She was laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe, the birds forgotten.

Zach rolled her onto her back and covered her body with his. Karen took one last shot and smeared mud on his face with a free hand. They were laughing and Karen was moving her head from side to side to avoid him smearing mud on her face, too.

He grabbed her hands and pinned them above her head, then leaned down to rub the dirt from his cheek against the side of hers.

“Eweh!”

They were both laughing, chests heaving, before either one of them realized where they were.

The deep blue pools of his eyes watched hers as everything around them calmed except the pounding of their hearts.

Her head told her to move, push him away. She saw the indecision in his eyes as well.

The forest closed in and the chemistry they’d been denying since they met zeroed in on this very moment. Zach’s heated gaze lingered over hers.

“Make me stop,” Zach whispered over her lips.

The brisk staccato of his breath raced against hers.

His lips were so close and the need to feel them too strong to deny. “I-I can’t.”

His eyes searched hers. “I can’t either.”

Zach’s warm breath was nothing compared to his lips. Soft, sensual, and searching. His kiss was so caring and careful she closed her eyes and allowed herself to feel. It had been so long since she’d lost herself in something so basic she’d forgotten how wonderful it was to just be kissed. She moaned and kissed him back, opened her lips against his to play and deepen the feeling they both had wanted for so long.

Zach released the hold on her arms and they fell behind his back to hold him close while his tongue slid beside hers for a solid taste. He was testosterone, and pine…strength and desire all rolled up in one.

His body pressed her into the soft earth and her leg wound around his to bring him closer. She broke contact briefly, then rushed back in for more. The taut muscles of his back narrowed to his waist and tight ass. When was the last time she felt anything so perfect?

They went on like this until breathing became a serious effort and a warm fire pooled just south of her stomach. Zach’s thumb pushed against her breast, and her nipple hardened.

Reason started to leak back in. If Zach was anyone other than Michael’s brother, she’d welcome everything. His kisses, his caress, the erection she felt even now as it pressed through his clothing and against her leg.

She couldn’t do this. Maybe in six months, when she and Michael were divorced…but now? The deceit to Zach, the disloyalty to Michael…

Karen forced her emotions back in and ended their kiss.

Zach watched her under a hooded gaze.

“We can’t…”

He closed his eyes, rested his forehead against hers. “I know.”

She swallowed and tried to catch her breath.

“I should run from you as fast as my feet can take me away,” he confessed.

Remorse laced his words. She wanted to tell him he wasn’t an awful brother and she wasn’t a cheating wife, but that could only lead to an explanation that would ruin Michael.

“Don’t hate yourself Zach.”

“How can’t I? I think about you. Dream about you.” He opened his eyes and found hers again.

“Maybe after this kiss, that will all fade.”

He smiled through the pain. “I’d like to believe that.”

The thought left her cold. She’d dream of nothing but him.

“We should go. Before someone else comes looking for us.”

He nodded, looked as if he were going to kiss her again, but then pulled away and helped her to her feet.

When he turned around, she noticed the muddy handprint on his ass and cringed. She looked down at herself and noticed his print on the side of her waist and breast.

“Zach?”

He turned around and she pointed to her clothing. “Oh, that’s not good.”

“You have a little…” She pointed to his butt. He noticed the damage and smeared a patch of fresh dirt to cover her prints. Karen followed his lead and did the same to herself. After the two of them were satisfied with the hiding of evidence, Karen slid behind him on the motorcycle and he drove her back to the cabin.

Chapter Eighteen

Michael rode up to the cabin, killed the engine on his bike, and jumped off with a smile. He couldn’t remember feeling more relaxed. He really did need to thank Karen for insisting they travel to Utah.

His mother stood in front of the sink washing vegetables when he walked inside. He snagged a carrot from her stash and popped it into his mouth. “Hey.”

“Hi, honey.”

“Where is everyone?”

The cabin was unusually quiet this close to dinner hour.

“Hannah and Judy took off with some friends hours ago. Your dad and Joe are teaching little Eli how to fish…though I’m guessing they just didn’t want to stick around here for me to put them to work. Rena is putting Susie down for a nap in our room, and I think Zach went looking for Karen.”

“Looking for her? Where did she go?”

“Rena said she went for a run. But that was a few hours ago and we started to worry so Zach headed out on a motorcycle. I’m sure she’s fine,” Janice offered. From the expression on her face, she didn’t seem at all concerned.

“There you are,” Rena exclaimed as she walked into the kitchen. She slid an arm around his waist and Michael kissed the top of her head.

“Miss me?”

“Fishing for a compliment?”

“Maybe.” Their banter had always been like this…playful and easy.

Rena gave him a hug. “Can I talk to you a minute?” She nodded toward the door.

“Sure.” He grabbed a couple more carrots and followed his sister outside. They moved away from the cabin and she laced her arm through his.

“What’s up?” He asked between bites.

Rena sucked in a deep breath and didn’t answer right away. When Michael smiled down at her, his stomach churned. “What is it?”

“You know I love you…right?”

He narrowed his eyes and tossed the carrots to the ground. Did any conversation ever start out like that and end well? “Of course. I love you, too.”

She tugged on his arm and kept walking.

“I wanted to talk to you before Karen came back.”

The suspense was killing him, but he kept listening and tried not to jump to conclusions.

“Before she could tell you about our conversation.”

“What conversation?” he asked.