“I’d like to drive you in.” His voice was hoarse. “We could pick up dinner later and go out on the lake.”

She inhaled roughly before nodding. She could feel her insides quivering with the knowledge that once he got her out on the lake, she would be in his bed.

“That sounds good,” she said as she turned back to him slowly.

She dropped the towel that covered her, watched his eyes flame, his face flush, and his body come to immediate attention as she stood before him.

“It’s hard to put in.” She held the belly ring out to him. “Would you help me?”

“Good God!” His gaze moved to hers slowly. “Dad’s home, Kelly. If I fuck you here, he’ll kill me.”

“I didn’t ask you to fuck me, Rowdy.” She kept her voice low, intimate as she moved to him. “I asked you to put the ring in.” She extended her arm, her fingers holding the glittering gem.

She loved teasing Rowdy, always had. The look in his eyes made her breathless, showed his hunger. It was the reason she had always waited on him, always known she belonged to him. For years, every time he looked at her, he ate her with his eyes, consumed her with the hunger in them. Just as he did now.

Without speaking, he moved forward on the chair, spreading his legs before his hand gripped her hips, pulling her to him. His hands were hot on her flesh, sending sizzling impulses of pleasure raking over her nerve endings.

“Give me the ring.” His expression was heavy with sensual intent as he took the ring from her fingers.

Kelly stood still, silent as he inserted the curved metal into the tiny hole before snapping the ball end in place. But he didn’t stop touching her there. He positioned the emerald teardrop in place over the entrance to her navel before his fingertips skimmed over her lower belly.

Her womb convulsed beneath his fingers as pleasure tore through her. Lower, she felt the curves of her pussy dampen further than they already were as her vagina pulsed in heavy need.

“Look how pretty,” he whispered, his eyes centering between her thighs as her fingers gripped his shoulders and her knees trembled. “You’re wet for me, Kelly.”

“I’m always wet for you. I’ve been wet for you for years, Rowdy,” she informed him, her voice almost a whimper of hunger.

She realized then the mistake she had made in teasing him. She was too hungry, needed him too much to tempt what she knew she couldn’t have beneath Ray’s roof.

She stared down at Rowdy in a haze of need as he shifted, his head coming closer, his lips pressing into her lower belly as she gasped at the contact. Long-fingered hands smoothed down her hips to her thighs, nudging them apart gently before raising his head. He stared at the flushed folds of her mound. His thumb caressed over the tattoo just above her pussy. The eagle in flight, one wing dipping toward her damp flesh.

“I want to taste you, Kelly,” he groaned, his voice roughening further. “I want to lay you down, spread those pretty legs, and lick all that soft syrup from you.”

Weakness flooded her, taking her breath, her senses, and turning them into one hard ache for just that.

“You’re so wet.” The fingers of one hand trailed around her thigh, then slid slowly, so slowly, but with destructive results, through the thick wetness that lay between the soft folds of flesh.

“Rowdy,” she breathed, her fingers sliding to his hair as his head dipped to her belly again. “Please touch me. Please.”

She had waited so long, dreamed so desperately of his touch that now that it was happening, she feared it was just another dream.

“I’m going to do more than touch you, baby,” he whispered as his lips moved closer to the pounding ache of her clit. “I’m going to touch you, taste you, I’m going to make you scream for me, Kelly. Beg for more.”

Okay. She could handle that.

“Now.”

She felt his chuckle, the sound rasping, filled with hunger as his fingers circled her clit. Her hips arched forward as a low cry left her lips. Need flamed inside her with an intensity that drove anything else from her mind.

“Shhh, baby,” he groaned, his fingers parting her. “Remember Ray.”

Ray who?

His breath whispered over the damp, throbbing bud, sending her senses reeling as a knock sounded at the door. Kelly jerked in Rowdy’s grip as she felt him tense beneath her hold.

“Rowdy, I’m heading out. I need to talk to you before I leave,” Ray called through the thick panel. “Get out here, boy, so I can get to work.”

She heard his footsteps retreating as Rowdy’s fingers slowly slid from her flesh.

“Damn,” he breathed out, moving her back as he lifted his head to stare back at her. “You’re dangerous, darlin’.”

“Don’t stop.” Kelly shook her head as he rose from the chair, his hands smoothing up her back, yet holding her from him.

“I’ll take you to the spa,” he whispered. “And later, I’ll show you how much I love having your sweet pussy bare to me. Get dressed, baby, so we can escape for awhile.”

His lips whispered over hers, ignoring her silent plea for more as her lips parted.

“Get dressed,” he told her again, moving back. “Stop driving me crazy, baby. Let’s get out of here.”

Okay, two could play this game, Kelly was certain. With narrowed eyes she watched as Rowdy stalked from the bedroom, his body tight with tension and the bulge in his pants so apparent he had pulled the tail of his white cotton shirt free of his pants to cover it. She was sure there was no way Ray wouldn’t be aware of his son’s problem.

She snickered at the thought of the tough Rowdy squirming beneath his father’s gaze. Ray was a good guy, but she knew how he was. He hadn’t wanted this relationship to develop between her and Rowdy, neither had her mother, though she wasn’t certain why. She had loved Rowdy forever, and despite Ray and her mother’s marriage, she had never understood the reasons for their disapproval.

Twenty minutes later, dressed and feeling more feminine and less afraid than she had in months, Kelly picked up her phone and called the spa. Marla Reiner, her favorite technician, was available and eager to see Kelly returning to her regular visits. With a little maneuvering, Marla managed to schedule her right in and disconnected the call with a cheery good-bye.

Drawing in a deep breath, Kelly placed her hand on her stomach to still the butterflies racing through her system before she moved to her bedroom door and headed downstairs.

In the back of her mind was the knowledge that nothing would ever be the same from this day on. Once Rowdy had her, she knew what would happen. Questions still plagued her, as did an instinctive discomfort regarding the idea that Rowdy could ever want to touch another woman, no matter the relationship that developed between her and his cousins.

God, it was so strange having that thought in her mind. It had always stayed distant, an awareness of what could happen if she ever got into Rowdy’s bed. There wouldn’t be just one man, but three pleasuring her. Now that it could be reality, she found herself both curious and hesitant. Aroused and frightened. But Kelly knew she wasn’t willing to draw back. Maybe she was different, maybe she wasn’t.

For years rumors had abounded of the Mackay cousins. Women whispered their names with naughty pleasure at the thought of them. Her friends had jokingly informed her that she was insane for not moving into Dawg’s or Natches’s bed while Rowdy was in the service.

She could have. But deep inside she knew that who her heart belonged to made a difference. Alone, Dawg and Natches held no appeal for her. But with Rowdy…

She stepped into the kitchen, watching as he turned to face her, his deep green eyes approving, and hungry.

She belonged to Rowdy.

God, she was gorgeous. Rowdy couldn’t keep his eyes off her as he drove the truck into Somerset, listening to her soft voice relating the local gossip.

Johnny Flowers traded wives with his worst enemy, Buck Layne. Crista Jansen was back home and had moved into her parents’ home place outside of town. No one knew why she had returned to town after years away, but everyone was gossiping about it. Rowdy bet Dawg was interested in that one. He had been hot as hell for Crista before she ran off to college eight years before.

One of Rowdy’s old girlfriends now owned the café he and Dawg and Natches had frequented before Rowdy left, and for the most part, for all the things that had changed, everything was pretty much the same. It was one of the things Rowdy loved about home. It was familiar, endearing.

Lake Cumberland was a place of mystery and beauty, and the small towns that surrounded it were filled with friends and family and memories that had gotten him through the last eight years in the service.

And memories of Kelly.

He glanced at her again, the light reflecting off the emerald at her pretty belly drawing his gaze again. It made his dick hard. Damn, he was dying for her, his cock was throbbing in his jeans and his mouth watering for the taste of her.

He entered the city limits, navigating the summer traffic as he drove to the popular spa the women in town seemed to flock to.

“Here you go.” He pulled into an empty space in front of the entrance and turned to her. “I programmed my number into your cell phone; call me before you leave. I’m meeting Dawg and Natches at the café up the street, so I won’t be far.”

Those kissable lips curved into a slow, promising smile as she leaned close.

“I bet I could walk down the street all by myself, Rowdy,” she whispered teasingly, sending a jolt of fear to slice through his soul.

“No!” He hadn’t meant his voice to be so harsh, but the slight flinch and the spark of fear and anger that filled her eyes assured him he was much harsher than he intended to be.

Rowdy drew in a quick, hard breath before pushing his fingers through his hair, frustration eating him alive.

“I’m sorry, baby,” he growled, his voice still rougher than he wanted. “Don’t scare me like that. Give me a while, okay?” He gave her a quick, comforting smile. “Let me protect you, Kelly.”

She sat against the door now, her gray eyes quiet, her expression closed until she glanced away and lowered her head.

“I understand, Rowdy,” she finally sighed. “But I’m tired of hiding.” She turned back to him, a frown edging at her brows. “I’m tired of letting him win.”

“Kelly, promise me you’ll call me before you leave.” He reached out to her, his fingers running down her cheek, feeling the small quiver of response that ran through her. “Don’t fight me on this, please. He’s a madman—”

“I’m not crazy.” She brushed his hand away as she glared back at him. “I’ll call you, Rowdy. But I don’t think he’s going to try anything in broad daylight. It would be too risky.”

“Point taken.” He nodded. “But we can’t be certain, either. Until I know what we’re dealing with, we’re going to be careful.”

“So says the man who wants to poke at the crazy person by letting him think I’m taking on the Mackay cousins all at once,” she reminded him. “I think walking down the street is a hell of a lot safer.”

“Exactly why you shouldn’t be walking down the street alone,” he pointed out softly. “He knows I have you now, Kelly. Which means Dawg and Natches aren’t far behind, in his eyes. From here on out, we can’t underestimate him; we take nothing for granted.”

Rowdy forcibly tamped down the violence rising inside him. He knew if he ever managed to get hold of the bastard who dared to touch her, then he would kill him. There would be nothing left for justice to convict.

“Fine. I’ll call you before I leave,” she snapped with a spark of anger he couldn’t blame her for. “But don’t take forever to pick me up, if you don’t mind. I have a few other things I’d like to do while I’m in town. And I’d appreciate a little less paranoia until he actually shows that he is stalking me.”