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“Don’t you see it? How he looks at you? Follows you with his eyes? How he’s so eager to rush to do whatever you need?”

She sputtered, at a loss for words. “That’s only because he’s kissing up to my father!”

Colton’s expression softened. As he brushed her thick hair off her face and tucked it over her shoulder, he searched her eyes. “Have you looked in a mirror, honey?”

She shivered at what he was insinuating.

“If you think I’m attractive, you should see Ivy.”

Curling his hand around her arm, he drew her back down to lie on top of him. His hard, warm body was a solid anchor to this world that she was beginning to understand less and less instead of more with age.

“I don’t think about Zach like that.”

“I know.” He cupped her head to his chest. The thump of his heart calmed her.

“You think Forest suspected it too.”

“I do. We never discussed it—only that he wanted me to watch out for you. And to help on the ranch in the event…”

He broke off. Words weren’t necessary.

“You and my brother must have been really close.”

“We were.” His voice came thickly.

“I don’t believe that you were the reason he died, Colton.”

His fingers had been smoothing up and down her spine, but at that, he pulled them off her skin and slung his forearm across his eyes.

The pose was meant to shut her out.

Too bad Meadow wouldn’t easily be ignored.

She pushed his arm away and cradled his angular jaw, forcing him to look at her. “Listen to me, Colton. I don’t blame you. Forest wouldn’t either. So when are you going to forgive yourself?”

* * * * *

The last thing Colton wanted to discuss was Forest’s death and the role that he’d played in it. But he really didn’t want to talk about it with his sister.

Who he’d just fucked. Thoroughly. Twice.

Hell, his cum was oozing out of her sweet pussy right now.

The urge to get up and leave was strong, but the need to stay the night with this woman was much, much stronger. The invisible pull Meadow had on him wasn’t anything he could understand.

Or fight.

He just knew that even after he did force himself to walk away from her—and leave the ranch—it would take a long, long time to stop thinking about her.

Maybe forever.

Meadow moved up his body. Her breasts sliding over his chest tormented him. His cock had never stopped being hard for her, but it bobbed against his abs when she straddled him.

Christ, she was stunningly beautiful. Heartbreakingly so because he knew he could never have her. He wasn’t fit to be in a relationship, and anybody with a set of eyes could see that Meadow Gracey was the marrying kind. For all her wild ways, she really only wanted to be loved by one man for the rest of her life.

Her eyes blazed down into his like blue flames. “Colton…”

“Yes?”