Heartbreaker. Joanne Rock

couldn’t give Gage any sway over her again.

      “In light of my legal battles with my ex, taking some time to clear my head and commune with nature will be a good thing.”

      Gage made himself a stack of cheese slices and crackers, building his next bite with architectural care that relayed how hard he was working not to show his feelings, too. “I’m having a tough time envisioning you communing with nature.”

      “I may not have grown up on a cattle station, but I spent my youth in the California desert, sleeping under the stars as often as I slept under a roof. It was remote in its own way.” She let herself smile at the good memories. It had taken years of therapy for her to tease out the happy times among the sad and scary ones with her alcoholic mother, but Elena made an effort now. “I hope to explore all that the ranch has to offer.”

      She’d tried on a lot of hats since running away from home at seventeen. She’d been a beauty influencer with her online makeup tutorials and endorsements that had helped finance college courses. A businesswoman in the years Gage had known her. Then, after that, a supportive wife to her husband’s career. None of those things had worked out for her.

      She wasn’t sure where to turn next, but she knew for sure running hadn’t done her one bit of good. She was done being reactive. Over the years, she’d let her family dictate her choices. Then Gage’s overbearing father. Then her husband. Now, she was taking her life into her own hands.

      For good.

      Gage led Elena through his now quiet house half an hour later, not sure what to make of the changes he saw in her.

      She wasn’t the same woman he’d dated six years ago. But just because he could no longer see her fiercely competitive side didn’t mean it wasn’t there. No matter how she downplayed her presence in Montana, he couldn’t shake the sense that she was here to right an old wrong. To make him pay for not standing up to his father on her behalf.

      And yet, what had she expected when she’d completely hidden her past from him? He’d been blindsided by the revelation that her father was a wanted man. That she’d spent much of her teens on the run from the law with him. That her mother was an alcoholic with a violent streak that had landed both parents in jail more than once. Not that any of that reflected on Elena in the least. But it had hurt that she hadn’t confided any of it, leaving him to find out from his father’s private investigator. Her lack of trust showed how little she thought of him.

      Now, she was back. And he didn’t know what to think about it other than her presence was still more intoxicating than any bourbon. Even walking four feet behind him, Elena’s draw was magnetic, pulling him inexorably backward.

      “Thanks for showing me the way,” she said as they returned to the living area outside her bedroom, the same spot where they’d spoken earlier in the evening. She retrieved her smartphone that he’d left there.

      The velvet flounce hem of her dress swished softly as she moved. He hadn’t realized how his ears had been attuned to that sound all evening until it stopped in the quiet stillness of the room.

      Grinding his teeth as he tried not to think of her legs beneath the fabric, Gage reached for the double doors into the bedroom and swung them wide. “Your things from the guest lodge are already here, and there are towels in the bathroom.”

      He nodded with satisfaction to see the bouquet of bear grass on the bedside table. The pretty native wildflowers were protected in many areas, but the Mesa Falls ranching practices had brought the flowers back in abundance on the ranch. His staff had done well prepping her room on such short notice.

      And he wasn’t going to think too hard about why he wanted to please a woman who’d tricked his security to get through his front door. He hoped he was only giving her a peace offering so she’d be less likely to backstab him with a tabloid hit piece.

      “How beautiful,” she murmured, brushing past him and bending over to sniff the white-and-yellow bouquet on her way to the bed. “Thank you, Gage.”

      If the warmth in her voice hadn’t undone him, the sight of her beside the king-size bed would have. She was already reaching for the jeweled clip that held half of her hair up, taking the curls down for the night.

      He watched, speechless, as the silky mass tumbled free. Curls danced and sprang around her shoulders as she moved. He knew he should say good-night and retreat. Leave her to get ready for bed.

      But his mind had already supplied an alternate ending to the evening. One that included him stepping behind her to lower the zipper on her long, strapless gown. Letting the fabric fall away from her curves so he could touch her everywhere. And finding out if sex between them was still every bit as explosive as it had been six years ago. The connection between them had been so strong; the feelings held him hostage, preventing him from finding a long-term relationship after Elena. Everyone else came up short.

      “You’re welcome.” He edged the words over a throat gone dry, still willing his feet to move. “If there’s anything else you need...”

      Help with a zipper. A neck massage. Multiple orgasms. He could think of so many things.

      “I’m all set.” She set her phone and the hair clip on the nightstand beside the flowers. “I appreciate you letting me stay.”

      He questioned the wisdom of that decision now, realizing how thoroughly she could distract him. How easy it would be for her to slide past his defenses and learn everything about the Mesa Falls Ranch owners that he needed to keep private.

      With an effort, he reminded himself where his loyalties lay.

      “It’s no trouble.” He saw it as his duty, actually. He was moving to Montana to keep the past on lockdown. To do that, he’d need to keep an eye on Elena Rollins. “And I’ll ask one of the ranch hands to bring over an extra utility vehicle for you tomorrow so you can start exploring the place.”

      “Thank you.” A warm light touched her gaze for a moment—a hint of genuine pleasure.

      “I’ll clear my schedule for the afternoon to accompany you.” Somehow, some way, he needed to rein in his attraction to her before then.

      He hoped like hell that it was tough tonight only because he was tired. But he suspected that was a whole lot of wishful thinking.

      Her smile faded and he could see her defenses falling into place as he tried to shore up his own.

      “In that case, I’ll see you then.” She gave a regal nod, all but dismissing him. “Sleep well, Gage.”

      Wheeling around to leave, to put as much space between them as possible before he did something he would regret, he already knew he wouldn’t have a moment of sleep that wasn’t filled with red-hot dreams of her.