Page 55 of Pure Temptation in Cowboy Boots

“Coyotes,” Tess said.

“Yeah.” He took off the last of his clothes and reached in the pocket of his jeans.

“They sound so… primitive.”

He caught the note of urgency in her voice, as if her reaction was the same as his. Heart pounding, he knelt beside her on the blanket. They were only playing at this, he told himself. He would be crazy to get serious. “So, professor, what do you want to try?”

She opened the book and leaned away so that moonlight fell across the page. “This.”

The coyotes howled again as he gazed down at a black-and-white artist’s drawing of a couple mating in the way that wild creatures mated. He sucked in a breath, knowing that was what had filled his mind as he’d listened to the coyotes’ song, yet never imagining she would want such a thing, too. But oh, to love her like that, with the night sounds around them and the river rushing by... he ached with the wanting of it.

He glanced at her and a tremor passed through him. This primitive mating would have great significance for him, which made it dangerous, but for her it might simply be a unique experience. “You’re...sure?”

Slowly she closed the book. Then she sensuously rolled to her stomach. Before he realized it, she’d risen to her hands and knees, offering her round bottom in the age-old invitation of a female to her chosen male.

His body could not refuse. Hot blood thrummed through his veins as uncivilized needs took hold of him. Grasping her hips, he moved into position behind her. A guttural, untamed sound rose from his throat and he fought the urge to drive deep and claim her in the way of the wilderness. Instead, he probed gently, not wanting to frighten her.

Desire surged in him when he found her moist and ready. Still he held back, slipping his hand around her waist and down, massaging the tight nub that heightened her response. With a little cry that was almost a plea, she tilted her hips, and he could restrain himself no more. He slid smoothly into her waiting channel.

And for the second time in his life he felt an incredible sense of connection, even stronger than the first time. And with that arose an urge he’d never known — the compulsion to pour himself into this woman and watch her grow round with child, his child. His body chafed against the barrier he’d placed between seed and womb and called for him to complete the connection and fill her with his essence.

And he could not. With a groan of pleasure mixed with deep frustration, he drew back and pushed forward with more force, lightly slapping her with his thighs. She murmured encouragement, and he increased the pace, pummeling her gently yet firmly as the sandy clearing filled with the sounds and scents of mating. They became slick with sweat in the heat of the night air as the slap of flesh against flesh grew faster and more defined. Their gasps and soft cries melded with the call of night creatures, the wind in the trees and the ripple of water over stones.

She tightened around him a moment before she was rocked with convulsions. Her undulations drew him into more frenzied movements as instinct told him now was the time, the time to plant his seed. He erupted in a forceful climax, crying out her name and holding her close to receive him. And the mating dance that had shaken him to his soul came to a powerful...and fruitless...end.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Tess lay on the blanket, curled with her back nestled against the protective curve of Mac’s body, and wondered how she’d created such a terrible problem. She’d fallen madly, passionately, desperately in love with her best friend. What had started out as fun and games, a fine adventure together before she headed off to her new life, had become more important than anything else in her world.

She didn’t believe a woman should sacrifice a bright future in order to be with a man. Yet that’s exactly what she wanted to do. She knew that Mac wouldn’t leave Copperville as long as his parents needed him on the ranch, so any woman who wanted to be with Mac would have to stay in Copperville, too. And she wanted to be with Mac, to make love with him, to laugh and play with him and make babies with him.

Especially make babies. She wanted to be his mate, to make love again the way they had a little while ago, only without protection. She’d leaped from being a virgin only days ago to wanting it all — marriage, motherhood, years of lovemaking with this man.

It wasn’t the way she’d pictured herself. For as long as she could remember, she’d been determined to escape the confines of this small town, to be sophisticated and worldly. She’d vowed to live in a big city, travel to exotic places, have many lovers.

Then, when she’d tired of all that, she’d settle down, probably right here in Copperville, and raise a family.

Now all her worldly plans seemed hollow and lonely. What good was any of it, if she couldn’t have Mac there to share it with her? She’d rather stay here and be a ranch wife than lose Mac.

Not that Mac was asking. He’d never given any indication that he thought of her in those terms. He didn’t act as if he wanted to settle down and marry anyone, as a matter of fact, let alone her. He’d never even been engaged.

He stroked her hip. “Whatcha thinking about, twinkle-toes?”

She decided on a partial answer. “Oh, just that it’s too bad I’ll be heading to New York at the end of August.”

He kneaded her thigh. “Because this is so much fun, you mean?”

“Yes.” More than fun. She’d become involved, heart and soul, but she dared not tell him.

“It’s fun, but in a way it’s a good thing we have a limit on the time we can be together. We’d never be able to keep it a secret if it went beyond August.”

“True.” Perhaps he was happy with the secret arrangement, considering that he wanted to keep his status with her brothers intact. The only way her brothers would tolerate a sexual relationship between Mac and Tess was if they were getting married. Immediately. Mac didn’t want marriage at the moment, apparently, so the secret had to be kept.

“Ready for a little skinny-dipping?”

She turned toward him. “We’re really going to?”

He gave her a quick kiss. “Sure. We’re all hot and sticky. It’ll feel good. And besides, it’s part of your education.”