I walk with my fist balled and slam it into his chest. “I hate you.”

“I hate me too! Why do you think I left you?”

I start to shake and fall to the ground. I have no fight left. “I’m not going to live like this.”

“Just tell me why it was so easy to go back to him.” He crouches down and takes my hand. “Why so soon? Why is he so hard for you to let go of? Did you ever let go?”

I gaze at him with tears falling freely. “I don’t know.”

“I do.” He sighs. “Because it was always him.”

I wake and sit up, out of breath. It was only a dream. I would swear it really happened, but know my mind is playing tricks on me. My heart pounds in my chest as his last words play on repeat. “Because it was always him.”

Zach: Come meet me at the barn.

Me: What barn?

Zach: Yours.

I HEAD OUTSIDE IN THE stifling heat. You could fry an egg on the ground with the way the sun is beating down. I didn’t expect to see anyone today, and the office only has a fan so I wore a pair of cut off jeans, a white tank, and my cowboy hat.

“Zach?” I ask, looking around.

I walk forward a little. As soon as I see him, he grabs me.

“Get in here.” Zach’s voice is strained as his hands grip my waist. “You,” he says with a groan.

“What?” I ask, confused about what has him so upset.

His eyes travel down my neck slowly. I watch his chest heave as he continues to the deep scoop of my neckline. Zach drinks me in, and the rate of my breathing increases. I can feel his eyes, the heat from his body, and the grip of his fingers on my back. Everything else around me dissipates.

“Do you know how beautiful you are? How much I want you right now?”

Zach has been extremely patient. It’s been a very slow moving train. One that he hasn’t even tried to make go faster.

“Cowboy,” I murmur. His eyes flash to mine, and I grin.

That’s all it takes.

He looks back quickly as his hands tangle in my hair. Then his lips are on mine. My hat flies off my head from the force of the kiss. My legs wrap around his waist as he carries me back deeper out of view. I grab his neck and my hair veils us, making me feel like only we exist. I kiss him hard. He kisses me harder. When we reach the back of the stall, he uses the wall to keep me up as his hands roam my body.

I never want this to stop.

His rough fingers graze my bare skin and I fight back a moan. His hand grips both of mine, pinning them above my head. I grip harder around his hips but for a different reason now. I want more.

Zach takes his kiss away, and I whimper. “Tell me when you want me to stop, Presley.”

I look in his eyes and shake my head. Right now, the answer is never.

I don’t know if it’s the heat in the air or the heat between us, but I’m burning.

He keeps my hands above my head with one hand as his tongue slinks down my neck. I struggle to breathe as he goes lower. His other hand cups my breast, and my head falls back against the wood.

Zach steps back, causing me to stand on shaky legs. His knee slides between my legs, and I use it for leverage. He doesn’t say a word, just gazes into my eyes as he squeezes and kneads my breast.

“This is okay?” he asks while releasing my hands.

“Yes.”

“Can I touch you more?”

“Yes,” I say without pause.

He slides the strap of my shirt and bra off my shoulder. “You’re so beautiful. You’ve always been, but it’s like seeing you with new eyes.”

Good. God.

He drifts to the other side down but doesn’t expose me. His hands frame my neck and he pulls my lips back to his. We kiss as he barely touches my skin. I’m close to begging, but his mouth is what I want right now.

“Pres?” Wyatt’s voice stops us both.

Zach lifts my straps back into place and puts his finger to my lips.

“Presley?” he calls again. “Where the hell did she go?”

I’m going to get caught making out with Zach in the barn. This is déjà vu all over again. Zach grins, caging me in with his arms. I want to kiss him again. I can’t seem to look at him without craving it.

I hear Wyatt’s footsteps get closer. I close my eyes and wait for him to say something.

Instead, he retreats.

As soon as it sounds like the coast is clear, I breathe a sigh of relief. “That was close.”

“I’m pretty sure he knows.”

“It could’ve been Cooper.”

Zach presses his lips to mine, effectively quieting me. He leans back and runs his fingers through my tresses. “I’ll see you tonight.”

“I’ll be there.”

“Zach.” I smack his chest as we sit tangled in the blanket. He keeps telling me about the tricks he and Trent are playing on the new trainer at his ranch. “You’re so mean. You and Trent need a hobby.”

“I think I’ve found a new one.” He kisses the side of my cheek and tugs me closer.

“I’m a hobby?”

“More like a sport.”

I lean back with my mouth agape. “A sport?”

“Maybe a marathon. But it’s okay, darlin’. I like all the practice time we’re getting.”

I let out a soft giggle and lean back into him. “I might have to make you sit the bench.”

Zach’s lips graze my ear, and I shiver. “I’m not sure you really want that.”

He’s right. I don’t. Each day that we spend together, I fight my feelings for him. When I’m in his arms, it’s impossible to not give in. It’s like falling back where we left off as kids—the good part. I feel the desire pulse through me when we touch, and it scares me. It would be so easy to lose myself to him. Allow the passion to take hold, but that would be a mistake. One that would leave me even more messed up over him. So, for now, we’re taking things slow.

“Watch it,” I warn as his arms tighten.

We’ve met the last eight nights like this. Under the stars, at the creek that separates our properties. I try to remember that we’re not sixteen, but it’s so easy to forget the world when Zach is here.

“Today at the barn was fun,” he reminds me.

The yearning I squashed is back.

“Yeah.” I let out a small laugh and jab him with my elbow. “It was fun. Maybe we’ll do it again sometime.”