Page 46 of Extreme Romancing in Idaho

I’d never wanted a woman like I wanted Angie. Like a thirst I couldn’t quench no matter how much water I drank, an itch not relieved by any kind of scratching, a deep hunger set to consume me if it continued to go unsatisfied. Do nothing, and I’d lose my mind—if I acted, I’d lose millions and the freedom I’d fought for my entire life.

Not to mention, I’d ruin Myles’ dream as well.

I hadn’t admitted this to myself until I saw her in Smoot’s arms. More and more this past week, I’d found myself staring at her lips, her contours, imagining how our bodies would fit together. Thankfully, I’d had a day alone running errands to and from the farm store and mowing the lawn on top of the usual chores. For days, we moved and patched pipe, getting the irrigation set up for water.

True, two and a half weeks wasn’t long, but I’d never spent this much time with a woman.

One taste of her, and surely, I’d go back to normal, back to my carefree lifestyle, where this woman didn’t rule my thoughts.

I answered Blake’s question, “I don’t know. I just know I can’t ignore this thing between us anymore.”

“Then you stay away from her.” The warning in his voice came out as loud and clear as a tornado siren. Older-brother, protective vibes came off him in waves. “Get your feelings solidly in the ‘I love you’ zone before you make a move on Angie, or I’ll run you out of town. Don’t touch her until you’re ready to give her wedded bliss. She’s not the one-night-stand type.”

“I know.” I dropped my unopened beer bottle onto the carpet and ran both my hands through my hair.

Myles let out a whistling breath and chortled. “Remi, married?” He drank more of his beer, nearly choking before he swallowed.

“Is that hard to imagine?” I asked.

“Yes,” he responded without hesitation.

If I wanted to, I could make this work.

First thing to do: contact my asshat brother and tell him I refused to buy Angie’s family farm.

Second: tell my greed-driven father I quit.

Third: beg my mother to allow me access to my inheritance, which wouldn’t happen even if hell froze over.

Fourth: Use it to pay off Angie’s farm.

Crazier things had happened. Right?

But was I ready to commit to one woman for the rest of my life? Not at all. My parents pretty much proved wedded bliss as a myth. Sure, Tony and Nora challenged that belief, but not enough for me to change the bro code I’d lived by since the age of ten.

In chick flicks, things like this worked out all the time. Not that I was a regular consumer of those romantic movies. For research into the women’s psyche, I’d watched a couple of romantic comedies with a barf bag next to me, just in case. The unreal expectations set in those movies weren’t possible to compete with.

Men simply didn’t behave in that way.

Not in the real world.

The probability of all this working out wasn’t in my favor. My mother would never let me have access to a cent, and Dad would cut me off and fire me without severance. Tenacious as ever, my brother would never leave a deal undone, especially one with this much potential for profit, and the land would get sold to him anyway.

Step one: Cut all association of joint ventures with Angie.

Step two: Let Smoot have her.

My throat tightened to the point where I had difficulty swallowing. I’d teach her enough about the lingo, and the sports Smoot seemed most interested in and then let her fly or fail.

Step three: No more caring, desire, or want.

I couldn’t even think about how close we were as she’d leaned over me to shut off the tractor, about how her heartbeat pulsed into me, matching my own, the way her lips parted in anticipation of a kiss. I definitely couldn’t think about her soft body in my arms after she’d fallen off the stool—or about the way I had to resist going outside, taking her from Smoot’s arms, and giving her a thorough lesson of my own.

Stop it, Remi.I focused on the dull ache in my toe, still hurting from Angie dropping the butt of her axe on it. Feeding this attraction, even one kiss, would lead to a lot more pain.

I hit my head back on the wall.I was in deep shit.

Chapter 17

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