“Okay.” She sighed. “I don’t know about losing my freedom,” she admitted. “I just know that I love being with you, in a way I’d never imagined. Can’t that be enough for now? For the next few weeks, until I decide what the hell I’m doing?”

The way she looked at him, as if she expected him to push her away, pulled at him hard. She was struggling to find the path that was right for her, and he had no right, nor a desire, to stand in her way and direct her. She had a smudge of trail dirt on her jaw, a slight sunburn on her nose, and a wary light in her eyes while she waited for him to respond.

“I promised you one minute at a time,” he said, and traced a finger over her jaw. “I’m trying here, Red.”

She let out a tenuous smile, and as they stared at each other, time seemed to stop. It wasn’t the first time that had happened, and a small part of him hesitated because he knew he was headed for a world of hurt.

“So.” She glanced at all his paperwork scattered in front of them. “Getting anywhere?”

“No.”

“Well, in that case.” She scooted closer and kissed his chin. “Maybe we can get back to that one minute at a time thing.”

Resisting was pointless when he wanted her bad enough to take what he could get. He shoved all the paperwork away and pulled her into his lap.

Summer moved eagerly into Joe’s arms, thinking he was just what she needed. He ran a finger down her throat, over her collarbone as she settled in his lap, and at the feel of him hard and muscled beneath her, she all but purred. “Is that a gun in your pocket, Fire Marshal Walker, or are you just happy to see me?”

“Guess,” he said, and grabbing the hands she’d tried to dip into his Levi’s, he pushed her to the floor, following her down, holding her wrists captive on either side of her head. “Now about that minute…”

“Yes?” she asked breathlessly, looking up into his face.

“I’m taking one right now. You’re going to let me.”

Her pulse leapt and she wrapped her legs around his hips, arching up, rubbing the hottest, neediest part of her to what she figured was the hottest, neediest part of him, dragging a groan from his throat. He released her hands to shove up her tank and unzip her sports bra.

She opened her mouth to tell him she hadn’t showered, but all that came out was a garbled whimper because he took a breast in his mouth, sucking her nipple in deep, running his tongue over the tip as it hardened for him.

“Joe. I need to take a shower—Ohmigod,” she gasped when he clamped his teeth down lightly and tugged.