He flexed at her words, then groaned softly. It was going to be a long night. “Positive.”

He was torn between asking her to stop tormenting him and begging her to keep on doing it. The outcome of the latter was inevitable, and in a sleeping bag, more than a little messy.

Just a few seconds more, he told himself as he closed his eyes and gave himself up to the steady stroking of her hand. He would stop her before things got out of control.

But Phoebe being Phoebe and his attraction to her being what it was, that point of “out of control” arrived a lot faster than he would have realized. Painfully aroused and right on the edge, he grabbed her wrist.

“You’re killing me.”

“So not my purpose.”

Then she stunned him by opening the sleeping bag, pushing it away and sliding down between his legs. As her fingers toyed with his testicles, her mouth settled on his erection. From there it was a thirty-seven-second journey to heaven.

Later, when he’d returned the favor and they were back in the sleeping bag and tangled together, Zane allowed himself to wonder what life would be like with Phoebe. Would she enjoy his world or would the wide-open spaces wear on her? He had a feeling she would hold genealogy classes for the goats and self-actualization classes for the steers. She would make him crazy, and she would make him laugh.

She would love him.

Phoebe was the kind of woman who, once she committed to a man, would give her heart completely. She would love with her whole being, and forever, unless the guy was a complete jerk and broke her heart. Phoebe was made to love and be loved.

She could never be for him. He didn’t want to love anyone—ever. Love was isolation and danger and pain. Which meant he should have told her to head over to Maya’s tent. Safer for him and for her.

Instead he pulled her sleeping body close to his and lightly kissed her hair.

Tomorrow, he promised himself. He would end this tomorrow. Was it so wrong to want to have this one night to remember?

* * *

ZANE AWAKENED THEM both early. By the time Chase stirred, he had both their tents down and was on his third cup of coffee. Phoebe had promised she could act completely normal, but looking at her from across the fire, he wasn’t so sure. There was no way anyone could see her dreamy expression and not know something was different.

She tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “What? You keep looking at me. I know my makeup can’t be smudged. I’m not wearing any.”

It didn’t matter; she was still beautiful.

“You look different,” he told her. “Satisfied.”

Color flared on her cheeks. “You’re only saying that because you know the truth.”

“Uh-huh.”

He doubted that, but maybe she was right. Or maybe the weather would be enough of a distraction to keep everyone from figuring out the truth.

“How long is it going to rain?” she asked as she fingered a pole holding up the canvas sheet they put up to protect the fire and the seating area around it. “It sure got cold and damp in a hurry.”

Zane shrugged. “No way to tell. The storm is supposed to hang around for a few days, but maybe it will blow over.”

He hoped it would. Traveling in the rain wouldn’t be fun for anyone. And he couldn’t simply turn them around, head to the ranch and be there in time for lunch. They were at the farthest point from his house. It was a full two-day ride back.

Phoebe finished her coffee. “I’m going to check and see if my things are dry,” she said as she stood.

He nodded, then watched her go.

Cookie had started a second campfire on the far side of camp. Phoebe’s clothes and sleeping bag were getting a dose of smoky warm air in an attempt to get them dry before they headed out. Zane knew the old man wouldn’t tease Phoebe. Instead he would save his comments for Zane.

“Hey,” Chase said as he approached. “The rain sucks.”

“Agreed.”

His younger brother settled on a log. “I checked on the cattle. They’re fine. The clouds don’t look like there’s going to be any lightning or thunder, but they look plenty wet.”

Zane nodded. “Storm’s supposed to last two days. I was hoping it would hold off until Saturday.”

Chase sipped his coffee. “Everybody okay?”

There was something about the question. Zane stared at him. “What do you mean?”

“Nothing. Just checking.”

Had Chase heard something in the night? Zane shook his head. Not possible. His tent had been some distance from the others, and the rain had blocked out a lot of noise. Nothing about his brother’s expression told what he was thinking.

“We’re heading back today, right?” Chase said.

“That’s the plan. I wish it wasn’t a two-day ride.”

“There’s—”

Chase stopped speaking and stared at his coffee. Zane knew what he’d been about to say. Reilly’s place. It was only about an hour’s ride. The old man would give them shelter until the worst of the storm passed, and even send out a few of his men to watch over the cattle until then.

But Zane wasn’t about to impose on his neighbor. Not now and not ever.

He glanced at the sky and wondered how long he could take a stand in weather like this. Whatever his issues with Reilly, his guests’ safety came first.

“I better see how everyone’s doing,” he said as he tossed the rest of his coffee into the fire.

“Before you go,” Chase said and held out something in his hand. “I wasn’t sure if you had enough with you.”