A few truths grew a little more apparent to one narrow-focused cowboy. Some of his strategies for revamping the ranch had been shot down over the past month. What had potential on paper wasn’t possible in the here and now. Not with the current market, not with the land he had at his disposal. With every new revelation, he’d taken it in stride and moved forward as best he could, because he was positive what the final outcome had to be. Adjusting plans didn’t mean abandoning them.

He allowed Allison to catch up with him. One thought circled back again and again. They’d begun this deception for two separate reasons—he’d been totally absorbed by what it meant for the ranch, especially now with a deadline hovering over him. Helping Allison get through a tough time had been a bonus, but not really anything other than lending a hand.

Maybe this plan could be adjusted as well.

They could become something more than a temporary alliance.

Why the hell not?

“Gabe, look.”

He followed her pointing finger in time to see a covey of grouse fly into the trees, spooked by the ever-present ranch dogs that had followed them from his place.

“Should figure out how to breed them. Is there a market for wild birds?”

Allison laughed. “I didn’t point them out so you can stick them in a cage.”

“What about rabbits? Got way more of them than we need right now as well.”

She moved in closer. “There is a market for everything if you find the right buyers.”

Patches and Hurricane bumped noses briefly before Gabe tugged the reins and made his horse mind his manners.

They rode forward in a comfortable silence for another ten minutes. He kept trying to find a few good reasons to shoot down the idea that had crept into his thoughts, and frankly, he was having a devil of time coming up with anything.

They were good together, and he didn’t mean just in bed, although, holy fuck, they were definitely compatible there. Even if they still hadn’t had sex at any speed other than frantic. Understandable, in a way, but he was looking forward to showing her a little more finesse.

Why was that suddenly such a high priority for him?

Their family had accepted them as a couple—other than Ben’s toxicity, but that was a given from the start. Nothing he did would ever please the man.

They paused at the edge of a field, grain swaying slightly in the breeze. Allison turned her face toward the sun, eyes closed, body relaxed as her breathing slowed.

He could have stared all day.

Right about then, he made a decision. Just like the other plans had been adjusted, this one was going to be as well. A little more attention to her, rather than to the plot. If he put in the effort, perhaps they’d be able to do more than help each other out over the upcoming months.

Maybe they could find something more than friendship.

His phone rang, dragging him back to the here and now.

“Gabe?”

Tamara. He clasped the reins a little tighter. At his side, Allison moved in to listen intently. “What’s up?”

“Cassidy should be okay. Nothing internal damaged that I can tell.” She clicked her tongue in annoyance. “Of course, this would have been so much easier in a real examining room.”

Travis muttered in the background, and Tamara swore at him, speaking to the side of the phone. “You’re still an idiot, Travis. Now shut up while I talk to Gabe.”

“He giving you trouble?” Gabe asked.

“Nahhh, he’s just got more balls than brains at times. I’ve told him to wake Cassidy up at intervals to check for a concussion, but other than that, nothing.”

“Lucky bastard.”

“Agreed. Just wanted to let you know. I’ve got a shift starting in thirty minutes, so I’m heading out now. But if you need me again, call.”

Gabe hung up, relief threading through him like a rush of chemicals. He hadn’t realized how uptight he’d been.

Allison tugged on his sleeve.

Shit. “Sorry. Tamara gave the all clear—of sorts.”

“Good.” She patted his arm before drawing back to pick up the reins. “Now we can both stop feeling guilty for abandoning them, right?”

He nodded even as he examined her closely, as if this were the first time he’d seen her. Beautiful, caring—he longed to wash the sadness from her eyes.

She turned to face him, head tilting in question.

“What you thinking about?” he asked.

Allison gave him a smile. “Wondering how slow you are.”

And she took off, heels to Patches’s flanks, the old mare’s tail flicking as she kicked up a trail of dust underfoot. Gabe wheeled Hurricane and raced after them, his own smile stretching his face.

It felt good. It felt as if it had been a long time since he’d just relaxed like this.

They slowed at the far edge of the meadow, cooling the horses before leading them down the ravine to walk beside the creek.

“I love how rivers don’t flow in a straight line.” Allison took a deep breath as she leaned her face toward the sky.

“Especially around these parts,” Gabe teased. “We’ve got more bow curves and corners than most of the land east of here.”

“It does make a huge impact. Plotting the dividing lines between the Coleman land must have driven the surveyors crazy.” Allison prodded Patches forward, and Gabe followed her lead.

The narrow ravine opened into a wide half-moon, the river lapping at the gentle edge of the slope. He smiled at the familiar tree that leaned over the water, and wondered if he’d still find their swinging rope tucked off to one side.

He joined Allison on the ground as she slipped off Patches. He led the horses back and tethered them, turning in time to see Allison step into the thick mud at the edge of the swimming hole and lose her balance. She fell to the ground, sliding on her back to stop just shy of the water.

“Shit, you okay?” He hurried forward, more cautiously as he hit the slick section.

Allison sat up, mud coating her hands, boots and jeans. She looked around slowly, her face twisting for a moment before peals of laughter, one after another, escaped her. Gabe took the final wary steps to her side, looking down as she continued to laugh, her head tossed back in delight.

He joined in, offering a hand. “You crazy woman.”

Her eye sparkled as she tucked her fingers into his. “Crazy, eh? Who’s the crazy one?”

He should have expected it. He really should have, but when she grabbed on tight and threw all her weight backward, he wasn’t prepared. He lost his footing and stumbled, falling to his knees. Momentum forced his body forward, his hat tumbling off. Suddenly he was over top of her, one hand either side of her body as she lay in the thick mud.

Allison gasped for air. “Oh God, your face.”

To hell with it, he was a mess. They both were. He crawled forward and trapped her between his thighs. “What’s wrong with my face?”

He spotted the sheer wicked mischief two seconds too late to stop her from grabbing his head and pulling him down to her lips.

The mud she smeared on his cheeks was warm from the sun, but he was more interested in the heat of her mouth. She slowly explored, slipping her tongue along his before drawing back to nibble his bottom lip.

“Minx.”

“Hmm. We’re a mess.”

He could think of a way to deal with that. “There’s water right here.”

But first he lowered himself on top of her and rocked his hips slowly. Lining up his cock with the vee of her thighs. Rubbing slowly, giving them both time to enjoy the rising sensation of lust. All the while they kissed. Dirty, but in the very best sense of the word.

She squirmed under him, lifting her hips to meet his thrusts.

His cock filled, urgency driving him again. This time he didn’t want to answer, not so fast. So he did the first thing that came to mind to cool them both off.

He grabbed hold of her, pinned their bodies together, and rolled.


The first thrill of being jerked over his rock-solid body was instantly doused by icy-cold water.

“Shit, Gabe, what the—ahhh.” She choked off her scream barely in time to slam her mouth shut and stop the water from pouring in. She squirmed in an attempt to get away, but his arms were iron bands gripping her. Instead, she caught hold of him, tightened her legs around his hips and clung to his neck until the tumbling stopped, and he rose to his feet.

“Oh, yeah, that’s fresh,” Gabe gasped.

“Fresh? Oh Lord—” Allison let out another involuntary squeal as he hoisted her, his hands under her butt.

Then his mouth was over hers and complaining about the cold wasn’t nearly as important anymore. She rubbed her torso against his. Her nipples had gone tight, but were now tingling for more reasons than the temperature of the water around them.

She buried her fingers in his hair and held on, panting breaths escaping them as the kiss got wilder.

He tore his mouth free only to drag his lips along her jawline, taking small bites at her skin. “Why the hell can’t I slow down with you? It’s like touching you flips a switch, and all I can do is blast ahead full speed.”

Allison didn’t care, not one little bit. “Who said we had to go slow?”

She rocked against him, and he ground their hips together, the pace he’d begun lying flat out in the mud and muck heating up again in spite of the cool water around them. The sun had topped the tree line, filling the pool area with shadow and sunbeams. Turning the area into a stage. His hair where she’d mussed him stuck up, the blond tips reflecting light the same way the teeny ripples on the water’s surface sparkled.

She was caught between dazzling sights and dazzling reactions as he pushed her closer to an orgasm with barely any effort. She felt as if she’d been on edge forever, longing for him to take her over.

He jerked her higher, somehow securing her on one arm. His teeth closed on her nipple at the same moment his hand landed between her legs.

Allison held on to him for dear life as he ground his thumb over her clit with just the right pressure, just the right speed.

“Gabe, oh God, yes. Yes…”

Her orgasm hit without any warning—not a burst of fireworks, or breaking her apart into a million pieces. Just intense pleasure that made her damn glad she was there and then shaking in his arms. Shaking so hard, in fact, if he hadn’t been holding her in an iron-tight clasp she would have collapsed into the water. Satisfaction and pleasure rippled through her like the water rippled around them, lapping at the shore.

He lowered her slowly, letting her slip along his body, unapologetic as the prominent ridge of his cock pressed against her belly. His desire undeniable. She lowered her hands and covered him, palms tight to the bulge, rubbing intensely until he groaned.

“Stop.” He latched on to her wrists and stilled the motion.

“Why?” She leaned against him, clothes soaking wet and clinging to her. “I want to. Want to make you feel good too.”

He grinned, sexual desire streaking along her spine at the look in his eyes. “You will. And you do. Now take off your top.”

He placed her on her feet and held her for a second until she caught her balance. Allison took hold of the bottom of her shirt, but instead of yanking it up and over her head in one motion, she inched it slowly, pivoting as she lifted. Turning back toward him in time to stare at his face and see the hunger there.

He’d cupped himself through the jeans, gaze locked on her body. Tracing the edge of her bra. His focus so intent she swore she felt it like a touch. A stroke over the line of her collarbone. The merest caress across the swell of her breast. Her nipples tightened and poked against the sheer and soaking-wet fabric of her bra.

She clutched her wet shirt, suddenly—not shy, not really, but feeling the passion between them with far less nonchalance than she expected. Maybe it was the stress of the morning with Travis and Cassidy, and everything else. She and Gabe had only been lovers for a week, and the difference this time was apparent. The intensity was certainly high. High enough for that look in his eyes to melt something inside.

She didn’t want to think about what had changed. Or why she didn’t want to think about it.

Gabe stepped closer and reached for her. She escaped his grasp with a grin. “Your turn.”

One brow rose in question.

She pointed. “Your shirt. I’m all about the equal playing field.”

He laughed and stripped off his T-shirt in one move. No teasing like she’d done. Just firm muscles suddenly revealed, the dusting of hair on his chest darker than usual with the moisture. The narrow trail that led downward toward the button of his jeans, and lower, irresistible. Allison closed the distance between them and pressed one palm to his chest.