That’s when I spot it. Movement in a nearby valley. A cow? A car?
I start to shake, and I don’t know why. I have no reason to be afraid right now. If I ride fast, Nash’s cabin is twenty minutes away. Probably less.
Not like I’d need his help. I can outride anything, a bear or a bobcat or a deranged lunatic in a truck.
Well, I couldn’t outrun the truck. But I could duck inside those trees over there and make a run for it before he even made the turn.
Shit, it is a truck. I can just hear the throb of its engine over the sound of the rain and the thunder.
That engine—it’s diesel?—
How the fuck does this guy keep tracking me down?
Is it really him?
Oh God, it’s definitely him, and he’s definitely heading this way.
Ryder crests a nearby hill and cuts the engine. I take that as a sign that I should stop, so I do.
Everything inside me takes a swan dive into the dirt as I watch him climb out of the truck and stalk toward me.
He keeps his head down, rivulets of rain pouring off his Stetson and soaking his dark T-shirt. It sticks to his arms and torso like a second skin.
My nipples immediately harden to tight, tender points. I shiver even though the air is warm. My heartbeat throbs in my throat. The roll of his massive shoulders, his huge, steady stride, the way he glances up and locks eyes with me, unabashed—he looks like some kind of apex predator about to go in for the kill.
Me.
My pulse thunders when I realize I’m the one up for slaughter.
Or maybe I’ve already died and gone to heaven, because holyshit, the vision of this man approaching me, clearly on some kind of serious mission, might be the most glorious sight I’ve ever witnessed.
I’m aware of the way the rain gathers on my eyelashes and drips over my lips.
I shiver again, but there’s a burning awareness left in its wake that spreads from my bones outward. It singes my skin, flushes my face.
I’m onfire.
“Ryder Rivers,” I manage.
“Billie Wallace.” He looks up and our eyes meet.
“What are you doing here?”
He puts his hand on my calf, wrapping his fingers possessively around the muscle there. He gives it a squeeze that has my cunt spasming.
“Can’t stop thinking about you.”
My heart’s in my throat now. “Oh yeah?”
“Yeah. I tried to stay away, Billie. It’s not my intention to mess with your head or give you mixed signals.” He tips back his head and our eyes meet. “But I can’t, darlin’.”
I lick my overly sensitive lips. “Can’t what?”
“Pretend like I don’t wanna be with you every second of every fuckin’ day.”
The rain has soaked through both our shirts now. I wanna take mine off.
I wanna take everything off.
