"Oh no." She slapped a hand on his chest. "We're working."

"I know." He touched his forehead to hers. "But I'm losing it here, Callie. Kissing you is about all I have left."

She cupped his face and looked into his serious eyes. Her heart slipped. "Oh, Jake."

Before the words were out, he kissed her, and for a long, delirious moment, she let herself sink into him, but finally managed to locate a few working brain cells. "If you're going to kiss me in between every hen, this is going to be a slow process."

"What's wrong with slow?"

"Because I have the goats, the cows, the horses, the puppies, and a million other things left to do after we finish here."

"Don't make me try again for more eggs," he begged, eyeing the hens with dread.

Shaking her head, he held the basket while she grabbed the eggs. "You ever going to tell me what's wrong?"

"I thought you already had it all figured out." He followed her into the pig pen with the bucket of kitchen leftovers.

She tipped it into their trough herself, feeling Jake's tension behind her at not being able to lift it for her. She looked at him. "It's not being able to get back to work, work that is your entire life."

"Bingo," he said.

"And being here on your father's land feels weird."

"Double bingo."

"I'm sorry, Jake."

"Sorry enough to sleep with me again?"

She laughed, and he shot her a small smile. "I guess not." But they stayed together to feed the cows and the horses. Last, they checked on Tiger and her puppies, who crawled in ecstasy all over Jake, and Callie had to laugh at the sight of him sitting on the ground being mauled by the puppies. "What?" he asked.

He was unexpectedly cute, that's what, and sleeping with him sounded damn good. She just shook her head and headed to the shed.

Jake followed her. "What next?"

"I need the rake to drag over the grass, that is, if Goose lets me." She grappled with the lock for a moment, wanting to grab last year's leftover fertilizer as well, for the flowers she would plant beneath the living room window.

Jake entered the shed behind her, so that when she turned around to block the door open, he was right there. He pressed her up against the wall, sandwiching her in with his body. "You're thinking about it."

Her breath caught at the feel of his hard, warm body against her. "About what?"

"Sleeping with me."

A bolt of white hot lust shot through her. "Still working here."

"Yeah, I know. Do you have any idea what watching you be all in charge is doing to me?"

Yep. She could feel it pressing low on her belly. "You're sick."

"Definitely." He'd made his way to her ear, his soft breath sending delicious shivers down her spine. "What color is your underwear today, Callie?"

"Jake-"

"Is it silk? Or lace?"

Clearly only one of them was capable of rational thought. She slipped free of his hold and slapped on the light.

In the sudden brightness, he blinked once, slowly, looking rumpled and adorable. She had to remind herself that it was all a look, that he could not possibly be so adorable when he had one foot out the door, the other crushing her future.

"You're doing it again." He lightly tapped her temple. "Thinking too much."

"Someone here needs to."

He just sighed and slipped his hands in his pockets. "I'm trying like hell, Callie, not to think at all. If you were at all kind, you'd help distract me."

She closed her eyes. "I'm not having sex with you in this shed."

"I meant talk to me." He grinned. "But if you're thinking sex..."

"What do you want me to talk about?"

"I don't know. Tell me about your parents."

"Nothing to tell." She shrugged and began to search for the fertilizer. "My mother isn't exactly maternal."

"And your dad?"

"Not into kids. I landed here like Amy. Eighteen and pretty much on my own."

"Richard took you under his wing." He scratched his jaw as he studied her. "But you said he wasn't exactly the warm, loving, parental type, either."

"He cared enough."

"Then your ex came along, right? Just another in a string of people who were around but not really around. Not attached to you."

She set her teeth. "I'm not a pity case."

"I didn't think you were. Tell me more about Matt."

Her frown deepened. "I was young and stupid. Nineteen," she admitted when he just looked at her, his eyes warm and patient. "I kept forgiving him, thinking he could change."

"Forgiving him for what?"

"You name it." She turned to the door.

With surprisingly gentle hands, he turned her back. Then stroked a strand of hair off her face, running his finger down her jaw. "Other women?"

"Well, I did say we were young and stupid."

"Sounds like he was the only stupid one."

"Funny, coming from a man who's never had a serious relationship in the two years I've known him."

"And have you?"

She closed her mouth.

"See, you say you follow your heart, Callie, but it seems to me like you've burned it out." He smiled. "I have a suggestion."

"I'm afraid to hear it."

"A good, long, hot spring fling. No strings."

"Gee, wherever would I find a man up for that job?"

He grinned at her wry tone as he lifted a hand. "I readily volunteer."

"How noble of you." Despite everything, she was more tempted than he could ever imagine. Desperately needing a distraction, she continued to search the shed and finally found the two bags of fertilizer. She tossed him the first, then bent for the second when she heard his low grunt of pain. She whipped around.

Eyes closed, face tight, he dropped the bag and leaned back against the wall, holding his shoulder.

"Oh my God, Jake, I'm sorry. I didn't even think-"

"Not your fault." This came out through his clenched teeth. Sweat had broken out on his brow as he sank to the ground. "I shouldn't have reached out to catch it."

She went to her knees beside him. "Let me-"

"No. I'm fine." He shifted away. "Just give me a sec."

The man had probably never shied away from a woman's touch in his life, but that was when the touching was on his own terms. Clearly he was humiliated at not being able to even catch something, and she felt like slime for putting him through it. "I'm so sorry-"

"Car," he said tightly.

"What?"

"Car just drove up."

She heard it now, coming up the driveway. She wasn't expecting anyone, and rose to her feet. "It must be Michael. He was going to come out for a ride. Wait here a sec, and I'll be right back-"

Jake grabbed her wrist. "He wants you."

"Jake."

"Just remember one thing if you're going off with him."

"I'm not going-"

"One thing."

She sighed. "What?"

"This." Tugging her back down, he cupped her face and kissed her, hard and wet and deep, making her moan low in her throat.

"Your shoulder," she gasped.

"Fuck my shoulder." And he slid his tongue to hers in a motion that melted her bones. Sliding her arms around his neck, she held on for dear life because when he kissed her like this, like she was better than sliced bread, she couldn't remember why it was a bad idea to fall for him.

He raised his head a fraction, looking at her with heavy-lidded eyes before coming at her again, with a roughness that shouldn't have excited her but did, beyond belief. There in the damp, small shed, she clung to him, tangling her tongue with his, pressing as close as she could get. She'd have climbed up his body if she could.

"More," he muttered, and changed the angle of his kiss, settling his mouth firmly over hers again, gripping her head as if he thought she might pull away. Not a chance. In fact, she struggled to get even closer, so that they fell, her spine pressing into the ground, Jake towering over her. His hands slid beneath her shirt, covering her breasts while his erection pressed hard at the juncture of her legs, his hips moving in a slow, tight, rocking motion that threatened to drive her right off the edge. She wanted to make the leap, nearly did- But suddenly, he ripped his mouth free. Sliding his hands out of her shirt, he sat back on his heels. With a murmur of protest, she tried to draw him back but he shook his head, his breath coming out in pants. "Someone's here."

From outside came a honk, and she realized she'd forgotten Michael. "Oh my God."

He helped her up, her eyes dark and hot. "Can he do that to you?" he murmured, the pad of his thumb brushing over the pulse racing at the base of her throat. "Can he?"

"N-no."

"Good." Eyes lit with a fierce desire that made her weak, he kissed her one last time, his hand skimming down her throat, over her pumping heart, his fingers rasping over a hardened nipple. "Remember that."

She doubted she could forget.

Together they stepped back out into the bright sunshine, and looked at the red convertible Mustang. A gorgeous blond woman leapt out of it. Callie's first thought was that one of the cheerleaders was arriving late, but then the woman saw Jake and bounced up and down, waving wildly. "Jake! Jake, I can't believe it, I found you!"

Shocked, though not sure why, Callie looked at Jake. "That's not Michael."

He sighed. "No."

"Jake! Over here, over here!"

"She appears to know you well," Callie said dryly, while her heart took a dive. Her mouth was still wet from his, for God's sake, and she swiped the back of her hand over it.

"Yeah." He turned to her. "Callie-"

"Your blonde finally arrived." Good timing, too, she told herself. Because she hadn't fallen for him, at least not yet.

13.

A piece of Jake's world had found him. A hot little piece he'd been with twice named Cici. He hadn't intended to ever see her again, but she was hugging up to him as he showed her around the ranch at her insistence. She wore a denim miniskirt and vest, complete with calf-high boots, matching hat, and glitter on her lips. Her idea of roughing it in the country, no doubt.

"Oh, Jake." She threw her arms around him, making him see stars when she jarred his shoulder. "I've been haunting the fire station since you vanished." They passed the pig pen, and several piglets raced to the gate hopefully. Cici scooted close to Jake, an alarmed expression on her face. "Oh, ugh. Anyway, finally one of the guys told me I'd find you on your own dude ranch, with the word Blue in the name, somewhere in Arizona." She laughed, and for the third time in as many minutes, set her head down on his bad shoulder. "You weren't hard to find after that."