Page 53 of The Mechanics of Lust

Relief and something like eager anticipation coursed through me and then I remembered. “What about other people?”

He frowned. “Other people?”

I winced. “Seeingother people? What if you meet someone else... what if you and Doug—”

“I’m notseeingDoug,” Luke clarified. “At least not as anything other than a friend. Would it be a problem if I was?”

Hell, yeah, it would.“I—” I hesitated, considering him for a moment. “Probably,” I admitted. “I’m not... I mean, I don’t... I guess it didn’t occur to me that you might—”

“I’m not and I won’t,” he assured me. “Not while you and I are doing whatever it is we’re doing. You?”

I nodded. “The same. Although for me, that’s kind of a given. My social calendar has been kind of non-existent for a while.”

He grinned. “Lucky me.”

I flipped him off. “So, we’re agreed then?”

“Agreed. I’ll definitely be looking forward to our future... liaisons.” He winked, and that was most definitely not a flutter that ran through my belly.

I leaned in and whispered against his lips, “You make it sound so dirty.”

He whispered back, “I try.”

I pulled away without kissing him. “You need to go.” I glanced down at his still bare feet. “But let’s risk the front door where there’s no prickle weed.”

He winced. “My feet will be forever indebted.” And he followed me out of the bedroom, getting all kinds of handsy with my bare arse in the process.

I unlocked the cottage door and peered up toward the homestead. My deck had an unobstructed view of the front door, the wraparound veranda, and Holden and Gil’s bedroom window. There was no one in sight.

I turned back around. “All cle—”

Luke’s hard kiss stole the rest and all my good intentions flew out the window with it. I fell into his arms and kissed him back, swallowing his hum of pleasure as our bodies slotted together like puzzle pieces. Two nights together and we were already in sync, running like a well-oiled machine. Go figure.

The kiss lingered and grew tender, too tender. I wriggled free and locked eyes. “Luke, I can’t...” I drew a deep breath and stepped away. He didn’t try to stop me. “I like you. But I need to keep this simple.”

He studied me for a moment and then nodded. “Understood.”

“Thank you.” I heard my words and huffed in disbelief. “I seem to be saying that a lot lately.”

He chuckled. “Well, there’s a lot about me to be thankful for, right?”

“I hadn’t noticed,” I shot back, but appreciated his attempt to lighten the mood as I checked the homestead once again and then gave him a gentle shove through the open door.

As I watched him leave in stealth mode, I had to smile. For a tall guy, Luke’s loping gait had the elegant quality of a big cat stalking its prey, much like the experience of the man in bed.

I thought of our agreement and sighed.

Casual, huh?

Six letters that spelled nothing but regret.

* * *

Three days later

“Jojo, come away.Come away.” I whistled and watched Jojo move to the right, then turned my attention to Nina. “Nina, come bye,” I called up the steep face of the range that ran all the way up to the newly named Holden’s Castle—the rock fort with its amazing views across the glacial valley that housed Miller Station. Nina immediately swung left, and the three merinos straightened course and headed for the pen where I stood holding the gate open.

Holden had insisted I set up a competition-style circuit in the large holding paddock close to the woolshed. In a heading trial, a shepherd had to move three stock through a variety of obstacles, and the best dogs were sensitive to the smallest nuance of their owner’s command. To have any chance of winning, the stock needed to be worked with a delicate touch. Three sheep provided the most challenging combination for the dogs because three tended to split off into a two-and-one scenario, making them hard to move as one unit.

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