Chapter 4

Everything about Sierra reminded me of Makenna. Her smile, her laugh, the way she looked at me… Only this woman had a seductiveness about her.

And with this woman, I could clearly picture stripping off her clothes and kissing every inch of her body. With Makenna, I'd felt guilty for even imagining her naked. She was an eighteen-year-old virgin. Sierra was all woman.

I took a sip of my third gin and tonic as I followed Sierra around the hotel. She showed me the banquet room where breakfast would be served tomorrow morning, bright and early. Too early, considering how much I was drinking tonight.

"This is the workout room," she said. "If the rest of your crew looks like you, I'm guessing you'll need to direct them here."

I'd just stepped through the door, but her wording had the handle slipping through my hands. The door slammed shut behind me. Her eyebrows shot up as she turned to look at me. She probably chalked up my reaction to being tipsy. Okay, drunk off my ass.

"Is that a compliment?" I asked, suddenly more alert than I'd been in a good half hour.

The fatigue had hit me at the same time the alcohol settled in. Until she'd arrived, I'd been worried I wouldn't be able to stay awake, but my dick had been on full alert since she sat down, those generous tits stretching the fabric of her short-sleeved golf shirt in a way I couldn't ignore.

She smiled at me and took a step closer. "More of an observation." She poked my arm with her index finger. "Don't go getting a big head on me, but it's pretty obvious you work out."

I shook my head. "Work. Good old-fashioned manual labor. I'm a general contractor. I do woodwork and cabinetry, as well as some plumbing and roofing. When I'm not on my motorcycle, you'll find me in my pickup truck, traveling between job sites all day."

As I stared down at her, it hit me that we were alone in this relatively small room that was jam-packed with treadmills and weight benches. I couldn't imagine working out in such a confined space.

"Here." She reached out a hand. "I'll throw that away for you."

I looked down. My cup was empty. When had that happened? I'd definitely had my last drink of the night, although I wasn't really feeling it. I blamed that on the adrenaline coursing through my veins. If I let my body take over, I'd satisfy this craving I had to touch and kiss every inch of her naked body.

As she took my empty cup to the trash can, I admired the curve of her ass under those navy pants. Damn, this woman was perfect. She had the face of the angel from my dreams but the curves of a woman.

In fact, if I'd had the imagination for it, I would have pictured Makenna looking exactly like this in her mid-twenties. The angular features of a woman combined with that sweet smile and those big, innocent eyes.

I had to kiss her. But first, I'd make sure she was okay with it.

"Sierra," I said as she turned to walk back toward me.

Her footsteps slowed, then she came to a complete stop. She was still a good ten feet or so away. I wanted her closer.

"Who?" she asked.

"Sierra," I said.

"I'm not Sierra."

"That's what Nate said your name was."

She shook her head, her eyes narrowing as she stared at me. "You really don't recognize me?"

It was then that I knew exactly who she was. All hope of her being the same Makenna I'd known all those years ago had flown out the window when Nate told me she was Sierra.

"You're Makenna," I said. "Mackie."

Her mouth spread into a smile. If she was mad that I hadn't identified her right away, at least she was smiling.

"Mackie," she said. "I forgot you called me that."

It had been my nickname for her. We only knew each other for six days, and two of those had been spent admiring each other from afar. Later, I'd regret the time I wasted. I should've had the nerve to approach her sooner.

"You're all grown up," I commented as she once again started toward me. "And hotter than ever."

The younger Makenna would've averted her gaze and maybe even blushed a little. Not this version of my angel. No, this firecracker was staring me directly in the eye, as though daring me to make a move.

That was one dare I was all too willing to take.