She huffed. “I’m serious. You can have any woman you want. Nieves just traveled halfway across the country to be with you, and she’s gorgeous.”

“She’s a pain in the ass.”

“And I’m not?”

“You have your moments,” I said. Didn’t matter. I hadn’t given a thought to any other woman since I’d laid eyes on Lacey Ward.

“Then why me, Rock?”

What could I say to that, except to be honest? A first for me, but why not?

“Because I haven’t been able to stop thinking about you since I first laid eyes on you.”

Her mouth dropped open.

“Surprise you?” I asked.

She cleared her throat. “Yeah. More than a little.”

“Just telling the truth. We’ve had our share of good times in the short time we’ve known each other. You have to admit that.”

“I admit it. But we still don’t really know each other. Every time I ask you—”

“Stop.” I held up my hand. “I don’t get personal, Lacey. It’s not who I am.”

She finished off her sparkling water and stood. “You’ve made that clear. You’ve also made it clear that we don’t have a relationship. Sorry, Rock. That’s not enough for me. I enjoy sex as much as the next person, but I’m not looking for a fuck buddy.”

“Lace, sit down. Please.” The thought of her leaving tied my insides in knots. I had to resist. I had no other choice. There were things she didn’t know about me—would never know about me—and if she did, she’d run away as fast as she could.

If I were a better man, I’d let her run away.

But I was not a better man, unfortunately. I wanted her. I wanted to take her to Montana and show her the beauty of the outdoors.

I wanted to sleep with her in my own bed.

I wanted to wake up next to her and fry her some bacon and eggs in my cast-iron skillet, make her a pot of coffee.

I wanted to make love with her in front of my crackling fireplace, though that would have to wait since summer was nearly here.

I wanted to make her a pot of beef stew or barbeque steaks on my grill for her.

Take her hunting, show her how to pluck and skin a pheasant and then enjoy it together with my famous cognac cream sauce.

“You going to say anything?” she asked. “You asked me to sit.”

I itched to tell her everything racing through my mind, everything I wanted to share with her.

But I couldn’t. Just couldn’t.

She rolled her eyes. “That’s what I thought.”

“Please. Let’s have dinner. And go with me to Montana this weekend. I promise you’ll have an amazing time.”

“I’m not denying that our sex is great, Rock.”