That sucked.

He drank the rest of his beer in the kitchen. At the five minute and thirteen second mark, he knocked on her bedroom door. "Jess? You ready?"

"Uh-huh."

Brandt stepped over the threshold and the first thing he noticed was her butt. She hadn't worn sweats, but ass-hugging workout shorts.

Do not do a celebratory fist pump, man. Act casual.

His gaze leisurely followed the curve of her back, the very sexy, very feminine curve of her back, stopping when his eyes reached the wide band of her black sports bra. It criss-crossed between her shoulder blades and the straps separated and disappeared down her front.

He'd forgotten what all that creamy, mouthwatering flesh looked like in the flesh.

Jessie looked at him strangely. "What's wrong?"

"I just realized I forgot to ask AJ one thing. Where am I supposed to sit when I'm givin' you a massage?"

"Good point. How about if we both sit on the bed. You can sit behind me."

"I guess that'll work."

She sat in the middle and crossed her legs.

Okay. Brandt had to keep his groin from touching her backside because then she'd know he had a hard-on, which had popped up the instant it'd gotten wind he'd be putting his hands all over her.

"Brandt?"

"Hang on." He scooted behind her, trying to spread his legs out, but damn, he wasn't very flexible. Maybe he could reach her from here. When he brushed his fingers across the slope of her shoulder, she jumped.

"You sure you wanna do this?" Killed him to say it, but he did anyway.

"Yes. It's just...I've never had a massage before and it's awkward to sit like this when I can't see you. It just startled me." She stopped babbling and sighed. "The truth is, no man's hands have touched me in a really long time, and I think I forgot how to act when it's anyone's hands but my own on my body."

"This is supposed to be relaxing you, not makin' you nervous."

"I know. Let's try again."

Thank God. "Close your eyes." This time when Brandt put his hands on her, she didn't flinch. Her skin was so warm. So soft. So pale, compared to his rough knuckles and sun-soaked flesh. When he dug his thumb into the base of her neck, she moaned.

"Did that hurt?"

"No. It feels good. Really good. Keep going."

He thoroughly massaged up and down both sides of her neck. Then he moved to arc of her shoulders, concentrating on the section between her shoulder blades. After that he branched out to her arms, earning another series of soft grunts and groans.

No matter how hard he tried, Brandt couldn't help but wonder if Jessie would make the same throaty sounds if he used his thumb on the sweet spot between her thighs.

"God, Brandt. If this whole ranching gig doesn't work out for you, I'm thinking you could give massages for a living."

"I'll take that as a compliment, although I wouldn't enjoy givin' someone like Bart Clarkson a rubdown." Brandt shivered, imagining the crotchety old timer's wrinkled skin and flabby ass. "And I'd hate to be accused of bein' sexist, because I'd only wanna put my hands on ladies. Young ladies. Definitely would scar me for life to see some of the senior citizen set spread out on a massage table."

"But having a hot, young, studly cowboy rubbing them down?"

Jessie had just called him hot and studly.

"You'd make a ton of money, and I bet your tips would be outta this world."

"Now you've gone too far." Brandt smoothed his hands down her sides, somehow just knowing how ticklish she was.

She screamed, "Brandt!" and tried to squirm away from him.

He held fast, keeping hold of her ribs as she rolled, taking him with her. She wiggled to the other side of the bed, and Brandt released her, letting her think she'd won.

Wrong.

Once she let down her guard, he pounced, she shrieked again, and he pressed her back into the mattress, squeezing her thighs together with his knees as he pinned her arms over her head. He leaned forward. "I oughta tickle you until you cry for mercy for puttin' thoughts of nekkid octogenarians in my head right before I go to bed."

"Hey, some octogenarians are sexy."

"Name one."

"Raquel Welch?"

"She ain't eighty. Besides, even if she is, she's the exception, not the rule."

Simultaneously they realized the intimacy of their position. Brandt stretched out over her, holding her down...and why wasn't Jessie trying to get away?

They stared at each other, but neither made a move to get closer or to break apart.

Brandt let go of her arms. "I suppose any relaxation you had is gone."

"My muscles are still singing your praises. Thank you. It was an awesome massage."

He thought she'd leap up and throw him out of her room, but Jessie studied him. "What?"

"I suppose you'd like me to return the favor?"

He couldn't stop himself from sweeping her hair from her face, then gently running the back of his knuckles from her temple to her chin. This woman who'd given so much, wanted to give more. "No. This was for you. I did it because I wanted to, Jessie. I enjoyed it, but I don't expect anything in return."

Her eyes softened. So did her body.

As much as he wanted to stay...That was his cue to leave.

Brandt scooted backward on his hands and his knees until he was off the bed and his feet touched the floor. "I'll get up with Landon tonight if need be."

"Thank you."

"Get some sleep. See you in the morning."

He made it to the door before she said anything.

"Brandt?"

"Mmm?"

"How did you know my ticklish spots?"

"I didn't. But I sure do know them all now."

She laughed, a little huskily, and said, "Oh, you don't know all of them."

Damn. Was that...suggestive?

"Goodnight."

As Brandt tossed and turned on the couch, he replayed every second of their interaction. Twice. At the end of the third dissection, he'd determined Jessie probably wouldn't rebuff his sexual advances this time.

While that possibility caused a gnawing feeling of anticipation in his gut and made his dick stir with interest, it also served as a warning. He'd have to wait for Jessie to approach him about making a change in their relationship. Not because he intended to punish her for turning him down previously, nor did he want her to beg, but he had to be one hundred percent certain it was a change she initiated-not a change she was reacting to if he suggested they become lovers.

It'd be hard as hell to wait. But he would, because he knew taking that next step, a permanent one in his mind, would definitely be worth the wait.

"I think your best option is just to walk up to him, stark naked and say, Ride me, cowboy hottie."

Jessie glanced up from tying a bag of garbage. "You cannot be serious, Simone."

"What's the problem? It's direct."

"A little too direct."

"Girlfriend, ain't no man gonna turn and run when faced with a sexy, naked, willing woman such as yourself. Trust me on this."

Problem was, Jessie had seen a man turn and run when faced with her naked, willing self. Well, in Mike's case it was more like he fell down and passed out, but still, it'd happened.

"Trust Simone on what, Jessie?" Skylar asked.

Crap. She blushed. "Oh, nothing."

Simone harrumphed and said, "Later," leaving her alone with Skylar.

Thanks, Simone.

Jessie spent an extra long time securing a knot in the plastic garbage bag, hoping Skylar would leave.

"I have a confession to make," Skylar said, moving in closer.

"What's that?"

"I overheard your conversation with Simone."

Jessie looked at her boss. "Which part?"

"The ride me, cowboy hottie part. I'm assuming she meant Brandt."

"Yes, but it's not what you think." Liar.

"So you're not planning on riding him into your bed?"

Don't blush. "I am. It's just..." A whole new possibility to me and I'm flustered with you grilling me about my plans. "I imagine you want to talk me out of it."

Skylar shook her head. "Exactly the opposite."

Jessie wasn't expecting that.

"Look, although our situations aren't similar, in some ways they are. I sprang a surprise baby on Kade. He moved in to help me take care of her. I insisted we just be friends and parenting partners, nothing else, meaning absolutely no way, no how, was I having sex with him."

"How long did that last?"

Skylar smirked. "You've seen my husband. So, oh, about two weeks before we were getting naked together at every opportunity. I hope this isn't too much information, but I wanted to let you know, I've been exactly where you are. And I almost let the best thing that ever happened to me get away because I was afraid to take a chance."

Kade and Skylar had a nauseatingly perfect marriage, so Jessie doubted the truth to that statement.

"Like you, I had past relationship issues to work through. Like Brandt, Kade had family issues to work through. I wasn't sure if Kade wanted me, or if he only cared about me because of Eliza."

Okay. So that did sound a little familiar.

"The point I'm trying to make? Brandt is a great guy. He's crazy about you. I know you're crazy about him, too, and well, it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world if you two got to know each other on a whole new level, would it?"

"No. But this...situation with Landon isn't permanent. I don't want it to be permanent. But Brandt wouldn't mind if it was. So can I start something with him knowing I'll have to walk away?"

"The better question is: how can you be willing to walk away from him now and not be willing to take a chance that you might never have to walk away from him?"

For the psychoanalytical slant she used to make her statement, Skylar could've just said, you'll never know unless you try. Jessie smiled. "Thanks, Skylar. I appreciate your candor."

"Good." At the door, she turned. "For what it's worth? Simone was dead on. Getting naked always works."

Chapter Nine.

"Landon is down for the count."

"Thank God," Brandt muttered. "You have the magic touch. I swear the kid looked like he'd punch me in the face if I so much as touched him."

She rolled her eyes. "He's a little young to start brawling. But he is a McKay, so I wouldn't be surprised."