt. And when his hands snaked down my back to cup my ass, I groaned at the feel of his hard cock, long and pressing right where I was wet and throbbing for him.

“You ready to let me explain?”

I sucked in a breath at his games. “Absolutely not! You are-,”

Damned beast cut me off again with another kiss. It was deeper and hungrier than before, so raw and gritty as he ground his cock into my core. I knew my lips would be bruised, my skin chafed from his scruff. And as suddenly as it started, it stopped. “That’ll happen every time you bring up the past without letting me explain.”

I didn’t know if it was a threat or a promise, but I was worried.

And titillated.

* * *

If I had a dollar for every time that those kisses blasted through my brain over the past few days, I’d be rich. Filthy stinkin’ rich, because I couldn’t stop thinking about it. Dammit. My mind was so distracted with thoughts of Chase and that kiss, that I’d ruined two batches of my lavender face cream because I screwed up the ratios. And now several days had passed and I still didn’t have it right.

Damn you, Chase Donovan!

It wasn’t just work that was driving me insane either, it was thoughts of that whole hot encounter in the kitchen. That kiss and his hands haunted me. His long cock had my body writhing in a sleepy passion every damn night, sliding deep. Pushing and pulling against my walls. My body ached and screamed for what I refused to give it. Which is why I made myself scarce, hiding from him and what he did to me.

Like a coward.

I was totally okay with that because the last time I shared my body with Chase, he’d left in the middle of the night and I hadn’t heard from or seen him until he moved back to Truly. Three months ago. As much as I wanted to, I couldn’t go there. Especially with us being neighbors again. It would be too messy, and I stayed away from messy since…, well since the last time shit got messy.

So, I took my sexual frustration out on the weeds growing near one of the fences. If you let those fuckers grow, they’ll screw up everything. I yanked hard but carefully, relishing digging my fingers in the dirt to pull them from the root. It was gratifying since I wouldn’t be having any sex any damn time soon. With anyone but myself.

“Now that’s a sight that says I’m so sorry for avoiding you.”

I froze with my ass perched in the air like an offering to the gods, turning to peek over my shoulder at a smiling, chop-licking Chase.

“You need to stop doing that.”

He grinned and crossed his arms. “When I get a surprise like that,” he motioned to my ass, “why would I ever stop?”

“Because you want to kill me and steal my fortune?”

He laughed again and stopped beside me, casting a long shadow that felt kind of nice under the glaring sunlight. I took his offered hand and let him pull me up. “I heard from Sterling today. He’s in town and wants to do dinner on Thursday.”

“Okay. Why do you look so nervous?”

“I’m not. But I do think I should bring over some of my clothes and stuff, so it looks natural you know.” His lopsided smile sent a thrill through me and dammit, made me think of kisses all over again.

I wanted to say no, badly. To tell him to go home and screw this silly plan. But I needed him as much as he needed me, so we were in this thing together. “Fine. Come back later with your things and I’ll show you to your room.”

“Perfect!” He turned and went to the porch, returning immediately with two bags and a box. “After you, honey bunny.”

I rolled my eyes, already regretting this setup. Not because of anything he’d done, but his presence spelled trouble for me and I knew it. I could feel it.

“Down this hall is the office, half bath, laundry room and linen closet.” I felt his eyes on my ass as I climbed the steps and, feeling naughty, I put a bit more swing in my step. Enjoying that deep guttural groan he let out. “Okay, this is my creative space, but you can use it to map out obstacle courses or whatever. This door is the guest room with an en suite bathroom, and just down there is my room.”

“And that one,” he pointed directly across the hall.

“That room has only ever been a nursery so it is currently out of commission.”

“Noted.” He turned and grabbed the knob, pushing the door open with a wide-mouthed stare. “Um, sweetheart, this is a little rustic, even for me.” There were no linens on the bed in addition to the thick layer of dust coating everything in sight. And somehow, the bed was the worst. “I’m pretty sure no adult human male could fit on that bed.”

He was right. “Not even sideways?” But I wasn’t ready to consider the alternative. Yet. I loved my bed, I’d splurged on a big one with a pillow top mattress and linens as soft as clouds. But his look told me his thoughts on that. “Fine. I’ll give this room a good scrub and I’ll stay here until Sterling leaves town.”

“Nope. Absolutely not, Kenzi. Come on.” He nudged me down the hall towards my bedroom where I stopped and glared at him. “Don’t give me the evil eye, woman, just open the door.” When I refused, he reached around me, broad chest brushing against mine until my nipples beaded and he pushed the door open. “Yeah this will do just fine. We can share this bed, it’s huge.”

“No.”

He turned with a cat that got the canary smile and smacked his hands together. “Why not? I can myself. If you can.”

“We both know how well you can help your-,” he kissed me again. His tongue swept into my mouth deep and insistent. But as quickly as it had begun, it was over and he was smirking down at me.

“I warned you Kenzi. Now though, now I’m starting to think that maybe you like my kisses.

I did.

Too damn much.