Rich, Rugged Ranchers. Kathie DeNosky

had to stand her ground. It was the only way.

      “Let me guess,” he said with a rasp. “This is about getting even with me for high school and Ruth Polanski?”

      Sophia closed her eyes. Her little payback plan had backfired. She refused to give him an answer. Instead, when her eyes opened, it was to look at his beautiful mouth wishing for things that would never be. Tension crackled in the air.

      “Two brothers in one day, Sophia. Is that your style now?”

      “Luke kissed me as a friend,” she shot back quickly. “To thank me for helping with Ruth’s party.” Why did it always come back to Luke? “It was a peck on the cheek and nothing more.”

      Logan frowned and his eyes filled with disgust. “And you kissed me, why? To prove a point? To get back at me for something stupid I did as a kid in high school?”

      It was the first time she’d heard Logan refer to that time with regret. She nodded. “Yes, yes. I admit it, Logan. You needed a dose of your own medicine. You needed to come down off your throne and not pass judgment on me unfairly. I wanted to prove a point. You don’t like it when the roles are reversed, do you? When you’re the one being played?”

      He heaved a breath, as if trying to temper his impatience. “Sweetheart, if you think I was being played,” he said, pointing at her disheveled appearance, “then take a good look in the mirror. You enjoyed every second of my hands on you.”

      Shaking, Sophia fumbled to tie up her T-shirt and thread her fingers through her mussed hair. As she straightened herself out, she was aware of Logan’s eyes on her. His statement was true—she’d nearly been ravaged by him before she’d come to her senses. Slowly, she lifted her lashes to look at him. “I … know.”

      He flinched. Her honesty surprised him and she witnessed a debate going on in the depths of his dark eyes. It was as if he were being pulled in two directions—either to take her back into his arms and finish what they’d started or to take his leave.

      Moments ticked by.

      Sophia watched him carefully, her body immobile. What she’d just admitted to him was ludicrous and yet it was the truth.

      “Hell, I need some air,” he said finally. He grabbed his hat, plunked it on his head and took a few steps toward the door. Then he pivoted to face her one last time. “We have to work together, Sophia. Meet me in my office tomorrow afternoon. We’ll go over the plans then.”

      She gave him a brisk nod.

      And then he was gone.

      Five

      With morning sunlight at his back, Logan gunned his truck, heading for Carson Memorial Hospital. He turned up the volume on the radio, trying to focus on the words of a Tim McGraw song. But the lyrics didn’t sink in. Instead, an image of Sophia Montrose sprawled across his lap, arching toward him, giving him access to her body, flashed into his mind. He couldn’t drown those memories out with loud music. He couldn’t concentrate on business ventures. No matter how much he’d tried, the recollection of Sophia’s velvet-soft mouth brushing his, her firm flesh under his fingertips, the swell of her full, beautiful breasts in his palms continued to plague his thoughts.

      Last night after leaving the cottage, he’d drowned out those images with a bottle of Jack Daniels. But today he’d hoped to hell he could fight the mental battles on his own. He refused to fall victim to Sophia Montrose, beautiful and desirable as she was, because he knew better. He’d seen what his father’s love for a Montrose had done to his family.

      When he’d been in high school he wanted to teach Sophia a lesson. He’d wanted to put her in her place. He’d wanted to lash out at her. He’d kissed her, never expecting that he’d be the one to learn a lesson. That kiss had startled him, and he’d been surprised at his own reaction to her. He’d never expected it to be so good. Sophia had made him feel as if he could conquer the world. And damn it, last night, and as much as he’d fought it, that same feeling had returned.

      He reached the hospital, and pulled into a parking space, hoping a visit with Luke would clear his mind. He was concerned for his brother. Luke would heal from his injuries, but he’d be a bear to live with during his recovery.

      Logan got out of his truck and strode purposefully through the front doors. He walked through the lobby, and took the elevator up. The doors opened to the third floor and, as he marched past a row of rooms, he kept his eyes trained straight ahead. He didn’t like looking in on people in their sickbeds. His brother was too young to be laid up in a hospital. Though Luke had taken his share of tumbles while in the rodeo, he’d usually wound up getting patched up in the emergency room and sent on his way.

      Logan reached his brother’s room and stopped by the door to steal a look inside.

      Luke had a smile on his weary face, a brighter expression than yesterday. It was a relief to see him looking a little better until Logan noticed that he wasn’t alone. There was a reason for his brother’s good mood.

      Sophia was in the room.

      She smiled at Luke, her gaze focused only on him as she moved toward his bed with a ribbon-tied bouquet of flowers in her hand. She stopped by the window next to his bed, standing at his shoulder, and gently moved a stray lock of hair from his forehead. Her soft melodic laughter wafted through the room.

      Logan winced at the scene they made together. An image of holding Sophia in his arms returned, and in that instant emotions he wouldn’t name streamed into his consciousness.

      He cursed aloud and both heads turned his way.

      “Logan,” his brother said in a weak voice. He managed a quick smile. “Come in.”

      As he walked into the room, Sophia made herself busy putting the flowers in a plastic water pitcher.

      “How you doing?” he asked his brother.

      “Pretty good today. Considering.”

      “You feel dizzy?” Logan asked. “The doc said you might for a few days.”

      “Not too much anymore. Wait, are there two of you standing there?”

      “You’re not funny,” Logan said, though he was relieved to see Luke hadn’t lost his sense of humor. He hated seeing his strong, good-natured brother reduced to wearing a tie-at-the-back hospital gown, lying on a remote-controlled sickbed. His right arm was in a cast, and three broken ribs didn’t allow him to move much.

      “Sophia says I am.”

      Logan shot Sophia a quick glance. She made eye contact with him for one second before focusing back on the flowers she was arranging. “Well, then it’s gospel. You are.”

      “My brother is in full agreement with me? Doesn’t happen every day.”

      “You’re not laid up every day.”

      “Don’t remind me. Once the meds wear off, I won’t be smiling much.”

      “I hear you.” Logan took a swallow. “You need anything?”

      Luke shot him a pointed look. “Can you get me out of here today?”

      “I take it your doc already told you no.”

      “Flat-out no. Thought you could pull some strings.”

      Logan put his hands out, palms up. “I didn’t bring a rope.”

      “Now you’re not funny.” Luke closed his eyes then. Clearly, the conversation was a strain on him, which only proved that Luke wasn’t ready to come home. Knowing Luke, he wouldn’t get much rest at the ranch. As much as he hated to admit it, Luke was better off in the hospital right now.

      Sophia gave Luke a sympathetic look, her amber eyes forlorn. God, she was gorgeous, and so wrong for any of the Slade men that Logan felt the truth of it deep down in his bones. She was forbidden fruit, sure to poison any man who dared to take a bite. He wasn’t