Page 56 of Pure Temptation in Cowboy Boots

“Mac, I don’t think we can have sex in the middle of that river.”

“Why not?” His grin flashed in the moonlight. “Because it isn’t in your book?”

“Because you won’t have a pocket to stash your condom in.”

“Tsk, tsk. You take away a girl’s virginity, and suddenly she thinks sex is only about intercourse.” He got to his feet and pulled her up with him. “Come on. Let’s see what happens when you stand thigh-deep in rushing water without a bathing suit on.” He took her hand and led her toward the riverbank.

Excitement swelled within her. That was another thing she loved about Mac. He had a heck of an imagination. Still, she wondered if he’d thought of that sort of stimulation on his own. “Have you been reading my books?”

“Nah. But I went down to the drugstore and bought one of those magazines they keep behind the counter. The article was about hot-tub jets, which we don’t have, so we’ll have to improvise.”

And improvise he did, although there was much laughing and splashing and playful groping before he finally had her positioned the way he wanted her. He’d so awakened her sensuality that he easily convinced her to accept the river as a teasing lover. Holding her steady, adding his own caress to that of the water, he coaxed her to let the current stroke her intimately, bringing her to a crescendo of feeling. At the moment of release she couldn’t tell whether the bubbling water or Mac’s caress had sent her over the edge.

While she was still gasping in reaction, he swept her into his arms and carried her back to the blanket. He made love to her while they were both still wet and slick as otters, so their bodies slid together as if they were oiled. She’d never known such triumphant freedom. She felt lithe and supple, capable of anything.

They twisted and turned on the blanket, exploring different positions, alternate ways their bodies could move and shift, yet still give unbelievable pleasure.

She was sure Mac was enjoying himself. His murmured words told her so, and when his tone roughened, she knew he was in the grip of fierce passion. When at last he surrendered to that passion, she held him tight and absorbed the strong tremors that shook him. She couldn’t imagine living without this, without him. Perhaps, if she loved him well enough and thoroughly enough this summer, he’d realize he couldn’t live without her, either.

Chapter Thirty-Three

The summer passed far too quickly for Tess. For every creative lovemaking scheme she dreamed up, Mac came up with one to match it. She suggested a day trip to Phoenix. They checked into the honeymoon suite of a hotel where no one would know them and spent the day in bed. He flew them up to Flagstaff where they hiked to a mountain meadow and made love in a field of daisies under a bright summer sky.

They experimented with velvet ropes, furry mittens and feather dusters. While they were in Phoenix they stopped into an X-rated boutique and dared each other to buy something. They came out of the shop with body paint and flavored massage oils.

The charged hours Tess spent with Mac seemed painted in brilliant color, while the rest of her life seemed to be cast in shades of gray. She went through the motions of a normal summer, playing cards with her sisters-in-law every Wednesday night, baby-sitting for her nieces and nephews, having lunch with her mother, planning the surprise anniversary party for her parents. But none of it seemed quite real, because she couldn’t tell those she cared about that a most significant and wonderful thing had happened to her — she was completely in love with Mac MacDougal.

And she wanted to tell the world. She especially longed to confide in her mother, who would be a great source of advice. When her sisters-in-law discussed their husbands, whether in frustration or delight, Tess wanted to be a part of that conversation, to join the ranks of women openly, proudly in love.

Mac seemed just as involved with her as she was with him, although not a word of commitment ever came from his mouth. During the hot weeks of summer, they shared everything, it seemed, except a future. It was as if she were about to be shipped off to war and might never come back, so the subject of a happy-ever-after could never be broached.

Aside from that, she thought they were no different from any other couple just discovering passion and love, except that their relationship was known only to themselves. At first she’d thought secrecy was essential to her summer project. Sharing the secret with Mac had felt delicious and naughty. Now she was sick of it. But she couldn’t tell. Not ever, unless Mac agreed, and she couldn’t imagine him agreeing. And that made her soul ache.

Chapter Thirty-Four

By the first week in August, Mac had come to the painful conclusion that he should break up with Tess. He should have ended their affair long before this, in fact. He was obviously good enough for her in bed, but not good enough to consider altering her career plans for, not good enough to let the world know about their love affair. He’d watched for any wavering on her decision to move to New York, and there was none.

As he headed to her house for another night of lovemaking, the truck splashing through puddles left by a heavy afternoon rain, he cursed himself for being weak. If he couldn’t treat sex with her as a casual roll in the hay, fun while it lasted but forgotten when it was over, then he should get out now and start putting himself back together.

In fact, that’s what he’d do, by God. Tonight. He wouldn’t make love to her. He ignored the sick feeling of disappointment in his gut at that thought and vowed to carry through with what was right, what would ultimately save his sanity.

He’d walk into her house and tell her this activity was eating into his time, causing him to get behind on some paperwork for the ranch. That much was true. He’d taken over the books for his parents a couple of years ago, and at the moment he was making a sorry job of it.

He arrived at the town’s traffic light as it turned red, and although his was the only vehicle at the intersection, he stopped anyway. As he sat waiting for the green, a horn beeped behind him.

Glancing in the rearview mirror, he spotted Rhino Blakely’s truck with Rhino driving and Hammer in the passenger seat. Mac raised a hand in greeting and fought down the guilt that swept over him every time he unexpectedly met members of Tess’s family. Tonight he didn’t have to feel guilty, though. He was going over to Tess’s house, but he wouldn’t be there long.

It was over.

Rhino hopped out of the truck and ran forward to knock on Mac’s window.

Mac rolled it down. “What’s up?”

“Joan and Deena went to a movie, and me and Hammer feel like a darts tournament at the Ore Cart tonight. What do you say?”

Mac hesitated only a split second. If he had somewhere to go, that would force him to make the break with Tess. “Sure. I have to swing by Tess’s house for a few minutes, but I can be there in a half hour or so.”

“Great. Light’s green.” Rhino ran back to his truck.