Stopping at his sister's went about as well as could be expected. Ava was all smiles until Janey was out of sight. "So is this a one-time thing, or do you plan to see her again?"

Kyle leaned against the back of the couch, his stance casual. "I don't know. We haven't discussed it."

His sister snorted then mumbled something under her breath that sounded a lot like "Men," and then headed into the kitchen, Cole on her hip. She was gone all of two minutes before she marched back into the room. He'd known she wouldn't let it go. "Why haven't you discussed it?"

Luckily, he was saved from answering by the sound of Janey's footsteps on the stairs. He pushed away from the couch and went to meet her. "Got everything?"

"Yep," Janey said, and then looked at Ava. "Thank you so much for letting me stay here. I appreciate it. How much do I owe you for the room?"

"Anytime. And don't worry about it. I'm sure Kyle will figure out some way to make it up to me."

"We should get going." Kyle reached for Janey's suitcase.

She gave it up without a fight, which surprised him. "Thanks."

"Call me later," his sister called as they walked out the door.

Kyle put Janey's suitcase in the trunk of her SUV, and then held her door open for her. Over breakfast they'd decided she'd drive her vehicle back to his place and leave it there while they were gone. He insisted it would be better that way since his place was closer to town and the road she'd need to take back to Indianapolis.

"You going to tell me where it is we're going, exactly?" she asked after she'd parked her SUV in his driveway and climbed into the cab of his truck.

He'd considered his options carefully. They only had a few hours, so they couldn't go too far. "Have you ever been horseback riding?"

It took her a moment. "Yes."

"Good."

Silence filled the cab.

"Is that a problem?" Kyle asked.

"No. Just . . . unexpected, I guess."

He glanced over at her and winked. "I'll take that as a compliment."

It took them almost a half hour to reach their destination and another twenty minutes to get their horses saddled and ready to go. She hoisted herself onto her horse, showing she did know what she was doing, and pointed her horse toward the trail.

The forest closed in around them, sheltering them. It was what he loved about coming here.

Janey tightened her grip on the reins as the trail sloped downward. "Do you do this often?"

"Every now and then." He let that hang in the air for a while before adding, "Sometimes it's nice to get out here by myself. Gives me the opportunity to think." There was no one but the two of them for as far as the eye could see. They were completely surrounded by nature. It was perfect as far as he was concerned.

"I've never been here before. It's nice." She paused. "Quiet."

Kyle grinned. "A lot different from the city."

"Yes," she agreed.

The trail they were on gradually led down to the river. He'd taken it many times over the years, first as a boy and then as an adult. Kyle picked up his pace a little, pulling ahead when the ground beneath them leveled out some.

Janey was right behind him. She was comfortable on a horse, more so than he'd expected. It made him even more curious about her past.

When he reached the water's edge, Kyle loosened his hold on his mount's reins, allowing him to drink. He reached into his saddlebag, removed the bag of trail mix they'd been given, and sat back in his saddle. The river was fairly calm here, but he could hear more rapidly moving water not far downstream.

Coming up beside him, Janey followed his lead, allowing her horse to drink. He offered her some of his snack. "Thanks."

They sat there for several minutes watching the water go by and listening to the sounds around them. As much as he loved coming up here by himself, he found that having Janey with him made it better, rather than taking something away.

His sister's question this morning popped into his mind. He hadn't answered her, but even then he'd known the answer. Yes, he wanted to see Janey again. But was that what Janey wanted? He had no idea.

Uncertainty gripped him. He'd dated his fair share of women in his thirty-five years, but for some reason asking Janey if she wanted to make this more than a one-night stand, or weekend fling or whatever, had him sweating.

The situation struck him as amusing. Or maybe ironic was a better word. He was a police officer. Over the years he'd had to talk down more than one out-of-control drunk or jealous husband. This should be cake.

But it wasn't.

"Want to share what's so funny?" Janey asked when she noticed the goofy grin on his face.

Kyle reached for her hand and was pleased when she laced their fingers together. "I've been thinking."

She waited for him to continue.

"I'd like to see you again."

The seconds ticked by as they sat there, the sounds around them suddenly seeming louder than they had a few moments before. It was one of those times when he really wished he had the ability to read her mind. "I thought . . ."

"What did you think?" he asked, curious.

When she didn't move away from him, he took that as a good sign. She looked down at their linked hands. "I wasn't thinking it was going to be anything more than last night. And today."

"Is that all you want?" He held his breath waiting for her answer.

"I live two hours away."

Kyle dropped her hand and shifted in his saddle so he could touch her face. He tilted her chin up until she was looking at him. "That doesn't answer my question, Detective."

She smiled at his use of her title. "I know, but I'm trying to think rationally."

"Does that mean you do want to see me again?"

Janey removed his hand from her face, but didn't release it. "I like you." She grinned at him. "A lot. But I've tried the long-distance thing before, and it doesn't work."

He opened his mouth to argue, but she cut him off.

"We both have unsolved cases. Cases that might very well be connected. I don't want it to be awkward if we have to work together again."

"You're worried we couldn't work together professionally if things didn't work out between us?"

"Aren't you?" she asked.

One of his best friends was his boss, and they'd figured it out. Even if he and Janey couldn't, Kyle thought it was worth the risk. "No. I'm not. I like you, Janey. I like you a lot."

"I like you, too."

All his anxiety fell away. Janey wanted this, too. She was just scared. He didn't quite understand her fear, but he wouldn't dismiss it either. "What are you so afraid of?"

Instead of answering his question, she asked one of her own. "What about the women around here? Claire, for example."

"Claire isn't my type." He squeezed her hand and grinned. "And you didn't answer the question."

Janey sighed and looked toward the river. "I don't want to get attached and then you decide it isn't worth it."

Kyle knew at that moment that she was speaking from experience. "What if I get attached and you decide I'm not worth it?" He rubbed his thumb along the inside of her wrist. Her pulse was beating rapidly under her skin. "You know as well as I do that there are no guarantees in life."

She held his gaze for a long moment before rising up and pressing her mouth to his. It was completely unexpected, but not unwelcome. Kyle cupped the back of her head and held her to him for as long as possible, enjoying the feel of her lips.

"You make it very hard to say no to you," she whispered, lowering herself back into the saddle.

Kyle smiled and traced the outline of her lips with his index finger. "Then say yes."

She held his hand in place against her cheek. "Just promise me something, okay?"

"I'd promise you just about anything if you agree to see me again."

"Somehow I doubt that." She grinned and lowered their hands to rest on her leg. "Promise me that if you change your mind, you'll tell me."

Another puzzle piece fell into place. "I promise."

She looked down for several minutes, seeming fascinated with their hands. When she met his gaze once more, there was determination and something else that had him wishing for more room in his pants. He was mentally doing the calculations of how quickly they could get to the stables, return the horses, and make it back to his house when Janey picked up her reins and began moving away.

"Wha-"

She had a serious look on her face, but the heat was still there. "I think I might have forgotten something at your place."

"Really?" he asked, catching on to her line of thinking.

Janey nodded and turned her horse in the direction of the trail. "Yeah. I think we should head back. I wouldn't want to leave it behind."

"We wouldn't want that, now, would we?"

"Certainly not."

They made it to the stables in record time. She set the pace and he followed. Every now and then Janey would look back at him, a seductive smile on her face. He couldn't wait to get her back in his house . . . his bedroom. Kyle had a feeling being with Janey would never be boring, which suited him just fine.

About the Author.

Sherri spent most of her childhood detesting English class. It was one of her least favorite subjects because she never seemed to fit into the standard mold. She wasn't good at spelling, or following grammar rules, and outlines made her head spin. For that reason, Sherri never imagined becoming an author.

At the age of thirty, all of that changed. After getting frustrated with the direction a television show was taking two of its characters, Sherri decided to try her hand at writing an alternate ending, and give the characters their happily ever after. By the time the story finished, it was one of the top ten read stories on the site, and her readers were encouraging her to write more.

Writing has become a creative outlet that allows her to explore a wide range of emotions, while having fun taking her characters through all the twists and turns she can create. You can find a current list of all of Sherri's books and sign up for her monthly newsletter at www.sherrihayesauthor.com.

Other Books by Sherri Hayes.

Finding Anna series.

Slave.

Need Truth.

Trust Finding Anna Boxed Set (Books 1-4).

Daniels Brothers series.

Behind Closed Doors Red Zone Crossing the Line What Might Have Been.

Serpent's Kiss series.

Welcome to Serpent's Kiss Burning for Her Kiss.

One Forbidden Night.

Single Titles.

Hidden Threat A Christmas Proposal.