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“I’ve got you too,” I say, more of a joke than anything. But when he pulls back to look at me, thrusting hard, I don’t think that’s how he takes it.

Shane doesn’t break my stare as his body quivers. As his thrusts become uneven and I pull him over with me. He empties inside me, marking me where no man has. Until he collapses over me, my face pressed to the crook of his neck.

I’ve made a lot of mistakes in my life. As Shane’s fingers move up and down my arm—his body blanketing me—none of them compare to what we’ve just done.

26

HARLOE

My body aches in the most delicious way this morning. I woke in Shane’s arms with my skin humming. His heat against my back and a steady pulse between my legs reminding me of what we’d done.

If it weren’t for the already noisy bunkhouse, I might have rolled over and grabbed his perfect pierced cock and begged him to fuck me again. Usually, I don’t beg men for anything, but Shane had me surrendering complete control last night.

Only, something banged against his bedroom door, and he grumbled about the guys needing something, squashing my plans to climb him like a tree.

The bikers from Santa Fe were gone by the time I left the bedroom to make breakfast, but since the clubhouse was a mess, Shane promised me coffee and pancakes from Maureen’s Eatery.

As I walk in and inhale the salty, delicious scent of bacon, I decide this is better than anything I would have made anyway.

I slip into the booth at the back of the diner, while Shane takes the seat on the side that faces the door because he refuses to have his back to it. A few people glance our way, not being the slightest bit discreet.

I set my hat aside, and Shane wets his lips. He loves the cowgirl hat, even though I continually remind him that my fashion choices do not make me a cowgirl.

“Do I look like I was fucked three ways to Sunday last night or something?” I smooth my hair, which is slightly damp from my quick shower. “Everyone is staring. I swear this town is so nosy.”

Shane leans back in the booth, stretching his arm out. His T-shirt barely contains his thick shoulders. It’s distracting, to say the least. But it’s not nearly as dangerous as when he grins, and I have to press my thighs together because I know how his stubble feels between my legs.

His dark eyes skip over me as I wiggle in my seat.

“Everyone’s always staring,” he reminds me. “But yeah, you look thoroughly fucked.”

I narrow my eyes. “You were supposed to make me feel better.”

“That’s what I did last night. Hence your predicament this morning.” His head tilts with his amusement, and any snappy comeback dies on my tongue as our waitress stops at our table.

Her eyes skip between us, and I force a smile, trying not to think about Shane’s boot brushing against mine under the table.

Gigi taps her long neon yellow nails against the screen of her tablet, glancing between us. Her wine-red hair is swept up in a tight bun, sharpening her nose and cheekbones with how the tight hairstyle tugs at her face. We went to high school together, but I wouldn’t consider us friendly, given she and her friends filled my locker with aerosol spray cobwebs after Asher took another girl to the Halloween dance.

Growing up, my brothers left a trail of broken hearts in their wake, rarely apologizing for it. They were too busy focusing on the ranch or sports to consider anyone else’s feelings. I was the one left to deal with the fallout from the girls at school, making Nora one of my only friends when I was younger. Which is why I made her pinky promise in third grade that she’d never mess around with any of my brothers. I wasn’t willing to lose another friend over them.

“Harloe.” Gigi’s smile is forced until she looks at Shane and her entire face lights up. I’d hate her, except I get it. It’s easy to get distracted by Shane’s… everything. “What can I get you?”

“Water and coffee to go around. We’ll both have eggs, over medium, with double bacon and toast on the side.” He pauses, looking at me. “Anything else?”

“Nope.” I lean back, thrumming my fingers on the table as Gigi walks away with a flirty wink at Shane. “You know my breakfast order. Someone pays attention.”

He shrugs like it’s nothing, but I was with Zander for years as teenagers and then again for ten months when I moved back, and I doubt he remembers my breakfast order, much less my middle name.

Shane’s knee knocks mine under the table as a couple walks past. Their gazes move down, catching it, so I sit up straighter and pull away.

His eyebrow lifts. “You realize the whole point is for them to think we’re dating.”

“Yeah, well, that was before.”

“Before what?”

“Before…” I pull my lower lip between my teeth, glancing around. “I don’t know. Before last night. Before things got complicated.”