“You did. While we were sitting on the porch drinking beer and speculating on where, oh, where Regan O’Connelli might be, since he hadn’t been seen after heading out to Peaceful Kingdom around dinnertime.”

  “I’m sorry I missed that conversation,” Gabe said. “Morgan and I took the kids to a movie in Jackson last night so I wasn’t porch-sittin’ like these railbirds. But I didn’t miss the way you two were shooting sparks when you walked into the kitchen.”

  “Yeah, Tyler noticed it, too,” Nick said. “I saw that look she gave you. She’s gonna want to make sure you don’t hook up with another loser like Jeannette. Fortunately I can vouch for Lily. She’s a good kid.”

  “You need your eyesight checked, Nicky,” Gabe said. “She’s not a kid anymore, if you get my meaning.”

  Regan pointed a finger at Gabe. “And you can just keep your eyes to yourself, mister.”

  “Classic.” Jack smiled and shook his head. “Possessive and protective already. This will be fun to watch.”

  “Keep it down, okay?” Regan quickly glanced over at the table, but Lily and the rest of them seemed oblivious to the discussion going on over by the coffeepot. “I don’t want to embarrass her.”

  “Neither do we,” said Nick. “Don’t worry. We won’t make a big deal out of it. But don’t you need to pack a few things before you drive back?”

  “As a matter of fact, I do.” He thought about the box of condoms. And clothes, of course. But the condoms topped his mental list.

  “Go ahead and handle that now,” Jack said. “I’ll explain to Mom later that you won’t be sleeping here for the foreseeable future. We’ll keep it on the down-low. Get your stuff and put it out in the truck. We can say you went upstairs to see Sarah Bianca.”

  “Which you should, anyway,” Gabe said. “SB will be devastated if she finds out you’ve been here and she didn’t get a hug.”

  “Good point. I’ll make it fast.”

  Jack checked the situation at the table. “Take your time. They’re into it, now. We’ll need to break it up soon, though, or they’ll be renting a jumping castle and a cotton-candy machine.”

  “Be back shortly. Oh, and Nick, will you be sure and tell Lily about the paddock? She’ll want to thank you for setting it up.”

  “I’ll tell her. Go take care of business, Romeo.”

  “Right.” Regan turned to leave but glanced over at Lily one last time.

  As if they’d choreographed it, Lily looked up and met his gaze. The moment was short and packed with meaning. When she turned her attention back to the notes she was taking on her phone, the corners of her mouth tipped up in a secret smile.

  He had the distinct feeling that she knew he was sneaking out to pack his clothes. Unless she was psychic, though, she couldn’t know what else he was going after. Then again, she’d claimed to be a bit psychic.

  She confirmed that she knew he’d packed a suitcase as they pulled away from the ranch house about thirty minutes later. “That was slick, Sherlock.”

  “What?”

  “Do you, or do you not, have a suitcase full of your stuff in the back of this truck?”

  “I do.”

  “I figured that’s what you were up to when you sidled out of the kitchen. What excuse did you give the Chance brothers so you could execute that maneuver?”

  “Didn’t need an excuse. Jack suggested I slide out and take care of that while nobody was looking.”

  “He didn’t! Are you saying they know you’ll be staying with me at least until Saturday?”

  From the corner of his eye, Regan noticed that her cheeks were very pink. “I had to tell them, Lily. They were twisting themselves into pretzels trying to figure out how we’d get these horses in shape, but the obvious answer was for me to move in and have regular access to them so I can make the best use of my free time.”

  “So they think this is strictly a business arrangement?”

  “Well...no. They don’t think that.”

  Lily groaned. “I’m afraid to ask what they think it is. But I guess it couldn’t be avoided. This is exactly what you warned me about.”

  “It’s not surprising.” He gave her a quick smile. “You’re a caring, beautiful woman, and I’m a man with a...” He started laughing and couldn’t finish.

  “What?”

  “A secret anguish.” And he laughed some more.

  She whacked him on the arm, but she was laughing, too. “I’ll never live that down, will I?”

  “I kind of like it. It gives me a certain Phantom of the Opera appeal.”

  “It used to, before you started making fun of my tenderhearted description.” She folded her arms and did her best to look stern and disapproving. “See if I worry about your secret anguish anymore. Or, to be more direct, O’Connelli, bite me.”

  He laughed so hard he almost ran them off the road. Fortunately they were still on the dirt stretch leading to the main highway into Shoshone and nobody else was coming from the other direction. “You are such a redhead. But I grew up with redheaded sisters. You can’t scare me.”

  “You sure?”

  His laughter faded. “No. You scare the hell out of me.”

  “I know.”

  “How do you know?”

  Her voice grew quiet. “Because you scare the hell out of me, and I recognize the look of panic that sometimes flashes in your eyes.”

  “Yeah.” He sighed. “I’m sure it does.”

  “I like you, Regan. I like you a lot.”

  “Ditto.” He took a deep breath. “Want to know how I picture us?”

  “Probably not, but now that you’ve asked me, of course I’ll die of curiosity if you don’t tell me.”

  “Is that a yes or a no?”

  “Yes! How do you picture us?”

  Now that he was about to tell her, he decided it was sort of stupid. Ridiculously romantic. Dopey, even. He shouldn’t have brought it up.

  “Come on, Regan. You have to tell me now.”

  “You’ll laugh.”

  “No, I won’t. I promise. You’re not thinking of us as Romeo and Juliet, are you? Or Anthony and Cleopatra? I don’t want to be a tragic couple.”

  “We’re not. At least I hope not. But I see us as two cliff divers standing at the top of a cliff, about to dive into a deep pool. Or maybe it’s a volcano, like in that old Tom Hanks movie.”

  “I remember that movie. He held hands with Meg Ryan before they jumped. Are we holding hands in your mental picture?”

  “Yeah.” Sheesh. Good thing nobody else was around to hear this sentimental claptrap. He’d be drummed out of the manly man corps.

  She was quiet after that, and he had to look over to make sure she wasn’t biting her lip to keep from laughing at him and his sappy image.

  She wasn’t laughing. Instead she gazed at him with a soft light in her eyes. “I think that’s a lovely image,” she murmured.

  “You do?” He waited for her to start giggling. When she didn’t, he returned his attention to the road, relief easing the tightness in his chest. Guilt followed. She was a nicer person than he was. “I shouldn’t have teased you about the secret anguish thing.”

  “I deserved it. That was way too dramatic. A cringe-worthy description.”

  “And cliff diving isn’t?”

  “No, it’s sweet and brave.” She paused. “And I like that we’re holding hands.”

  The warm feeling that he’d now recognized as happiness spread through him. “Me, too.” Without taking his eyes from the road, he reached for her hand. She met him halfway and laced her fingers through his. They rode in silence, hands clasped, all the way back.

  10

  LILY THOUGHT ABOUT Regan’s cliff-diving metaphor on the drive home. He hadn’t said they were jumping off a cliff together into the unknown. He’d said they were diving into a deep pool. It still sounded a little scary, but they had a destination, and it involved going beneath the surface of things.

  If she couldn’t trust a man like Regan not to treat her as if she was disposable, then she couldn’t trust anyone. She’d known from the moment she agreed to have him stay the rest of the week that she wouldn’t be able to resist him for seven solid days. As they pulled up in front of the locked sanctuary gate, she realized she couldn’t resist him for another seven minutes.

  She’d been the one to toss up objections with all her talk about rebound relationships, so she had to be the one to remove those objections. Yes, they had a lot to do in the next few days, but the world wouldn’t come to an end if they started a little bit later.

  “The house and barn are still in one piece.” Regan flashed her a smile as he squeezed her hand and released it. “Can’t say that for the flower garden, but that was a foregone conclusion.”

  As she absorbed the beauty of that smile, her breath caught. She’d been drawn to him because he was gorgeous, but behind that million-dollar smile was a depth of character that she’d only begun to appreciate. She vowed to use these seven days to find out what made Regan O’Connelli so amazing.

  “Lily? Are you going to let us in?”

  “Uh, sure.” She scrambled out of the truck and opened the gate. Standing guard, she waited until Regan had driven through before locking up again. Once the critters were all penned in, she wouldn’t have to continue this little routine. But for now, because of the locked gate, no one could come to her door unannounced. Considering what she had planned for the next hour, that was a good thing.

  “Are you okay?” Regan climbed out of the truck, which had been fitted with a camper shell to protect his medical supplies.

  “I’m fine.” And soon she’d be mighty fine. So would he, if she had anything to say about it.

  “I know we didn’t talk much the last few miles of the drive.” He opened the tailgate and pulled out a small duffle bag. Closing the tailgate again with a clang, he turned to her. “Is something bothering you?”

  “Yes, as a matter of fact, there is.” She was glad he’d traded in his sunglasses for his Stetson. Looking into his eyes had become one of her favorite pastimes.

  His gaze darkened with concern. “Is there anything I can do to help?”

  “Yes.” She kept her expression neutral, but inside she was a bottle of champagne about to pop its cork.

  “What? Tell me and I’ll do my best to fix whatever’s wrong.”

  What a caring man he was. How had she ever thought he’d end up hurting her? “Let’s go inside before we get into it.”

  “Yeah, sure.” He followed her up the steps and across the small front porch with the chewed-up railing. “I’ll replace that railing once the paddock is finished and Sally can’t get to it anymore.”

  “Or I could ask the fence company to replace it. You may be too busy.”

  “I’ll be busy, but not that busy. I can replace a railing. It won’t take long.”

  “You may be busier than you think.” She opened the front door and started toward her bedroom. “Come in here a minute.” She used the kind of matter-of-fact tone that would suggest more home maintenance issues. But she quivered in anticipation. “I have a problem in this room.”

  “If it’s a plumbing issue, I may need help. I’m good with the carpentry stuff and a few minor plumbing repairs, but I won’t guarantee I can handle the big jobs.” He set his duffle on the living room floor before continuing to follow her.

  “It’s not the plumbing.” She turned back toward him and gestured toward his duffle. “You might want to bring that with you.”

  “It’s only my clothes. I don’t have any tools in there or...anything...” He stood in the middle of the living room and stared at her as comprehension dawned. “Lily?”

  “Does your duffle have anything in it besides clothes?”

  His breathing changed. “A few other things. Shaving gear, a toothbrush.” He shrugged, but his gaze never left hers. “The usual. Was there something in particular you wanted to know about?”

  “There is.” She swallowed. “You might not have brought it. If you didn’t, then I guess my...problem will have to wait.” Her heart beat so fast she grew dizzy.

  Heat flared in his dark eyes. “I think I might have what I need to fix your problem.”

  “Good.” She struggled to breathe. “Then would you please come in and evaluate the situation?” She turned and walked on shaky legs through the doorway into her bedroom. Sunlight streamed in through the set of double-hung windows on the west wall. This wouldn’t be a scene enacted in the dark, with shadows to hide in. But with Regan, she didn’t need shadows. Taking the clasp from her hair, she tossed it on the bedside table. Then she turned and watched him walk into the room.

  He paused just inside the door and the duffle slipped from his fingers, hitting the floor with a soft thud. “The sun...” He cleared his throat. “The sun is all around you. Just like this morning...in the barn.”

  “I’ll never forget the way you looked at me, Regan. And what you said.”

  His voice dropped to a low, urgent murmur. “I still ache for you, Lily.”

  “I’m counting on that.” She untied the tails of her shirt and slowly began unbuttoning it with trembling fingers. “Because I ache for you, too.” Sliding her shirt off, she let it fall noiselessly to the floor. “Are you ready to take that dive?”

  “God, yes.” He closed the distance in two long strides and cupped her face in both hands. For a long moment he gazed into her eyes as his thumbs lightly caressed her cheeks. The air seemed to crackle between them. “Thank you for trusting me enough to be here.”

  She flattened her palms against the solid wall of his chest and absorbed the warmth. “Your heart’s beating fast.”

  His mouth tilted in a soft smile. “And I’m not even kissing you yet.”

  “I noticed that. Are you planning to get around to it?”

  “Oh, yeah. But I have a feeling that once I start kissing you, all hell is going to break loose. It sure did last time.” He combed his fingers gently through her hair. “You’re potent.”

  “Backatcha.”

  He sucked in a breath and his attention dropped to her mouth. “Oh, Lily. This is going to be wild.”

  “Good.”

  His fingers tightened on her scalp as his gaze met hers. The fire in his eyes burned with enough heat to melt the clothes off her body. “See how you are?” His voice roughened. “No wonder I’m half-crazy with wanting you, Lily King. But that’s why I thought that maybe, before we got into it, I should apologize in advance if I...forget myself and become a little...out of control.”

  A tsunami of lust slammed into her. “Now, Regan. Kiss me now.”

  With a groan, he captured her mouth with such urgency that she clutched his shirt in both hands. Her world began to tilt. Oh, yes. Oh, yes. His tongue, deep and questing, his lips demanding all she had to give, his fingers pressed against her jaw, coaxing her to open to him—she surrendered to it all with reckless abandon.

  His mouth found the pulse at her throat and nipped the soft skin there, sending a jolt of desire straight to her core. She grew moist and pliable, eager to offer herself to him in every way a woman could offer herself to a man.

  And he took, continuing down the slope of her breast. Somehow her bra had been eliminated, but she couldn’t remember how or when. Bending her backward over his arm, he teased her aroused nipple with his lips and tongue. She arched shamelessly into his caress and held his head there, right there. His cheeks hollowed as he rhythmically sucked, and each firm tug heightened the pressure coiling within her.

  When she thought she would surely come apart in his arms, he eased his mouth from her breast and began a new journey. Holding her steady with hands bracketing her hips, he crouched down as he trailed kisses from the underside of her breast to the fastening of her jeans.

  “Undo this.” His hot breath wafted against her skin as his tongue dipped into her navel and he kneaded her backside with supple fingers.

  She barely managed the job. Her hands shook as she fumbled with the metal button.

  “Hurry.” He nibbled and licked her fingers as she worked.

  His questing mouth gave her a vivid preview of what he intended once her jeans were undone, and her hands trembled even more. “You’re...you’re not helping.”

  “I’m an impatient man.” He thrust his tongue into the crevice between each of her fingers.

  Her womb clenched in response. Finally she worked the button free and reached for the zipper.

  “Never mind.” He nudged her out of the way with his chin and caught the tab between his teeth.

  Continuing his sensuous massage through the soft denim of her jeans, he drew the zipper down. The ragged sound of their breathing mingled with the rasp of interlocking metal giving way. Anticipation pounded through her veins and threatened to shove her over the edge before he even touched her.

  The zipper reached the end of its track. Deft hands slipped inside the waistband of both jeans and panties and eased them over her hips and down to her knees.

  She quivered, and a soft moan slipped unbidden from her lips.

  His voice was tight with restraint. “You might want to hold on, pretty lady.” As he gripped her from behind, his fingers gently coaxed her forward. Then he leaned in and touched her throbbing pulse point with the tip of his tongue. “So beautiful.” He made a slow circle, and another.

  She cried out and clutched his head in both hands as a spasm shook her and her knees nearly buckled.

  Tightening his grip, he began a steady, relentless assault. The liquid sound of his talented mouth caressing her, whether the pace was slow and languid or rapid and urgent, never stopped. She began to pant as heat sluiced through her veins and gathered, heavy with promise, at the quivering juncture of her thighs.

  Then he shifted his angle and delved deeper, tasting her so intimately that she gasped. His boldness should have shocked her, but she was too far gone, too immersed in the whirlpool of pleasure he’d created. She wanted what he was giving her—all of it.

  As her climax bore down on her, she dug her fingertips into his scalp and arched her hips, shamelessly inviting him to take everything he wanted. He ramped up the pressure one more notch, and she came, and came hard, in a spiraling surge that lifted her to her toes and wrenched a long, keening cry from her throat.