“Something I shouldn’t,” he whispers. “But I can’t stop myself.”
I want to tell him that this is a bad idea. That we’re crossing a line we can’t uncross. That it would be foolish to risk our working relationship for the sake of a quickie in the barn.
I want to tell him all of that, but the words die on my lips.
He presses his mouth to mine, and all the thoughts in my head go quiet. His lips are soft, but his kiss is anything but. It’s hard and desperate, and full of pent-up longing. My entire body shudders as his hands come up to cup my face. He strokes his thumb along my jaw, parts his lips, and slips his tongue into my mouth.
This is crazy. This is insane. And I can’t stop myself.
I grip the collar of his shirt and yank him closer. I’m hungry for him, aching for his touch. My pulse is pounding, and I’m shaking. But it’s not enough. Not nearly.
“River,” he breathes. “Get inside the barn. Now.”
My heart is in my throat as I step backward, and he follows me, pushing the door shut behind him. As soon as the latch clicks, he’s on me. His mouth covers mine again, hot and hungry as he palms my breast then slides his fingers over my stomach and lower, tracing the curve of my hip.
I tug at the hem of his shirt, desperate to feel his skin against mine. He breaks the kiss and takes a step back, and the man just watches me as he works at the first button on his flannel shirt. He’s taking his time, letting me watch, letting me enjoy every inch of newly exposed flesh.
I swallow hard. There’s no denying the obvious. He’s perfect. His chest is broad and thick with muscle. Ropes of muscle vein and stretch beneath his golden skin, and a smattering of dark hair lines his abdomen, disappearing below the waistband of his jeans.
“Jesus Christ,” I mutter.
He cocks an eyebrow. “You like what you see, baby?”
I nod and lick my lips.
He takes his sweet time finishing the last few buttons. Then, he tosses the shirt aside, and the sight of his bare chest has my thighs clenching. He’s solid and thick and absolutely mouth-watering. I can’t remember the last time I was this attracted to a man. Maybe never.
I’m not sure what’s gotten into me, but without even a thought, I reach out and place my hand flat against his stomach, tracing the contours of his muscles. His abs clench beneath my palm, and the low rumble in his chest is the most erotic sound I’ve ever heard.
“You keep doing that, and I can’t be held responsible for what happens next,” he warns.
“Oh, yeah?”
“Yeah.”
I trail my fingers up, over the hard planes of his chest, and then along the ridge of his shoulder. His muscles flex and jump beneath my touch.
“What will happen, Colby?”
He doesn’t answer. Instead, he grabs the hem of my shirt and pulls it over my head, revealing a lacy white bra that leaves little to the imagination. He groans and closes the distance between us, kissing a path from the shell of my ear down to my collarbone, and then lower, pressing his lips against the swell of my breasts.
My nipples are aching, begging for his hot breath, and when his thumbs brush over the hard peaks, I moan and push into his touch.
“Oh, fuck.”
“Mm, that’s the idea,” he murmurs.
I reach for his belt and start fumbling with the buckle, but he brushes my hand away and starts working on mine instead. It doesn’t take long before my jeans are pooled around my ankles, and I’m standing in front of him in nothing but my bra, panties, and boots.
His gaze travels over my body, and when it finally lands back on my face, the look in his eyes is pure hunger. He leans in and kisses me again, stoking the flames of desire in the pit of my belly. His erection digs into my thigh, and when I roll my hips, he lets out a growl and grabs my ass, lifting me up.
I wrap my legs around his waist and let him carry me over to a stack of hay bales, where he lowers me down gently, never once breaking the kiss. He drops to his knees and presses a kiss to the inside of my thigh, then another, and another, moving higher each time. When his tongue brushes against my lace-covered center, I gasp and arch my back.
“Christ, you’re wet,” he growls.
“Don’t stop.”
“Wasn’t planning on it.”
