Page 68 of Montana Heat

“That’s family, Jensen.Yourfamily. I see it all around here. It’s making me wonder how I’m ever going to leave Garnet Bend.”

He dried his hands on the towel hanging by the sink and turned slowly around. “Could you see yourself…staying?”

I sighed. “Even after all this craziness is over—if and when it ever is—Denver is my home. I miss my friends, my community.”

This time, he took my hand and squeezed it, perhaps understanding the dilemma I felt myself struggling with. I squeezed his fingers back. “And then there’s you. I’m scared of how strong my feelings are. Howquicklythey’ve become this strong.”

“Me too, City. Me too. Watching you sleep last night, I realized how much you’ve gotten under my skin. But I get it. Your life isn’t here.”

But you are.

I furrowed my brow, wondering how I could tell him that without moving too fast.

“But, hey. We don’t have to figure everything out now.” He wrapped his arms around me and pulled me into his body. I wanted nothing more than to snuggle in close, so that’s exactly what I did.

“Let’s get rid of all snakes, stalkers, and violent exes, and then we’ll figure out the rest.” He ran a hand up and down my back. “In the meantime, let me take care of you.”

I leaned back and grinned at him, amazed I could smile with the overall state of my life. “You already are.”

He tipped his head toward the window, indicating out back. “But we could enjoy ourselves even more.”

I leaned up to peer out the window, seeing nothing from my vantage point. Sometimes, it sucked to be short. “What’s out there?”

“I have a hot tub installed just out back on the deck.”

I blinked, surprised. “Interesting priorities. Install a hot tub before seeing to the completion of the interior.”

He chuckled. “Want to take a dip with me?”

I smiled shyly. “I, uh, didn’t exactly bring a bathing suit with me.”

Stepping closer, he tempted me with that sexy scent that was all man, all Jensen.

“We’re all alone way out here.” He stepped into my space until he hugged me with one arm around my back. Leaning toward my ear, he whispered, “You don’t need a suit.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Jensen

When I mentioned skinny-dipping in the hot tub, Kenzie’s breath hitched. She lowered her lids, and that shy look shot straight to my gut. I didn’t miss how she leaned toward me.

I’d take care of her however she wanted me to. Her comfort was key. That didn’t necessarily mean sex, though.

Clothes or no clothes in that hot tub, sex would still be her call. I wasn’t going to push.

“I’ll go get changed. I think I left a suit here last time that I didn’t use. You can decide if you want to go au naturel or find something to wear. Towels are stacked out there too. Up to you.”

I turned from her, going back to the bedroom to find my suit. Maybe she was modest. Maybe getting naked in the hot water wasn’t something she wanted to consider right now. She would be fine there, but I hadn’t considered the vulnerability I was asking of her.

Maybe asking her to get naked out in the open air was too much. She could be focusing on needing to run to safety, an engrained instinct, not wanting to get frisky or soak like this. I should’ve thought about that.

As I changed, I wondered if I’d find her sitting in theswirling, steaming water or if she would just be seated near the tub, still in her clothes, debating passing on the opportunity. I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped out there and found her in it.

Kenzie sat with her long hair piled into a messy bun high atop her head. Her face glowed with a sheen of moisture. Under the lights projecting up from the bottom of the tub, shadows lit her gorgeous face, those high cheekbones so pronounced that they gave her a sense of mystery.

My heart raced. I was relieved she’d taken me up on this and had gotten in. And that relief turned into a wicked thrill when I saw she had, in fact, gone without any sort of swimsuit. I schooled my features and attempted to get my lust under control. I ordered my cock to stand down.

She looked like an angel, relaxed and smiling.

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