A groan rumbled through Drake’s chest, a low, warbling sound full of frustrated need echoing in the hammering of Abby’s pulse. This connection didn’t make sense. They barely knew each other. Had met less than twelve hours ago, but whatever this was, it wasn’t something she wanted to stop.

She licked her lips, wetting them in preparation for the heat of his mouth upon her. With a shuddering inhale, she glided her fingers across the swell of his biceps and swept across the hardened planes of his chest. Her fingers explored every ridge and valley of his sharply cut muscle. She stroked the back of his neck and twined her fingers in the hair at his nape. His size dominated her personal space, but she welcomed the intrusion.

Her lungs seethed with her answer, hanging on the precipice of saying, if not yes, then definitely not the no he’d demanded. She didn’t want him to stop. As reckless as this was, being with Drake felt like coming home. Or maybe, it felt more like closing the door on her past.

With her lips parted, she rose on tiptoe, closing that final distance and brushing their lips together. “Don’t stop.”

Simple, raw desire flared in him as he seized her mouth with a guttural groan. There was nothing coy or teasing in his assault. No gentle glide or exploration. But then, he’d warned her he wouldn’t be gentle.

His kiss wasn’t the tender exploration of a first time between lovers. There was no hesitancy. He was primal, primitive even, frenzied in his need to take and claim. She opened for him, inviting him in, accepting the brutality of his desire with an answering need of her own. He took from her with bruising aggression, his tongue demanding entrance, while she parted her lips for him.

Once he breached her defenses, his tongue chased hers, his lips fortifying his attack with firm, combative strength against her yielding acquiescence. His reckless hunger surprised her, but that was nothing compared to her response. Feral in her need, a hunger woke within her, demanding and raw. Or maybe she simply needed one man to replace the pain of another? Whatever her motivation, Drake was here, and her ex was quickly becoming nothing more than a painful past.

His hand palmed her ass and lifted her against his hips where he ground against her, thrusting his erection against her belly and showing her the depth of his arousal. A groan drove his hips harder, while his mouth punished her swollen lips. Her blood warmed, the liquid heat coursing through her veins, melting her from the inside out. She squirmed against him, as her hot, itchy nerves demanded more. More heat. More friction. More of him and his touch.

Her nipples tightened and her inner thighs pulsed, awakening a needful ache in her core. And this was just a kiss! The punishing rhythm didn’t give her time to think or agonize over thoughts of what she wanted to come next. She surrendered herself to the moment, content to let it last forever.

And while she lost herself under the torment of his kiss, her heart sputtered as it awakened from a self-imposed slumber, shell-shocked to silence after the ordeal she’d left in the past.

His mouth floated over hers. His hot breath fanned her face. Placing both hands on her ass, he pulled her close while she wrapped her legs around his hips. Her tongue darted out, seeking his, as her head slanted for more, giving him full access to what he needed. He tightened his grip and rocked her against his hardness.

Friction.

She needed more of that friction. His razored teeth gripped her lower lip, biting down until she gasped with the pinch of pain.

“I told you, I’m not gentle, city girl. You’ve been warned,” he growled.

His mouth glided against hers, his tongue lashing, furious and determined. She cracked open her lids and peeked at the pinch of his dark brows. His expression tightened with the urgency of his need, and while he cupped her face, he drove her to combustion. Then his words sunk in.

Heart racing, she paused. Was this what she wanted? A one-night stand with a stranger?

Her nerves rioted, sparking with warring desire. Her palm drifted to his chest, crushed between the press of their bodies. The terrace of his muscles rippled beneath her fingers, and with each breath, his chest expanded. A fever spread through her, the need to feel all of him battling against her rational mind.

He pulled back, his strong arms holding her firmly in place. Only the fabric of their jeans separated them from a more carnal union. What terrified her most was how much her body ached to make that happen.

The rumble of a truck sounded outside, something big and heavy, with a rattling of chains and steel grating on steel.

“Damn,” he said with a growl. “Henry’s early.” A smile curved his lips, “City girl, you know how to make a man ache in the best possible way.”

He lifted her off his hips and placed her on the ground, holding her steady until she found her balance. His head canted to the side, studying her. “You’re not what I expected.”

A horn honked outside.

She wanted to ask what he had expected, but the horn sounded again.

“Henry has the worst possible timing,” she agreed.

Drake tossed his head back and roared with a deep laugh. “It’s probably good that he’s here.”

“Why is that?”

His smirk softened the jagged scar. “Another few minutes and I would’ve impaled you on my cock.”

The heat of their kiss lingered on her lips, and a flush crept up her skin. His bold statement left her speechless.

He leaned down and kissed her brow, a slow sensual press of his lips and a promise for more. “You’ve been warned. Consider this your reprieve, because next time there’s no way I’m stopping at a simple kiss.”

Only there had been nothing simple about that kiss.

“Bert!” A deep voice yelled outside. “Drake!” Snow crunched under the weight of heavy boots. “You guys around?”

Drake pressed his lips against hers, a soft, gentle caress, more damaging than their first kiss because at that moment, he cemented his promise to make her his.

“In here,” he called out. “Henry, we’re in here.”

Grasping her hand in his, he pulled her outside. The blaze of the morning sun beat down on the snow, melting it, and warming the air. It had to be a few degrees above freezing, nothing like the nearly sub-zero temperatures of last night.

The corners of her lips turned up when she spied Henry. She’d had no preconceived notions about the tow truck driver like she had the llama rancher. But she giggled at his grease- stained overalls, blue and white plaid shirt, and heavy boots. He even had a stem of hay firmly planted between his teeth. The only thing he didn’t have was the cowboy hat. Instead, he wore a knit beanie. His expression brightened when he caught sight of her, and he gave a long, low, whistle.

Drake squeezed her hand and pulled her close to his side.

“Henry Watkins meet Abby Knight.”

Her heart stumbled to a halt. That had been the first time he’d said her name, and the low rumble of possession faltered her step.

Ignoring the odd range of emotions flowing through her mind, Abby focused on Henry. “Hi. Thank you for coming out to help me.”

Henry pulled off his cap, revealing a bald, tanned head. “Pleasure’s all mine. Heard you ran into a ditch.”

She nodded. “It seemed better than running into the moose.”

“Oh, glad you didn’t do that. Deer are bad enough. Plenty of them around here. A deer can take out your bumper, maybe your hood, but a moose? Them suckers can crack a block. Kill you and them both. I’m surprised, to be honest. We don’t usually get moose around here. Must’ve been driven out of the mountains by the storm.”

“Oh.” She hadn’t realized they were that dangerous.

“You ready to get your car?” Henry asked.

Abby glanced at Drake. She wanted to head back into that barn and see what might happen. Then she gasped, bringing her hand to her mouth.

“Oh, I can’t believe I forgot to call my uncle.” She told him to expect her late last night, and now she felt horrible because it had never occurred to her to call. Had Drake affected her that strongly? Uncle Pete was probably worried sick. “Yes, please. And if you don’t mind, I need to call my uncle and let him know I’m okay.”

Henry opened the door to his tow rig. She turned when it looked like Drake wasn’t going to join her.

“Aren’t you coming?”

Drake shook his head. “I’d love too, but llamas don’t feed themselves. I need to get them out of the barn and into the field. Besides, Henry will take good care of you.”

“That’s right.” Henry spat the chewed-up piece of straw on the ground. “You visiting town?”

“I’m moving here,” she answered.

The smile on Drake’s face widened. “Now that is good news. I look forward to seeing you around, city girl. We can finish our… discussion another time.”

“Our discussion?”

“The one in the barn.” He gave her a wink.

Abby prayed Henry didn’t notice the flush in her cheeks.

“Um, y-y-yes,” she stammered, “that would be nice.”

“Well, seeing as you’re new,” Henry said, completely missing the undercurrent of Drake’s comments, “you’ll probably want to stop in at Shelly’s Diner after we get your car sorted. It’s a great place if you’re looking for home-cooked food. Taylor’s grocery is the only place to grab your groceries, but it’s closed on Sundays. If you’re just wanting something quick, you can take a gander at Eddie’s Soda Shoppe.”

“Thank you,” she said to Henry. “I’m new, but not a stranger to Peace Springs. I spent my summers here as a girl.”

Drake stood behind Henry, his eyes sparkling with mirth and his face splitting into a wide grin.

“Really?” Drake’s smile widened.

“Yeah, but I haven’t been here in about eight years.”

“Well,” he said, scratching his chin. “Eddie’s is still a great place. A lot of the kids hang out there. Though, if you’re looking for quiet, you probably want to go to Shelly’s Diner. I usually pop in there myself for Sunday dinners.”

Had that been an oblique invitation tonight? Dinner would lead to an evening she wasn’t sure she wanted, despite the ache from moments ago. As the new town doctor, she might need to rethink getting involved with the first man she met. She couldn’t help herself though. Drake seemed to have worked his way under her skin.

“I might just do that,” she said. Uncle Pete probably had dinner plans, but she would find a way to get out of them if it meant spending the evening with Drake.

“Take care of my girl.” Drake closed the distance with Henry, and the two men shook.

She climbed into Henry’s truck, disappointed Drake wasn’t able to come, but excited he wanted to see her later.

The two men exchanged a few words. It looked like Drake was giving directions, which was a good thing. She had no idea where her car might be. Would they even be able to see it?

Henry joined her in the cab and cranked over the diesel engine. “Let’s go snag your car out of a ditch, pretty lady.”

Abby rubbed her lips, remembering the press of Drake’s mouth against hers. She waved to him as Henry pulled around. Drake stared back, the intensity of his gaze dangerous with the unspoken promise lingering between them.