Page 1 of One Night

Chapter One

Nora

This man is gorgeous. Tall, strong, built for hard work. There’s not a muscle on his body that doesn’t get used daily. Bulging biceps, broad shoulders, and a thick neck. There’s a presence about this guy that fills the room without a word being spoken.

He brushes his big, calloused, inked up hand down over my face and stares at me with gentle, blue eyes. There isn’t a lot being said, but I know how he feels. I know how badly he wants me, how hard we’ve tried to avoid this moment.

Slowly, he leans in, gripping the back of my neck as he pulls me close. Steam fills the spaces between us as the night sky glows with millions of bright, sparkling heartbeats from the heavens.

How the hell did I get here?

Our lips brush together gently. He tastes like warm cinnamon fresh from the oven, and he smells like cedar straight from the depths of the Rugged Mountain forest.

God, I shouldn’t want this.I shouldn’t want him.But the way my clit is throbbing, there’s no way I’m walking away. How would I survive knowing I gave up the chance to finally feel his giant frame against mine?

A low, possessive growl crawls its way up his throat as the kiss deepens. I use the opportunity to explore his body, following a vein up and over his sculpted arm toward his chest.

His hand is between my legs, squeezing my thigh, rubbing over the top of my pussy. I don’t remember losing my panties, but I can think about that later. Right now,I need him inside of me.

With his head nuzzled into the crook of my neck, he pets my pussy, carefully stroking the seam before a splash of cool water hits my face and I’m staring up at my sister Daphne, who’s laughing her ass off.

“You were thrashing in your sleep.” She pushes back her dark red hair with a smile lifting her cheeks. “Tell me you weren’t dreaming about Colton again.”

I roll my eyes and sit up from her couch, scrubbing my eyes as I crash back to reality. I stayed here last night because it’s closer to Colton’s ranch than my place, though I think Daphne likes having me here too. “What time is it?”

She takes a sip of coffee and hands me a steaming mug of my own that’s decorated with cats giving the middle finger. “You’ve got an hour.”

“An hour?That’s it?” I whip the blanket off and jump from the couch, rushing to the bathroom to check myself over. I’m not sure why I’m so nervous to see Colton. I’ve seen him a million times over the years. He’s my father’s best friend. He knows what I look like on good days and bad. Plus, it doesn’t matter what I look like. I’m talking to him about taking a nanny job. This isn’t about how puffy my eyes are or how I look in the sundress I picked out a week ago for this specific occasion. This is about how well I can take care of his kid.

“Did Mom tell you why he needed help?” My sister leans against the doorway, casually sipping her steaming cup of coffee. The woman is sexy the second she wakes up. Somehow her hair is always laying perfectly, and she was born with natural eyeliner and the perfect complexion. She’s twelve years older than me, but you wouldn’t know it looking at her.

I lean into the bathroom mirror and layer on a few thick swatches of mascara over my lashes before stepping into the bright yellow sundress I bought for the occasion. “Is this too much?” I spin toward my sister, fluffing my hair and rearranging my tits to sit perfectly beneath the thin fabric.

“Yes, but you look great.” She sips her coffee. “I’d love to have tits that stand up straight like that again. Are you even wearing a bra?”

“Should I not put one on?”

“Don’t listen to me. I’m just jealous.”

“Of what?” My eyes narrow as I glance toward her. “You’re super hot. I tell you that all the time. You should quit that radio career and be a model.”

“Okay… too much.” She backs away from the door and leans into the armchair by the unlit fireplace. “We both know I’m not a model.”

“Not yet.”

Her eyes roll to the side as she takes another steaming gulp. “Okay, well… today isn’t about me. It’s about you,” she sets her coffee on the table next to the chair, “and I’d advise you to play it safe.”

“What?” My brows narrow as I try to act confused. I don’t think it’s working. “What are you talking about?”

“Stop. We both know you’ve got a thing for Colton. I get it. He’s handsome. He’s got the whole rugged, single dad thing going on, but—”

“Oh, no! Do you like him, too?”

Her brows wrinkle. “No. No. No. No.God… no. I’ve known him forever. He’s Dad’s best friend, which is why it should be weird for you, too.”

“It is weird.” I offer a nervous laugh as I massage the back of my neck. “I don’twantto like him, he’s just so…” I blow out a breath and watch a strand of my hair twist around in my breath. “He’s so big and strong, and he knows everything.” I shrug. “It’s stupid. I’ve probably fixated on him for some deep-seated psychological reason that I’ll never understand. Maybe I should Google it.”

My sister widens her gaze while teasingly dangling my keys. “You better go. It’s a ten-minute drive if the cows aren’t blocking the road.”

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