Middle of Nowhere, Oklahoma
WHAT WAS SHE DOING? Or had just done? Miriam Cole sucked in a breath and squeezed her eyes tight. It didnât change a thing. He was still there.
Miriam peeked over her shoulder at the man smushed up against her body. His legs were tangled over hers and his hand gently gripped her breast. The angle was awkward, but she could make him out perfectly in the morning light.
She sucked in a breath as she gazed at his sexy, slightly curling dark hair. That full bottom lip that did such dangerous things to her body. That face that looked almost boyish in his sleep.
Boyish, because the man beside her was twenty years old.
Twenty. Twenty? She had to get out of there.
How had this happened? Two days ago, getting a rental and driving from Dallas to see a prospective author in Oklahoma had seemed like such a great idea. A couple of hours in the car with the top down. See a part of the country sheâd never seen before. Relax. Take a break.
But the clean air smelled weird, the wildflowers untamed, and after mentally going through her to-do list, she remembered why she hated time alone with herself. She had nothing but work on her mind.
When she returned to the office, sheâd fire the person whoâd suggested she take a vacation. Even if he was her brother.
The man beside her shifted and snuggled closer into her pillow, burying his face in her hair. She closed her eyes again, loving the feel of his skin against hers. Miriam began to curve her hand along the hardness of his biceps. Nothing felt as good as a manâs strong arms. Jeremyâs strong arms especially. Maybe a quickâ
Her body jerked. Stop. If she went down that road again, heâd be awake. What had it been, four? Five times? Besides a little bit of sleep, the man didnât need much else to be up and raring to go. As tempting as round five or six soundedâescape was what she needed.
She slowly tugged her hair out from under him and slid gracelessly to the floor. He shifted, and she made every muscle in her body go still. She held her breath. After counting to ten, she slowly stood. Although way more prudent, she refused to crawl. Some dignity must be maintained. She was a major player in the publishing industry after all.
Oh, her brother Ian would laugh his head off if he knew sheâd tiptoed naked to the bathroom. Brought down. Brought down by a temperamental sporty little red car and no bars on her cell phone. Stranded. Stranded somewhere in the middle of a place called Arbuckle Wilderness.
Her cell phone beeped and she dashed for it. No way did she want Jeremy waking up. Heâd want to do something gallant like fix her breakfast or slay some kind of dragon.
âHello?â she answered quickly.
Thatâs when she realized that what she held in her hand wasnât her phone. What had seemed so funny the day before, that she and Jeremy had picked out the same built-in ring tone, now was another in an ever-growing list of events that had led her to the colossal mistake of falling into his arms last night.
The long pause on the other line was ended by a strangled throat clearing. âWho is this?â the woman demanded, her tone clearly not expecting any subterfuge.
Rather than answering, Miriam padded across the floor and shook Jeremyâs shoulder. âPhone call for you,â she told him as he opened his eyes and she met the blueness of his gaze, reminding her just why sheâd kissed him that first time.
With a sexy shrug, he sat up in bed, the sheet slid down his legs. Donât look.
âHello?â His voice sleepy and so appealing to her.
Oh, what did she have left to lose really? Her gaze drifted lower.
And Jeremy sat up straighter. âOh, hi, Mom.â
She shouldnât have looked.
She was going to be sick.
Two Weeks Later
âYOU LOOK LIKE HELL,â Miriam said.
Ian Cole slumped into the burgundy leather chair in front of his editorâs glass-and-chrome desk, ready for his latest assignment.
âThatâs a bit harsh,â he told his sister.
âItâs true. Have you seen yourself in the mirror?â
Maybe she had a point. He certainly felt like hell, and he probably looked it, too. Yeah, well, what else was new? âIâve just spent three weeks tracking drug runners. Youâre lucky I caught a shower before catching the redeye back to the States.â
âMaybe you should try catching a shave and a haircut. And three days worth of sleep.â