Page 68 of Pure Temptation in Cowboy Boots

She glanced at herself in the mirror. Oh, well, it was Halloween. She’d explain that she was trying on costumes in preparation for a party. She really should make herself go, she thought as she walked toward the front door. A simple costume like a gypsy or a pirate wouldn’t be that hard to create.

The doorbell chimed again. Then a voice that made her breath catch called out, “Trick or treat.”

“Mac!” She raced to the door and unlocked it, fumbling in her eagerness. So what if he’d only come for a visit and would leave her worse off than she was now? She didn’t care. She flung open the door and gasped.

He was dressed in his Aladdin costume—turban, white balloon pants, gold sash and bare-chested except for Aladdin’s purple vest When he saw her, his jaw dropped. “Wow. This is just plain scary.”

“Yeah.” She held his gaze, her heart pounding. “Scary as hell.”

“Are you going to a Halloween party?”

“No. Well, maybe. I was invited and I was trying to decide if I wanted to go or not, so I put this on in case I could wear it.” She gulped for air. “But I can’t.”

“Funny, but you seem to be wearing it. Or is that an optical illusion?”

“I—listen, come in.” She stepped back from the door. “Do you have bags? How long can you stay? When did you⁠—”

“No bags. I left them at the hotel.”

Her hopes died. “H-hotel? You’re not... planning to stay... with me?”

He walked in and closed the door behind him. “I didn’t want to impose on you. I’m sure you have all sorts of things going on.”

So he had come for a visit, with a capital V. He probably wanted someone to show him the sights, and she was handy, but he’d distanced himself from her by checking into a hotel. His Aladdin outfit was a little joke, not a significant statement of his intentions.

“Well, of course I have things going on.” She was determined to hide her pain. “But I’d be glad to adjust my schedule. If you’d told me you were coming, I might have been able to arrange a couple of days off, but on short notice, I’m not sure.”

He waved a hand as if that didn’t matter to him. “I don’t want you to interrupt your work for me.” He hesitated. “You said you were invited to a party.” His voice became husky. “Do you have a date?”

For a split second she considered lying, but she’d never been good at that, especially with Mac. “No. It’s just some people from work. Not a couples sort of thing.”

“And you’re thinking of going in that?”

She bristled. Deciding not to wear it because of the memories it evoked was one thing. Having him question her choice in that tone of voice was quite another. He didn’t have that right. “Why not?”

“Because it’s indecent!”

“You didn’t think so that night I danced for you!” She blew the veil impatiently away from her face. “You enjoyed this outfit so much your tongue was hanging out, mister!”

“And it still is! And so will every other guy’s at that party!”

Her chin lifted. “What’s it to you?”

He stepped forward and grabbed her. “Everything.”

Her breath caught as the space surrounding them seemed to glow and pulse. She became lost in his gaze.

He squeezed his eyes shut. “Damn. I didn’t mean it to come out like that.”

“You didn’t?” Some of the luster faded.

“No.” He looked into her eyes. “I meant to go slow, find out if you had a boyfriend.”

The luster returned.

“Well?” he prompted.

Wherever this conversation was leading she wanted to go along, but he’d taken his time about having this talk with her. She decided not to make it too easy and ruin the challenge for him. “Well, what?”