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Her hands slid up over his shoulders. His heart thump-thumped against his ribs. Her fingertips dipped beneath his shirt color. His head started to drown in the most delicious sensations. The one thing he did know was that, in this moment, he wanted this—being with Lexi—more than anything in his life.
And that wasn’t going to happen.
He shouldn’t be doing this. One or both of them would end up getting hurt. Before he could pull away, she leaned against him. Her soft curves pressed to his hard muscles. The pleasure center of his brain took the driver’s seat. His hands slid down her back, and before he knew it, her legs were wrapped around his waist. Logic and reason fled his mind.
A deep, guttural moan filled his throat. He’d never wanted anyone this much. He wanted more of her kisses—more of her. He didn’t know if he’d ever get enough of Lexi. Her shirt rose up, and his fingers spanned her tender flesh. He must have tickled her, because she jumped.
She moved her mouth from his. She rested her forehead against his as they both tried to calm their breathing. “We can’t do this. Not here.”
“You’re right.” Still, he wasn’t ready to let her go. Not yet. “But you know you want more, don’t you?” His fingers moved over her waist, and he felt the rush of goose bumps.
“Cord! You’re impossible.” She smiled, and it lip up her whole face.
He leaned in close and pressed his mouth to her neck, hoping to prove a point. His lips slowly trailed down to her collarbone. The rapid pulse of her artery let him know that she was enjoying this momentary lapse of judgment as much as he was. If only they were back at his place and not in the middle of this rugged terrain, he’d show her how good they could be together.
Lexi pulled back. “Cord, we have to stop.”
With his mouth a fraction of an inch from hers, he asked, “Why?”
“Because neither of us is thinking clearly.” She pulled away. “Even if I gave up my pursuit of purchasing the ghost town, we still couldn’t be together. My business isn’t here. It’s in New York. Did you ever consider what I’m supposed to do if you and I start something? Do you expect me to abandon my father when he needs me most?”
Cord pressed his now-empty hands to his sides before kicking a stone, sending it rolling along the clay earth. “You can’t deny that there’s something going on between us. We owe it to each other to see where it leads.”
“And what about everything else? Like the town meeting where we’ll be on opposite sides?”
“I didn’t say it’d be easy.”
“Say we find a way to get past all of that. What happens when it’s time for me to return to New York?”
His gaze met and held hers. Why was she making this so difficult? He’d never claimed to have all of the answers. But he was willing to search for them with her. “Who knows? You might be sick of me by then and be thrilled to leave here.”
She frowned at him. “This isn’t getting us anywhere. We should head back.”
“Before we go, I want you to know I was serious about having you as my neighbor.” He took her hand in his and stroked the pad of his thumb over her silky smooth skin. “Think of all the benefits there’d be by living so close.”
Her pupils dilated as her gaze dipped. “You don’t know how tempting your offer is…but I can’t.”
“Because of the resort?”
She nodded.
He pulled his head away. Frustration knotted up his gut. “Why are you so dead set on making this deal?”
She leaned back against the rock. “HSG was in the middle of some big negotiations when my father collapsed. Those deals went belly-up, and we lost a bundle. This project is our last chance to turn things around. My father doesn’t know any of this yet. I’ve been covering everything up, hoping to nail down this Wild West resort before he returns to the office. If something were to happen to HSG, I don’t know if his heart could handle the strain.”
This revelation stunned Cord. From her confident attitude to her tailored suits and diamond stud earrings, she oozed success. Yet, her company’s entire future rested on him and his land. His stomach churned.
“I’m sorry for your predicament, but my family’s land can’t be your only solution. Sell your investors on another site. Tell them anything to get that glitzy playground for the rich built somewhere else.”
“I’m trying, but so far Haggerty is our only viable option.”
Not knowing what else to say, he turned away. “You’re right. We should start back.”
He took off down the narrow path without waiting for her to answer. He led them along the narrow trail at a steady pace. A glance over his shoulder showed that she was right behind him. A half hour later, they returned to the horses. She sucked in one mouthful of oxygen after another. He regretted the pace he’d set. In his desire to burn off his frustration, he hadn’t considered that she might not be used to this kind of exercise.
When she caught her breath, she said, “I didn’t mean to upset you back there. I thought maybe if you understood the position I’m in—”
“You didn’t upset me.” He met her worried gaze. “I just can’t give up that land.”
