Page 23 of White Collar Rancher

Damn this big-ass house and her speed. He used all his height to catch up with her. This topic was not dropped, and he couldn’t let it go. “Now, you can’t hang casual sex in front of me and then drop it.” He should let it stay dropped and forget it.

He should not be feeling this way about his ex’s friend and doctor. Maisy’s death should be a burden on their relationship, not something that brought them closer.

“I didn’t drop it,” she said. “You did.” That’s right. He’d tried.

“Because it was the honorable thing to do.” He was tired of being honorable. Not the kind that would use Priya and discard her. There had to be a middle ground. The more distanced they got from that blistering kiss in the kitchen, the more he regretted his instant dismissal that it wouldn’t work.

“Justin. I get it. As your friend, I’m not going to pressure you into anything between us that’s out of your comfort zone.”

He advanced on her. She backed her tight little ass up to the counter, but she didn’t sidle around him and dart away. “You get that I wouldn’t be in this for a long-term relationship. You get that it would just be a release for both of us. And that we’d use all the protection possible to prevent any and all chances of a pregnancy.”

Her expression darkened. “I’m not the type to trap you into anything.”

“I know you’re not the opportunist Maisy was.”

Her mouth tightened. “Right.”

Did she also suspect Maisy had lied about protection? His first mistake was not using the condom he’d had in his wallet, but the one Maisy produced had looked good enough…in a dark room, when he was in a rush to forget everything.

Did Priya know something, and if she did, would she say anything?

No. No one could take back the result, and he’d never give up his son. That part of his past would stay there. It couldn’t come back and hurt him again.

“We can be reasonable adults. Just sex between friends.” When he’d woken up this morning, he wouldn’t have believed he’d be having this conversation before dinner—much less with Priya.

“Between us. Exclusive friends with benefits.”

He blinked. That sounded a lot like a relationship. He had no plans to sleep with anyone else, no interest either, but her request was a little too earnest.

She rubbed her hands over her face. “Oh God. What am I doing? Never mind.”

“No.” He inched closer until he towered over her. “Exclusive friends with benefits. Agreed.”

Her throat worked as she swallowed, and he couldn’t look away. It gave him dirty thoughts that were suddenly attainable and not a thought he had to kick out of his head. Like he’d been doing since she first arrived to save his ass.

“So…” Her gaze darted around. If it weren’t for her nerves the air would sizzle between them. He held his position to keep from scaring her away. “When do we start?”

Now. Fuck, he could do it now. Right here.

His intelligent brain kicked in. He had zero condoms on him. After he’d learned he was going to be a dad, he’d tossed them all. Without any, he wouldn’t go roping his life to another woman. Was Priya on the pill? One of those ring things? Or that thing that gets stuck up there inside them? All three? Maybe she had condoms.

No. He wasn’t trusting that decision to anyone else again.

Priya was waiting for him to answer, uncertainty creeping into her gaze.

“You and the baby dictate the schedule.” He shrugged, like planning sex was the most mundane thing he’d ever done. “I don’t think I’ll have to sneak women around until he’s a toddler. A boy with no mom doesn’t need a stream of women coming and going.”

Did he imagine the flash of hurt in her eyes? He had to be honest about what his life allowed.

“I can come over—” Her gaze unfocused like she was running her schedule through her pretty little head.

“Tonight.” He loved the way her delicately arched brow peaked higher. By now, he knew her schedule. She wasn’t on call.

“Tonight?”

“I have to pick up Isaiah after we eat. That’ll give us time to think.” Though he didn’t want to wait. If that kiss was any indication of what being with her would be like, he’d drive himself crazy playing the waiting game.

She stared at him while his heart hammered with each tick of the clock. “Tonight, then. Our food is probably cold.”

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