He stared down at her for another throbbing heartbeat before he nodded and made his way back to his table.
She watched him for a second. As she turned to continue to the kitchen, a woman darted out a hand to stop her.
“That man ishot. Honey, if you don’t snag him, half of Willowbrook will gladly get in line for some ofthat.” The woman looked over at Vander’s retreating back, his carved muscles twitching with every step.
After that, time seemed to speed up, and before she knew it, she was walking out the employee exit. Vander was there, leaning against her vehicle and completely stealing her heart.
He followed her home, the headlights of his truck a warm presence against the Wyoming darkness sliding past her windows. Her pulse still hadn’t entirely settled, and it had less to do with anger and much more to do with the image of Vander pinning that man to the wall.
A familiar pulse settled in her core, and by the time they pulled into her driveway, she was slick with desire.
As she slipped out of the vehicle, he met her in the driveway and they walked to the house together. Since Ben was with her parents, she didn’t need to make her usual stop by Granny Helen’s to carry his sleeping form to bed.
She unlocked the door, aware of Vander standing right behind her, broad enough to shield her and protective enough to take a bullet for her.
That man is HOT. Honey, if you don’t snag him, half of Willowbrook will gladly get in line for some of THAT.
She would get in line right now.
They entered the quiet house and Vander took a moment to lock up.
When he turned to face her, he dropped his gaze to his boots. “I hope I didn’t embarrass you tonight.”
She stared at him. “Embarrass me?”
His jaw flexed once and he met her stare. “I know I got aggressive.”
She took a step closer. “Vander.”
“Yeah?”
“It was hot.”
The poor man looked so completely caught off guard that a giggle pressed at the base of her throat.
Before he could recover, she gripped him by the shirt and yanked him in. As their lips collided, he issued a rough sound and grabbed her, hauling her up against his solid body like he’d been holding himself back all night.
His mouth moved against hers, hungry and hard, moving his hands beneath her jacket like he needed reassurance she was really there. Summer tangled both hands into his shirt, kissing him harder.
Vander was everything.
Protection.
Desire.
Safety.
Everything tangled together until she couldn’t separate one feeling from the next anymore.
He pulled back just enough to rest his forehead against hers. His chest heaved. “You sure?”
Her answer was to kiss him again.
With a growl, he lifted her. She wrapped her thighs around his waist and he carried her straight to the bedroom. She pressed kisses over his neck and bit lightly into his ear, raising a groan from him.
By the time they hit the doorway, her insides were knotted with want, and his eyes were burning.
He let her slide down his body and she attacked his clothes. First, she lifted off his cowboy hat and tossed it aside. Next came his jacket, and she let the heavy canvas fall to the floor. Easing her hands under his shirt, she skimmed over the velvety steel of his abs and pecs. He only allowed her to peel off his shirt and stopped her before she could reach for his waistband.
