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He also seemed to get me and not mind my weirdness.

Or maybe that’s how smooth guys who sleep with lots of women get their way.

By making the woman feel gotten . Mental note: remember you are reporting to the Virgin Islands in six weeks for a six-month nursing gig while Gabe will likely be in the arms of some beautiful woman.

You know you attract all the players. Beware.

As I lay in the dark, I heard him walk past my room going to his bedroom down the hall. Did he slow in front of my door? Maybe I was imagining it. Big question, did he sleep in boxer briefs or pajama pants? For sure shirtless in my mind, because, well, why not?

I awoke to the morning sun shining on my pillow nearly blinding me.

It was seven-thirty when I hopped up. Although I’d taken a shower before dinner last night, I took another to ensure I smelled downright delightful in case we were close.

But clearly, I needed to stay away from any type of closeness with Gabe. Too hot for comfort.

I grabbed my black jeans, soft white tee, and pulled on my favorite burgundy cardigan.

I bopped downstairs and into the kitchen where Gabe was stirring a pot on the stove. He wore grey sweatpants and a black T-shirt that seemed to be highlighting his hulky chest and arms. His face was sexy, rugged, and looked badassy with his black eye and cuts. So freaking hot .

“What’re you cooking?” I sat on a stool at the center island where the stove was.

“Chili for Saturday when everyone gets here.”

“Yum. Chili can be for breakfast, right?”

He pointed to a cabinet. “Grab a bowl. Shame though, chili kind of goes with beer.”

“That would be ridiculous, Gabe. It’s not even nine in the morning.” I snuck a look at his bicep.

He shrugged his shoulders. “Bloody Mary?”

“Now you’re talking.”

“How are you feeling after the shit show that was last night?”

“Good, I think. It almost seems like it was a dream. Kind of crazy. It sucks that your truck is riddled with bullets.”

“It’s fine. I have a SUV in the garage here and another truck back in the city.” He put down his spoon and grabbed some bloody Mary mix from the cabinet above the stove while I tried not to inhale the chili.

“This is the bomb.” I looked up to see him shaking his head at me while he pulled out a can of tomato juice from the fridge. “What?”

“I don’t think I’ve known anyone quite like you, Fern Ethel.”

I nodded. “Yeah, I’m an original.” I tried to fight my grin but failed. “I’m glad you got to meet me.”

He whipped up our drinks as I finished my breakfast. “In a little bit, would you want to help me get the ice shack ready for some bridal party fishing?”

I leaned on the counter. “Now I like fishing, Gabe. Love it really. But do you think the bridesmaids will want to sit in the cold and fish?”

He smiled. “Hell no. But I figure if I make it look nice, invite the chicks, and they say no, well, it’s not on me then. If it’s just my boys and I dropping lines, that’ll be okay.”

I walked my empty bowl to sink. “A man with a plan. I did not see that coming.”

After grabbing our coats and tromping through the snow out the back door, we walked onto the icy lake. About ten feet from the shore, we approached a large fishing hut that was like none I’d ever imagined.

I nearly jumped out of my skin when two llamas shot out from behind the house and appeared to be after me. I hauled ass across the lake as they scurried off toward the forest in the distance. It was then I noticed Gabe doubled over with laughter.

I walked toward him. “You shut up, Gabe.”

He held his stomach and could barely speak. “I’ve never seen anything funnier in my life!”

I bit my lip, trying not to join in. “It’s not funny.”

“Oh, oh, it is.” His voice was high. “The fuckin’ llamas from the barn we hid in after the shoot out and car chase have found their way back to us! What in the hell is going on?”

He was still laughing as he opened the door. Inside, the fishing shack was like nothing I’d ever seen. There were built in benches along two walls and a small wood-burning stove with a crackling fire in the corner, making it as cozy as a hug.

“I’ve never seen such a nice shack.” I pulled my gloves off and put my hand in front of the fire. “This is pretty damn cool.”

“Thanks, I started the fire earlier. There’s a guy in town who designs and delivers.”

“Nice. So what’s your plan out here?” My plan was to try not to imagine what it would be like to kiss his face off next to the fire.

He walked to the corner and grabbed a bag. “I’ve got some white twinkle lights that we could hang around the top of the shack.” He pointed to a little pile of boxes in the corner. “And I picked up tons of wine and chocolate.”

“Lights, liquor, and chocolate.” I clapped. “Kind of an amazing combination when it comes to women.”

“Well, it’s not my first rodeo.” His wink sent little sparks up the back of my neck because I was certain he was a rodeo expert.

“Alright, cowboy. Hand me some lights.”

He tossed me a box of thumbtacks. “We can use these to hang them up.”

I stood and walked along the bench. The lights went up quickly with each of us taking one side of the room. I pressed in my last tack. “I’m done.”

He grabbed the end of the lights, and the extension cord he’d grabbed from the deck. “Okay, let’s see how this looks.”

He plugged them in and boom, the shack was aglow.

“I like it.” He clapped his hands together. “See, I told you we could chick-ify the ice fishing.”

I was still on the bench and reached up to straighten part of the light strand when my foot slipped back. I started falling, but Gabe caught my arm.

“You, Fern Ethel, are a klutz.”

I turned around and ran into his chest. I slowly moved my eyes north to see him looking down at me. I should’ve stepped back, but my legs weighed one thousand pounds. My heartbeat kicked up when his eyes dropped to my lips. Holy shit, was he about to kiss me?

My stomach clenched when his hand found my waist, and he pulled me to him while staring into my eyes. Although this was a horrible idea, I knew a stick of dynamite couldn’t have made me budge from the spot my feet were planted.

He leaned down, and I was certain my blood pressure shot to seven-hundred-twenty over five-thousand.

So slowly his lips brushed mine once, then again, releasing butterflies through me.

I couldn’t control my breathing, as a longing to taste him was so strong.

Full military force couldn’t have moved me.

My hands were shaking as they slid through his open coat and pulled him closer.

His mouth found mine. The kiss was slow and needy, something savored as if we’d been starving forever.

We kissed as if we already knew one another, a familiarity that was shocking.

The electrical current was so intense I was melting.

Our mouths and lips were in sync, and there was a force weaving between us that took my breath away, leaving my senses jumbled.

He pulled back, searching my face to see if I felt it also. His eyes were hungry and surprised. His hands found the base of my neck and angled my head before our lips melted together.

Heat spiraled across my skin as his mouth moved faster while one of his hands slid to my throat.

His thumb grazed along my collarbone, which was the equivalent of kerosene being poured over the fire that was me.

He was well aware of what he was doing to me as an uncontrolled quiet groan slipped from my mouth to his.

Those hands dropped to my waist and closed all gaps between our bodies while his mouth dominated mine. I felt how much he needed me, and I instinctively pushed against him. I arched and ached as he ran his tongue over my lower lip.

How was this happening? I’d had relationships but realized I had no flippin’ clue what chemistry was until that moment. I was breathless and knew we were traveling on an out-of-control missile that would be hard to stop, even if I wanted to. And I did not want to.

As if reading my mind, Gabe broke the kiss and rested his forehead on mine as I focused on regulating my breathing while my body cried, silently begging for his return.

“Fern, I’m sorry.

“Why?” I whispered.

His voice was low and quiet. “Well, you’re Dave’s sister, and…I don’t know.”

Yes, I was his best friend’s sister, and I’m sure there’s some bro-code about this kind of thing, but all I knew was that I didn’t want to be cautious. I’d survived cancer, spent my entire adult life thinking things through, and worrying about shit that normally didn’t end up happening.

Yes, I made piss-poor decisions when it came to men and relationships, but this wasn’t a relationship.

With his arms around me, I made a split-second decision to do anything necessary, stupid or not, to be close to him.

I wasn’t looking for a long-term thing and knew he wasn’t either so why couldn’t I do something for me? I could live in the moment.

“It was just a kiss. Not a big deal.”

“What?” He leaned back and pushed a piece of hair from my face as skepticism appeared on his. “I mean, most ladies kind of get ideas.”

“I don’t have any ideas.” Well, that sounded smart. “I mean, I’m not in a relationship and don’t want one. I’m out of here in six weeks for a six-month nursing gig out of the country.” I focused on sounding as cool as ice. “Are you looking for a relationship?”

He chuckled. “No. But Dave’s my best friend. I would never?—”

“You aren’t hurting him or me.” I smiled, knowing this would likely bite me in the ass later. “See? It was just a kiss. No biggie.” Except the kiss had shaken me to my freakin’ core.

He nodded while his eyes darted around the shack. “So, maybe I’ll kiss you again sometime?”

I shrugged. “Okay.”

His brow furrowed. “Are you saying I can kiss you again, and it would still not be a big deal?”

Inhale, for better or worse, I was going for it. “Yes.”

He tilted his head as his eyes narrowed. “Is this a trick?”

I laughed. “We’re two adults. If we want to hang out a little, it’s okay, right? But when everyone arrives, no more kissing. Dave would kill you.” Sigh. “Then we’d have to get rid of your body, and it’d become a whole thing. Agreed?”

He looked adorable as the wheels were spinning in his mind. “Agreed.” He pulled me closer. “Fern Ethel, I’m going to kiss you now.”

“Wait.” I grabbed my cherry Chap Stick from my pocket and swiped some on. “Cherry.”

“Nice.”

I shoved it back into my pocket. “Let’s go.”

For the next ten minutes, we had a super-duper-hot-as-hell make-out session that I swore must’ve melted the snow right off the roof of the ice shack. We went from standing, to me being held against the wall as my hands raked through his hair.

But I regretted my kissing pact , as his hands didn’t leave my waist. His taste and smell were quickly becoming my gateway drug, and I wanted more and more and more. I about lost it when he bit my lower lip before sitting on the bench and pulling me onto his lap.

“You’re killing me, girl.” He nuzzled my neck.

I needed to focus on something other than the one hundred and one things I wanted him to do to me and the fact my panties were on fire. I concentrated on slowing my heart rate. “It does look wonderful in here.”

He kissed my cheek. “We have bait and beer. What more do we need?”

Something pinged in my chest as I looked down at this rugged man.

“Nothing. We have it all.” We sat quietly for several moments.

“Hey, earlier I saw on maps that there’s a craft store in town.

I need to pick up a few more items. Turns out, I have to make a freakin’ ring bearer’s pillow. Can you even believe that shit?”

He wrapped his arms around my waist. “Come on, don’t leave me.”

I gulped air as his words hung in my mind, knowing after a few days our time at the cabin would be over. This was it. I was giving a smile, throwing the match, and burning down my bridge to common sense.

“How about I bring us back a pizza?”

“Are you kidding me? I was just thinking about pizza.” He kissed my neck. “It’s scary that we think alike. Why do we think alike?”

I rolled my eyes as I ran my hands through his thick, perfect hair yet again. “Well, Dave thinks I was born with a dude gene.”

I felt tingly as his eyes slowly traveled from my face down. “Nope, not a single dude gene here. I can guarantee that.”

I had no words.

“I can drive you into town?—”

“No, it’s fine. You check on the chili, and I’ll be back in an hour.”

I stood, and he caught my wrist before grabbing his cell phone from his pocket. “Put your number in my contacts. Text me for anything.”

I put my info in his phone before flexing. “I think I can handle myself, Mr. Gabe.”

He hopped up and pulled me in for the best hug I’ve ever had. I closed my eyes tightly, trying to memorize the moment.