Page 29 of Pure Temptation in Cowboy Boots

“We could make it special tonight.”

“Not special enough. Give me a chance to woo you a little. Let me bring you flowers, maybe a bottle of good wine.”

Despite her frustration, she liked the picture he was painting. “Should I buy lingerie or something?”

“Lingerie would be very nice.” He arranged the pearl in the cleft between her breasts. “But wear this. I love watching the way it nestles right there.”

“I’ll bet when you gave it to me you never imagined a scene like this.”

“Not consciously.” He ran a finger over the gold chain. “But maybe subconsciously. When I saw the necklace in the jewelry store, I knew immediately I wanted to get it for you for graduation.” He looked into her eyes. “Maybe I wanted something that would touch you where I wasn’t allowed to.”

She smiled. “We seem to have overcome those restrictions without too much trouble. I’d say our make-out session was a success.”

”Yeah, but now we have to go back and face the real world with all its guilt trips. And we still have the big hurdle to jump.” He gazed at her. “Maybe when it comes to that final moment, I won’t be able to do it.”

Her smile widened. “Oh, I think you will, judging from tonight.”

He grinned back. “You could be right.”

“So, when?”

“Tomorrow night? Oh, wait. Damn. I promised to fly my mom up to an antique show in Flagstaff tomorrow. Dad’s going along, and he and I have appointments to look at some horses while we’re up there.”

She wrestled with her impatience. “How long will you be gone?”

“Three days. Until Sunday. Damn. I don’t think there’s any way I can get out of it, either. It’s been set up for months.”

“Three days sounds like an eternity.”

“Tell me about it.”

She traced the line of his jaw. “We could go back to my original plan and have you come back to my place tonight.”

He gazed at her for a long moment and finally shook his head. “No. I really want this time to be one you’ll remember.”

“I don’t think there’s much doubt about that, no matter when it happens. And to tell the truth, I’m... afraid you’ll change your mind in three days.”

“After tonight? Are you kidding?”

“You had a good time tonight?”

He cupped her face in both hands. “I had the best time I’ve ever had in my life. And I promise you I won’t change my mind.”

Her heart swelled with an emotion she couldn’t name, but it was strong, and it brought happy tears to her eyes. “Thank you, Mac. You’re a true friend.”

“I do my best.”

“What time will you be home on Sunday?”

“Probably around noon.”

“So you could come over that night?”

“I could do that.”

Her heart thudded in her chest. “Then I’ll expect you about eight.”

Chapter Seventeen