Bringing my hand to his mouth, he kisses it. “I’m going to have to be careful with you.”

  “I’m not that breakable.”

  “I know.” He pulls me up to stand. “Do you want a pill?”

  “No.” I shake my head, not wanting to fall asleep again.

  “All right, how about we watch a movie?”

  “Sure.” I force myself not to pout. Gah, I really want to, because all I want is for him not to be careful and take me to bed.

  “Come on.” He leads me to a door just off the kitchen, and when he opens it, we step out onto a covered porch that’s fully screened in. Fairy lights line the perimeter, with a U-shaped couch in the middle. When he lets my hand go, I watch him pull a screen down from the ceiling, then open a box and pull out a remote. “What are you in the mood for?”

  “Anything, I’m not picky.” I watch him press some buttons on the remote, and warm air starts to blow down on us; then the large screen lights up.

  “Romance, comedy, or action?”

  “Do you want my real answer?” I ask while I take a seat.

  “Romance it is.” He smiles, and a list of romance movies fills the screen.

  “You don’t have to suffer because of me. I’ll be happy with anything.” I curl into his side when he sits next to me.

  “Choose, sunshine.” He passes me the remote, and I study it, surprised that he’s just handed it over. The guys I’ve known have treated the remote like some kind of weapon of mass destruction, not to be trusted in the hands of a woman. “Cybil.”

  “Sorry, I’m just trying to figure out if I’m worthy of this kind of power,” I say, and he laughs, wrapping his arm around my shoulders.

  Resting my head on his chest, I scroll through until I find something I haven’t seen before and then press play. As the movie begins and the couple on screen struggles to get to know each other, I relax into Tanner and start to wonder if it’s abnormal to feel this level of comfort with someone you just met. I mean, I know we spent a week together, but we still haven’t known each other very long. And besides the underlying current of sexual tension that seems to surround us all the time, things between us are easy.

  “What are you thinking about so hard?” he asks, breaking into my thoughts, and I stop twirling my hair.

  “Nothing.”

  “Liar.” He takes my hand when I sit up and then kisses my fingers. “Is your hand okay?”

  “Yeah.” I chew the inside of my cheek, then blurt out, “Is it always like this?”

  “Like what?”

  “Easy.” I motion between us. “I mean, I don’t know; it feels like things are really easy with you.”

  “Should they not be?”

  “I don’t know,” I repeat. “It’s not like I have a lot of experience with this kind of thing.”

  “Do you want me to give you the cold shoulder and then start chasing you because I finally realize how special you are?” he asks with a smile, basically relaying what’s happened so far in the movie we’re watching.

  “No.” I roll my eyes.

  “Maybe we should stop watching this movie before you take off back to Oregon because we have some stupid misunderstanding, only for you to have to beg for my forgiveness.”

  “How do you know that you wouldn’t be the one begging for my forgiveness?”

  “Because I would never do something to fuck this up,” he states plainly, and my heart gives a funny thump.

  “Neither would I,” I say, and he pushes my hair back away from my face, tucking it behind my ear.

  “I’m sure, given time, we’ll find shit to fight about and piss each other off. So right now, let’s just appreciate how uncomplicated this is.”

  I bite my bottom lip, then let it go and nod. “I think that’s smart.”

  “Good.” He smiles as he drags me forward for a kiss, and I sink into him, getting lost in the moment of his tongue touching mine. Needing to be closer, I climb onto his lap with his help. “Keep your hand here,” he orders, capturing my wrist and placing my wrapped palm against his hard chest. “Move it and we stop.” He leans up, nipping my bottom lip.

  “I won’t move it,” I vow; then I feel his hand on my ass as he drags me forward, which means his hard-on that’s barely restrained by his thin shorts hits me right between my legs. My breath catches, my core clenches, and wetness spreads right . . . there.

  “You okay?” His hand moves up over the curve of my ass.

  “Yeah.” I rock against him without thought, and his eyes darken.

  “Come here.” He lifts his head enough to nip my bottom lip.

  “I’m right here,” I pant against his mouth before nipping his bottom lip like he did mine. Then his fingers thread through the hair at the back of my head, and he urges my mouth down to his as I rock against him again.

  “I can see you’re going to be a test of my willpower.”

  “Why do you say that?” I ask, but instead of answering, he thrusts his tongue into my mouth before biting and licking my lips while his hand on my ass travels around to cup my breast. Out of pure instinct, I press closer and rub myself against him. I have never been this turned on, and I’m pretty sure I might cry when he slows the kiss and pulls back.

  “Your hand.”

  “Sorry.” I wince when I find that my hand has moved up to his hair and is gripping it tight enough to cause me pain.

  “I might have to tie your wrist to the bed for your own good,” he says, and a shiver of excitement travels down my spine while a smile that can only be described as devilish curves his lips. “But not tonight.” He leans up to kiss me swiftly, then carefully helps me off his lap. As he rewinds the movie and I settle into his side, I try my best not to pout, but I know I don’t succeed when he glances at me and laughs.

  “It’s not funny.”

  “Sunshine, trust me when I say this hurts me more than it hurts you.” He adjusts the bulge in his pants, making me feel somewhat better. “That said, I’m not going to risk you opening your wound back up.”

  Knowing he’s right, I sigh, ignoring the feel of him shaking in silent laughter while hiding my own smile by tucking my face against his chest.

  Chapter 16

  CYBIL

  Standing in the kitchen with a cup of coffee in hand and still half-asleep, even after my shower, I watch in a daze as a shirtless Tanner does burpees on the back patio. As his muscles bunch and move under his tan skin, all I can think is it really should be illegal for a man as hot as him to work out half-naked, especially when he has a sexually frustrated woman staying in his house.

  Hearing my cell phone that’s plugged in on the counter ring, I force my eyes off the man who’s captured my attention and pick it up, frowning when I see that Galvin is calling me. Part of me wants to let the call go to voice mail, but curiosity has me sliding my thumb across the screen and putting it on speaker, since I can’t hold my phone and coffee at the same time.

  “Yes?”

  “Cybil,” he says, sounding unsure, like he’s forgotten the sound of my voice.

  “Yes?” I repeat as my eyes drift out the window to Tanner, who’s now hanging upside down from a bar, doing sit-ups.

  “Umm . . . how are you?”

  “I’m fantastic.” I wait for him to say more, because honestly I have no desire to ask him how he is, or any other niceties. Not after finding out that he lied to me.

  “Jade said you’re in Montana and that you met someone there.”

  “I am, and I did,” I agree, dropping my eyes to my feet as annoyance with my best friend makes my hand tighten around my coffee cup.

  “Fuck, Cybil, I know you’re pissed about everything that happened between you and me, but do you really think that’s smart?”

  “The only thing me being here has to do with you is that I booked this trip because you wanted us to go on a couples retreat to work on our relationship. When, in reality, there was nothing I could do to make you happy, because I don’t have a penis. Besides that, you do not factor into me staying in Montana with Tanner.”

  “I didn’t think you’d actually book that trip,” he groans. “You’ve always hated anything to do with the outdoors, and when I brought it up, you laughed.”

  “I thought you were joking, and you’re wrong. I actually love the outdoors.” Okay, love might be the wrong word, but still. “I’ve had the best time.”

  “Cybil, we’re all worried about you. You’re staying with a man you don’t even know, and—”

  “Ha!” I snort, cutting him off. “That’s really funny, coming from you.”

  “What is that supposed to mean?”

  “I was with you for years, Galvin. You were one of my best friends, and I obviously had no idea who you were.”

  “That’s not true. You knew me. You still know me.”

  “You didn’t tell me that you were actually in love with someone else, or that you might also like men. I’m pretty sure I didn’t know you at all.”

  “Things with Chris were complicated, and I was scared that—”

  “You lied. You dragged me into your lie without giving me a choice in the matter. I mean, how long would you have let it go on for? How many times did you sleep with Chris when you went to visit him? Did you even care how I would feel?”

  “I know I messed up.”

  “You did.” My stomach churns at the fact that he didn’t deny sleeping with Chris.

  “Jade said you weren’t mad at me.” Concern fills his tone.

  “No, what I said is that I don’t hate you. And I don’t. But that doesn’t mean I’m not still really fricking pissed off at you.”

  “I’m sorry I hurt you. I still love you; that hasn’t changed. I just . . . I just couldn’t marry you.”

  “Well, thank you for doing one thing right.” I let out a deep breath. “If that’s all, I need to go,” I say, annoyed with him for calling me about Tanner and mad at myself for feeling bad about being angry with him.

  “Cybil—”

  “Bye, Galvin.” I hang up before he can say more; then my coffee cup is taken from my grasp and warm arms wrap around me, pulling me into a sweaty chest.

  “Your ex?” Tanner asks as my arms go around his waist, and I rest my cheek on his chest.

  “Yes.” I nod, closing my eyes. “He talked to Jade and wanted to call and warn me against staying with a man I don’t know,” I say, more annoyed than I was yesterday at hearing the same thing from Maisie and Jade. I just wish they would trust me, trust that I can make decisions for myself.

  “That was nice of him.”

  “Super nice,” I agree sarcastically while leaning back to meet his gaze, catching his grin before his expression turns speculative.

  “Are you okay?”

  I don’t know if it’s the softness of his tone or his fingers massaging the base of my neck, but I realize the tension I was feeling just seconds ago is gone. Completely. “Yeah.”

  “Good.” He lifts my hand between us so he can inspect my wound.

  “It’s feeling a lot better today,” I assure him as he kisses near the stitches and rests my hand against his chest.

  “I need to shower and make a few phone calls, but after I’m done, how about we head into town for breakfast?”

  “That sounds good.”

  “I shouldn’t be more than an hour.” He leans in to give me a swift kiss; then, when he leans back, his eyes roam my face. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

  “Positive.”

  “Okay.” He lets me go with one more kiss, this one on my forehead, before he heads down the hall toward his bedroom.

  When he disappears out of sight, I take my coffee out onto the back deck along with my phone and go through my emails. I’m happy to see I have more than thirty orders waiting for me to process when I get home, along with over a dozen new reviews and messages from people who’ve gotten their new bags while I’ve been away. By the time I’m done checking all my social media accounts and replying to texts from friends, forty minutes have passed, so I head inside to get ready to spend the day with Tanner, trying not to dwell on the fact that my time here in Montana already seems to be passing too quickly.

  Wearing high-waisted cutoff jean shorts, a washed-out rock-and-roll tee, a thin floral-print shrug, and wedge sandals, I hold on to Tanner’s hand like a lifeline as he leads me to a table in the Root, a small restaurant tucked against the side of a mountain on the edge of town. With most of the patrons dressed casually in jeans and T-shirts, including the man at my side, I’d think my bohemian style and wild mass of wavy hair would draw curious looks from the people calling out hello to Tanner as we pass. But I have a feeling it’s something else. It’s like they’ve never seen him with a woman, which would surprise me, given how amazing he is. It also makes me wonder if my assumption is true.

  “Hungry?” Tanner asks as I slide into the booth, and he takes a seat next to me.

  “Starving,” I say as he passes me one of the menus that was handed to him when we walked in. “What’s good here?”

  “Everything.”

  “That’s helpful.” I smile.

  “All right,” he says, laughing. “If I were you, I’d go with the cornmeal pancakes with honey-pecan butter, or the Nutella crepes with fresh strawberries.”

  “I’ve never had cornmeal pancakes.” I tip my head his way. “Are they good?”

  “Delicious, and the iced coffee here is better than that place down the street with the green sign I saw you eyeing when we drove by.”

  “I’ll believe that when I taste it.” I lean into him when he places his arm around my shoulders. “What are you going to order?”

  “The southern omelet. Fresco, the guy who runs the kitchen here, makes his own chorizo and green salsa, and I swear it’s like eating a miracle.”

  “They need to start paying you for advertising.” I watch him grin before his attention is captured by a very pretty woman with dark hair, and his smile turns familiar. As she approaches the table with a pen and pad of paper in her hand, I notice the roundness of her stomach and wonder who she is.

  “Hey, Tanner.” She smiles at him, then looks at me with warmth filling her gaze. “I’m guessing you’re Cybil.”

  “Umm, yeah.” I’m sure my expression is startled.

  “Blake’s my twin brother.” She surprises me, since she and Blake look nothing at all alike. “I’m Margret.” She grins before moving her eyes to Tanner. “My brother just left before you came in. He was on a roll about your new girlfriend.”

  “Margret,” Tanner sighs.

  “Hey.” She holds up her hand. “I’m on your side with this one. I’m happy to see you’re interested in something other than work. Hopefully, you’ll rub off on my idiot brother, and he’ll realize there’s more to life than the lodge and making money.” She shakes her head.

  “I wouldn’t count on that happening anytime soon. He married that place the day we signed the lease,” Tanner says, and I squeeze his thigh when I catch a hint of disappointment in his tone.

  “Well, I can hope, right?” She looks at me. “Sorry, Cybil, I’m sure you don’t want to listen to me complain about my brother.”

  “It’s okay. I get it.”

  “You have any siblings?”

  “No, but my best friend is like my sister, and I could complain about her all day,” I reply, and she laughs while Tanner chuckles.

  “Right, well, enough about that. What are you two eating this fine morning?” she asks, and Tanner and I both rattle off our orders, and when we finish, she wanders off with a promise to return shortly with our coffees.

  “I like her,” I say, watching her stop at the table of an older couple on the way to the kitchen.

  “She’s easy to like, but you’ll find out that Blake’s whole family is like that, just good-to-the-core people.”

  “You’re close with them all?”

  “None of them gave me much of a choice. They brought me into the fold and wouldn’t let me go.”

  “I love that for you,” I tell him honestly. Without Jade and her parents, I don’t know what would have happened to me, and even though he left his family by choice while mine was taken from me, I know how important it is to have people you can count on when things are difficult.

  “Thanks, sunshine,” he says quietly, leaning in to kiss me swiftly.

  “So tell me,” I prompt quietly, holding his gaze. “Do you always draw this much attention when you come to town? Because it feels like everyone in this place has been staring at us ever since we walked in the door.”

  “It’s not me who’s captured everyone’s attention. I’m just sitting next to you.”

  “Right.” I roll my eyes, and his hand comes up to capture my cheek and my attention.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, Cybil, and that’s not some line; it’s the God’s honest truth,” he says, and I lick my lips as my cheeks warm. Not sure how to reply, because “Thank you” seems stupid and crying seems like a little bit of an overreaction, I bite my bottom lip. “It’s also cute that you blush when I give you a compliment.”

  “It was a really nice compliment,” I say quietly.

  “It’s just the truth,” he replies just as quietly, holding my gaze.

  “Tanner!” a deep voice calls, breaking into our moment, and he pulls out of the bubble we’ve found ourselves in. When I look to the side of the table and at the man standing there, I realize it’s the bartender from the bar I ate at the first night I was in town. “I thought that was you.”

  “Mason.” Tanner turns slightly to me. “You remember Cybil.”

  “I do.” He gives me a wink and a smile, and I can’t help but wonder how many women swoon when he turns his attention their way.

  “Are you having breakfast?” Tanner asks.

  “That was the plan, but the tables filled up, so I’m getting something to go.”

  “You should eat with us,” I offer, motioning to the empty seats across from us.

  “Oh, I don’t—” he starts, shaking his head.

  “Cybil’s right. Join us,” Tanner says, cutting him off.

  “All right.” He takes a seat and motions between us. “So how did this happen? The last time I saw you two in the same space, Cybil didn’t seem to like you much.”