those red lips. Her skin looked so soft, perfect, kissable. He needed to taste her everywhere. His gaze dropped to where her dress gaped enough to show him a little of her cleavage. A fist of heat tightened low in his gut.
“…the flowers you sent me.” She took a sip of wine. “Do you think that’s a good idea?”
Damn, she’d been talking the whole time he’d been planning a seduction. He could bluff, or… “Megan, you’re gonna think I’m an ass, but would you say that again?” He swallowed. “I was staring at you but my brain wasn’t focused on your words.”
Her smile was wicked. “You think I couldn’t tell? Do you want to know what I asked you?”
He hesitated, then made a face. “Yes?”
“I said if you didn’t stop staring at me like that, I was going to find something to dump over your head.”
“Uh huh.” He took her empty wine glass. “Like the flowers I sent you?”
She laughed. “Oh, so you were listening.”
Easing his arm from behind her, he slid his knuckles across her shoulder and down her bare arm. “Listening. Enjoying you.”
A shiver jittered over her body.
Good. She felt it, too. A connection too hot to douse, and too powerful to ignore.
As he leaned closer, her eyes darkened. “More?” He used his sexiest screen voice.
Megan’s breath hitched as she drew it in. “More?” Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips.
A manic rush of blood filled his cock, and his head felt like he’d jumped backward out of an airplane. Every instinct told him to kiss her, now, fast and hard, but he didn’t want to spook her. “Wine?”
She nodded. “No.”
He chuckled. “Your lips say ‘no’, but your body says, ‘yes’.”
Drawing a deep breath, Megan pressed her fingers to her mouth for just a second. “I’m pretty sure I’ve had enough. Thank you.”
Garret stood and turned from her, hiding his erection. Picking up his glass, he walked to the bar. “What’s this?” He tapped the small pad of paper with the likeness of his brother drawn in pen. “Did you do this?”
She nodded. “A habit of mine. I like to capture people.”
“It’s really good.” He splashed a little more single-malt into his glass, grabbed a chilled bottle of water for her, and walked back to the couch, holding the paper. “Tell me about your work.”
They talked for nearly an hour. She told her story, he talked about his acting, the bones he’d broken, and the ranch that he’d finally began to love.
She had tears in her eyes when he talked about his need to leave the Silver Spur right after high school, and how his parents called him every day and told them how much they missed him.
“But do you enjoy acting?” She turned fully toward him. “Would you ever give it up?”
He didn’t know how she’d guessed his inner conflict. He did like acting, performing impossible stunts, living in the spotlight. Somewhere inside him, though, his cowboy nature struggled to break loose.
He gestured to Trey’s closed bedroom door. “He drops hints every time we’re together. He could use my help running the ranch. It’s a lot of work for him, and his taking days away from it to help me here this week, well, it puts him behind.”
Her full, red lips parted, then closed.
He could tell she wanted to ask him more.
Her mouth curled in a sweet smile and all his thoughts headed south. He wanted to hold her then, so badly it nearly choked him. She was everything he was looking for in a woman. But what about Trey? “I’m gonna see what’s keeping him.”
“Trey.” She said the word like she’d forgotten he was here. She sat up. “I should get going.”
“Hold on for just a minute. I have an idea.” He jumped up and knocked on Trey’s door, then barged right in and closed the door behind him. His brother sat at the desk, his laptop open and a spreadsheet running.
“C’mon out.” Garret pointed to a stack of books. “Bring that notepad and a pen.”
“Is she…”
“Still