shrugged. “Not really.” At least it shouldn’t. She’d leaped to some unwarranted conclusions about how this would go, and now he’d set her straight. At least he’d told her up front, so she could back off. “It’s your life. You’re entitled to live it the way you want to.”
“Yes, I am.” He sighed. “But I guess I’ll pay the price where you’re concerned.”
“What price?”
“I…was hoping to get to know you better.”
“Oh?” She wondered if this was leading where she thought it was. “In what way?”
“Well, I thought we might become friends.”
“Sure, Luke. We can become friends.” But from the way he’d flirted with her earlier, she didn’t think he was looking for a platonic relationship. Maybe she was wrong. “You can come out here and check on the eagles from time to time, and we’ll chat. Is that what you had in mind?”
“Uh…no.” He rubbed the back of his neck and looked off in the distance, clearly uncomfortable with the discussion. “See, the thing is, I thought, from the way you looked at me back there at the stream, that you might be willing to go a little beyond friendship.”
How embarrassing that he’d read her so accurately. “I see.”
“But I can tell you don’t like the idea that I don’t stay around. Your attitude toward me changed.”
“You act as if that’s hard to understand. Do most of the women you meet like the idea of a temporary affair?”
“They do, actually.” His gaze was earnest. “I tend to be attracted to women who have something going on in their lives, like you. The last thing they want is some needy guy who wants to monopolize them. So we get together, have great discussions, great sex and no strings attached.”
“That must suit your lifestyle perfectly.” Having this discussion while he stood there looking virile as hell wasn’t helping. She didn’t want to want him. He was a girl-in-every-port sort of guy. And yet…her insides quivered at the tantalizing possibilities.
“It does suit me, and it seems to suit them. I jumped to conclusions about you, though. I thought you’d be happy to hear my exit plan, but you’re not.”
She cleared her throat to give herself some time to think. He was right about the signals she’d been giving off, so she couldn’t blame him for putting her in the same category as his other girlfriends. Maybe she was in that category and hadn’t realized it.
Although she’d like to settle down someday, she hadn’t yet felt compelled to do that. She’d been building her career in wildlife research in Florida, but that had petered out. She hoped to get another full-time job in her field, which could be anywhere in the country. She didn’t want to be either saved or tied down by a guy.
But in the meantime, she was going through a period of sexual deprivation, and he’d suggested a reprieve from that. Was it so terrible that he wasn’t into making a lifelong commitment, especially when she wasn’t looking for that, either?
“I need some time to think about this,” she said. “After all, I just met you.”
“Fair enough.” He moved closer. “Just to be clear, are you saving yourself for Mr. Right? Because I’m not that guy.”
She struggled to breathe normally, but she kept drawing in the intoxicating scent of Luke Griffin. “I’m not saving myself for anyone, but I…” She lost track of what she’d meant to say. This was her brain on lust, and it was fried.
“Then think about it.” His lips hovered closer. “And while you’re thinking, consider this.” His mouth came down on hers.
She should pull away. She should give herself more time to review the situation with cold, hard logic before she allowed him to influence her by…Oh, no…he was good at this…very good. Before she realized it, he’d invaded her mouth with his tongue. No, that wasn’t true. She’d invited him in. There had been no invasion at all, because she wanted…everything.
He lifted his head.
She didn’t want the kiss to be over, but she wasn’t going to beg him to do it again. A girl had to have some pride, which was why she wasn’t about to open her eyes and let him see the turmoil he’d created.
His breath was warm on her lips. “Think about it. I’ll come back for your answer.” There was a movement of air and the sound of him climbing back down the ladder.
Opening her eyes, she sat down on the platform and held her hand against her pounding heart. She’d never deliberately set out to have a no-strings affair. But he’d been so sweet about it.
Still, she wasn’t the type of woman he thought she was. Her answer should be no. Shouldn’t it?
3
LUKE THOUGHT ABOUT Naomi all the way back to the Last Chance Ranch. He was worried that he’d insulted her by the way he’d acted. The thing was, her behavior toward him had been exactly like the women he’d known in the past.
In those cases, instant chemistry had been followed by a clear understanding. Sex would be purely for fun, because the intelligent ladies he’d connected with had other things to do besides take care of a man and his ego. They’d considered him a gift because he required nothing of them but multiple orgasms.
If Naomi didn’t fit that category, he’d definitely insulted her, which didn’t sit well with him. He knew the guy to talk to—Emmett Sterling. Emmett had helped her set up out there and might give him some insight into her character.
But he’d have to be careful. He didn’t want any of the other cowhands hearing such a conversation. Luke hoped he could find a quiet moment to speak man-to-man with Emmett, but when he arrived back at the ranch he wondered if that would be possible.
Emmett, along with Sarah Chance’s fiancé, Pete Beckett, had eight adolescent boys in the main corral for a roping clinic. The boys were all part of Pete’s program to help disadvantaged youth. By living and working alongside cowboys several weeks out of the summer, they had an opportunity to learn discipline and routine.
Luke didn’t see much of either going on in the corral. Ropes flew helter-skelter. They caught indiscriminately on fence posts and people. Clearly at least one more adult was needed in that arena.
The boys had been in residence for a couple of weeks, so Luke already knew them all pretty well. Wading into the confusion was no problem for him. He called out a greeting to Emmett and Pete, who seemed overjoyed to see him.
“I’ll take these two.” He motioned to Ace, a skinny, dark-haired, tattooed boy with attitude sticking out all over him, and his unlikely friend, a pudgy blond boy named Eddie who was always eager to please. Nash had been their favorite cowboy on the ranch, but Nash was busy with his own neighboring ranch these days, so Luke had stepped in. By pulling Ace out of the confusion, Luke knew he’d remove fifty percent of the problem. Ace resisted being told what to do, but he had no trouble telling everyone else what they should be doing.
Luke brought them next to the fence. “Roping is not only a skill,” he said, “but an
