grim line of his mouth quirked up into a wry smile. “I thought we said there were no answers.”
Reese wasn’t sure if it was the smile or the heady feeling that still rode her bloodstream from his excellent kisses or something else she couldn’t define or resist. The only thing she understood as the words tumbled past her lips, one after the other, was an overwhelming sense of rightness.
“Then why don’t you stay?”
Stay.
That lone word still shimmered between them, taking shape and form in the late night heat, as he walked her to her front porch. June in south Texas was always hot and this year had been no exception, with a few days already posting one hundred degrees plus. But tonight it felt different, somehow.
Hotter. More breathless. Anticipatory.
Reese Grantham tantalized and tempted, tugging at Hoyt in ways he’d never expected. And had certainly never predicted for the evening.
When had things changed?
They knew each other, sure. And he’d be a total liar if he didn’t admit to himself that he’d always found her attractive. But what was it about this night?
This time?
What was it about her?
She was different from what Hoyt remembered and it wasn’t simply because of what had happened a few months ago. She still had that beautiful face, the elegant cheekbones set off against smooth olive skin that already showed the evidence of a summer tan. She still had the long legs and mouthwatering curves that even right now tempted him and had his fingers itching to settle on her hips once again.
Maybe it was just right place at the right time.
But even that felt like an excuse as he turned the idea over in his mind.
She wasn’t easy and he wasn’t going to justify away this sudden shot of desire by trying to make himself feel better. There was something different about her but maybe there was also something different about him. Because after months of restless, aimless feelings, everything had suddenly settled in the past few hours in her company.
That strange dissatisfaction that had ridden him—one that wouldn’t be assuaged by working the land or riding his horse or mending fences or any number of things he’d found to occupy his time—had vanished in the pretty face of Reese Grantham. It was like he’d had a perpetual buzzing in his ears for a year and now all he had was blessed silence.
“Hoyt.” She whispered his name, pulling him from the aimless wandering of his mind.
“Yeah?”
Her lips feathered over his collarbone, drifting up his neck and on toward his ear. “I know this isn’t the answer, either.”
He hung on to his control by a shockingly thin thread, but was willing to do it anyway to get out and leave her well enough alone. “No, it’s not.”
“Then we’re agreed?”
He shifted back, pulling his skin away from the tantalizing strokes of her tongue so he could look down at her. “Agreed on what?”
“This might not be the answer to anything, but please don’t leave.”
“I need to go.”
“Do you?” Something sharp and deliberate stuck beneath her words, part dare and all temptation. He saw it clearly in the flash of heat in her gaze and the sultry pout of her lips. Moonlight filled the sky and, combined with her front porch lights, made it easy to read every emotion on her face.
“You think I don’t?” he asked, well aware he’d like nothing else than to follow her up those steps and on through the front door.
“All I know is we had a nice evening. We’re two grown adults and we’re both well able to determine how we want to spend the rest of it.” She held up a hand. “And before you blame it on two whiskey chasers, I can assure you I’m making this decision, not a few shots of liquor.”
“You seem sure about that.”
“I’m beyond sure.” She stepped back, removing her hands from his body, leaving a strange emptiness when she pulled away. “Aren’t you?”
That dare grew stronger and Hoyt knew he wasn’t immune to her words. Nor was he immune to the increasing heat that had nothing to do with the weather and everything to do with the woman who stood before him.
“Being sure about tonight isn’t the problem.”
“Then what is?”
“Tomorrow.”
As excuses went, it was a cop out and Hoyt was gripping it with both hands. Hell, he’d claw at it with the tips of his fingernails if it would give him the ammunition he needed to hang on, get Reese Grantham through her front door and him back into his truck.
“I’ve spent far too many days of my life worried about tomorrow. It hasn’t gotten me anywhere close to where I want. That’s why I’ve decided to focus on a new strategy. It’s called today.”
“Why now?”
“I can’t think of a better time to start.”
Hoyt couldn’t, either. Against his better judgment—and in support of his most fervent desires—he pulled her into his arms.
* * *
The bright moonlight that had revealed every emotion on Hoyt Reynolds’s face was still in evidence when she walked with him into her room a short while later. Reese still wasn’t sure how it had all happened—she certainly hadn’t gone out looking for this tonight—but there was no way she was stopping.
Especially when it all felt so right.
It was why she’d pushed and poked at him with surprising persistence, even though she’d normally be unwilling to ask for what she wanted or be so brazen as to put voice to those thoughts.
How long had it been since she was attracted to a man? Not the cursory allure that came with light flirting or the occasional date that turned into a second, but real, bone-deep attraction and awareness.
And need.
It was the need that had tripped her up and had her pressing him to stay while they were out on her front porch. In all reality, his resistance was not only gentlemanly, but had far more foresight than she was feeling at the moment. There was nothing between them and one night of sex wasn’t going to change that. Yet, for reasons that seemed a perfect fit with the evening, nothing about that bothered her.
Instead, it was freeing.
All her life, she’d been Reese Grantham, good girl. She’d done what was expected of her and, if she were honest, she was okay with that. She was also okay with a night of mindless sex with Hoyt
