“What about the cat?” she asked.
“That’d be Juliet.”
“Juliet?”
“Yep, Romeo is probably sawing logs right now with the others.”
“You have quite a family here.”
“I suppose I’m the Pied Piper of stray animals.”
“And of stray women?”
Dan blinked. “No, never have gathered stray women, Erin. I don’t think of you that way.”
She set her palms flat on his chest and his gasp filled the silent room. “I’m very glad about that.”
“Are you?” His eyes flickered and moved over her body lazily, as if physically touching her again, as if thinking of new ways to please her.
Goodness, she was asking for trouble.
He bunched the material of her shirt in his hand and slowly tugged her closer. “I like you touching me,” he rasped, his voice deep and low.
She gulped down a big noisy breath. Her body immediately transformed from sated and relaxed to crazy tingling bouts of tremors. She moved her hands on him, her fingertips grazing over his pecs, and her breathing sped up.
He let her shirt drop and reached up to cup her face in his hands, his eyes two dark pools of deep blue. “You want this?”
He didn’t have to say it, again. She knew what he was asking. “Yes. I want you. Do y—”
“Just for the record, sweetness,” he interrupted. “The answer is hell yes.”
She barely had time to smile before his mouth came down on hers and she was being lifted off her feet, his big hands holding her cheeks from behind. Automatically her legs came around his waist and she clung on to him. Her core pressed against the rigid length of his erection. The impact had her moaning and Dan too was affected. A guttural groan coming from somewhere deep in his gut, sounded in her ears. They were lost in each other, mouths wet and hot and devouring.
He strode forward until her back was against the wall. “Like this?” he asked.
“I’ve never... Yes.”
He crushed another kiss to her mouth and as soon as she opened to take a much-needed breath, he dipped his tongue inside and a hot spiraling fire erupted, melting her bones. Sensation after sensation ripped through her body. She was so ready for him, she could hardly stand it. It was amazing how much she craved being with Dan. He couldn’t have done anything more, said anything better to her, than he wanted her again and again and again.
An awkward second passed as Dan maneuvered his jeans down and sheathed himself and then, he was nudging her entrance, his large hands driving her body closer, into him, until he was there again. Thrusting into her, silky hot tension grew stronger and stronger. He fit her and she fit him and it was the very best. She matched his pace, absorbing the bulk and feel of him as he gave her his heat.
She opened her eyes to see the gritty determination on his face, the carnal lust that belied his tender lovemaking from before. She relished each move, each explosive thrust of their joining. His hair was slicked back, curling at his nape, his eyes nearly closed, his mouth grinding out curse words she could barely hear, words that normally would shock her, but now only served to heighten her pleasure.
Her body seized tight, sensitized by each potent thrust. Each calculated move shot her closer and closer to the brink. “Dan,” she called out.
“I’m right here, sweetness.” He gritted out the words. “Don’t hold back.”
And it was the pleasured pain in his voice and not the words themselves that caused her to shatter, pulsing out a release so strong her body began to tremble. Dan held her tight and joined her, squeezing out every last ounce of power he possessed.
They stayed joined for a long moment, clinging to each other, holding on to something that would never be equaled. At least it was the case for her.
And finally, once their breathing slowed and their bodies cooled, Dan whispered, “Let’s go to bed.” He kissed her lightly on the mouth and carried her up the stairs.
* * *
Erin woke up before dawn. She’d gotten very little sleep during the night and as the big man beside her rolled over to spoon her, she smiled at his light snoring. She could stay in his arms all day, naked as she was, and drift peacefully in and out of sleep. But she wouldn’t be the woman he couldn’t get rid of in the morning. She knew how these things worked. She’d stay through morning coffee and then take off. Dan obviously had a ranch to run, and she had...well, she didn’t have her job as nanny anymore, since Will Brady had fallen deeply in love and little Faye soon would have a loving stepmother in Amberley Holbrook. She couldn’t fault them their new future.
She’d been hired in Seattle and when Will was summoned to Royal to find Maverick—the creep who’d been harming good upstanding members of the Texas Cattleman’s Club by spreading their secrets and blackmailing them via the internet—Erin had taken the trip with him to help out with Faye. Caring for the baby had been a blessing and being her nanny had helped Erin heal, or at the very least distracted her from the pain of Rex’s betrayal. Sweet, busy little Faye had kept Erin on her toes. In the very best way.
Erin didn’t know too much regarding the facts in the case Will was working on, but this Maverick guy seemed to be wrecking people’s lives. Will’s help here in Texas had been essential.
Her boss had been generous in paying her salary until the end of the year so she could stay on at the guest quarters of the Flying E Ranch until the time she’d have to return to her studio apartment in Seattle. And recently, her thoughtful employer had had a keyboard delivered to the cabin too, so Erin could continue playing music when she felt like it. Up until this point, she hadn’t the heart to play again.
She was hoping the scandal with Rex Talbot that nearly ruined her reputation would’ve blown over by now and she had vowed to never put herself in such a vulnerable position again.
And if that meant saying goodbye this morning to Dan she-didn’t-even-know-his-last-name, she’d do it. If he was interested in her, he’d have to make the first move.
Erin gently unclamped Dan’s arm from about her waist and slowly sat up in bed. Last night, Dan had been adept in popping each of the snaps on the shirt she wore, insisting they both sleep in the buff, promising her he’d keep her warm. She had no doubt he would and sure enough all during the night he’d kept her cradled in the heat of his big beautiful body.
Giving the sleeping man another glance, she sighed and plucked up her clothes from the floor and then tiptoed into the master bathroom to shower.
She was sore in all the right places and the warm spray eased some of the aches. She hadn’t had such a vigorous night of sex in forever. Once she was cleaned up and dressed in her street clothes, she ambled down the hallway with Buggy and another little runt of a dog—this one looked more like a poodle mix than anything else—following behind. She entered the kitchen, finding Lucky awake. She went to him and crouched down. “Hey, boy. How’re you doing this morning?”
The dog’s tail began to wag. Relieved he was looking much better, she stroked his coat a few times and the dog’s wet tongue came out to lap at her hand. Sweet. Lucky was truly lucky he’d been rescued and taken care of by Dan.
After petting the dog, she set about making coffee. She’d watched Dan last night and was pretty sure where to find things in the massive kitchen. Seemed everything about Dan was large. She grinned, thinking oh, how much that really was true.
The dogs huddled around her feet as she measured out the coffee. And when she turned to grab two mugs, she jumped and gasped. A middle-aged woman, dressed in black and wearing a white apron, entered the kitchen.
“Good