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“Hey, look at that,” she said, pointing to the western sky. “Are those stars in the shape of a W, or is it my imagination?”
“That’s Cassiopeia,” he said, without enthusiasm.
“Not your favorite, huh?”
“I wouldn’t kick her out of bed,” he said, and grinned when Hannah twisted around to give him a look. “We see Cassiopeia all year long from here. Now, if it was October or November, the bottom of the W would point to Andromeda.”
“What about that one?”
His cheek close to hers, he followed her gaze. “That’s Cygnus. We can only see it during the summer.”
“It looks like a kite.”
“According to mythology it’s supposed to be the form of a swan that Zeus used to seduce women.”
“Okay, you need quite an imagination to come up with that description,” Hannah muttered, trying to not get too distracted by the feel of Seth’s cheek pressed against hers. “What about the W? What’s the story behind that one?”
“Queen Cassiopeia sitting on her throne combing her hair. Her claim that she was more beautiful than the gods pissed off Poseidon, so he put her in the sky as punishment.”
Hannah grinned. “Those touchy Greeks.” She moved, just to see him better. “I doubt you were trying to impress me, but wow anyway.”
He smiled and went for a kiss. Their lips almost met, but not quite. The slightly different position wasn’t any better.
“Okay, this isn’t working,” he said. “You mind scooting down a couple feet?”
She didn’t need to think about it. She just slid her butt to the edge of the blanket. Seth pulled the opposite end up, draping it over her shoulders as he settled beside her.
“How’s that?” he asked, keeping his arm around her.
“Perfect.” She smiled at him and he pressed his lips to her mouth.
The sudden kiss startled her at first, but then she kissed him back. His arm tightened around her shoulders as his tongue swept past her lips and probed her mouth. He wasn’t in a hurry, but that didn’t make the kiss less intense. With his free hand he cupped her jaw as they explored each other, her breasts aching for his touch.
She lifted a hand to his chest and felt the swell of muscle under her palm. His heart pounded as hard and fast as her own. Shifting to give herself more freedom of movement, she nearly forced him back flat onto the blanket.
The kiss broke. Laughing and out of breath, she barely had the strength to help hold him upright. Not that she was doing anything more than clutching his shoulder.
“What are you doing?” Seth asked, also laughing.
“I’m not sure.”
He used an elbow to brace himself and she landed, half sprawled across his body, her breasts squashed against his chest.
She wasn’t too upset with the awkward move, though. Their new position had its upside. “Did I bruise you for life?”
“They should fade in a week or so.”
“Sorry. I was actually trying to prevent this from happening,” she said, and realized that righting herself would go a long way toward reinforcing that claim. Grudgingly she started lifting herself off him.
Seth stopped her. “The ground isn’t too bad if you want to try lying back.”
“Or you make a pretty decent body pillow.”
“Sure, feel free to use me.”
Grinning, Hannah moved her arm and unintentionally brushed his erection.
He hissed through gritted teeth. “Yeah, sitting is probably better.”
“I didn’t do that on purpose,” Hannah said, her breathy voice sounding strange to her ears.
“I know.”
She didn’t even try to hide her disappointment when he sat upright. Instead she almost gave in to the urge to cup him, make sure he knew it was no accident. But that wouldn’t be cool. She’d never had sex with a guy the same day she met him and she’d already decided making out would be enough for tonight.
The stars seemed to be multiplying, each one trying to outshine the others. Barely covering a yawn in time, she felt his hand close gently on the nape of her neck.
“Tired?” he asked.
“A little.”
“I should’ve taken you straight to the Sundance.”
Hannah gaped at him. “No way. And miss this?”
“Don’t worry. In a week you’ll see your fill of stars.”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said, and felt the pressure at her nape become a gentle massage.
They leaned into a soft kiss. Hannah laughed when they both angled their heads the same way.
Seth didn’t. He cupped her face with one hand and deepened the kiss, their tongues touching and stroking each other. His hand moved to her neckline, and he toyed with the fabric before dipping his fingers just underneath, just enough to tease.
She trembled when his mouth left hers and his lips blazed a damp path down the side of her neck.
Gently, he touched her jaw, then trailed his fingertips down her throat over her knit top and lingered between her breasts. The inside of his wrist grazed her hardened nipple.
Hannah held her breath. The tiny movement caused a slight thrust of her breasts. She waited, wondering if he’d slip his hand under her shirt.
The temptation was there. She could feel his tension, his indecision, his restraint. Damn, she wished she could see his face. But it was impossible with the way they were sitting. Although she could see his straining fly just fine.
She laid a hand on his thigh, about midway between his knee and groin. And then she inched higher, stopping short of his erection. His free hand went to the back of her head and he held her still while he kissed her.
Oh, God, she wanted to touch him so badly. But she didn’t dare. His mouth was hot and hungry, his skin feverish, his warm rugged scent surrounded her. It was all going to her head. Stepping just one toe over the line would be all it took. They wouldn’t stop. And there would be no do-overs. She wasn’t sure it mattered.
Seth was waiting for her to make the next move, she realized. She’d set the tone and he could’ve taken over from there, but he wanted her to call that final shot. While she appreciated his thoughtfulness, she almost wished he’d just gone for it.
A cool breeze seemed to come out of nowhere, nipping at her, making her shiver. She rubbed her bare arms. Removing her hand from his thigh killed the mood.
He straightened away from her. “Guess I’m doing a shitty job.”
“Oh, no.” Hannah clutched at his arm, trying to bring him back to her. “It feels good.”
“I meant keeping you warm.”
“Ah. Right.” She gave him a sheepish smile. “No, it was just that one little gust.”
“Gust?” Seth laughed. “I’d stay away from Montana in the winter if I were you.” He grabbed both their waters. “In the meantime, let’s get out of here.”
“We don’t have to go.” A yawn threatened and she pressed her lips together for a second. “It was just that one...breeze.”
“Look, you have a whole week. No rush, right?”
She would’ve rather he’d said we. But that might’ve sounded too presumptuous. Probably not something she would’ve said herself. “I’ve ruined the night, haven’t I?”
“Absolutely not,” he said as he got to his feet. “I’ve enjoyed myself.”
She grasped his outstretched hand and he pulled her up.
“Go ahead and get in the truck,” he said when she picked up one side of the blanket.
“I’m really not cold.”
“Just tired.”
Hannah sighed. “Exhausted,” she admitted. “It was harder getting away from the office than I thought.”
“Signs of a healthy economy, right?”
“More like a slave-driver boss.”
Seth smiled, and boy did she want to kick herself. It was only a little after ten. She was on vacation and had lucked out meeting a gorgeous guy the very first night. And what was she doing? Squandering an opportunity to get laid, that’s what.
“Hannah?”
She blinked at Seth as he tried to take her corner of the blanket from her.
With a wicked smile that made her wonder if she’d said something she shouldn’t have, he tugged the blanket free of her hand. “Come on,” he said. “Let’s get you to bed.”
4 (#u03e99d7c-248d-59b5-a9b4-3e9fd30a920f)
HANNAH STARTED DOWN the staircase, but was so busy rereading a text from Seth confirming their date that she nearly missed a step. She grabbed the oak handrail and managed to hang on to the mug of coffee she’d gotten from the kitchen earlier.
It was her third one. She was more than half awake. Hopefully this would finish the job. The last thing she wanted was to be yawning all day. And all because some idiot had raised his voice outside her window at 6:00 a.m.
She didn’t know who it was, or who he’d been yelling at. All she really knew was that it had something to do with the upcoming town meeting and grazing permits. She’d have to ask Rachel about it later. Without letting on about the rude wakeup call. Anyway, it was Hannah’s own fault for being too snug under the covers and not closing her window.
Chatter drifted from the dining room, but she stopped for a moment to look out at the Rocky Mountains through the expansive two-story windows. Lucky her, she was staying on the same floor as the family, and not in the separate wing where they put regular Sundance guests.
She envied Rachel, growing up in this house, with this view every day. Today the sky was clear and a perfect blue; not even the slightest trace of smog blurred the edges. Hannah had been living in Dallas an awfully long time, and on the rare weekends she went home to see her parents, she always ended up too stressed to truly appreciate the beautiful country mornings.
It was hard to believe the McAllisters’ original house had started off as a modest-sized log cabin over a hundred years ago. It probably hadn’t been all that much bigger than the current foyer that spilled into the dining room on one side and the living room on the other.
Sitting at the table with Rachel’s mom were three other guests. Carol, whom Hannah had met last night, smiled. The other two women sent her bored looks before returning to their muffins.
“Good morning, Hannah,” Barbara McAllister said with a bright smile. “Rachel’s looking for you. She’s taking a group on a trail ride this morning and wanted to know if you’d like to join them.”
“Ah, sounds like fun,” she said, lying through her teeth. She hadn’t been on a horse in fifteen years. “But I can’t. I have a date.”
All three women turned their heads to give her a second look.
“Didn’t you just arrive yesterday?” The blonde stared with a hint of accusation in her narrowed eyes.
“Yes, I’m Hannah,” she said, crossing to the table with her hand extended. She should’ve left out the date part. Rachel had warned her many of the guests came here looking for vacay sex.
“Kimberly,” the woman muttered, accepting the gesture with a limp handshake.
The third woman made no effort to introduce herself so Hannah let it go.
“You work fast,” Carol said with a laugh. “We were just telling Mrs. McAllister she should’ve had more good-looking sons.”
“Available ones,” Kimberly added. “We came too late. They’ve all been snatched up.”
Shaking her head, Barbara laughed. Trim, petite and with the same lively green eyes as her daughter, she looked more like she was pushing fifty instead of sixty.
“If it’s any consolation, Rachel and I were in the same sorority together for three years and she never told me they were hot. Just that she had brothers.” Hannah gave Barbara a private smile as she came around the table and took the chair beside her.
“That’s just wrong.” Carol’s warm smile made up for the other two sourpusses. “And you’re still friends.”
“Yep. Not sure why.” Hannah nodded to the coffee Barbara offered. “Thank you.”
“Have you eaten yet?” Barbara asked. “We have more muffins and fruit in the kitchen, and Hilda is making omelets.”
“I had a muffin earlier, but thanks—”
“To be honest...” Kimberly cut her off. “I think Rachel should take their pictures off the website. It’s almost—I don’t know, false advertising or something.”
“Oh, for goodness’ sakes, this isn’t a dating service.” Barbara gave Kimberly the mom glare, that said, open your mouth again and I’ll wash it out with soap. It was clear where Rachel got her backbone. “Anyway, if you are looking to...what is it?” She paused, waving a hand. “Hook up,” Barbara said finally, and Hannah nearly spit out her coffee. “With so many hired men in the area, they outnumber the women three to one.”
Kimberly blushed and sulked at the same time.
Carol burst out laughing.
The mystery brunette stared at Hannah. “Is it the guy who was sitting at the bar last night?” she asked. “At the Watering Hole?”
Hannah hesitated, tempted to ignore her. “Oh, were you there? Didn’t see you. But to answer your question, yes.”
“Well, wasn’t that nice of Rachel to fix up her old friend,” the woman said in a snippy tone.
