Page 28 of Make Me Shiver (Oil Barrons 2)

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Laney

The heat level in Archer’s malt liquor–brown eyes increased, and his gaze stuck on my lips. I’d been trying to ignore how good he felt under me. Solid, warm, and strong.

Familiar.

Achingly familiar. I missed how it was when he was under me, over me, in me, with every fiber of my being. I missed waking up in the middle of the night and having his wall of heat behind me. All last winter, I’d tried not to think about how nice it would’ve been to snuggle against his hard body when the drafty window let in too much of the bitter north wind.

His embrace tightened until I was tipping forward and offering no resistance to do otherwise. He captured my mouth, and my arms were around him before I realized I had moved.

He splayed his big hands against my back. And wasn’t that what I’d always loved about him? He was tall and broad. I was short and wiry. I was used to being towered over, people trying to dominate me. But with Archer, it’d been nice to sink into his shadow. To still be seen by him, to be protected.

His hot tongue licked along my lips, seeking permission, and like always, I automatically gave it to him. I cursed the choice of fried pickle spears and knoephla soup, but they tasted better with Archer’s flavor.

I groaned and sank into him. My body ignited. I was pressed as close as I could possibly be straddling his lap.

He rubbed his hands up and down my body, starting a blaze wherever he touched. Stroking my torso, his thumbs brushed under my breasts, then around my back. He cupped my face with one hand and my ass with his other. I ground down on him, scooting close.

God, that erection. The guy was gifted in that department, and he knew how to use it. I was heavy with need. Every nerve knew this man and wanted what he could give.

I’d progressed from small-town boys with no experience to college guys with too much confidence to a master. He had the confidence, but he also had the maturity and patience to go with it. And while I’d been convinced that I was lucky to orgasm once with bonus points for me not having to assist, Archer had proven that he’d take care of it all. He’d taken care of me beyond the bedroom, and damn, that’d been nice.

Too nice. The relationship I’d had with Archer had been an illusion, a fantasy I’d helped to create. It hadn’t been fair to him. Or to me. And I couldn’t go down that rabbit hole again.

I pushed against his chest, breaking our kiss. He gazed at me with lust-filled eyes and leaned in. I swayed back and put my fingers against his lips.

“I can’t do this.” There was no point. He had to go home, and I had to stay.

He didn’t let me go, but he put space between us. Was his expression disappointment or fear or both? “Do you want to stay married?”

Hot pressure pricked the back of my eyes. “It doesn’t matter. I told you.”

“It makes all the difference in the world.”

I slumped on his lap. “I don’t see how it could work out.”

“Me neither.”

My heart sank. Oh, God. This was it.

“But that doesn’t mean there isn’t an answer out there. We need time, and I’m going to be here for a while. I haven’t used any vacation days since our trip to Vegas.”

All the reasons this wasn’t a good idea clambered into my mind. My personality, which hadn’t scared him off—yet. The Truitts. My family and my work. Where we lived. But sitting on his lap after he’d kissed Laney Granger and not some image of a perfect woman wasn’t the best time to turn him down.

“Fine. I’ve got a ditch waiting for you to hay.” I wasn’t sure what I was excited about more—having some help around Diamond UU or seeing Archer drive a tractor instead of a high-end car.

The smile I was rewarded with wormed its way into my belly and moved south. I had to push completely off his lap before I started grinding into him. I stood and grabbed the last pickle spear. He’d had only a couple, but the guy had to learn he couldn’t leave food sitting around me.

He rose and adjusted his pants around his impressive erection. “Tomorrow, then. I’ll be ready to work.”

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