Talia woke on something soft and warm. It was too lumpy for a bed. Not to mention moving. Her eyes snapped open. Abs. Pecks. Nipples. She couldn't quite comprehend what she was seeing. Lifting her head, she saw Zeke. Zeke was her bed.

Her eyes roamed over him. His mouth was open as he slept. Blonde scruff grew along his jaw. A soft snore escaped making her freeze in place. His hands flexed around her. A tingling sensation exploded inside her.

Zeke's chest rose with every breath bringing her gaze to his well-defined pecks. With her free hand she reached out to touch a muscle she's only seen in magazines. None of the men she'd previously been with had such a defined chest. Some should have even had bras.

Her hand trailed down his chest to his abs. A sensation of need took over her. All she wanted to do was drag her tongue over each ridge of muscle. The six pack abs with those defined hip bone things made her squirm. She lightly caressed his happy trail.

"I wouldn't go any further, baby." Talia squeaked in surprise pulling her hand back.

Zeke was awake and watching her. In his eyes was a desire she was surprised to find.

"Oh...um...uh." Talia tried to move off of him, but he clutched her tighter.

"You don't have to stop. I just wanted to warn you because if you went any further I don't think I could help myself any longer."

A look of shock crossed her face. She scrambled off Zeke only to grind against something very hard. "Oh god." They both moaned. In her clumsy attempt to climb off him she fell off the couch banging into the coffee table.

"Ow!" She moaned laying on the floor.

"Glad to see you two are awake. Breakfast is ready. Zeke you are needed in the barn. Apparently, the storm did some damage." Addie looked at them.

"Thank you, Addie." Zeke ground out.

Addie smirked at the two then walked back to the kitchen.

"What time is it?" Talia asked.

"Oh God! Its after nine. We are really late." Zeke turned to see Talia crawling away from the table. "I wish I had my camera right now." He laughed.

Using a side table, she heaved herself off the floor. Walking away, she gave him the finger over her head. His laughing followed her upstairs.

***

Hours later covered in brown, either mud or horse shit, Talia washed up in the first-floor bathroom. She scurried across the hall to the laundry room. A pair of sweats and t-shirt sat folded on top of the dryer. She pulled on the sweats and oversized shirt. Taking a deep breath, she shuffled her way out to the kitchen.

"Alright, Addie. I am ready to help. What can I do to help with dinner?"

Addie looked at Talia. The wince she tried to conceal told Talia all she needed to know about how she looked. "You don't have to help me, hon."

"I'm not a freeloader around here. Give me something to do." Talia felt her reserve dwindling, but she needed to help out.

Reluctantly, Addie gave Talia the rolling pin. "Roll out this dough. When it's about an inch thick cut out the biscuits and place them on the sheet."

Talia could do that. How hard could it be to roll out dough and cut it in circles? The answer was near impossible with only a few hours of sleep. Not to mention cleaning the horse stalls all day.

"Oh dear." Addie stood next to Talia. They looked at the misshapen dough. Most were a ball or oval. They weren't an inch thick either.

"Sorry, Addie."

"It's alright, Tally. Go sit in the living room while I put these in the oven." Talia nodded and slumped off to the living room.

A bone deep ache spread through her body. She couldn't remember the last time she'd worked that hard. Talia now knew how Zeke got those defined muscles. Those muscles she'd been touching, rubbing and ready to kiss. What the hell was wrong with her?

"What's wrong with her?" Zeke's voice came out from the kitchen echoing her thoughts.

"She's exhausted." Addie said.

"How long has she been sitting like that staring at the blank tv?"

"About 45 minutes. Poor thing needs a good soak in the tub, dinner then straight to bed."

Foot steps sounded next to the couch. Zeke squatted in front of her. "Lia, you ok?"

"Yep. Just catching my breath."

"Uh huh. Come on let's get you upstairs."

"No, I'm fine."

"You have two choices. Either you get your butt off the couch and up to your room or I pick you up off the couch and carry you to your room. Easy way or hard way, Lia?"

Talia remained seated on the couch. She was too exhausted to answer.

"Ok. Hard way it is." Zeke picked her up as if she were light as a pillow.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm taking you to your room, getting a bath ready for you, then bringing you dinner."

"Ok." Talia was too tired to argue. She knew she smelled of the manure/mud mixture, but she couldn't help snuggling into Zeke's arms. His warmth and strength enveloped her. He smelled like sweat, hay and fresh cut grass. It was like a damn aphrodisiac. Her lady V was standing at attention.

"Did you just smell me?" He huffed a laugh.

"You smell good." Her voice was groggy.

"Thanks, baby. You smell good and feel perfect in my arms." Gravel filled his voice. His hands squeezed her to emphasize his point.

"I smell like horse crap, mud and muddy horse crap."

"Maybe a little but you can pull it off." A giggle escaped her. When the hell did she become one of those air-headed ninnies who giggled at hot guys? Talia sighed. She didn't have the energy to think about it.

Zeke laid her down on the bed. He strode off to the bathroom. She heard the water running. A sweet aroma floated out to her.

"Alright get undressed. I will be back up with dinner in half an hour." Zeke stopped at the door when Talia hadn't moved yet.

"Get undressed or I will do it for you." A fire burned in his gaze. He licked his lips. "Oh, please say you want me to undress you."

"Uh...No. I'm getting undressed." Talia shuffled into the bathroom slamming the door behind her.

A blissful half an hour later, Talia exited the bathroom. She felt relaxed. After the events of the last two days, she needed that escape. What she saw when she stepped from the bathroom took her breath away. She blinked in shock at the sight. Candlelight illuminated the room. Candles were on almost all available surfaces. They flickered with the light breeze flowing in through the window.

Next to the open window sat a small table. Intricate lace cloth covered the table with artfully folded napkins at each setting. A rosebud was placed on one of the plates.

She pulled her robe tighter and approached the table. How long had she been in that tub? As she inspected the romantic setting, Zeke stepped through the door carrying a tray laden with food.

"You are just in time." He placed the tray on the only available surface, the bed.

Talia sat in front of the rose. The aroma of the rose mixed with the smell of the comfort food had her off balance. Taking the rose in her hand she brought it to her nose. Inhaling deeply, the sweet smell brought a smile to her face.

Her gaze drifted to Zeke. While he was busy arranging the food, Talia took in the sight of the handsome movie star. Damp hair clung to his shirt. The scruff he'd been growing since they arrived was neatly trimmed. A gray shirt with the words Chick Magnet with a baby chick molded to his muscles. Well-worn jeans fit his perfectly toned ass and thighs. Talia cleared her throat, so she wouldn't start panting.

"What is going on?"

"We are having dinner. I thought that was obvious."

"It is. What is with the romance? There isn't anyone around to see it."

Zeke began serving them. Once their plates were full he raised his wine glass. "To surviving storms."

Before tapping his glass, she asked, "Are you being serious or making fun of me?"

Zeke lowered his glass. "I'm being very serious."

"Ok." She met his lowered glass with hers. "Cheers."

"Cheers."

"This looks fantastic. Well, except the biscuits." Talia picked up one of the misshapen biscuits.

"I think of them as alternative biscuits." He popped a biscuit ball in his mouth and moaned.

"You're so weird." She laughed then dug into the meal.

Zeke and Talia smiled and laughed throughout the meal. Any tension between them had disappeared thanks to the meal full of comfort food. They shared bits about their lives in L.A. and college. Zeke told her about shenanigans he and Rex had gotten into when they would visit the ranch.

"You have got to be kidding me." She laughed.

"Nope. Rex ran straight into the wrong end of a horse. If that wasn't bad enough, the horse was doing its business at the time." Zeke crowed.

"OH MY GOD! How did I not know this?"

"Probably because your brother swore me to secrecy."

"It's probably a good thing he did. I would have used this as ammo." She sipped at her wine.

"He ended up getting me back though."

"How?"

He bit his lip contemplating whether he should tell or not. "Ok. There is a lake not far from here. It's perfect for cooling off when its hot. Well, Rex dared me to strip down and jump in. I'm never one to back down from a bet. So, I did just that. While I was busy smack talking him from the lake, Rex stole my clothes and ran back to the ranch. When I chased after him, I had to hide behind trees. Let me tell you, it is not fun being poked with sticks in sensitive areas while running through the woods. By the time I made it back to the ranch, Rex was sitting on the fence holding a pair of neon pink shorts that had one of those anime cats on them. I had a choice. Go back naked or go back wearing girls shorts. I wore the shorts."

Talia giggled then abruptly stopped. "You said neon pink shorts?" He nodded. "Son of a bitch. Those were my shorts you were wearing. I loved them. I always wondered where they had gotten to."

Zeke got a funny look on his face.

"What?" she asked.

"How did he have your shorts?"

A look of horror crossed her face. "I don't know if I want to know. But, I will be asking him."

Zeke laughed. "You know he's gonna be pissed at me right."

"Oh well, I think after everything that happened yesterday he isn't happy with either of us." Talia shrugged taking another sip of wine.

His bright eyes locked with hers. "Thanks for that by the way."

"For what?"

"Defending my honor." He smirked.

Talia smirked. "I'm not one to back down from saving a damsel in distress." Zeke choked. "Plus, I like knocking Rex down a peg or two when I can."

His dimpled popped but his eyes gazed into his wine glass.

Silence surrounded them. It was a comfortable silence. Talia had never spent time like that with Zeke. They had always been at each others throats. Things felt different now.

"I have a proposition for you." His deep voice was like a caress.

"You've already propositioned me more than once. What more could you want?"

His serious look took her by surprise. Zeke stood then crossed to her seat. Squatting in front of her, he took her hands in his. "I want this to be real."

"What do you mean?" Talia's heart thundered. Her thoughts were being short circuited by the soft sweep of his thumb over her wrist.

"I want us to date."

No words. Talia, the Gossip Queen, had no words for this sexy man kneeling in front of her. Her brain had blanked. Just as quickly as it blanked a flood of emotions and thoughts crashed around her. So many questions crossed her thoughts. It felt like a stock ticker was running through her mind.

"Lia?"

Talia shook her head to clear those jumbled thoughts. "Uhm. I don't know what to say right now, Zeke."

The caress on her wrist continued. "Say yes."

When a few minutes passed he leaned forward kissing her softly. His soft lips sipped at hers. Not pushing for more than a soft caress. Heat rushed through her. How could an innocently sweet kiss have her feeling like she needed those lips everywhere? Zeke pulled back a bit and stared into her eyes.

"I need time." She whispered. Talia needed to work through the thoughts swirling in her head like a dervish.

"Ok. I will give you what you need." He rose and strode toward the door. Before leaving he said, "Don't think this means I'm giving up. You will be begging for more before the end of the week."

That damn dimple popped out again with his cocky grin. Zeke left Talia sitting alone in her room.

"Thanks for thewarning!" Talia yelled. His deep chuckle echoed down the hall.