“BecauseI want to talk to you.”

“Ithought we’d said everything there needed saying. You didn’t want your familyto know about us. Well, we apparently took care of that last night. There isn’tany need to further our association. You got what you wanted. A lonely, plump, not so attractive woman to fall into bed with you.You’ve marked your bedpost, I’m sure. One more in the sackfor Joel. Great. Good for you. You can chalk it up to experience becauseI’m done.”

“Whyare you so upset?”

“BecauseI don’t like being used, Joel, and I feel like you did nothing more than useme.”

“Didn’tyou use me a little, too? I mean, we had a good time last night. Obviously, youneeded me and I needed you. We both got what we wanted.”

“Weboth got…you seriously think that?”

“Yeah.”

Angerrushed through her so fast her head began to feel funny. Like she’d beenswimming and stayed under too long. Her ears burned as she glanced down at theplate in front of her. Not wanting to ruin her own dinner, she grabbed the edgeof his plate and unceremoniously dumped the contents of his dinner into hislap.

Shegrabbed her own plate and walked over to a table where a couple sat alonetalking quietly. Let him stew.

Watchingfrom the corner of her eye, she saw him slowly scrap the roast beef, gravy andmashed potatoes from his lap back on to the plate. Once his lap wassufficiently cleaned off, he dumped it into the washbasin where the dirtyplates go, and stomped out of the lodge, slamming the door behind him.

That should teach him not to messwith me.

Mesaslowly put the spoon in her mouth, avoiding eye contact with any of his family.The whole dining room finally resumed talking after the blow up, but theyseemed quiet and subdued. Well, it didn’t matter whether their whole affairmade the rounds of the entire ranch. She wasn’t staying there much longeranyway. Soon she would be home, in her own bed, curled with up her cat and her half-gallonof chocolate chip ice cream eating her cares away. The situation would be a distantmemory just like them making love. Would she forget? She hoped, in time.

Severalminutes later, Joel returned in clean clothes but he didn’t get another plateof food. He walked straight up behind her, grabbed her hand, and forced her toher feet.

“Whatthe hell are you doing?”

“We’rehaving this out, right now.”

“I’mnot going anywhere with you.”

“Yes,you are.”

Hetugged her along, practically dragging her up the stairs to her room. “Key.” Shestubbornly narrowed her eyes. “Give me the key, Mesa, or I’ll strip you bare until I find it, right here in the hall.”

“Fine,”she growled, pulling it from her front jean pocket and handing it to him. “Idon’t want you in my room.”

“Toofuckin’ bad, baby doll, because I intend to make you listen to me.”

Heopened the door and literally pushed her inside before he slammed it closed.“Strip.”

“Excuseme?”

“Isaid strip. Do it now.”

“I’mnot taking my clothes—”

Hegrabbed her T-shirt and pulled it over her head. “I’ll do it for you then.”

“Whatthe hell, Joel!”

“Takeit off.”

“No.”

“Fine.”He grabbed her pants, popped the button and shoved them down around her anklesso fast, she didn’t know what hit her.

Withinseconds, she stood in nothing but her bra and panties. Desire pooled in herbelly. How fucking sick is that! “Allright. You have me in nothing but my bra and underwear. I’m not stripping downto nothing. Take it or leave it.”

“Allright. You can keep them unless you start arguing with me again. If you do, I’mtaking those too.”

“Fuckyou.”

“Onlyif you ask nicely.”

“Youson of a bitch. Why can’t you just leave me alone? I don’t want anything moreto do with you. You’re a user, Joel, and I don’t want to be part of your gameanymore.”

“Stop.Just stop, Mesa. Listen to yourself? Do you hear what you’re saying?”

Tearsrolled down her cheeks unchecked. She didn’t want to cry but she didn’t have achoice. His cavalier attitude hurt her heart. When did she start caring aboutthis rotten asshole? “I hate you.”

“Noyou don’t,” he whispered, stopping in front of her to wipe the tears from hercheeks. “That’s our problem. Neither of us hates the other, but we don’t knowwhat else to call it.” He kissed her cheeks before he brushed his lips againsthers. “God, you taste like Heaven and Hell wrapped up in a single package. Whatam I gonna do with you, darlin’?”

Hekissed her again, pushing his tongue into her mouth tentatively like he waswaiting for her to give into her feelings and return the kiss. Why am I giving into this, him? God, I hate myselffor wanting him.

Shegrabbed fistfuls of the front of his shirt and pulled the edges apart, buttonspinged off each surface they touched in their flight across the room. He liftedhis head, staring down into her eyes, his crystal clear blue eyes bright withlust.

“That’sit, Mesa. Take what you want.” He pulled at his belt buckle, unhooking it fromthe loops as she worked his shirt from the waistband of his jeans.

Hisjeans and boxers hit the floor while he toed out of his boots. She worked franticallyat the clasp of her bra until it came free. The next second her panties hit thefloor at their feet and he grabbed her around the waist to fling her onto thebed.

“I’mgonna fuck you hard.”

“Toomuch talking.” She pressed her mouth against his as she ground her pelvisagainst his hard flesh. “Tell me you brought a condom.”

“Inmy wallet. Let me get it.”

Heleft her side for a moment, taking his heat with him while he searched hiswallet for the protection they both needed.

“Howlong has that one been in there?”

“Quitea while actually,” he said sliding the latex over his engorged cock.

“Iwanted to taste you.”

“Later.I need to be inside you.”

Sheclosed her eyes and sighed a happy sigh when he positioned his cock at heropening and slowly slid deep into her pussy.

“Fuck,you feel fantastic.”

“Deeper,Joel. Please.”

Shepulled her legs up to her chest, opening herself for his deep thrust. He didn’tdisappoint as he slammed his pelvis against hers, pushing everything he hadinside her much deeper than he’d been before. Each thrust pushed her across thebed until he grabbed her hips and held her still.

“Comefor me, Mesa. Squeeze me until I explode. I wanna feel your heat.”

Witha small thought in her brain, she grabbed the pillow from the bed and put itover her face as she screamed his name at the top of her lungs.

Withinseconds, he growled her name while he shot every bit of his cum into the end ofthe condom.

Helaid his head on her chest as the air sawed in and out of his lungs in a deeppant.

“Wasthat makeup sex?” she asked with a giggle.

Hechuckled a dry laugh before he peeked up at her through his gorgeous lashes. “Iguess you could call it makeup sex. After all, we were having a pretty bigfight.” He kissed her quickly. “I’m sorry.”

“Metoo.”

Heslipped out of her and disposed of the condom in the small trashcan near thebathroom door. “I hope everyone in the dining room didn’t hear us.”

“Itried to be quiet but it’s kind of hard with you.”

Hegrinned a silly grin. “I’m glad I make you lose all control.”

“Yes,you do cowboy.” She frowned.

“What’sthe frown for?”

“Whatare we gonna do, Joel? This can’t possibly work into anything beyond a few fun-filleddays before I go back to California.”

“Let’stake it slow. Okay? I don’t know what’s goin’ on here either, but I like you alot, Mesa, and I don’t like fighting with you. We have a good time together.”

“Allright. Slow. Got it.”

“Wouldyou show me what you’ve written today?”

“No!”

“Whynot?”

Shechewed her lip. There wasn’t any way she could show Joel her new book since itparalleled what had happened to her on the ranch. “I never let anyone but myeditor read my stuff until it’s been published.”