After work, Sydney hurried to her apartment. She ran late at the DOT site and promised to meet Sarah at the Longbranch at seven. Checking the clock on her kitchen wall, she saw it was already six-thirty. She quickly showered and put on a little makeup—tinted moisturizer, mascara, and lip gloss—and dressed for the night in a denim miniskirt, tight white tee, and her tan cowboy boots. There was a little chill in the air, so she grabbed a cashmere sweater and hurried to her Jeep Wrangler.

The parking lot was already full by the time she got there, so she parked a block away. The minute she opened the door, Garth Brooks on the jukebox assaulted her ears. Several couples crowded the dance floor, but she spotted her Sarah across the room, talking to a couple of guys from Lawler’s Feed and Grain. She made it halfway across the room before she saw Kale Anderson standing at the bar with several other cowboys.

His gaze locked on her. He had a longneck beer in his hand, which he slowly brought up to his mouth.

God, he is gorgeous, she thought, hoping she didn’t trip as she walked across the room.

For the next hour, she felt his gaze on her, and when she did look in his direction, he was indeed watching her. There was something about him that drew her like a moth to light. His whole appearance and attitude was masculine. He was also arrogant and knew exactly how good he looked, making him like a piece of forbidden fruit.

She’d heard the rumors around town. Several women he’d dated and never got serious about. Many of them whispered about him. Leaning over, she whispered in Sarah’s ear, “Do you know anything about Kale Anderson?” She motioned toward the bar with a tip of her head.

If anyone in town knew gossip, it was Sarah. Everyone in the county stopped by her shop, and hairdressers heard more gossip than bartenders did.

“Well,” Sarah whispered back, leaning over the table as if she was giving away government secrets. “Angelina Crawford was in yesterday. Apparently, she and the sexy cowboy were going at it hot and heavy when he suddenly broke it off with her. Said he didn’t want anything serious, and you know that all Angelina is looking for is a rich husband. Anyway, she said that he’s into some real kinky stuff.”

“Kinky stuff?” Sydney asked.

“Yeah, you know. Sex kink.” When Sydney still looked confused, Sarah rolled her eyes at her friend. “You really need to start reading Cosmo. Toys, lubes, three-ways.”

Sydney’s eyes widened at the thought of the sexy rancher naked with two women in his bed.

“Don’t look now, but he’s walking this way,” Sarah said, sitting up, smiling, and straightening her shoulders to make sure her low-cut sweater and push-up bra were front and center.

Before Sydney’s brain could comprehend what her friend said, she felt a hand on her shoulder. Kale was directly behind her. He greeted Sarah with a warm smile then bent close to Sydney’s ear and asked her to dance.

Without giving her a moment to decide, he cupped her elbow and helped her stand. Putting his hand to the small of her back, he walked her to the dance floor and took her into his arms for a slow Brad Paisley song.

She was at a loss for words. She had only met him this week and only for a few minutes. Now he had her in his arms, his warm breath gently caressed her ear. When she stood there, her hands hanging at her sides, he stopped dancing long enough to gently move her arms around his neck then rest his hands on her lower back.

“Mr. Anderson, what are you doing?”

Without stopping the slow two-step, he leaned to speak softly in her ear. “If I have to tell you that we’re dancing, then I must really be out of practice. And don’t call me ‘Mr. Anderson.’ It makes me feel like an old man trying to pick up a young woman.”

“I know we’re dancing,” she said, her voice dripping with sarcasm. “I mean, why are we dancing?”

“It’s the only way I could think of to hold you in public.” He waited a moment than added, “If you would like to leave here and go somewhere quiet, we could stop dancing.”

“I don’t understand why you want to dance with me.”

This comment stopped him. Pulling back, but leaving his hands on her lower back, he looked at her. “You are a very beautiful woman, and I would like to get to know you.”

“I’m not looking for a boyfriend, and I’m definitely not looking for a cowboy.”

Pulling her back up to his chest, he spoke against her hair. “Good, because I’m not boyfriend material. And I’m a rancher, not a cowboy.”

The song ended before Sydney could respond, but not before he took her hand and led her to the bar, weaving between tables and groups of people.

“What would you like to drink?” he asked, standing way too close to her back, his pelvis pushing up against her hip and letting her feel the outline of what felt like a long, thick cock.