Katherine did as she was told, pillowing her head with one hand. In the dark barn, the stars seemed overly bright, a million tiny dots of light. She felt transported into the universe. It was like having their own private planetarium. Incredible. Magical.

Zach slid down beside her on the soft hay. His arm and leg touched hers as he lay close to her, as close as if they were in bed together. "I found this place on my first day here," he said quietly. "In the daytime it's nothing special, but at night I feel like I could walk on the moon, like anything is possible."

Katherine turned her head, watching the emotions play across his face in the moonlight. "Anything is possible."

"Growing up on the street, I never thought much about looking up. It was safer to look down, to be small, to become invisible to any eyes but your own.

"I don't think I ever really saw a sky like this until I came here," Zach continued. "I originally snuck up here to hide a stash of food, figuring I might need it sometime. But when it got dark and I saw the stars and the moon, I had the feeling that maybe there was something else in the world for me besides my father's droppings."

Katherine picked up a piece of hay between her fingers and twirled it around. "You really love this place, don't you? I don't mean this haystack, I mean the farm, the land."

"It's home," he said simply. "I never had one until we came to Paradise. Harry Stanton saved me. Gave me a job, a place to live, a life. The first sixteen years of my life were pretty bad, but the last eighteen have been d.a.m.n good."

"Do you think you'll stay here forever?"

"I hope so. Harry has hinted that he's thinking about leaving the farm to me, and though I'd rather have him alive and well for another twenty years, I wouldn't mind taking over after he's gone. I'd finally have something of my own."

Katherine knew exactly what he meant. She wanted something of her own, too, a small patch of land, a legacy to pa.s.s on to her children. "I'd like to have something, too," she murmured. "Putting that garden to right felt empowering. Digging out weeds and freeing up the roots to breathe, saving a tiny blossom from being buried under overgrowth, made me feel so good. I don't think I can go back to my old job, to my rooftop garden with the hot tar under my feet and the smog clouding the air. I want some dirt of my own to till and seed and harvest. I know it probably sounds crazy..."

Zach raised himself up on one elbow. "It doesn't sound crazy at all. What's stopping you?"

"A week ago I would have said my stepfather, because he was so happy having me work at the company with him. After my mother died, I was always waiting for the other shoe to drop. It was hard. One minute she was there and the next she was gone."

"That must have been tough."

"Well, after hearing the way you grew up, it doesn't even compare." She paused. "I know you think I'm a romantic optimist, but that's more on the outside than the inside. I want to believe in everything good and wonderful, but deep down I'm a little scared."

"We all are. So tell me what you would do with your life, if you could do anything you wanted."

"Open my flower shop, have a greenhouse, a nursery off to the side where I can grow my own plants. Maybe a little plot of land, a big house in the country, a water fountain and a bird feeder." She smiled at him, knowing she was getting carried away. "I don't want much, do I?"

"Actually, you don't," he said, sounding surprised. "But sometimes the gra.s.s looks greener..."

"In Kentucky?" she said dryly.

"They have some open land in California, good growing temperatures, too."

"Yes, there are at least ten reasons why I should do this in California, not here," she said with irritation.

"And you've written them all down in your notebook."

"You bet."

"So which state won out, California or Kentucky?"

"I don't know. They both have something to offer."

"Look! Did you see that?" he asked, pointing to the sky.

"A shooting star," she said, watching the light streak across the sky. "Did you make a wish?"

"Was I supposed to?"

She laughed and punched him lightly on the arm. "Yes, you were supposed to. Just like you're supposed to wish on the first star you see at night."

"Why?"

"Because it's magic."

"And here you were just trying to tell me you're really a cynic."

"I don't know what I am anymore," she replied with a sigh. "Do you know any of the constellations?"

"Are you kidding? I'm not sure half the time if I'm looking at a star or a plane."

She laughed. "I don't know either. But it's a lot harder to see the stars where I live. Here everything seems so much brighter."

He rolled over on his side, not looking at the sky anymore but at her. "I thought about bringing you up here all day."

"You did?" she asked, hearing a breathless catch in her voice. It was impossible not to feel unsettled by his dark gaze, by their intimate surroundings.

"I told myself not to. Figured it would be a big mistake."

"Why?"

"Because I'd want to kiss you again."

She swallowed nervously, watching the desire flare in his eyes. "Do you want to kiss me?"

He answered her question by leaning over and pressing his lips against hers. His mouth was warm. His breath tasted like cinnamon. Hot and cool sensations washed over her as he parted her lips and slipped his tongue inside her mouth, taking her intimately, without question, without restraint.

There was no gentle unfolding of pa.s.sion, just a burst of pleasure and need and desire. Katherine put her hand around the back of his neck and brought him closer.

He pressed his body into hers as she lay back in the soft hay. His head blocked out the moon and the stars, until there was nothing but darkness, nothing but him-his mouth, his fingers, his hair brushing her cheek, his breath mingling with hers, his leg separating her thighs.

He raised his head for a moment, and she felt cold and lost and shivery. He looked into her eyes, a dark pa.s.sionate question burning through the silence. "I want to do more than kiss you. I want to know you inside and out."

His bold statement gave her a thrill of secret pleasure. She'd never seen so much need in a man's eyes, need for her, only her.

"I want to know you, too, Zach."

"Are you sure? You have to be sure. I'm not taking this. You're giving it to me."

"I'm sure."

She lifted her head to meet him halfway. There was no shyness, no holding back, only desire running rampant between them.

Katherine unb.u.t.toned his shirt with shaky, impatient fingers, slipping the material off of his chest and his shoulders until it fell aside. Then she delighted herself in running the palms of her hands across his broad chest, his dark hair, twirling the strands between her fingers as she stroked and caressed and brought a moan to his lips.

He returned the favor, pulling her top over her head, cupping her b.r.e.a.s.t.s with his hands, his fingers on fire against the black lace of her bra. Then he looked at her, his gaze drifting from her eyes to her mouth to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. The action was so deliberate she felt like he'd branded her with each glance.

He straddled her body, then reached out a rough thumb to trace the edge of her bra, teasing the valley between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, until they began to ache with want. Finally he slid a finger beneath the material and touched the sensitive area around her nipple.

She gasped, the pleasure so pure, so deep, so unbelievably good.

He smiled at her. "You like this?" he asked, his voice low and husky.

"It's not bad," she said breathlessly.

"I could make it better-if we get rid of this." He opened the clasp between her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and pushed her bra aside. "Very nice."

She felt her nipples harden just at the look in his eyes. But when he put his hands on her bare b.r.e.a.s.t.s, she felt like she was about to come undone.

"Oh, Zach," she murmured.

He leaned over and kissed her all the while his hands teased and tormented her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. She began to shift restlessly, feeling his body pressing against hers, but there were too many barriers between them.

Her restless movements drew his mouth away from her lips. But he didn't go far, sliding over to her earlobe, her neck, her collarbone. He seemed to know instinctively what she wanted and how to please her. His mouth dropped to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s and he tongued one nipple into a tight hard point. She shamelessly pressed his head against her breast, wanting more and more and more.

"Beautiful Kat," he murmured, lifting his head. She pulled at the snap on his jeans.

"Impatient Kat," he added.

"You're wearing too many clothes."

"So are you."

"I will if you will," she said recklessly.

"You first." He moved aside.

She licked her lips somewhat nervously, then unb.u.t.toned her jeans and pushed them down her legs, wiggling to get them off of her ankles.

"Panties, too," he said, gazing down at the heat of her.

"I'm a little ahead of you," she said nervously.

"Oh, I don't think so," he murmured, as he slipped off his jeans and his briefs in one swift motion.

Naked, he was magnificent, muscle and bone, strength and power, so male, so handsome, so desirable. She would have taken her time just looking at him, but he pushed her back against the hay and pulled her panties down to her ankles.

He gazed at her with an expression in his eyes of pure unadulterated l.u.s.t. She'd never had so much attention, so much focus, so much desire, directed at her. And she reveled in it. He made her feel like a woman, a very wanted woman.

Then he swore under his breath.

"What?" she asked. "What's wrong?"

"What the h.e.l.l are we doing? I don't have anything, dammit."

"Have anything?" she mumbled in confusion.

"Birth control. Protection."

"Oh." She'd been so lost in the pa.s.sion she hadn't even considered the need for that. It was completely irresponsible. Completely reckless and foolhardy. She knew better. But this was so unfair. She wanted Zach more than she'd ever wanted any man in her life.

"Wait," she said, suddenly inspired. "I have something." She reached for her purse and pulled out the package they'd gotten at Veronica's. "Remember these?" She ripped open the package and pulled out a bright green glow-in-the-dark condom.

Zach grinned at her and they both began to laugh. Zach laughed so hard he lay back down on the hay and said, "I think I've lost some momentum here, Kat. I don't know if I can wear one of those without laughing, and..."

She leaned over and put a finger over his mouth. "I'll help you get back in the mood."

"Oh, yeah? What are you going to do?"

She kissed his mouth, stroking his tongue with hers, then running her mouth down the side of his cheek, the corner of his neck, until he groaned and tossed her on her back.

"Okay, I'm back in the game."

"That was fast," she murmured as he kissed her lips, her face, her jaw, working his way down to her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, drawing on each one until she was gasping for release. "Zach, you're driving me crazy."

"I want you crazy," he murmured. "I want you wild."

She looked into his eyes. "I am wild-for you."

Her words seemed to disturb him.

"Before we go any further, you should remember I'm not a long-term kind of guy. I don't want to pretend. I don't want to make promises I can't keep."

"Shh." She put a finger over his lips. "Love me, Zach, even if it's only for the next five minutes."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Well, it's going to take a h.e.l.l of a lot longer than five minutes."

"Prove it."

He did exactly that, kissing her senseless, running his hands up and down her body until she thought she would catch fire, arousing a need in her so great, she welcomed him into her body with a deep groan of satisfaction. He filled all the empty places in her heart. They fit perfectly. She was no longer alone, but a part of someone else. It had never felt so right.

Katherine wrapped her arms around his waist and moved her body with his, the friction building with each thrust, each kiss, each touch, until she cried out his name, until her body shook and trembled with sweet release.

When he tried to move off of her, she tightened her arms around him.

"I'm too heavy," he protested.

"Not yet. Don't leave me." She knew she was pleading for more than just the next thirty seconds. Thankfully, Zach didn't take it that way.

"Come with me then," he said, as he rolled over on his back, pulling her astride him.