Skye rubbed away the sleep crusting her eyes. She rolled over and into the heavy weight of Ash filling the bed beside her. She must have drifted off while he played, as she had no memory of him coming to bed. He lay on his side, facing her. True to his word, he’d slept on top of the covers with the extra blankets pulled up for warmth. A moment’s pause had her marveling at how the rough edges of his face softened in sleep. She slipped out of bed, trying not to wake him.

Now, what to do with him over the next few days?

Her plans had originally included a spelunking trip, hang-gliding lessons, and a helicopter flight with Spencer. Her agreement with Ash had them splitting expenses, but she worried about her plans. They were all incredibly expensive. Maybe she should ask Ash if he wanted to go before canceling the activities? But she didn’t want to cause him any embarrassment. At least hiking in the woods was free.

She dressed quickly and put a log on the remains of the fire from last night. The coals were still warm, and it didn’t take long to rekindle the blaze.

Then, she turned to the small kitchen, excited to cook, and pulled out the carton of eggs.

Several minutes later, Ash stretched in bed, groaning. “Babe, whatever you’re cooking, I’m in love with it. Goddamn, that smells good.”

The underlying richness of his voice rolled over her, stroking a primal core. The man had been born to seduce, and her body shuddered as she thought about just that.

“Thanks.”

Eggs, bacon, sausage, nothing special, but the compliment was appreciated.

A minister’s son who swore like a sailor and had an inked dragon on his neck, Ash was a clash of contradictions driving her mad.

Standing, his tall form dominated the small room, even more so when he stretched. The black T-shirt pulled tight across the muscles of his chest, and the gray pajama pants hung precariously low on his hips. The V-line of his abdomen angled down, disappearing beneath the elastic waistband, drawing her eyes to his prominent bulge.

She pressed her tongue to the roof of her mouth as her eyes followed every twist and turn of his muscular body.

“Babe, you’re staring again.” His eyes twinkled with mischief.

Heat bloomed in her cheeks. She turned her back to him and pushed eggs around the skillet.

He came to stand behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist. Nuzzling her neck, he whispered in her ear, “It’s okay. I like looking at you, too.” His palm flattened against her belly, his thumb lifting to stroke the swell of her breast. “Good morning, gorgeous.”

“Good morning.”

He spun her, forcing her to face him, and then cupped her ass in his hands. With a yank, he pulled their hips together. The man had no shame and didn’t even try to hide his erection. His pupils dilated, swallowing flecks of gold on a field of verdant green. The anticipation of a kiss hung in the air, and she lifted her gaze to the swell of his lips. She licked hers in preparation.

His gaze lowered, watching. “First order of business…” His cocky grin made an entrance.

Someone sucked all the air out of the room because she could barely breathe—or maybe that was because Ash was nipping at her lower lip. He ran his fingers in her hair, guiding her head, while she slipped her arms around his waist. Holding on tight, she fell into the bliss of his good-morning kiss.

A hunger stirred in her belly, working its way to her heart, and traveled up to her head where her mind worked on the enigma that was this man.

How was it that her body was responding to him?

He held her tight, kissing and nibbling, sucking and biting at her lips.

Ash ignited something indescribable, both exciting and terrifying.

She parted her lips, inviting him in, and he delved inside, his tongue tangling with hers. He tasted rich, sinful, and decadent. Her insides melted with the heat he stoked in her core, warming with the rush of arousal. She moaned, needing more.

He deepened his kiss, overpowering her with his desire, and then he lifted her off her feet. As she wrapped her legs around his waist, his erection grew between them. It was impossible not to press against it. Heat blossomed between her legs, wetness dampening her panties. She wanted to feel his skin, so she pulled on the fabric of his shirt.

In his arms, she became an emotional disaster, a landslide moving toward sex, impossible to stop.

“Ash…” Her voice was uncharacteristically raw.

He effortlessly held her as he carried her across the room. Then, he tossed her down onto the bed, staring at her with labored, harsh breathing.

The fabric of his T-shirt stretched across his chest, and poking out of the elastic rim of his pajamas, the cut crown of his penis revealed itself to her eyes. Big, red, engorged, and glorious. Her mouth watered, anxious to taste him. She gazed at the object of her desire, her mouth opening, and she reached for the elastic, needing to give him a release, knowing he desired her touch.

“Ash,” she said, her voice rough with desire. This, she could give.

His eyes followed her hand, and his breath caught. His hand whipped out, wrapping around her wrist, as her fingers brushed the head of his glans.

“Oh, shit. Skye…” He stumbled backward, yanking the waistband over his exposed cock. His eyes grew wide and cut to the door.

“It’s okay. I want this,” Skye said, reaching for him.

He moved away, his face darkening. “I can’t be in here.” His jaw clenched, and he tore himself away.

As he opened the door, a puff of cold air blew into the cabin, and then he stormed outside, slamming the door shut behind him.

She sat on the bed, her heart hammering, her hand still outstretched. Palpitations filled her chest as the smell of burned bacon filled the air.

“Ah, crap.” She leaped off the bed and ran to the stove where she managed to salvage the eggs and sausage. The bacon was ruined.

She peered out the small window.

Ash stomped around his Jeep, kicking the tires and pounding on the hood. Every few minutes, he would start to come back inside, and then he would turn away and stalk off. His breath misted in the freezing morning air.

How long was he going to stay outside in nothing more than a T-shirt and thin pajama pants?

She placed the rescued breakfast on two plates and set them on the table. Then, she headed outside with a blanket clutched in her arms. The cold air snapped against her skin, bringing a shiver to her spine, and goose bumps lifted on her arms.

Fists clenched, he turned his back to her.

She held out the blanket. “Come inside.”

He ran his fingers through the dark strands of his hair. “I didn’t mean for that to get out of hand.” He gestured to the cabin. “I gave my word and broke it the first chance I got.”

His arm dropped, and his palm slapped against his thigh. “I want you to feel safe and trust me to keep my word.” He tilted his face to the morning sun. “I don’t want to ruin this.” He shivered and wrapped his arms around himself, his breath puffing into the air. “Sorry I left, but I had to get out of there before I broke all the rules.”

Cautiously, she took a step. “It’s freezing. Come back inside, and eat breakfast before it gets cold.”

He turned haunted eyes on her. “That won’t happen again.”

She wrapped the blanket around him. “We got carried away, and it wasn’t your fault.” Hell, she’d been the one reaching for his cock. With a shove, she propelled him toward the door. “We’ll be more careful.” Although how that was to happen, she didn’t have a clue.

They managed to make it back inside, and she got him to settle at the table.

He dropped the blanket on the floor and reached across to touch her hand. “Are we okay?”

“We’re okay.” She pointed to his food. “Now, eat before it gets too cold.”

He scraped a forkful of eggs and took a tentative bite. His eyes shut. “Fuck, this is amazing.” He shoveled more into his mouth and then looked to the stove. “Is there more?”

His exuberance for her cooking eased the tension swirling between them.

Ash emptied his plate in five bites and then filled his plate with what was left in the skillet. He polished off the remaining eggs and even stole her sausage.

Although nearly ruined, breakfast was perfect, and they were laughing again by the end of the meal.

“Since you cooked, I’ll clean,” he offered, standing to collect their dishes.

The clatter of dishes filled the small cabin while he set to cleaning up breakfast. When he finished, he sat across from her, gathering her hands in his. His brows bunched together. “You have no idea what it’s like to be around you. To be with someone who sees the real me and not Bla—well, I’m just trying to say, I’m not willing to screw this up.”

His words made more sense than he knew. They were relative strangers, and in not knowing all the details of each other’s lives, they had an unusual freedom to relax and let down their walls. She didn’t know what the real her was like, but she found Ash entrancing.

He huffed a laugh. “It’s been a long time since I’ve been around someone who’s not judging me all the time or wanting me to give them something.”

Judge? Maybe, as a struggling artist, things were difficult for him, and except for his company, she didn’t need anything he might have to give.

“Maybe we could loosen the restrictions up a bit?” she said.

“Don’t tempt me. Don’t even go there.”

She crossed her arms over her chest. “You’re seriously not even going to listen to what I was going to offer?”

He shook his head. “I know exactly what you were going to say.”

She scrunched her face. “No, you don’t.”

“Babe, you were licking your lips, staring at my cock. Trust me, I know. But I also know myself entirely too well. There are some limits, once I cross, I can’t uncross. And, if your lips wrap around my cock, I’ll fuck your brains out. That’s the honest truth.”

“That’s pretty blunt.”

He winked. “Was I right?”

She nodded. “Can’t say I’ve ever known a man to turn down a blow job. That doesn’t make sense.”

“Because it wouldn’t stop at a blow job. I’m not here to get in your pants. Not that I don’t want to, but I want the bigger prize. So, how about we switch topics? Tell me what the plan is for the day.”

Should she mention her plans? “What prize?”

He huffed a laugh. “Well, for one, I want to get to know you better. I connect with you in a way I never have with anyone else before. If all I wanted was sex without strings or a blow job, I could get that from any chick. It would feel great in the moment, but that’s where it would end—and it would end. I don’t want to ruin this.” He gestured between them. “And I don’t think I want this to end.”

“What if I’ve changed my mind?”

His eyes twinkled. “We’re not changing the terms of our agreement.”

“Then, we probably shouldn’t hang out at the cabin all day,” she said. “Too much temptation.”

“Before I tagged along, what did you have planned?”

“A few things.” Couples activities with Spencer, which she didn’t want to do with Ash. The one thing she hadn’t planned were several hikes because Spencer hated walking in the woods. “How about hunting waterfalls?” She hoped he wouldn’t think it was lame.

“What the hell does that mean?”

“Hiking. We go in search of waterfalls.”

His brilliant eyes brightened. “I love hiking. I don’t get to do much of it anymore. Sounds fucking badass.”

“Good. There are some great trails.”

“For us to hunt waterfalls?”

She grinned. “Yeah. Those wild, woolly, and elusive waterfalls. You have to sneak up on them, especially this time of year. If you want to see a great waterfall, we could go to Falling Springs.”

“Doesn’t sound like you have to hunt that one. Let’s make it more interesting. Go on a search for small ones no one else has looked for?”

Sounded wonderful, and his enthusiasm was encouraging.

“Great, let me find some hikes.”

As she settled into the small chair, she pulled out her phone to text Forest. Ash hummed as he poked the embers of the fire. Every now and then, he would sing a few words, and she thought she heard something about hunting waterfalls.

A peaceful haze settled over her as she dutifully checked in with Forest.

Still alive. Didn’t get murdered. Going on a hike. Will keep the phone on, so you can cyberstalk me. XOXO.

“I’m going to take a shower,” she announced. “You need in the bathroom?”

“Nah, I’m good. Just don’t use up all the hot water. I know how you girls can be.”

Rolling her eyes, she fished out what she would need from her bags while he sang about insanity. She recognized the tune from the night before.

Maybe she was insane. Locked in a cabin, in the woods, with a magnetic man who could light a dangerous fire. Was this just testing the waters, or was it the first step on the road to a psychotic break? She didn’t know—not yet, at least. And the first step to finding that answer would begin with the forest trail.