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“Matt is full of helpful information.”

After months of running, she’d gone out of her way to find him, dolled up, and appeared on his doorstep. Why?

Staring as if her expression would give him the answer, Nash sat in the oversized chair near her. “Remind me to thank him later. To what do I owe this pleasure?”

She nibbled her full lower lip between her teeth, batting those baby blues at him through a fringe of mascaraed lashes. “I’ve been thinking…”

“Should I be afraid?” he teased.

“Depends.” Haisley pretended to study her nails as she uncrossed and recrossed her legs, giving him a tantalizing glimpse of her soft inner thighs. “Do I scare you?”

Nash swallowed and tried to focus on their conversation. But it was too late. His thoughts had disappeared straight between her legs. “Not even a little. Maybe I should ask if you’re afraid of me.”

“Is that what you think?” She scoffed. “No.”

That’s not what Madison told me… Granted, she’d said that a couple of years back, and maybe things had changed. But Haisley’s evasive maneuvers since August backed that up. Either way, Nash wouldn’t betray Madison’s confidence. But he intended to figure out why—until now—Haisley had been reticent to even be in the same zip code, much less the same room.

Clearly, she’d come tonight for a reason. What did she want?

“You just drive me a little crazy,” she added.

“Yeah? You always drive me crazy, baby,” he drawled as his molten gaze roamed over her, slow and blatant.

“Please.” She rolled her eyes. “You were crazy long before you ever laid eyes on me.”

God, he’d missed bantering with her. Desire simmered low in his gut as she leaned closer. Her nearness and the intriguing musky-floral scent of her skin…hmm. Even being next to her felt like delicious foreplay.

Damn it, if she’d come here purely for help or information, he’d be crushed.

“You’re not wrong.” He gave her a self-deprecating grin. “But I won’t bite…unless you ask me to.”

She raised a fiery brow. “What if I was asking?”

Oh, holy shit. Her impromptu visit was a booty call? What had changed her mind?

Nash didn’t care. Whatever her reason, he was totally on board.

He swallowed hard as images of her spread out before him, her satiny skin under his lips while they lay tangled together, fucking with wild abandon, pelted his brain. He itched to grab the scrap of silky dress in his hands, rip it from her body, and explore every luscious inch of her.

But Haisley was waiting for an answer, her face rife with a hunger that matched his.

“I’m game, baby.” Somehow he resisted the urge to yank her onto his lap and see if her lush mouth still tasted as sweet as it had during the shimmering height of summer. “For you, I’ve got lots of game.”

“But there are rules.”

In bed, he always called the shots. She’d learn that quickly enough. In fact, he’d enjoy the challenge of coaxing her to submit. But for now, he entertained her. “Like?”

“I’m here for a good time, not for a long time. This happens tonight—and tonight only. I’m not interested in repeat performances, much less—god forbid—a relationship.”

Nash wasn’t interested in permanence, either. But why was she so anti-entanglement? He suspected the answer would help him solve his Haisley riddle, but that wasn't a problem for now. “Works for me. I have a strict no-strings policy. I’m down for a short-term, friends-with-benefits situationship. But I’m out on marriage, and I’m never having children.”

She frowned. “Got something against kids?”

“No.” They were adorable. “But after helping to raise five younger siblings, I feel like I’ve already been through fatherhood. I’m not looking to repeat the experience. And with my crazy schedule, I don’t need the responsibility. So no Nash Juniors for me.”

“I never had the nuclear family thing, and I turned out all right.” Haisley shrugged. “I think it’s overrated.”

Not necessarily. He had a lot of fond memories with his parents and siblings—holidays, camping trips, even playing in the sprinklers and tossing footballs. If he was looking for forever, he’d want it to look like that…minus the harried, overworked parents and the living in poverty. But he was never getting hitched or procreating, so it wasn’t an issue. “You didn’t come here to discuss your philosophy on family.”