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His lips trailed down to my neck. “Do you feel what you’re doing to me?” He sucked on the area just below my ear. “How dare you come into my cabin and turn me into an animal who can’t get enough of you.”

I rolled on top of him. His hands found my hips while the kiss grew out of control. I pushed against him and couldn’t remember anything feeling more perfect in my life. I needed him at that moment like I needed a beating heart. And chocolate.

He sat up, and we were chest to chest with his breathing speeding up as my fingers dropped to his amazing abs. He pulled back, and our eyes locked again, almost as if telling me he wasn’t asking for permission.

He tugged my hair lightly, pulling my head back, as his lips went from my jaw down to my chest. “You’re so beautiful,” came out in a husky whisper that sent chills crawling up me.

My breath caught as his hands pulled my bottom closer. I pressed against him while my fingers clawed his back as he cursed my name. At the same time, I felt his teeth graze my neck, awaking every nerve in my body.

He started to move my hips against him, and I froze.

“Don’t get shy on me now.” He lay back on the bed. “You know what you want.”

I didn’t know if I was happy or sad that my sweatpants were still between us as his fingers dug into me and rocked me against him. This was it. I was going to die tonight.

“Get out your head, Fern.” In a split second, he flipped me on my back, and I felt cool air on my legs as my sweats were ripped off and whipped across the room. But my panties stayed put.

I soaked in his broad shoulders above me just barely visible. His mouth nipped and teased while he dragged himself against me as I clung to those arms.

“Gabe—” My voice was a raspy plea.

His body answered. It was ridged and hard as it swept across my most sensitive parts relentlessly as I was building. I whimpered as he pinned me to the bed while my world turned into waves and waves of intensity I’d never known.

He showered my face with gentle kisses as he released my hands. “You’re unbelievable,” he whispered in my ear. “To see you…you have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

My head was spinning as he rolled to the side of me and pushed a piece of hair off my face before pulling me into his arms.

My breathing regulated as we lay in silence. His skin on mine in a dark cabin in the middle of nowhere was the best place I’d ever been.

We stayed there with his fingers lightly tickling my shoulder. Then he let out a slow breath, and I knew what was rolling through his mind.

“You’re thinking of my brother while I lay nearly naked beside you. Right?”

“That sounds all sorts of wrong.” He chuckled. “You’ve had a lot happen in the past twelve hours, and you’re feeling emotional.” A sigh escaped him. “Your brother’s my best friend, and if he ever knew, well, I don’t want to hurt him like that, or you. This is probably a bad idea.”

Olivia Rodrigo’s It’s a bad idea, right? sing-songed in my ears.

Since my life is just a bunch of it seemed like a good idea at the time strung together, I knew he was likely correct. I needed to think and act like a grown ass woman and get my hands and lips away from this man.

There was laughing in my brain.

It was then I tackled my common sense and strangled it into silence.

I decided it was time to get going. Middle-of-the-night bad decisions aren’t going to make themselves.

“I hear what you’re saying, but he’s not hurt because he doesn’t know.

” I looked up at him. “And I can assure you I’m not hurt.

The opposite of hurt. You’ve provided an abundance of life affirming non-hurt right here in this bed. ”

“Is that so?” He twisted a piece of my hair between his fingers.

“Yes.” My mind was sifting through any option to be close to him. “Maybe the weekend thing would be kind of a solution? Enjoy now, no strings, and we walk out of here Sunday as friends, and it never happens again.”

“You’re not a no strings kinda woman. I can tell.”

Truth, but I was tossing common sense and all undergarments out the window from now on. Sayonara, smart Fern. Hello, good-time girl. “You don’t know. I might be a lady who likes a little hanky-panky here and there without ever looking back.”

His laughter bounced off the walls. “You’re pants are so on fire.”

I turned and popped my elbows up on his big old chest. “I’m not wearing any.”

“You don’t think I’m well aware that those thin little lacy panties are the only thing between us? That the thought isn’t eating away at me?”

“Well, maybe?—”

“No. Solid no . Things happen when lines are crossed.”

I went through the file cabinet in my mind and knew he was an expert on crossing lines.

The TMZ story that went viral regarding pop star sensation Sierra Wyatt and their whirlwind thing.

The leaked photos of Paris runway model Elea, yes, she’s one of those who only require one name, and Gabe rolling around on a private yacht that wasn’t so private in the Caribbean.

While I may never compare to any of those women, I was in bed with him. Me.

He kissed my cheek. “Why don’t you just get some sleep? Maybe our little session here will help your brain shut off so you can rest.”

“But what about you?” My cranium was doing nothing to shut itself off.

“What about me?”

“I may have a few ideas that might help you sleep.”

I could see his head shake out of the corner of my eye. “You’re killing me.”

“Alrighty then.” I kissed his neck. “Maybe I have another little option.”

He growled as I kissed his chest before going lower and took away a little of his control.

Hours later, I lay on my side with his arms wrapped around me while I waited for the sun to peek over the horizon.

I’d been there for an hour, unable to sleep, so instead listened to the soft breathing of the man who was perfect in every way.

Yes, I was in trouble, knew it, but was throwing all caution to the wind, or tornado, that was Gabe.

I snuck out of bed, which was similar to escaping an octopus, but somehow, he stayed asleep. I stood and watched him like a psycho stalker for a good five minutes before taking a steamy bubble bath that did wonders for my achy legs, each of which had a good four-inch bruise under my knees.

I wish I could say I threw on the first thing I pulled from my suitcase, but no. I finally chose my favorite jeans that made my bum look good, softest burgundy tee, and topped it off with my long black cardigan. Then I used a little foundation and blush before floating down to the kitchen.

I whipped up some pancakes because I figured I couldn’t screw that menu option up too much.

While I mixed up the batter, my mind was stirring over the night in bed with Gabe.

Thoughts of his hands, lips, and amazing everything made me burn my first batch of flapjacks while I stared off in space.

I tossed them in the trash, determined to keep my filthy mind contained to the kitchen.

Then I wondered what it would be like to be held against the fridge by Gabe while he had his way with me. I was a hopeless sap.

My heart fluttered when he entered the kitchen, freshly showered in jeans that hung low on his hips, a Minnesota Wild sweatshirt, of course, and bare feet. He had that perfect week of not shaving beard, and my stomach dipped when remembering what that felt like sliding along my skin. Stop it!

“Good morning. How’re you feeling?”

“Headache is gone, and my legs are okay.”

“And you made breakfast?” He came up behind me and pulled my back to his front. I liked it along with his orgasmic cologne that gave me a glorious hug.

“Well, you made me dinner so it’s my turn.”

“I like a girl who takes turns.”

I was happy he couldn’t see the fever his words put in my face. “That’s me…a giver.” How was flirting with him so easy? Gawky Fern suddenly had fun words. He spun me around and kissed my lips that were still a little swollen from our midnight make-out maneuvers.

He took the spatula out of my hand and placed it on the counter while his lips lingered on mine for a minute. I suddenly wanted a seventy-two-hour pass more than anything in my entire life but squirmed out of his grasp. “Don’t make me burn our pancakes.”

He pulled some plates from the cabinet, silverware from a drawer, and did a little dance to the table and sat down.

I waved my cooking tool in the air. “These might just be the best things you’ve ever sunk your teeth into.”

He shot me a wink. “I don’t think so.”

I was brought back to the little neck nibble last night.

He held up his plate. “Come on, girl. Toss one over.”

“Really? You won’t get mad if you have pancakes flying into your wall?”

“I have faith in you, Fern Ethel.”

I took my spatula and flung a pancake to the plate he held in the air. “Boom!”

“You have a good aim.” A second later two more hit his plate before he set it on the table and grabbed the syrup. “Before I knew I’d be hanging with a pretty nurse today, I’d planned to head over to the indoor gun range in town.”

I controlled my smile. “Let’s do it. Lord knows recent events are a reminder that I should be shooting more often.”

He grinned through his pancakes. “Are you sure you feel up to it?”

“Yes, I think I’d like to kick your ass in shooting this morning.”

He laughed. “You sound a little cocky there, Fern.”

“It’s not cocky if it’s the truth.”

“Touché.” He gave me an impressed nod. “Besides, I need to get a mile marker or something where your car is located to get it towed out. I texted a friend and he’ll get it home for you.”

“It’s actually my dad’s car. I’ll wait until I get home to fill him in on the good news. A fun conversation ahead.” I took a bite of breakfast. “That’s very nice of you.”

“I’ve found Christian Brothers Automotive in Inver Grove provides good work at a fair price.”