Page 64 of Red Hot Rancher

Then Mom had called. The trip to the city had been full of confessions and tears. Brigit was flayed and exposed, but so much lighter and more optimistic than she’d been when she’d woken up that morning.

She was peering at all the passersby—as if she could ever miss Caleb—when a solid wall of warmth plowed into her. A gasp ripped out of her as she was spun around. Before she could stare at his handsome face and marvel over the way his silky hair hung on his forehead and how much she wanted to run her hands through it, he enveloped her in a tight hug.

“Oh my God, I missed you,” he breathed into her neck.

She wrapped her arms around him, wishing she’d ditched the coat in her car so she could be closer to him. “I’m so sorry.”

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry.”

“No—” But any more argument died on her lips as he smashed his mouth against hers.

Minutes ticked by, but she had no wish to detach herself from him. A guy walked by muttering, “Get a room.”

She pulled away and gazed up at him. “We have one.”

“One what?” His pupils were wide and his gaze hot.

“A room.”

“Right. Your mom mentioned that.”

She nodded, still lined up with him, her arms around his neck. “She said she talked to you.”

“It was the most surreal moment of my life. I’m not convinced it really happened.”

She giggled. “It did. They covered your flight. Justin got the room. And you can call your boss and tell him you’ll be at your next shift.” Tracing her finger down his cheek, she could barely talk. “I can’t believe you were going to sell your place and quit your job to come to Arizona.”

“I would’ve.” He turned his head to kiss her palm. “Where’s your car? We’re going to need that room.”

She pulled him with her, giving him only enough time to grab his bag.

“I hope we don’t have to go far.” His low growl sent tingles coursing down her back.

She wanted to get to the room as badly as he did. She pointed to the tall building to their left. “It’ll only take a couple of minutes. Justin seemed to think we wouldn’t want to drive far, and I had time to check in before I came here.”

In the time it took to drive to the hotel, Caleb told her about the fallout with his mom and what he’d learned at the bank. “I realized the bad position you were in,” he confessed.

“I put myself in it. You didn’t.” She parked, and they wasted zero seconds getting up to the room.

Her hands were shaking as she swiped the key card. It refused to work. Caleb finally snatched the card, got them inside, and kicked the door closed behind him. Just like the last time they were in a hotel room, he crowded her against the wall, but he didn’t move as fast. Instead, he cupped her face and kissed her lips once, then twice.

“I’m so in love with you,” he murmured. “I can’t believe I almost messed it up.”

“I’ve always been in love with you, and I messed it up for so many years.” She laid her hands on his chest, needing to reassure herself that he was here with her.

“Yet, here we are. If we can’t keep ourselves apart, nothing else will.” He caught her mouth in a soft kiss that grew harder. Needier.

She gripped his sweatshirt and yanked up. They broke apart only to strip each other down, but he didn’t take her against the wall.

He stepped back, his shaft so rigid it didn’t even bob with his movement.

“You’re so damn beautiful.”

He made her feel that way. Taking her hand, he tugged her to him and swept her into his arms.

She managed to keep the volume down on her squeal. “You give me a heart attack when you do that.”

He grinned, but it faded quickly. Desire washed out everything else in his eyes. “I need to be in you now.”

---