Page 67 of Pure Temptation in Cowboy Boots

“Don’t blame it on Tess!” In his agitation, Mac rose to his feet. “I’ve always felt this way. Both of us have, Tess and I. We spent hours as kids talking about the places we’d see, the exciting things we’d do once we left Copperville.”

“Lots of kids talk that way,” his father said. “Then they grow up and realize that what they have is better than anything they could find out there!”

Mac gazed at his father and tried to put himself in his shoes. After nearly thirty years of breaking his back to create a legacy for his son, his son was rejecting that legacy. Mac hated hurting his father. “It probably is better, Dad,” he said gently. “But I’ll never appreciate that if I don’t see something of the rest of the world.”

“Of course you must,” his mother said.

“Maybe we should just sell the ranch right now,” his father said. “No point in killing ourselves if it’s not going to be passed on.”

“Oh, Andy, for heaven’s sake!” His mother looked disgusted. “Forget your hurt pride for five seconds and listen to what your son is saying. He needs time to explore. And he needs to be with the woman he loves.”

Mac’s heart clutched. “Now, Mom. Don’t jump to⁠—”

“I’ll jump to any conclusion I want, thank you very much.” She glanced at him. “And Tess feels the same about you, unless I miss my guess. I also fully believe that both of you will eventually get homesick for Copperville and come back here to raise your children.”

“Children?” Mac almost choked. “Last I heard, Tess had no intention of getting married, let alone having kids. I think you’re getting ahead of yourself.”

His mother smiled. “No, I think you’re behind. Time to catch up. Go to New York and ask those questions. See what kind of response you get.” She looked over at his father. “All we need to do is hire someone to help out for a while, until these two come back home.”

His father scowled. “And what if they don’t? Then it’ll all be for nothing.”

“Now that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard you say. Nothing? This ranch was your dream all along. You hoped it would be passed down, as a lot of parents do who work to build something, but you wanted it for yourself, too. You’ve had a wonderful time living this life, and don’t you dare pretend it was nothing but selfless sacrifice for your son!”

Gradually his father’s expression changed from belligerent to sheepish. “Guess you’re right. I can’t imagine any other place to be. That’s why I can’t figure why anybody in their right mind would want to live in that rat’s nest they call New York City.”

“We’re all different,” his mother said. “As for these two, they were both born and raised here, and I say they’ll be back.”

“I can’t make any promises,” Mac said. But he couldn’t help weaving a few fantasies, either. Maybe he could have it all, a few years of adventures with Tess and then a family and security right here in Copperville with the only woman he’d ever wanted. But Tess might not be interested in such a plan. After all, she had given back the necklace.

“You don’t have to make any promises to us,” his mother said. “But I think you need to make a few to Tess.”

Chapter Thirty-Nine

New York was everything Tess had imagined and more. Her employer, a private girls school, awarded scholarships to students from less privileged areas. In spite of being immensely talented, those kids often struggled with low self-esteem. Helping them believe in themselves had been gratifying.

She’d used her weekends to walk Manhattan from end to end, and each excursion brought new delights. She’d become addicted to pretzels sold by sidewalk vendors, and corner deli markets, and the ride up to the top of the Empire State Building.

But she’d never expected to be so completely, utterly lonely. She’d made friends with the rest of the staff, but friend didn’t seem like the right word to describe someone she’d only known a couple of months. Friends were people you’d known for years, people who knew your family and all your other friends. Friends were people like... Mac.

She’d thought the ache for him would have begun to wear away by now, but if anything, it grew stronger. Today was worse than most days, because it was both Sunday, a time for families, and Halloween, a holiday she and Mac had shared for twenty-three years. They’d never considered themselves too old to dress up. A year ago they’d gone to a party together as a couple of Beanie Babies.

Tess had been invited to a party given by one of the teachers at school, and she’d accepted, but as she sat in her tiny apartment trying to come up with a costume, she couldn’t get excited about it. Her simplest option was to wear the Jasmine costume she’d modified for the belly-dancing demonstration she’d given Mac. She thought she’d thrown it away, but she must have been in a real fog when she’d packed, because it was in the bottom of a box. Once she discovered it, she’d been so desperate for any reminders of Mac that she’d kept it.

Wearing it, however, might present a few emotional problems. Yet she didn’t have any other great ideas for a costume, and this one was complete. With a sigh she started putting it on for a test run to see whether it made her cry, or worse yet, made her hot and bothered. Sexual frustration had been a constant companion along with loneliness, but of the two, loneliness was the worst. She missed having Mac to talk to even more than she missed his lovemaking.

Still, she’d give anything to be held and caressed by him again, and it was definitely his lovemaking that she wanted. She’d turned down several dates already. The thought of even kissing someone besides Mac made her shudder.

If that attitude persisted, she might have to resign herself to staying single all her life. Damned if she wasn’t beginning to believe she was a one-man woman. She’d never have believed it before the scorching events of this summer, but it seemed that Mac had taken not only her virginity, but her heart. And she wasn’t getting it back.

After putting on the filmy harem pants and the jeweled bra, she stood in front of the mirror in her small bedroom and fastened the veil in place. Heat washed over her as she remembered the look in Mac’s eyes as she’d danced for him. She’d never felt so sensuous as when she’d leaned over him and shimmied her breasts practically in his face.

He’d meant to end their affair that night without making love to her, but she’d tempted him beyond endurance and even made him forget he’d agreed to meet her brothers for a darts tournament. In all the turmoil that had followed, she’d forgotten that her seductive dance had succeeded beyond her wildest dreams. She had made him lose his mind. Maybe he didn’t want to marry her, but for that moment, he had been completely, utterly hers.

And he’d said that he loved her. It had turned out to be an empty pledge, and now she wondered if he’d only meant that he loved the fantastic sex they’d made together. But when he’d said it that night, he’d filled her heart to overflowing.

She couldn’t wear the harem outfit to the Halloween party. It made her long for Mac in every conceivable way — physically, mentally and emotionally. Maybe she’d skip the party altogether and rent a video. She reached for the hook on the jeweled bra just as the doorbell rang.

Probably her next-door neighbor. She’d moved clear across the country, yet some things stayed the same. The woman in the next apartment reminded her so much of her neighbor, Mrs. Nedbetter, back in Copperville, that several times she’d called her by the wrong name.