The guys were too mesmerized to even respond. Sam glanced in the direction they were staring and found Grace running. Inside the fence, every farm animal in close proximity was keeping up with her and jostling to be closer to the fence. He set his coffee down and planted his hands on his hips as she neared. When she’d said animals liked her, that had been the understatement of the century. She jogged up the steps. Her gaze slid across each face before landing on his. Her lips twisted into a smile as she jumped into his arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. He had to brace himself against falling backward.
“Good, you’re up.” She smiled down at him and planted a hard kiss on his lips. Her hands slid into his hair as she tilted her head, deepening the kiss. If he hadn’t realized it was just for show, he might have pinned her to the wall and taken her right there. She smelled of sweet sweat and strawberries. Her hair was slicked back, and her clothes clung to her body. The move did more than draw the attention of the onlookers. It woke his body up in a way the coffee hadn’t.
Too soon she broke the kiss. “I’ve had my workout. Are you ready for yours?” She winked. Damn, she was good.
“Absolutely,” he said, turning to carry her back into the hotel. He stopped just beneath the doorframe. “Mike, could you tell my brother I’ll catch him after breakfast?”
“Sure.”
“Better make it lunch,” she called out and giggled as the doors shut behind them.
She slid down his body and walked with him back to the elevators, not saying a word until they were nestled inside.
“Sorry about the stink. I smell like I’ve been wrestling with the hogs. I could tell those women were the bridesmaids just by their looks. They looked ready to jump me.”
“They weren’t the only ones. The guys are groomsmen, and I can tell you that you’ve made several fans.”
“Good to know.” She smiled and rubbed at her aching calves. “Did you know this place is haunted? And by haunted, I mean crowded with spirits. In the fields, on the porch, and there was even one in our room.”
“Why didn’t you say something before now?”
She shrugged as the elevator dinged and the doors slid open to their floor. “I normally ignore it, but running is like my meditation. All kinds of things smack mein the face, and I’m not talking about the jet-sized bugs.”
That was out of the blue. For a while, he’d forgotten her profession.
He opened the door to their room and let her pass. Before she made it to the bathroom, she was wrestling with her sports bra, trying to peel the thing from her body. Her arms got twisted in the fabric as it caught on her head.
He grinned as he took in her struggle while flashing him her breasts. “You need help?”
“Nah, I’m taking a page from your book, learning how to be more confident and comfortable in my own skin.”
“There’s nothing shy about you, is there?”
“You think I’m bad, my sister, Quinn, is worse.”
From the looks of her struggle, she was failing miserably. She was dancing like a blind chicken while trying to kick off her shoes at the same time her face was still covered. Her breasts bounced as she jumped before she tripped on her shoe. He was quick to catch her before she cracked her head on the dresser. His arms encased her as he pulled her flush against his body.
“Stop moving.”
She stood motionless, only tugging twice more, unsuccessfully, at the top.
He slipped the fabric free from beneath her chin and tugged it off. “You need lessons on the art of stripping.”
“I’ll look for a class when we get home. Maybe pole dancing, too. That sounds like fun.”
Her cheeks were a pretty shade of pink, and her chest heaved. It took every ounce of willpower not to take her breast into his mouth. Sam squatted in front of her and peeled off her other shoe and both socks.
He slowly rose and stood in front of her. His fingers toyed with the waistband of her yoga pants. “Do you need help with these?”
She slipped his fingers free. “I’m not sure I’m ready for that lesson.” She nibbled her lip between her teeth. “You’d end up missing the entire week of wedding festivities.”
“It would be worth it,” he whispered in her ear.
Chapter Six
Grace tookan extra cold shower to douse the horny flames raging her body. She’d been two seconds away from swinging on Tarzan’s vine. Her inner Aunt Betty flag was flapping in the wind. She wasn’t here to hook up with Sam. She’d been meaning to gain insider tips on how he ran his business. Hell, he’d beenhertarget from day one, and now she was damned if she didn’t wanthimto hit the bullseye. She needed to get them both out of the room, and preferably, wearing clothes. She took her time getting ready, applying a little makeup and slipping into a sundress after she had dried her hair.
The heat from the morning sun had been almost unbearable, and she wouldn’t risk looking like a drunk raccoon if the festivities were outside. Wearing more than a slip of material would be like torture. She walked out of the room to find Sam on the bed, leaning against the headboard, reading the book she’d given him at her house.
