Pure Bliss

Chapter Four

Hope hissed a little as the doc took some blood. Some more blood. He was on his third vial. Hope was pretty certain Caleb Burke was a vampire.

And she was in such deep shit.

She lay back on James’s guest bed, closing her eyes. How had this happened? How was the man she’d met at AA James’s new partner? She’d tried so hard to keep this part of her past quiet. Quiet? Silent. She’d tried to make sure no one in Bliss knew anything about it. She and Nate had made a deal a long time ago on a lonely road, and she was happy with it.

Now she had to leave. No question about it. She had to get out of Bliss and fast.

“Well, you’re dehydrated at the very least.” Caleb held her hand in his, tracing the lines of her veins. “These should stand out. They’re sunken in. When was the last time you ate or had some water?”

“I had some coffee earlier in the day,” she admitted. She hadn’t felt like eating or drinking. All she could see was that glimpse of a man she thought she’d left behind long ago.

Caleb looked down on her, sympathy in his eyes. “You’re exhausted, Hope. And your blood pressure is high. Are you under some sort of stress?”

She felt those damn tears start again. Yeah, she had a little stress. “My car is dead. My apartment is unlivable.”

I’m seeing a ghost, and he’s not the happy, Casper-the-friendly kind. He’s a killer.

What she’d thought she’d seen the week before haunted her. She’d written it off, but the dreams had come again. He came to her each night, his hair golden and his lips turned up in a gorgeous smile. He’d had that charming smile on his face when he’d slit her best friend’s throat.

“I need you to calm down.” Caleb was looking at her, a serious expression on his ruggedly handsome face. “Your pulse just shot up. Maybe we should get you to a hospital.”

“Oh, god, no.” If she couldn’t afford to fix her car, she really couldn’t afford a hospital. But Caleb could be overly cautious. She’d overheard he was buying his own MRI so he could shove Holly or Alexei into it just to make sure they were okay. “I’m fine. Nothing a little rest and food can’t fix.”

And running. Lots of running.

Holly walked in the room, a glass of orange juice in her hand. “Here you go. This should help. And avoid the kitchen if you can. Those boys are staring at each other like two rattlesnakes waiting to strike.”

Noah. Noah was James’s brother. “I didn’t know James had a brother.”

Holly frowned, a sad look in her green eyes. “They haven’t talked in years. I moved to Bliss after they were grown, but before Noah moved away. They were very close. They had an odd family. Not odd for Bliss now, but at the time it was odd. They were the first threesome. Jamie’s dad and Noah’s dad were best friends. After Jamie’s mom died and Noah’s walked out, Noah’s dad moved them to the Circle G and helped out on the ranch. A couple of years later, they hired a housekeeper and both fell in love with her. Noah and Jamie were raised by their dads and a stepmom. They were raised as brothers, and just like their dads, they preferred to share a woman. Until Ally walked in.”

Hope sat up a little, really interested in this story. James Glen was everything she wanted in a man. He was loyal and kind. He worked so hard. Of course, he was also a ladies’ man. And he never noticed her. His brother…god, his brother…had her panting over him two minutes after he’d gotten out of his truck. She’d been attracted to the tall, dark, and handsome cowboy the minute she’d met him. Noah and James were dangerous, and her brain was already going to crazy places. “Did this Ally person only want one of them?”

Holly sighed and sat down on the bed. “Drink your juice and I keep talking.”

Caleb winked at her. “You’re a good nurse, baby.”

She smiled brightly. “Thanks. Maybe I’ll go back to school with Alexei. Now, Ally spent time with them both, but Jamie caught on to her. She was looking for a man with money. Jamie broke it off.”

“But Noah didn’t.” Hope drank her juice, the cool sweetness sinking into her veins. It was helping.

“Noah married her and left for New York.”

Caleb grimaced. “He’s the vet. He’s the one who was supposed to replace Doc Harris.”

“Yes. He was supposed to take his place. We haven’t been able to find a local vet since he retired. And now he’s back without Ally. And he seems interested in you. He and Jamie squared off in the driveway.” Holly turned to Caleb with a frown on her face. “I had to ask Trev to take her so I could keep them from fighting.”

Caleb shrugged. “Well, you always said James had a thing for her. Sometimes a little jealousy makes a man move.”

Her lips turned up in a sultry grin. The heat between the doctor and Holly was palpable. “It made you move fast enough.”

“I have to keep up with that damn Russian bear.” But there was a happy smile on his face. Caleb Burke was a changed man. He was still gruff, but he smiled more. He was a man in love and happy to be sharing with his friend. Hope envied them.

There was a knock on the door, and Nate Wright’s big frame filled the doorway. “Hey, you. You look good for a woman who’s been attacked by a sand monster.”

God, she was going to miss Bliss. “Just a little tired, boss.”

“She’s going to be fine, but she needs sleep and rest, and she definitely needs less stress. I’m going to take the blood samples in for tests, but I think I’m right. I think she needs to eat and put her feet up.” Caleb took Holly’s hand and led her out, leaving her alone with her boss.

Nate waited until the door closed. “Talk to me.”

She didn’t want to do this. He was overburdened as it was. He’d just had twins with his wife. He should be perfectly happy, not dealing with her shit. “I’m just tired, Nate. I was stressed because my apartment is unlivable. I went to a meeting, and my car died. I guess I haven’t eaten enough. I’m really fine.”

Nate Wright’s sharp blue eyes stared through her with the intensity of a longtime lawman on the case. “Not according to Caleb. And I don’t buy any of this. Tell me what’s happening.”

“Nate, let it go. You need to be with Callie.”

“The twins are sleeping. They like to do that during the day so they can keep us up all night. Now what’s going on?” He was tenacious when he wanted to be. He wouldn’t let up until she’d been honest with him.

“I thought I saw him the other day.”

Nate’s shoulders straightened, his eyes flaring. “Christian Grady? I thought he was dead. The police report said they found his body. I knew that report was shoddy. Fucker.”

Christian was dead. He’d died in a fire—a fire Hope herself had accidently set. “Nate, don’t overreact. I’m sure he’s dead. I just saw someone who looked like him.”

“Or one of his followers who figured out where you are.” Nate crossed his arms over his chest. “Could that have happened?”

God, she loved this man. Since she’d started wandering ten years before, Nate Wright had been the only man to believe she was anything more than a drunk, idiot kid. Nate had found her at her lowest point. He was the reason she was still alive. “I hope not. I would have thought they would break up after Christian died. Maybe they view him as some sort of martyr.”

“It wouldn’t be the first time. And you were the last one to see him alive. Have you considered that his followers might wonder if you had something to do with the fire?” Nate leaned over, his eyes going soft. “I know you don’t want to talk about it, but if you had something to do with that fire, I wouldn’t turn you in, Hope. If I had been there, I would have handed you the match.” Nate was a lawman, but he understood that justice and the law didn’t always go hand in hand.

She nodded, but she couldn’t tell him. She just couldn’t. She knew he had an idea, but she couldn’t verify the fact that she’d killed a man. It didn’t matter that the man had been a monster. She still felt it.

Nate sighed, obviously willing to let it go for now. “I have a favor to ask.”

“Anything.” She would do just about anything for this man. He’d found her one night about a year before. She’d been too drunk to drive. She’d just walked out of the Hell on Wheels and fallen asleep in her car. Nate had talked to her. He’d taken her home with him. Callie and Zane had opened their tiny cabin. Zane had cooked for her. Callie had held her hand.

And they’d found a meeting for her. She’d walked into an AA meeting with Nate Wright at her side. She’d walked out a different human being. He’d given her a job and a new lease on life. He’d been the father she’d never had. Her own had walked out before she’d been born, but Nate Wright understood the meaning of responsibility.

“Don’t run,” Nate said, his voice steady and true.

Damn it. Nate Wright was also a meddling, magnificent bastard who could see straight through her. “It might be for the best.”

“No. It’s not. Unless you’re ready to call your mother. I could handle you going home, but outside of that, this is where you belong.”

She sighed. “It’s not really. I love Bliss. I really do, but I don’t belong the way the others do.”

Nate’s eyes rolled. “I don’t think James is feeling that way right now. He’s finally coming around. I don’t think he’ll let you leave. No one else will, either. Come on. You need to see something. You’ve been here for about an hour now. Come and see how little the people of Bliss think of you.”

She took his outstretched hand and let him help her up. She didn’t bother to put on her shoes. She liked the feel of the carpet beneath her feet. She felt a little better, but her stomach was starting to rumble. She had to admit that she felt safer here on the Circle G than she had all week. Then she remembered her problem. “I don’t want to, Nate. Trev…”

She closed her mouth. What happened at AA stayed at AA. At least it did with her. She couldn’t be sure about Trev. He might tell, but she wasn’t going to out him.

Nate’s eyes widened slightly. “Oh, shit. You met Trev at a meeting?”

Oh, no. She’d just managed to out Trev, and he’d been so nice to her. “How did you know? Nate, you can’t tell anyone that.”

Nate snorted. “Trev can’t hide, honey. Everyone who has ever watched ESPN knows Trev’s story. He’s very famous, Hope. And I doubt he’ll mention it to anyone. He’s a solid guy. Come on.”

She followed Nate. She didn’t want to see the look in James Glen’s eyes when he realized she was a drunk, and if he ever learned about the rest of her past…that wasn’t even worth thinking about. She would leave. She wouldn’t be able to handle that no matter what she owed to Nate.

She heard the chatter the minute she walked into the hall. Lots of voices. Lots.

“Who’s here?”

Nate smiled. “Everyone. Well, not everyone, but the ones who aren’t here are being kept up to date.”

She walked into the living room and was shocked to see so many familiar faces. Rachel Harper stood talking to Laura Niles and Nell Flanders. Their men, Max and Rye Harper, Rafe Kincaid and Cameron Briggs, and Henry Flanders stood talking in a group. Alexei and Holly were helping Caleb pack up. No sign of James.

Rachel turned and frowned. “You’re supposed to be in bed, girl. Doc told us you need stress relief. Nate, do you have a plan to give her a break?”

Rachel could be a bit bossy, but she was a sweetheart. “No need. I’m fine.”

“No, she’s not,” Caleb called out. “She needs rest.”

Nate nodded toward Laura. “Laura and I worked something out.”

Laura was a gorgeous blonde. She’d always looked slightly out of place in town, but there was no doubt Bliss was her home. “I’m going to cover for you for a week. I’ve done it before. We all used to take turns giving Callie time off. And we’ve solved the deputy problem, too.”

“That’s good because I had to work damn hard to get paternity leave,” Nate said with a frown.

Nell’s hands fluttered as she spoke. “It was wrong. If the sheriff had been a woman, he would have gotten eight weeks paid leave. Just because he has a penis doesn’t mean he shouldn’t bond with his children.”

Nate grinned, his eyes lighting with mirth. “I sicced Nell on the town council. Two days of listening to her sing “We Shall Overcome” and Hiram wilted like a hothouse flower. I get three weeks paid. I’m taking them. So Cam is acting sheriff. Who’s going to be his deputy?”

“I am not his deputy,” Rafe said with a frown. “I’m co-sheriff.”

Cam had a shit-eating grin on his face. “No such thing, buddy. I’m the boss. But think about how much fun we can have with our receptionist.”

“Oh, god, I’m going to need more Lysol.” Nate groaned. “Why does everyone have sex on my desk?”

Rye Harper shrugged. “It’s on the official Bliss bucket list. Ask your partner. He’s the one who made it. ‘One hundred things to do in Bliss before you die.’ Number eleven is fucking on Sheriff Nate Wright’s desk.”

Nate laughed and shook his head. “Asshole. I’m going to beat him when I get home.”

He wouldn’t. Nate loved Zane. It was one of the things she’d adored about being close to the threesome. They weren’t just about Callie. Zane and Nate would never touch sexually, but the love between them was plain. They were committed to their friendship and their family.

Rachel walked up and put a hand on her shoulder. “Hope, we’re all worried about you.”

“Yes. We’re worried.” James’s voice cut through the talking. Hope’s eyes went straight to where he stood in the doorway between the kitchen and living room. “Doc wouldn’t let me back to see you.”

He’d wanted to see her? “I’m fine.”

“Stubborn. I can respect that,” Rachel said. “We’ve all brought casseroles. Mine’s a lasagna. Laura sent some enchiladas, and Nell has stir-fried something granola.”

“It’s black beans and rice,” Nell said with a smile. “Totally vegan. Cruelty-free.”

Hope liked meat, so she wasn’t sure about the “cruelty-free” part, but she smiled anyway. It was tradition in Bliss for the women of the town—and some of the men who liked to cook—to keep casseroles on hand. There was always someone in need, and Bliss came out to support. Of course, she wasn’t sure how she was supposed to cook the things. “I appreciate it, but my apartment is unlivable right now. I don’t have a fridge.”

“You can stay here.” Noah joined his brother. Hope could hear a collective intake of breath from the longtime Bliss residents. Max and Rye both turned, their jaws coming open.

“Noah?” Max and Rye asked, their voices one.

Noah’s face flushed. Noah was a gorgeous slab of man, only slightly shorter than his brother. Noah was tall, dark, and handsome, and James was an all-American hunk with broad shoulders and golden-brown hair. But there was a hesitancy in Noah’s eyes that let Hope know he was worried about his welcome. She knew that feeling. It made her heart go out to him.

Noah cleared his throat before talking. She loved the deep timbre of his voice. She’d gotten a little hot when he’d turned that dark voice on her out on the highway. “Hey. It’s good to see you guys. Been a while. Are you two still the bane of women all over the valley? I remember when no woman could resist the two of you.”

James snorted, obviously enjoying the fact that his brother had no clue. Rachel turned, frowning.

“They better not. Really, you two? The bane of women? I can probably buy that. I have no idea who you are, Noah, but any woman looking at those two will have to deal with me and our baby girl. Married. They’re married.”

“Max and Rye got married?” Noah asked, looking like the world had changed.

James huffed a little and started pointing around the room. “Callie’s married with two kids. Max and Rye are married and have a baby. Logan’s gone out of his damn mind and is on his way to Dallas where someone thinks BDSM is going to save him. Mel has a girlfriend he apparently met during an alien abduction. Stella married Stef’s dad. Stef married an artist. You remember the pretty blonde lady who came to town a couple of months before you left? Laura Niles? Turns out Laura was on the run from a serial killer, and she’s now with her two former partners who managed to kill the serial killer. Holly is getting it on with an ex-Russian mobster and the gruffest people doc any of us has ever met.”

Caleb looked up. “That’s fair.”

“It more than fair, Caleb. You are far too interested in prostate exams,” Alexei said with a frown.

Noah looked poleaxed. “Max got married? I get Rye, but Max?”

Rachel threw her head back and laughed. “Okay, I like him. Someone tell me who he is.”

Rye sidled up to his wife, his hand tracing the curve of her hips. “Jamie’s brother.”

Rachel’s eyes widened. “The one Max curses every time he has to call in the animal doc from Del Norte?”

“I curse everyone,” Max admitted, coming up on the other side of his wife. “Except you, baby.”

Rye shook his head. “I have tapes. I’ll play them when I need to.”

Noah stepped forward. “I think Hope needs to stay here. She doesn’t have anywhere else to go. She should rest here.”

“I came to take her back to our place.” Rachel hugged each hubby and then turned to Hope. “She needs someplace quiet.”

“And your baby is quiet?” James asked. “Not to mention Max. I’ve heard he even growls in his sleep. You have people coming in and out of that place all the time,” He frowned her way, his brows forming a V over his handsome face. “I might be pissed at my brother and wondering why he’s inviting women to stay at my ranch, but he’s right. This is the best place for Hope. People Doc says she needs rest and to be less stressed. She can do that here.”

That was a terrible idea. She needed to leave Bliss, not sit around and stare at James Glen and his impossibly gorgeous brother. “I can go to the Movie Motel.”

“No.” James and Noah managed to say it at the same time and with the same inflection.

She had to make them see reason. She couldn’t stay here. Watching James with all his conquests would kill her. Being close to Noah and knowing she couldn’t have him would make her crazy. “You have too many guests, James. You have your brother and Trev and his family. They haven’t moved out of the big house, have they?”

James smirked. There was no other word for it. “They took over the guesthouse. I have three free rooms, darlin’. You want to bring a friend? And I haven’t decided if I’ll let that one back in.”

Noah’s jaw tensed. “I can always leave.”

Noah seemed like the only piece that didn’t fit. He’d been so kind to her before. She wasn’t sure what his whole story was, but she liked him. It was easy to see these were two brothers who had a lot to work out. James had never even mentioned he had a brother. “I think you should talk to your brother. And it would be easier for you to work out your differences without another person in the house. I’ll be fine. I have a little money saved. I can stay at the motel.”

“I hear Gene say motel is all booked,” Alexei said, dashing her hopes. “Many witches come to town.”

She’d forgotten about the annual psychic festival. It wasn’t organized by anyone in Bliss, but it was a nice a way for the businesses to make a little money in between the end-of-summer hiking crowd and the snow bunnies who would be out in full force in eight weeks or so.

“God, I hate Woo Woo Fest.” Max put his head in his hand and groaned.

“I don’t think that’s the proper name,” Laura pointed out.

Nate seemed to agree with Max. “I’m planning on getting Callie pregnant and having the baby every year at this time so I don’t have to work through Woo Woo Fest. Congrats, Cam. You’re going to get to be sheriff to the freakiest people in the world.”

“I am deeply disappointed in your intolerance, Sheriff,” Nell said with a frown. Her husband stood behind her. It was obvious Henry was ready to protest the Sheriff of Bliss’s attitude.

“Well, you should be used to it,” Nate replied.

The argument started fast and furious. Caleb zipped up his bag and then looked at James and Noah, pointing to the kitchen. He crooked his finger, an obvious order for her to follow. She walked out of the living room as Nell accused Nate of trying to start another Salem witch trials.

Caleb leaned against the countertop, frustration evident in his stance. “Hope, you need a place to stay. I would offer to take you in, but Holly’s cabin is small and the guest room is now my stepson’s room. This is the best place for you. James has already offered. Why aren’t you accepting?”

For a multitude of reasons that Caleb didn’t need to hear. The worst reason was that she wanted to. She wanted to stay right here and play house with James and his brother. “It doesn’t seem right.”

“I don’t get it. Why don’t you want to stay here? Why would you rather stay at a motel where no one can look after you?” James asked.

“I think you and your brother have some things to work out. You two don’t need me hanging around when you obviously need to talk.”

Noah and James had the same look of startled disgust on their faces. They might not be blood relations, but they were so alike it hurt.

“We’re not talking,” James said with a dismissive shake of his head.

“She makes it sound like we need therapy or something.” Noah’s boot tapped on the floor.

She’d never seen people who needed therapy more. Well, until she looked in the mirror.

Caleb laughed a little. “Hope, you don’t understand how men work. Alexei and I don’t talk when we have problems. We growl at each other. He threatens to shoot me. I threaten to punch his kidneys. We get over it and watch some form of sports. I suggest James and Noah do the same thing. And take care of Hope. Did someone call and have her car towed?”

“I called,” Noah said. “Trev was going to tow it, but then Hope passed out and we just wanted to get her back here. Long-Haired Roger is going out to get it.”

More money was flying away. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“I’ll pay for it, Hope.” James looked to his brother. “She doesn’t have a lot of money. She’s always worried about it, and she’ll lie when you ask her.”

Maybe James knew her better than she thought.

Noah’s eyes swung toward her. “Yeah, she already did that with me. I told her I didn’t like lies.”

James’s eyes were on her, too. She got the feeling if these brothers ever got their crap together, they could be a very intimidating team. “Nate’s the only one she really talks to. If I wasn’t so sure Nate was in love with his wife, I would think she and Nate were a couple.”

“What?” She practically screeched out the word.

Caleb’s cool green eyes rolled. “Guys, she needs rest. And some stress relief. We’ve gone over eating and drinking water, but let’s talk about sex. How long has it been?”

Caleb Burke was not going there. “That is none of your business, Doc.”

“Your health is my business. Sex is a great stress reliever. Get some. You’ll feel better.” Caleb smiled broadly. “I know I do. James here has slept with everyone else in the valley. Give him a try.”

James’s head fell to his hand. “Doc, you’re a bastard.”

Caleb shrugged as though that was a foregone conclusion. “It’s true. But your blood work shows you’re healthy. Hope’s healthy. Look, if you don’t want to sleep with James, I advise you to masturbate. It’s good stress relief, too. I mean, you could jog or something, but no one really likes to do that. Okay, my work is done. Hope, take some time off, let the men help you out, eat, and drink a lot of water. I’ll run your blood work in and call you later.”

Caleb strode out of the room.

“Your people doc is crazy,” Noah said as he watched the door swing shut.

“Well, we don’t have much to compare him to. We haven’t had an animal doc in four years,” James said, accusation plain in his tone.

They squared off again. Noah’s fists clenched. “Well, you have one now. I’m back, brother. I can stay here on the ranch our parents built together, or I can head off into town and find a place. Either way, you’re going to have to deal with me.” There was a long moment of silence. The air filled with the distinct possibility of violence. Then Noah turned. “Fine. Be that way. Hope, get your things. You’re coming with me.”

“I don’t have any ‘things.’” She nearly rolled her eyes. She could see what was happening now. James ignored her until it was brutally obvious that his brother was interested. Noah didn’t know enough about her to know whether he really liked her. He was reacting because his brother suddenly seemed like he gave a damn.

Caleb thought this would be relaxing?

“She’s not going anywhere. Doc said she had to stay here,” James insisted.

Noah leaned in, his jaw a hard line. “Doc said she needed someone to make sure she was eating and drinking enough water and getting enough sleep. He didn’t say it had to be here. Doc also talked about your insanely active social life. We wouldn’t want to disrupt that now.”

Hope was deeply grateful that neither mentioned the other thing Doc had told her to do. “Why don’t you two just deal with each other? You don’t need to deal with me. I’ll go talk to Nell and Henry.”

She would be in for days of tofu and long discussions of global poverty and the evils of gas wells, but it was for the best. She really couldn’t run without a car. She didn’t really want to. The fact that half of Bliss was currently in the Circle G’s living room because they gave a damn about her made her want to stay. She didn’t want to lose another family.

She was just about to walk out of the kitchen when strong male arms lifted her up. She was off her feet before she could protest.

“You aren’t going anywhere,” James said, his arms going under her knees and around her back. “Except back to bed.”

She felt so small against him. It took a lot to make her feel small. She threw her arms around James’s neck. She’d wanted him for so long. It seemed unfair that the only way to get him to take her to bed was to pass out and need medical attention.

James walked her through the house, not paying a lick of attention to the calls from the peanut gallery.

“’Bout damn time, James!” Max shouted.

“Give him hell, Hope!” a feminine voice called. She thought it was either Laura or Holly.

“Don’t listen to them. You give me hell and you’ll feel the flat of my hand on your pretty backside.” James’s face looked like it was made of granite.

He was a spanker? She should have seen that coming. So why did the very thought of James Glen’s big hand smacking her backside make her pussy hot and wet? She could feel it. Her girl parts were softening and getting ready to sing a hallelujah chorus. “Neanderthal.”

She had to at least put up a good fight.

“You’ve spent too much time with Nell, baby.” He used the flat of his boot to kick the door open and entered the guest room. At least he hadn’t taken her to his room. “I think a nice spanking would do you a world of good.”

A lot of things about James Glen could do her a world of good. It had been forever since she’d had the solace of another body against hers. She’d practically forgotten how good it felt to hold a man, his cock sliding in and out of her pussy, rocking them both to perfection. Forgotten? Had she ever really known? Her past threatened to rush in. She closed her eyes. Don’t think about it. Don’t think about it.

“Hope? What’s wrong? Goddamn it, you’re shaking.” He set her on the bed.

She opened her eyes to see him looking down, staring at her with a singular purpose. She flexed her hands. She shouldn’t think about that time. Usually she was really good about not thinking about it, but the last few weeks had turned her carefully held-together world upside down. “I’m just cold.”

“No. You went white. You’re scared. Are you scared of me?” He said it like the entire idea horrified him.

She sat up. As much as she worried about James finding out about her past, she couldn’t let him think she was afraid of him. He might break her heart, but he would never harm her physically. Hell, he wouldn’t allow anyone else to harm her. It wasn’t her in particular. It was simply James Glen’s way. “I’m not afraid of you, James. I told you, I’m just cold.”

Except she suddenly wasn’t. She wasn’t cold at all. He loomed over her, his body so close to hers that she could feel the heat coming off of him. James was a big man. Six feet three inches, with corded muscles that covered a big-framed body. His broad shoulders blocked out the early-afternoon light streaming in from the window.

“I can think of some ways to warm you up, Hope.” His voice had gone deep, cajoling. She’d rarely seen him without his ever-present Stetson on his head, but now his golden-brown hair curled over the tops of his ears and brushed his eyebrows. It was messy and overly long, as though James just hadn’t wanted to be bothered with a haircut. It was shaggy, and Hope thought he looked utterly perfect.

“Don’t.” But even as she said the words, her hands found their way to his shoulders as though her body wanted something her mind knew was a spectacularly bad idea.

“Why not?” He hovered over her, his chest nearly touching hers. She could feel her nipples tightening.

“You don’t like me.” The words made sense. They were logical and sound. Her hands curled around the muscles of his shoulders.

His blue eyes flared. “Is that what you think?”

She wasn’t an idiot. She pulled her hands back. She wasn’t going to play his fool. “James, I asked you out once and you practically turned green and ran. Don’t pretend you’ve changed your mind.”

He shook his head, his body still far, far too close for her comfort. “No. I haven’t changed my mind, but my circumstances have changed. Hope, baby, you’re not like the other women I’ve dated. You’re not just looking for a good time.”

“You don’t know that.” He’d never asked her what she wanted. A good time would have been nice. Maybe. Any time would have been better than the utterly loneliness of the last eight years. She’d never fooled herself that James would want her for the long term. She’d just wanted the solace of another body holding hers.

Who was she kidding? She could have gotten that if she wanted it. For the last year, she’d stayed away from men altogether, with the singular exception of James. She only wanted James. The only other man who had sparked her deep interest was Noah.

Yeah, she wasn’t very smart.

“I do know that. And if you’re telling yourself that we could spend a night in bed and get up and walk away in the morning, then you are an idiot. Hope, I feel a connection to you, and that scares the crap out of me. I don’t know if I want it. My parents had it, and it destroyed them when it was broken. After my mom died, it didn’t take long at all for both of my fathers to follow her. I don’t know if I want to love someone like that.”

Her heart seized a little at the very idea that James could really care for her. But if it wasn’t something he wanted, then it couldn’t work out. And she needed to move on. Despite what Nate had said, and perhaps because of all the wonderful people who had shown up to check on her, she needed to leave Bliss. Even if Christian’s former followers hadn’t caught up to her, it was only a matter of time before someone did. It could be the Followers of the Light or the law, but sooner or later Hope’s time was going to be up.

“James, I’m not asking you to love me.” She wouldn’t. Loving her was a bad idea.

And still he leaned closer. He was so close their noses touched. “Well, lately I’ve been thinking that I should just find someone I like. I’m not getting any younger, girl. And neither are you.”

It was a horrible reason to date someone. Hope felt her indignation rise like a tidal wave. No way was she going to be his convenience. She opened her mouth to tell him he could take his like for her and go straight to hell when he pressed his lips to hers. In a single heartbeat, all her righteous anger turned to lust. James stopped trying to hold his weight off her and sank, his big body covering hers, pressing her into the mattress. His lips played, his tongue seduced.

This wasn’t a soft opening volley. It was a full-on assault, and Hope felt everything feminine in her respond. James dominated her mouth. His tongue found hers and glided over and around, his lips fused to hers. His chest nestled against her breasts, and his legs gently pressed at her knees. Before she knew it, her legs were splayed wide, and he’d made a place for himself at the center of her body. As he kissed her, she could feel his cock pushing against her pussy, lengthening and hardening. His hips moved as though they were dancing, but the only music Hope could hear was the mingled sounds of their breath and the soft moan that was forced from her throat.

So good. He felt so good. She could let him take over, and she would feel so much better. It wouldn’t be like the other times. This time would be different. She wouldn’t strive and work and not find satisfaction. James ground against her as he started to kiss her neck, and already she could feel a little pleasure. Warm. Her pussy was warm, and she was already wet. She could feel her folds moistening. She wanted to move against him. She didn’t want to lie there. She wanted to sink her nails into the skin of his back and force him to shove his cock inside her pussy.

She didn’t recognize herself, and that felt good, too.

“James.” His name was a breathy plea coming out of her mouth.

“Yeah, baby. Yes. I knew it could be like this.” His lips turned up in a sensual smile as his hand claimed her breast. “Let’s get you out of these clothes, and we can have a real good time.”

She froze. A real good time. Good-time girl. That was what she’d been before Nate had found her. She’d been a good time—except she hadn’t had one. She’d been looking for a way to obliterate herself, and she’d used booze and sex to try to do it.

“Hope?” James had stopped, his body going still on top of hers. His baby blues were wide with concern.

“I thought she was supposed to be resting, not getting pawed by her host.”

Hope pushed at James. Noah’s harsh words saved her from complete embarrassment. He stood looking into the room, his eyes on his brother’s back. Butch sat beside his master, his massive tail thumping as though he just didn’t get the whole simmering tension between the humans.

James stared at her for a moment even as she pushed at him. It was as though he needed her to realize he was stronger, and he’d stop the encounter when he decided to. “I’ll let this go, Hope. But not forever.”

He pressed his lips swiftly to hers before she could protest and then he was up and off her, leaving her feeling very much alone. She’d been warm with James on top of her, but now she felt the chill.

“You take a little nap, Hope. I’m going to see if I can manage to herd these people out of here.” James turned back when he reached the doorway, his eyes carefully avoiding Noah’s, but seeking hers out. “We’ll talk at dinner.”

That sounded ominous. “I might need to rest.”

She might need to run, but, damn it, she didn’t have a car.

“Then I will come back and carry you to the dinner table. We eat at six, and I will be watching everything you eat. Doc made me responsible for you, and he’s not the only one. Logan asked me to look out for you, too. I take those promises damn seriously, Hope. We’re going to talk about what’s bothering you, and we’re going to talk about what we, and I do mean we, are going to do about it. I’ll see you at six, and if I find out you’re trying to leave this ranch, I won’t hesitate to put you over my knee.”

With that, he turned and left. That was the second time in twenty minutes that he’d threaten to spank her and the second time all of her girl parts had responded to the totally off-the-wall, outrageously insulting threat by softening and practically purring.

She hated to do it, but she looked up at Noah. He had to think she was some kind of slut. Surely he’d figured out that she wasn’t his brother’s girl, but she’d been caught wrapping her arms around his neck and panting. She steeled herself to meet his judgment, but there was a little smile on his face as he looked at her.

“He really will spank you, darlin’. You should watch out for him.” Noah’s dark hair shook slightly as he walked into the room and started to open drawers. He pulled a thick quilt from the bottom of the dresser, turned, and then walked toward her. “And he’s an awful host. You’re obviously cold, and he didn’t even offer you a blanket.”

No, he’d offered her the warmth of that big body of his, every inch of it corded with hard-earned muscle. James worked for a living, and he worked hard. When James’s hands had touched her skin she could feel the harsh calluses on them. So different from Christian’s soft skin.

“Now, see, I’m beginning to think my brother is right, and there’s something awful going on in your head. Every now and then, your eyes tense up, and it’s like you’re somewhere else. Somewhere bad.” He pulled the blanket up over her, covering her to her chin. “I don’t like that look you get in your eyes. It makes me worry.”

“Don’t. You don’t know me, and the truth of the matter is, I’ll be leaving town soon.” It was the truth. It was better to just get it all out there.

His handsome face didn’t even frown. His grin widened as though he knew something she didn’t. “Well, I think I’ll have to do something about that, Miss Hope. I don’t think I’m ready for you to leave, not when I just came home. So we’ll have to make the most of our time together. Lunch tomorrow?”

That was a horrible idea. “No. No. I have to go into town tomorrow and see about my car.”

If he was horribly offended by her turning him down flat, he didn’t show it. He simply put his hands under the covers and pulled off her leopard-print ballet flats. “You don’t need these. I’ll find you some warm socks. Until then, Butch can help you out.” He whistled, and the dog bounded onto the bed, covering her feet with his enormous body. He stared at her, his tongue lolling out, begging for a little praise.

“Thanks, Butch.” It was odd. There was a dog warming her feet. It was also rather sweet. Butch put his head down, as though utterly willing to have her feet poking his belly for just as long as she needed him.

Noah winked down at her. He was stunningly gorgeous with forest-green eyes and hair so black she would swear there were shades of blue in it. “As for tomorrow, how exactly were you going to get into town? It’s a long walk for a girl who’s supposed to be resting. I happen to have a little time built into my schedule, so I already called Long-Haired Roger, and we have an appointment at eleven. My stomach starts crying right around eleven thirty, and it’s been five long years since I had some of Stella’s butterscotch pie. Do you really want to make me drive all the way back here weak with hunger? I saved you on the side of the road. I’m willing to drive you all over town. I’ve offered up my very own dog in order to keep your feet warm. Are you sure you won’t allow me to feed you a decent meal so I don’t worry about it all day?”

Asshole. He’d made his whole heartfelt speech with the smile of a man who knew he’d put a woman in a corner. “Fine, but don’t think you can use me to make your brother jealous.”

He flushed slightly, but didn’t back down. “No, Hope. It’s not that, although we always have been competitive. We also have the same taste in women. I’m attracted to you. Terribly attracted to you and it’s been a long time since I wanted a woman. It feels damn good, and I won’t back off because Jamie wants you. He doesn’t have you yet, and that makes you perfectly fair game. And I’m the smarter one this time. I get the feeling he’s fucked up with you. I don’t intend to do that. So you should know I’m going to treat you right. Now you rest. I’ll be back to take you to dinner at five forty-five.”

“James said six.”

“Yes, he did, didn’t he? The early bird catches the worm. You rest well, darlin’.”

Noah strode out the door, and she was left with a foot-warming dog and about two million questions.

As she drifted to sleep, her mind was filled with two cowboys. She smiled as sleep claimed her because there wasn’t room in her brain for anything else.