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“Don’t worry, you don’t have to sleep with me for me to carry your bag.” His lips quirked up, and before she could respond, he added, “But you’ll want to, and who am I to try to dissuade you?”

Hell, yeah, she wanted to—but she couldn’t go there. Not at the Braden ranch and not with a man who’d already proved that he could easily turn her world upside down—and would then move on.

“Eric, I’m not sleeping with you again.”No matter how much I want to.

He closed the trunk, and with moonlight shining down on his gorgeous face and his eyes boring into her, he stepped closer and said, “If the airport was all we’ll ever have, then how about one final kiss?”

“A kiss?” She was already salivating at the thought.

“One kiss.” He stepped closer, causing their thighs to brush, and she felt the heat of him from her head to her toes and in all the best places in between. “Then that’s it. A send-off, if you will.”

“A send-off.” This guy was trouble with a capitalT. She’d like to get him off, not send him off.

The darkening of his eyes told her that he didn’t miss the breathlessness she felt. He ran his fingers through her hair, settling his warm palm over the nape of her neck and sending a now slightly familiar rush of anticipation through her.

“Tell me no,” he said in a rich voice, “and I’ll back off.”

No, was on the tip of her tongue, but it got lost somewhere betweenpleaseandkiss me now. She clutched the waist of his pants, unsure of her voice, and hoped he’d take it as confirmation that she wanted the kiss just as much as he did.

“Kat,” he whispered against her lips. “You’re not going to be able to forget me. I won’t let you.”

He sealed his lips over hers, and their bodies bumped, causing the bag he had slung over his shoulder to slide down his arm and crash against their hips. They both smiled for a blink of an eye, and then his mouth was claiming hers again, pulling her in to his taste, his scent, the slick slide of his tongue over hers. She tried to hold on to her thoughts—make it a short kiss, a short farewell—but his hand sank to her ass, pressing her against his formidable erection, and her thoughts spun away. No man had ever tasted so good, tested her resolve so aggressively.

When their lips finally parted, she kept her eyes closed, reveling in the electric currents coursing through her body, thestinging of her lips, the ache of desire in her loins. His fingers brushed through her hair, and she heard him exhale a soulful breath as his forehead touched hers. She opened her eyes and found him looking at her in a way he hadn’t before. His gaze was tender, a little confused, and intense with something more than desire. She wanted to take a picture and disappear into that look for hours.

“Who are you, Kat Martin?” he whispered. “You feel so familiar, like I’ve known you forever.”

The porch light turned on, and neither of them moved. She wasn’t sure they even breathed. The sound of the front door opening broke through her foggy brain. She forced herself to swallow the thick taste of desire and take a step back. But their eyes held, and she had a strange feeling that she’d left a piece of herself with him.

ERIC COULDN’T SHAKEthe feeling that he’d met Kat before. He searched her eyes, looking for some sense of recognition beyond the obvious, but he sensed he was alone in his recognition. The relief was bittersweet. She stirred memories of his troubled youth, memories that he usually kept buried so deep that no one could unearth them. Only these memories were laced with something pleasurable. Fleeting feelings of happiness that broke through his treacherous upbringing.

Kat touched her lips, as if she could hold in the heat of their kiss, but it was the lingering look of desire in her eyes that told him there was no way in hell she was going to forget their kiss. He knew he couldn’t. How could he when she was so sweet, so sexy, and sparked such good feelings inside him?

He slung her bag over his shoulder and stepped in close as Hugh and Brianna descended the porch steps. Kat was nibbling on her lower lip again, watching their friends approach, andhe could read the worry filling her eyes. He touched her hand, prepared to reassure her that he wasn’t going to say anything to Hugh and Brianna, when her eyes narrowed.

“That never happened,” she said harshly before pasting a smile on her lips and hurrying into Brianna’s open arms.

“I can’t believe you’re here!” Brianna hugged her. “And I’m so glad you met Eric. How did you guys hook up?”

Kat’s smile fell flat, a beat that Hugh obviously didn’t miss as he shot a quizzical look at Eric.

“We met in the rental car line,” he explained quickly, “and decided to save a few bucks.” Kat’s relieved sigh was a nod of approval.

“I’m so glad. Come on. The kids and Hal are asleep, of course, but I’ll get you settled in your room.” Brianna and Kat headed for the house.

Both men were well over six feet, and they stood eye to eye. The coy look in Hugh’s dark eyes wasn’t lost on Eric as he embraced his friend.

“Good to see you, Hugh.”

“It’s been a while. How was your trip?” Hugh closed the trunk of the car, and they headed down the gravel path toward the front door.

“Great. No issues other than the delays.”

They’d known each other since their early racing days, when they’d shared everything from secrets to women. But love had changed Hugh, and even now, a few years and a baby later, Eric could see the fulfilled look in his friend’s eyes.

“Want to talk about the vibe you two are giving off?” Hugh asked.

Hugh had been too good of a friend to Eric for him to lie to him, but he also had the unexpected urge to protect Kat’s privacy.