“ButI want to read it.”

“Notuntil it’s done. I don’t know what the ending is going to be yet and I don’twant to spoil it until I get there. I only wrote about five thousand wordstoday so the whole plot has a long way to go development-wise before it’s done.I never know how they are going to turn out until I’m finished. And even thenthere’s times when I change my mind about parts.”

“Allright, all right. I won’t look then.”

Shecrawled up on the bed to lay her head on the pillow. He took the spot next toher and gathered her into his arms. He kissed her hair while his hand did aslow crawl from her shoulder to her wrist.

“Ilove holding you like this.”

“Youjust want me naked next to you.”

Hiscock stirred, taking on a life of its own. “Well, yes. I love you naked any wayI can get you.”

“Typicalman.”

Aknock sounded on the door. “Are you two okay in there?”

“Yeah,Ma. There’s no blood. We’re fine.”

“Good.I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Night,Ma.”

“Night,Nina.” She snuggled down closer to his chest. “Kind of awkward, don’t youthink?”

“Nah.I think my mom was trying to get us together like this.”

“Why?She knows I don’t live here. It’s not like this could possibly develop into arelationship.”

“Itcan’t?”

“No.I have my life in Los Angeles. You have your life here. We are two verydifferent people, Joel.”

“She’splaying matchmaker again. She told me to stay away from you earlier.”

Mesalaughed. “She told me the same thing this morning. I should avoid you today.”

“Sneakywoman, my mother.”

“Yep.She knew by telling us to stay away from each other, it would force a blowupand eventually we would have to talk. Thus, leading to this.”

“Well,she might not have thought it through to this end, but she definitely had itright about staying away from each other. I can’t.”

Sherubbed her face against his chest, loving the feel of the springy hair beneathher cheek. “Me either. You’re like a drug. I can’t get enough.”

“Isay we let it go where it may. If this is supposed to be something besides ashort term thing, it will work itself out.”

Shepressed her lips together, thinking about the situation. Could she walk awayafter her week here was over without regrets? Probably not, but she had to. Herlife in Los Angeles came first. She was a writer after all. A semi-famousauthor who had a full, rewarding life in the big city. She liked having storesaround the corner. She enjoyed having the nightlife and clubs to visit if sheso chose to, not that she was much of a nightlife person, but the option wasthere.

Here you would have the abundanceof ranch life to jumpstart your muse. You would have the quiet, the horses, thecowboys, and the little bar in Bandera where you could dance the night away inthe arms of one hot cowboy.

Butwhat if things with Joel didn’t work out? What if she gave up her life in LosAngeles, moved here to be with him, and they broke up after a time?

I could always move back to LosAngeles at any time.

“Youaren’t helping.”

“Huh?”he asked sleepily when she glanced up at his face. His eyes were closed and hisbreathing had slowed into slumber. “Did you say something?”

“No.Go to sleep, big guy.”

Softsnores reached her ears moments later as she snuggled back against his chest.There wouldn’t be any use trying to make a decision like this on a whim. Likehe said, let’s take it slow and see where things go. If it’s meant to be, it’smeant to be. She should be able to make a decision by the time her week at theranch went by.

Now,if she could just keep her heart from being the deciding factor in the wholething, she might be able to make an intelligent decision.

Chapter Ten

Sunlightstreamed through the window, dragging her from her dreams. Dreams of Joeldanced behind her eyelids, keeping her from fully awakening to the birdschirping outside and the low bawl of cattle in the distance. She could get usedto these sounds. The quiet country sounds instead of the blare of car horns,the chatter of people below her window, the bark of neighborhood dogs and thehustle of everyone in the city. No one slowed down to appreciate the things inlife.

Shereached to the side of the bed expecting to find Joel’s warm body next to heronly to find cold sheets. She sat up, pushing the hair from her eyes and lookedaround the room. His clothes were gone.

“Wellduh, Mesa. He works on a cattle ranch. He has to be up with the chickens.”

Theclock on the table read seven-thirty. She jumped out of the bed, grabbed someclean clothes, and headed for the shower. Breakfast would be served in thirtyminutes and she still had to be presentable. She wasn’t sure why she cared somuch since it was a cattle ranch. They lived with dirt and mud every day, sowhat difference did it make?

Shelifted her arm and sniffed. “Okay. I do need a shower.”

Severalmoments later, she stood beneath the warm spray of the water and drifted into alittle daydream. Joel’s lips on hers, firmly taking what he wanted. His hands, slick with soap, drifting down over her breasts andpinching her nipples between his fingers. The feel of his lips on thetight nubs, pulling and sucking them between his lips, drove her desire higher.Her hand drifted down between her thighs to touch her clit. A soft moan escapedon a sigh.

“Areyou touching what’s mine?”

Nowher fantasy had a voice.

“Iwant you.”

“Openyour eyes.”

Sheopened her eyes to find him standing at the bathroom door, leaning against the framewith a wicked grin on his lips.

Thescreech she released made him laugh. “What the hell? How did you get in here?”

“Masterkey.”

“Ithought you were working. I was trying to get cleaned up for breakfast.”

“Youlooked like you were enjoying yourself a bit. Mind if I join you? I could use ashower, too.”

“SomehowI don’t think we’ll be doing a lot of showering.”

“Ihope not. Watching you touch yourself was so fuckin’ hot, I almost came in myjeans.” He quickly stripped off his clothes and climbed into the shower withher. “Much better.” He grabbed the soap and lathered up his hands until theywere slick. “Now I can touch you like I wanted to this morning before I leftyour bed.”

“Whydidn’t you?” she asked, whispering along his throat. “I would have loved towake up like that.”

Heran his hands over her breasts. “Because I didn’t want to wake you. You weresleeping so peacefully with a beautiful smile on your lips.”

“Iwas dreaming of you like this.”

Helaughed as he pinched her nipples, drawing them to little points of pleasure.“In the shower? I thought that dream came when you were touching yourself.”

“Wellyes, but I dreamt of you just the same, touching me, loving me. I can’t getenough.”

Heslanted his mouth over hers, driving his tongue between her lips in the eroticdance only two lovers know. His hands skimmed down her abdomen and around toher hips to draw her closer to his body. His rock-hard erection pressed intoher stomach. “Do you want me?” she asked, pulling away from his kiss to lickhis throat.

“Oh,hell yeah. I snuck away from my chores to haveyou.”

“Soromantic, you are.” She released a throaty laugh as she nipped at his skin. Shewanted to bite him, eat him up until he couldn’t escape her feast on his flesh.

Oneof his hands slid around to the front of her body to dive between her thighs.“God, you’re wet.”

“I’min the shower,” she said with a laugh before it turned to a moan the minute hethrust two fingers inside her pussy. “Okay, that’s not because of the shower.”

“Letme grab a condom.”

Sheglanced into his eyes. “I don’t want a barrier between us.”

“Whatare you saying, Mesa?”

“I’mclean and I’m on birth control. Are you?”