Free A Buckhorn Bachelor by Lori Foster Page B

time! I’m so sorry I didn’t say somethin’ earlier. But I was afraid to. I didn’t think...that is, I know you don’t feel the same.”
    He opened his mouth—but nothing came out. He needed a second to think.
    â€œ I love you ,” she said again, her voice filled with longing. “But I want you, too.”
    Want, as in sexually? That was good...or was it?
    â€œYou’re confused,” she said, her eyes big and filled with dread. “Of course I understand why. Please, please know that I don’t expect anything. I mean, I want things. I hope for things. But for this—” She gestured between them. “—that’s a given, okay?”
    Stupidly, he shook his head. “This?”
    â€œSex. Us. We can do that regardless. We will do that. I mean, I want to and hope I’m not scarin’ you off. But if you don’t anymore, I promise I won’t fuss or anything.” Utterly agonized, she wound down, then whispered desperately, “I love you.”
    She was so uncertain because she didn’t know he felt. But then, he didn’t know how he felt.
    â€œI swear,” she added, “I wouldn’t tease and make you think... I wouldn’t lead you on only to throw out this emotional baggage and then bail on you. Noel told me—”
    He latched onto that. “Noel?”
    She nodded fast, her hands still holding on to him as if she feared he might run screaming away from her.
    Because she loved him.
    â€œNoel told me not to play Amber’s games. He said—”
    More confusing by the moment. Adam put a finger to her mouth and shook his head. He needed a second. Or maybe a day.
    He needed her .
    â€œWhat does my busy-body cousin have to do with this?”
    Issy shied away. “I, um...”
    â€œIsabella?”
    Hearing him use her full name, she lifted her chin. “I told her I loved you. That is, she offered to fix me up with some different guys and I told her it was you I wanted, that it was because of you I hadn’t been datin’ and...” She trailed off, becoming subdued once more. “Stuff.”
    â€œStuff,” he repeated stupidly. “What stuff ?”
    She shrugged. “Sex stuff.”
    Poleaxed, Adam struggled to catch up. So she’d been celibate... “Because you want me?”
    She nodded, then inhaled again.
    And this time it was Adam bracing.
    â€œI want you so much, Adam.” Her small hand moved over his chest, then up his shoulder to the back of his neck. Gaze pleading, she whispered, “Today. Right now . Okay? Please?”
    He had no idea if he should be relieved or not. “I want you, too.”
    Her smile came, then went. “But...and this is the tricky part.”
    Oh good. A tricky part. He worked his jaw. “Let’s hear it.”
    â€œIf you’re not...if you don’t have feelins for me, too, then...” She winced. “It should probably just be this one time.”
    It took a second for that to sink in. “One time...” sounded completely inadequate.
    Staring up at him, Issy nodded. “One time to relieve the itch, or satisfy your curiosity or whatever it is you’re feelin’ for me.” Her gaze moved over him, hopeful, and damn but he saw the love.
    For him .
    â€œAmber told me you needed a nudge. She said you were so determined on bein’ a bachelor that you might not even recognize your own feelings. So I went along with her game.”
    â€œGame?”
    She bit her lips and nodded. “To give you that nudge.”
    â€œBy flaunting other possible guys in front of me?”
    She winced, guilt stealing her gaze away so that she stared at the lake. “See, that was the plan at first. But before I could even give it a go, you approached me at the carnival and I wasn’t interested in that game anymore.” Her gaze returned to his face. “Only Amber didn’t know that, so she carried