She climbed to her feet and followed him to the lodge. Instead of heading toward her suite, he led her in another direction. A few minutes later, she found herself inside his bedroom.

He ushered her in, and a shiver moved down her spine when the lock clicked into place behind her. A strong hand slipped around her waist, and her body warmed as he pulled her close.

“I’ve been thinking about you all afternoon. How about that shower?” he whispered. Then he tugged her T-shirt from her shorts. His mouth dropped to her neck, and as he kissed her, she realized how easy he was to be with, how much she wanted him again. And even though it might not be in her best interest—getting too personal would only prove to make it harder when she walked away—she was curious to know more about Tyler Mackenzie the man, not Wildman Mac, the bad boy.

She inched away from him, perusing his personal space in an attempt to understand him better. “So this is how you live on weekends,” she said, moving about his room and running her fingers over his sparse belongings. She noticed his open laptop and phone on his bureau.

He frowned. “Most of the time I come here to relax, but sometimes work beckons—some last-minute problem that I can’t ignore—which means I can’t completely unplug.”

Like her dad, he probably worked all the time, even when he was out here in the middle of nowhere. She could never be with a guy who couldn’t set work aside, even for a weekend.

When she went quiet, thinking about how much she liked him, all the things they’d been doing together, he touched her chin. “Hey, is everything okay?”

“I was just wondering. What we did this morning, with Blake, is that the kind of thing you guys do a lot? Not that it’s really any of my business…I was just curious.”

“I told you I’d never lie to you, Jess, so yes, we’ve done that before.” He pulled her in tight and pushed her hair off her forehead. “But this time, it wasn’t about us, it was about you.”

“Because of my journal.”

“Because I wanted to give you everything you’ve ever wanted, Jess.” His thumb brushed her cheek and warmth moved through her. He briefly closed his eyes and exhaled hard. “If you want the full truth, sharing you damn near killed me.”

Her stomach fluttered as understanding dawned. Her mind recalled the clench of his jaw, the almost tortured look on his face, the way he took possession of her, claiming her mouth, her body. Sharing had been hard for him, but he did it for her. Oh God.

“Mac…”

“If it’s okay with you, I don’t ever want another man’s hands on your body.”

She should be angry by his possessiveness, but it only made her want him more.

Mac pulled his shirt off, and her brain shifted directions. She took in his rippling muscles and the heat in his eye when they met hers.

“I need you naked, darlin’.”

Her hand went to the button on her shorts, and before she knew it, the rest of the day was lost to soap and sex with the hottest cowboy she knew…a guy—despite knowing they could never be together because he wasn’t the settling-down type—she was seriously falling for him.

Chapter Eight

Sitting in the saloon, Mac took a sip of his beer and stole a glance at the beautiful woman beside him. Conversation between his two best friends, Coop and Jag, and the girls they’d invited for the week took place around him, but he paid little mind to them. All of his attention was focused on Jess and the emotions she brought out in him.

Four days had passed since she’d first stepped foot on the ranch, and while they’d done so much together, there were still so many things he wanted to do with her. Even though she’d opened up to him on many levels, he sensed she was holding back from giving herself to him fully.

She talked quietly with the others, every now and then casting him a glance—her eyes an intriguing contradiction of mystery and promise. His heart pounded harder in his chest as he looked at her, and it occurred to him how much he wanted—needed—her alone. Just to kiss her, hold her, feel her in his arms. He remained quiet, listening to the sweet lilt of her voice. Her hand dropped to his knee. Whether her move had been intended as casual or suggestive, Mac’s reaction was the same. Possession.

Tamara’s boots echoed dully on the plank floor as she stepped up to the table to replenish their drinks. Mac tipped the bottle and swallowed, welcoming the cool liquid as it reached the dryness in his throat, but knew there was only one thing that would help hydrate him—climbing between Jess’s legs and drinking in her sweetness as he gave her pleasure.

Jesus Christ, he needed to be inside her. Everywhere. Now.

His chair scraped across the floor as he pushed back from the table and stood. All eyes turned to him. Making no attempt at discretion, and needing them to be together, he pulled Jess to her feet and said, “We need to go.”

Jess nodded. He hauled her close, and as her warm body collided with his, he excused them from the table.

With a single-minded determination, he guided her through the saloon and out the back door. He cut through the barn and caught the question in her eyes when he grabbed a blanket and the backpack he’d dropped in there earlier that day. His intentions had been to make love to her in the hayloft tonight, but the sky was so clear and beautiful, and she loved nature so much, he thought he’d take her to her favorite spot instead.

Guided by the moon and stars on the warm summer night, they walked along the footpath until they reached the peak of the mountain. He led her to the grassy edge, to where they’d been doing yoga every morning.

He dropped the blanket, stepped behind her, and wrapped his arms around her small body as they glanced at the majestic view. Off in the distance, a horse whinnied, and the fresh scent of hay filled the air. They stayed like that for a long time, just holding each other, enjoying the feel of their bodies pressed together, and basking in the warm familiarity of each other as they stared into the moonlit night.

Jess exhaled slowly and finally broke the quiet when she said, “I could stay here forever.”

His heart leaped at her softly spoken confession. He spun her to face him, looked deep into her eyes, and realized he didn’t care where he was, as long as he was with her. “You can come here every weekend with me.”

Doubt clouded her eyes, and her brow furrowed. “Mac,” she began, but he pressed his lips to hers, swallowing her protest. He refused to let anything spoil this precious moment.

“Tonight is for feeling, not thinking,” he whispered between kisses, determined to eradicate her worries and prove to her once and for all how much they belonged together. He pulled her tighter and lifted her onto his hips, securing her small frame with one hand.

He could feel her heart thumping with a beat that spurred him into action. When her body relaxed against his, he ran his thumb over her bottom lip, his cock aching for something far more intimate.

“Baby, I want you so much. I want to be inside you.” His hand left her mouth. He trailed it lower and lower until he reached her ass. He stroked lightly, letting her know his intentions when he said, “Everywhere.”

She moved against him, giving him a look that tightened his balls against his body.

“Everywhere?” she asked, a moan catching in her throat as her eyes met his.

He dropped her lower on his hips until his cock pushed against her ass. “Yeah, everywhere,” he confirmed.

Her dark lashes fluttered. Christ, he loved watching her blossom before him, loved watching her become the sensual, adventurous woman she always wanted to be.

“Tell me something, sweetheart.”

“What?”