“Sure.” I shrugged as we headed back to the UTV. The sun had set and darkness blanketed the sky.

“What’s in it for you?”

Just as she tried to step toward the driver’s side of the vehicle, I reached out and tugged her against me, wrapping my arm around her slight body.

“Time with you.”

It had been torture walking around the barn for the last thirty minutes without being able to touch her. My body ached to taste her again. And now here in the darkness, I took that opportunity.

My mouth crashed against hers and as my tongue begged for entrance, it surprised me how willingly she opened up for me. My sweet obsession wanted me just as much as I wanted her.

Autumn’s hands clawed at my back over the thin cotton shirt I wore. I almost wished I hadn’t been wearing it so I could wear the scratches from her with pride.

My hands roamed around her hips until they rested on the globes of her bottom, my palms squeezing the round flesh in my palms. Fuck, her ass felt better than I imagined it would.

Our tongues danced against each other as we savored the kiss. Like a vampire in the night, I craved the soft skin of her neck. I wanted to feel her pulse beating against my lips. I wanted to smell the sweet scent of her perfume. I wanted to mark her.

Begrudgingly, I broke the kiss and placed the softest of pecks across her jaw as I made a path toward the sensitive spot just below her ear. I took delight in her soft moan as I nipped at the skin and then ran my tongue over the assault.

“I want you, Autumn,” I told her as I continued to nibble at her neck between kisses. Her body grew languid in my arms as she moaned. Her hips moved in the tiniest of circles against my rock-hard erection and my fingers flexed against their hold on her backside.

“Colton,” she groaned and I found myself falling into an abyss at the sound of my name from her lips. She was so responsive and all I’d done was given some attention to her neck. I couldn’t imagine how she would react if I gave that attention to every other part of her body.

“Hold on, baby.”

Lifting Autumn, she wrapped her legs around my waist and my cock threatened to explode like I was a teenager when I felt the warmth of her center against my jeans. In a few steps, I placed her on the edge of the Polaris, balancing her body in my arms as my lips never left their assault on her neck.

Autumn’s hand dove into my hair as I moved to the opposite side of her neck, exploring the spots that made her body tremble in response.

I knew I should stop, but I was so lost in her I barely heard her calling my name again. This time with urgency.

“Colton, stop. Someone’s coming.”

“What?” I asked in a lusty haze, my body aching as I pulled back from her, allowing her to jump down from the vehicle.

“I can hear another UTV coming.”

The lights of another vehicle crested the hill and illuminated the space around us. Thankfully, my erection had quickly subsided at Autumn’s words.

“Yeah,” I murmured as I took my seat.

“Colton, I. . .” she started as she took her own seat and turned on the ignition.

“Look, Autumn. You know I like you and I want to spend more time with you. Maybe outside of helping me with the house, you can show me some things around town? It could be a way to remember the things you like here.”

“You want to spend time with me?”

“I thought I had been very clear about it.”

Autumn had the decency to wince just as Nash pulled up beside us. Her father looked between the two of us and clearly put two pieces together.

“I don’t know if I should beat you or thank you,” he said directed to me and then turned his vehicle around.

The rest of our conversation came to an end as we followed her father back to the house.

Nash never mentioned anything more when we returned to the house. I thanked her parents for dinner and said goodbye to her siblings as I made my way from the house back to my truck. I was surprised when Autumn followed me out.

“About earlier,” she began, but I cut her off with a press of my lips against her cheek.

“The ball’s in your court, Autumn. I’m working on sanding down some of the original woodwork this week if you’re interested. Just stop by the house. You know where to find me.”

It took all my strength to leave her standing there beside my truck with a look on her face of confusion and hurt.

I was too old for games and knew what I wanted. I didn’t need a relationship, but I wasn’t opposed to having her warm my bed at night. And I did enjoy her company. When she spoke of the things she was passionate about, her entire body lit up and it was hard not to want to be surrounded by that desire.

I could only hope that Autumn’s body craved mine the same way I yearned for hers because I wasn’t sure I could be around her and not want to put my hands on her. Autumn left me with an unquenchable appetite and I worried she was the only woman that could feed that hunger.

Chapter Twelve – Autumn

I wasn’t sure how I had managed to go three days without seeing Colton, but I knew it had taken every ounce of willpower I possessed to not drive to his house.

To keep my mind off of him, I’d spent Sunday with Alex at the bar and helped her run  inventory. She gave me hell for running Colton off. Monday, I volunteered to help in Rory’s classroom, admiring the way she interacted with the first graders. I was so proud of my sister for the way she knew exactly what to do and say with the kids. And Tuesday Aspen caught me sulking in the living room and asked if I wanted to help her get supplies for the farm at the store. It hadn’t taken long, but it was nice to take my mind off the intrusive thoughts swirling in my mind.

What if I stayed and failed? What if I left and something happened to someone in the family? What if Colton met someone?

The latter plagued my mind for hours before dawn had risen.

But here I was now, standing beside my car, watching as fifteen or so men worked around the house I’d once imagined myself raising a family in. I hadn’t been back over since Friday when Dad had tricked me into staying and it surprised me to see how far along it had come.

They cleaned the bricks and put fresh mortar in the spots that had begun to crumble. New windows were in the process of being installed, and the foundation looked as if it had been re-leveled.

Things that I was sure took weeks or months to accomplish only took days when you had millions of dollars to throw around.

I gave myself a mental pep talk as the sound of a jackhammer echoed across the land.

“Can I help you?” a voice with a hint of a drawl said from behind me.

“Hi, I’m looking for Colton Crawford?”

The man looked at me skeptically, and I wondered if he was worried that I was a fan or reporter. Leave it to Colton to have security on site.

“I’m his neighbor. Autumn Easterly. And I brought him a pie.”

After a moment, the man chuckled and advised me that Colton was in the house in the library.

“Thanks.”

Grabbing the small duffle bag from the back seat, I made my way toward the house, inhaling the scent of fresh wood as I went.