“To explore the connection, too?” he asked.
“Yeah, something like that,” she said.
When she nibbled her lip again and looked into the far distance to see Blake exiting the barn with the guests, he knew exactly what she was thinking. Even though he feared it might be a bit too soon, he said, “I have an idea.”
She blinked up at him, and he could see intrigue in her eyes. “Should I be scared?”
“Never with me baby, never.”
Chapter Four
Equal amounts of excitement and nervousness trickled through Jess’s veins as she moved about her room getting ready for tonight’s adventure. She had no idea what she would see, but she had to admit, she was anxious to find out more.
She knew that Wildman Mac would rock her world, and she had no doubt that, if she allowed herself to loosen up, she would experience more in one week with him than she had in her entire life. The truth was, everything about Mac intrigued her, from his contagious energy, the way he cared for his horse, to the way he leisurely gazed at her, desire brewing in the depths of his perceptive baby blues. God, no man had ever looked at her like that before, or had gone to such extreme measures to win her over. She had to admit, she was more than a little flattered by it all.
Of course, she couldn’t forget that when the week was over, Mac would lose interest and move on, but she wasn’t going to dwell on that, because it wasn’t like she was here looking for long-term from him. No, Mac was a man who was on the road all the time, a workaholic like her father had been. She had seen the loneliness on her mother’s face over the years, heard her tears even though she’d tried to hide her pain, and wanted no part of a life like that. Mac might have said he’d delegate more to put his family first, but honestly, she didn’t think it was possible, not for someone with his personality. Truthfully, she and Mac were opposites in almost every way, and she’d be wise to remember that.
When Jess settled down, she wanted it to be with someone who put his family before his work, which meant that her plan and her only plan for this week was to abandon caution, try to push past her comfort zone, and let whatever was going to happen between them physically…happen. That last thought sent a shiver skittering through her.
Feeling restless, antsy, and completely on edge, she reapplied her lipstick and gave herself a once-over in the bathroom mirror. Since she wasn’t sure what to wear to such a club, she opted for a simple black dress that touched the top of her knees, thankful that she’d decided to toss it into her suitcase at the last second.
She walked to her window to peer out and spotted Coop and Julia exiting the ranch’s saloon. Julia had seemed quite nervous on the plane, but from the smile on her face now, to the intense way Coop was looking at her, Jess had no doubt he had one heck of an adventure waiting for her.
Just like Mac has one waiting for me.
Thinking of Mac had her remembering his peek into her journal—her innermost thoughts. She grabbed the leather-bound book off her bed and flipped it open, thumbing through the pages. She’d opened it to the middle when she handed it to him, and searched for the entry he might have read. Her breath caught when she scanned a few entries, and when she came across the one with the ménage, she gasped. Could he have read that? She dropped it onto her bed and paced back to her window. At the back of the lodge near the base of the mountain, she noticed a quaint cottage, but she had little time to consider who might live there when a hard knock sounded on her door.
She brushed her damp hands over her dress and tamped down her nervousness as she hurried across the room to answer. When she found Mac standing there staring at her, her breath caught in her throat, and a wave of nervousness rolled through her. She quickly pushed it away, and knowing she’d committed to this, wanted this, she was determined to follow through with their arrangement. With thumbs hooked in his front pockets, his stance was casual, relaxed, the look on his face completely flirtatious.
“Hey,” he said, his smile making her weak in the knees. He leaned against the doorjamb and looked her over from head to toe.
“Hey yourself,” she managed to get out. She crinkled her nose, suddenly uncomfortable as she took in his jeans and checkered shirt. “I think I’m overdressed.”
He pushed off the door. “You look beautiful.”
“Maybe I should change.”
She made a move to go, but he stopped her. He slipped his hand around her waist and tugged her close. Her nipples pressed against his chest, and pressure brewed deep between her legs, a blatant reminder of how much she wanted to simply let go.
He dipped his head and whispered, “You don’t have to change a thing, darlin’.”
Overwhelmed by his close proximity and needing a moment of reprieve to gather herself, she croaked out, “Okay, just give me a second.” When he released her, she darted to the bureau to grab her purse. She drew in a fortifying breath and turned back around, only to bump into a wall of muscle.
“Oh,” she said, surprised to find Mac standing so close.
He captured her before she faltered, and as his big hand spread over her back, his glance momentarily flickered to the open journal on her bed. Her stomach soared, once again wondering which fantasies he’d read and if he really would fulfill them. With his expression unreadable, he looked back at her and fingered the silk material on the sleeve of her dress before trailing his hands down her arm. Her throat dried when she caught the intensity in his piercing eyes.
“Just so you know,” he said, his voice heavy with desire, the air between them sexually charged, “I’ll never make you do anything you’re uncomfortable with.”
She nodded, because beneath the heat in his eyes, there was real honesty. “Okay,” she said.
Smile restored, he stepped back and waved a hand. “Then let’s go.”
He guided her to his truck, and after she climbed in, they drove away from the ranch. A few miles down the road, he turned to her and directed the conversation. “Did you know that your yoga studio is just around the corner from my office?”
She raised a challenging brow. “How is it you seem to know so much about me?”
He grinned. “I have my ways.”
“Tell me about these ways.”
“Jag’s a private investigator.”
“Ah, so that’s how you three guys tracked us down after all these years.”
“Yes and no.” He shrugged, his look sheepish. “I’ve kind of been keeping tabs on you.”
“Oh, really?” she said, a little surprised, and maybe a little pleased. But then again, she’d kept tabs on him, too.
She shot him an accusing glance. “What else do you know about me?”
He laughed. “Well, at the risk of sounding like a stalker, I know that you live alone and that early every morning, you go to the studio by yourself.”
“So how come you never said hello?”
He arched a brow. “Do you really have to ask?”
Okay, okay, so they both knew she always ran in the opposite direction back in high school.
He gave her a wink, his look boyish and sweet when he admitted, “My charm never worked on you.”
“And yet you invite me to your ranch for a whole week.”
His grin was sly. “Yeah, because out here, no matter where you run, I can catch you.”
She chuckled and glanced around the countryside as he drove. “Well, I must say I’m actually looking forward to tomorrow morning. I can imagine how peaceful it’s going to be to meditate and go through my poses in the great outdoors with all the wildlife around me.” She looked at the passing scenery and said, “Why don’t you join me?”
He pulled a face. “Uh, because I’ll probably end up twisted like a pretzel and rupture something I might need someday.”
She laughed, loving the easy conversation between them. “Trust me. I teach the basics all the time. Besides,” she added, touching his taut shoulder, “you’re wound pretty tight, and yoga can help mellow you.”