“Ya-yeah,” I stuttered. “That’s how we know each other. He’s my mom’s doctor.” When nobody spoke I felt the irresistible urge to fill the silence. “I mean, when you asked if I knew him, I thought you meant did I really know him. Which I don’t … know him, I mean. We only met one time at the hospital. And even then we didn’t really talk. So, no, I don’t really know him at all. Just that he’s a doctor and his name is Dr. Young … I mean Ian, Dr. Ian Young,” I rambled on.

Melonie screwed up her face as she studied me. “Spazz,” she mumbled under her breath so only I could hear. I kept ignoring her as I tried to calm my racing heart.

Everything got quiet then as Ian and I stared at one another. I could see a glint of humor in his gaze. Did he find my awkwardness funny? My face flamed at the thought.

“Right,” Anna broke the silence. She walked up to her dad and looked at him before addressing the room. “Not that I thought I would need to explain this, but Dad here helped raise me. I was like, two, when he married my mom. My bio dad is a shit and didn’t want anything to do with me so he stepped up.” She grinned up at Ian who smiled back down at her lovingly. I felt embarrassment flood my body yet again. “That’s why we have different last names.” She laughed as she glanced at me. “Sorry for the confusion.” She shrugged before looking back at her dad and smiling. “Just because it didn’t work out between him and my mom, doesn’t mean he stops being my dad,” she said before she hugged his side.

I felt lower than dirt at that moment. What had come over me that I felt the need to question Anna about who her dad was? Even if I had the hots for him, I had been completely inappropriate.

I eyed Ian and said the first thing that popped into my head as an apology. “I’m sorry, sir.” I winced at my own awkwardness. Sir? Who says shit like that!

Something flickered in Ian’s eyes at my words. Something dark and untamed that called to me in a visceral way. I stumbled over my words as I turned away from the imposing male in question and faced his daughter. “Anna, I’m so sorry, I shouldn’t have s—”

She waved her hand at me, effectively cutting me off. “It’s no big deal, you didn’t know. Honestly, if I went on vacation and ran into my mom’s doctor I would probably wig out too.” She grinned at me before clapping her hands together. “All right, let’s figure out the room situation.” She practically skipped down one of the halls that led to the bedrooms.

I stood still as Ian and I continued to stare at each other. Melonie seemed to take that moment to embarrass me further by bumping into me as she walked by, causing me to stumble over one of the bags I dropped. “Oops, sorry,” she fake-apologized as I regained my footing. Bitch.

I watched as she swayed her hips as she walked up to Ian. Even though she had her back to me, I could tell she was giving him a sultry look. To his credit, he never took his gaze off me until she stopped in front of him. I nearly gagged as she tossed her arms around him and gave him a hug. He lightly patted her back in a way that you could see the hug was not warranted on his side.

“Thank you so much for letting us stay at your cabin, Dr. Young,” she said as she pulled away from him. I saw a tinge of red as she pushed her tits out for him, held her hands behind her back, and swayed back and forth. “I sure wish I had a daddy like you.” She pouted and I wanted nothing more than to rip her hair out at that moment. I knew exactly what she was trying to do.

She sauntered off after Anna as Ben walked past me to join them. He eyed Ian warily as he passed him on his way. He halted by the hallway that would lead to the bedrooms as his gaze trailed back to me. “You coming, Lindsey Bug?” he asked.

I could have sworn I saw Ian’s jaw clench at the nickname but it was gone before the blink of an eye. I nodded and stepped over the luggage at my feet. Ben turned toward the girls again and stepped out of view.

I tried not to look at him as I passed but it was an impossible task as he stepped in front of me. My breath caught as he gripped my upper arm and pulled me closer to him. I closed my eyes to ward off that ache I now associated with him.

“Hello, Bambi,” he growled.

Arousal surged through me as I remembered my dream. I kept my gaze trained forward as my breathing accelerated.

“Don’t call me that,” I mumbled and he chuckled. He stepped closer to me as his hand trailed up my biceps to my neck, leaving shivers in his wake. He slipped his hand under my hair and gripped me firmly, forcing me to look up at him. I gasped softly as the action sent awareness crackling across my scalp. His gaze flew to my lips.

“Why?” he whispered as he inched closer.

“B-because I don’t think you mean the cute little forest animal in the cartoon and it-it’s not appropriate,” I stuttered. He was so close now I could almost taste him. The pounding between my legs was making it hard to focus. All I could think about was his lips on mine.

I nearly moaned as he stepped even closer now, every breath I took caused my breasts to rub against his chest. He bent down and I thought he was going to kiss me until he stopped and stared into my eyes. “See, that’s the thing,” he murmured as his lips lightly grazed against mine. Whatever game he was playing, I was clearly losing as I trembled against him. “When I think of you, it’s the furthest thing from appropriate,” he whispered before he gripped my hip.

“Lindsey, come see your room!” Anna’s voice broke through the lusty fog I found myself in and I jumped back away from Ian. He let me go with a devious grin that told me he knew exactly the effect he was having on me.

“C-coming!” I yelled as I tried to skirt around him again. I almost made it when he grabbed me again, causing me to look up at him once more.

“Not yet,” he murmured so quietly that I wondered if he had said anything at all.