Stunned, Abby just stood there staring at the place where he had been. Her embarrassment, she realized, was gone. Gage had been dreaming about her. He wanted her as much as she wanted him.

She took a shaky breath, recognizing for the first time the danger she had put herself in.

Abby had admired Gage Logan for years. She’d been attracted to him even before she’d met him. But Gage wasn’t interested in anything but sex. He was the great explorer. He had women falling at his feet. He wanted her, yes, but as soon as he’d had his fill, he’d be gone.

Abby wasn’t a no-strings kind of woman. Now that she had come to know him, the attraction had only grown stronger. If she let herself fall for Gage, he would break her heart.

A shaky breath trembled out. At least, she was safe for the time being. Gage’s strict no-drinking policy also applied to sex. All she had to do was remember the consequences of letting her guard down, allowing herself to fall more deeply under his spell.

She couldn’t let it happen. She refused to become just another of Gage’s women. She was worth more than that.

Abby locked the door and poured a couple of inches of scotch into a glass. The first sip warmed her; the second eased some of her tension.

She could handle Gage Logan. She was a smart, independent woman. The thought occurred that she wanted Gage, but maybe someone else would do. Maybe another man could help her get her head on straight and she could forget Gage Logan. Kyle Jenkins’s handsome face arose. The sexy young cowboy had made his interest clear.

But instead of excitement or desire, Abby felt oddly disloyal. It was insane. She didn’t owe Gage her loyalty or anything else. She meant nothing to him, not even enough for him to break one of his ridiculous rules. The problem was she didn’t want Kyle. The man she wanted was sleeping in the cabin next door.

Abby downed the scotch, undressed, and climbed in bed. If Gage wanted to play games, so could she. Abby smiled as she relaxed back on her pillow, thinking of ways to drive Gage over the edge. It could be fun, she told herself. As long as she didn’t let her guard down or her heart get involved.

But first and far more important was finding the Devil’s Gold, restoring King’s legacy. There was still a chance the men in Denver knew she and Gage were headed to the ranch. A chance that whoever wanted the map would follow them into the mountains, make another attempt to steal the map, or lie in wait till they’d found the gold, then try to steal it from them.

Until this was over, the simple truth was, she needed Gage Logan.

King Farrell was no fool.