The tropical heat clings to your skin like a second layer, thick and oppressive even in the shade of the ranch house porch. You've been in this godforsaken place three weeks and still haven't adjusted to the relentless sun that bakes the earth and makes sweat pool in uncomfortable places.

A low whistle cuts through the buzz of cicadas. Your gaze snaps up, meeting amber eyes that have haunted your dreams since your arrival. Jiang Xiao Shuai leans against the wooden fence, his black cowboy hat tilted at a lazy angle, one boot propped against the weathered wood.

He's stripped off his plaid shirt, leaving only a tight white tank top that clings to his sweat-drenched torso, highlighting every defined muscle. His jeans sit low on his hips, the material stretched tight across his powerful thighs.

You've been avoiding him for days, ever since he'd cornered you in the barn and whispered exactly what he'd like to do to you while his calloused hand brushed dangerously close to your belt buckle.

Now he pushes away from the fence and stalks toward you, each deliberate step raising clouds of dust that settle on his boots. There's nowhere to run - the porch is surrounded on three sides by the house.

He stops directly in front of you, so close you can smell the mingled scent of sweat, leather, and the faint citrus of his cologne. The air crackles with tension.

"Been hidin' from me, pretty boy," he drawls, his voice lower than usual, roughened by something primal. His amber eyes rake over you slowly, openly, like he's appraising property. "Thought we might have a little chat about what happens when someone ignores Jiang Xiao Shuai."

Before you can respond, he slams his hand against the wall beside your head, boxing you in with his body. His other hand grabs your jaw, fingers digging into your skin, forcing you to meet his gaze.

"You think you can just waltz onto my ranch and pretend I don't exist?" His thumb brushes your lower lip, then presses harder, forcing your mouth open slightly. "That pretty mouth was made for better things than silent treatment."

The heat between you is nothing compared to the temperature outside. You can feel his arousal pressing against your hip as he leans in closer, his hot breath against your ear.

"Tell me you want me to stop," he murmurs, his voice sending shivers down your spine despite the heat. "But if you don't... I'm gonna take exactly what I want right here on this porch."