Exquisite Acquisitions

Seven

The painters were in and out in three days and Macy was pleased at how the interior of the house was shaping up. It was amazing how much better the inn looked with a fresh coat of paint. The colors she’d chosen were soothing and subtle but with enough character to add charm and a sense of home. It was like putting the first brushstroke on an artist’s canvas. The rest of the picture was hers to create.

With workmen making repairs, the place was shaping up nicely. Macy was proud of what she’d accomplished in such a short time. By the middle of her second week at Wild River, she had everything under control.

“How do you like it, Rock?” she asked of her furry blond companion. They stood facing the front of the inn.

Rocky turned his eyes toward the house and gave a quick little bark. There were times Macy wondered if the dog was half human. He seemed to know what she was saying most of the time.

“Yeah, pretty great. I think so, too.”

A team of landscapers were working diligently to tear up the weeds, retill the soil and ready the ground for the white iceberg roses she’d ordered to line the path leading up the house. Masons had already inlaid cobblestones in various areas of the garden.

Things were moving fast.

If she wasn’t careful, she’d be through here before she was ready to head home to Hollywood. She was almost broke and the thought of what she faced when she returned-life without her mother and without a plan of action, and the relentless paparazzi-was something she didn’t want to dwell on. Not when she found it easier and easier to sink into life at Wild River.

She strode to the old gazebo. Her heart warmed every time she looked at it. The eternal optimist in her saw this gazebo restored to its one-time elegance. And as long as she was being hopeful, she imagined it as a glorious outdoor stage for a summer playhouse theater with her at the helm. Wouldn’t that be the icing on the cake?

Bill Fargo stepped up. He’d been meeting her at the house every afternoon since that time when they’d shared a glass of iced tea. It had gotten to be such a routine that when Macy packed her small cooler, she always brought enough lemonade, cookies or fruit for two.

“Ready for a break, Bill?”

“I am.”

“I brought Mara’s lemon cookies today.”

“My stomach’s grumbling already.”

Macy retrieved the cooler from the house, and they sat on the gazebo’s steps this time. Rocky nuzzled Bill’s knee, and he began stroking the dog’s coat. Rocky liked Bill and so did Macy, though she didn’t know very much about him.

“Did I ever tell you how I met the woman of my dreams and told her flat out, on that first night, we were destined for each other?”

Macy shook her head, the whole time smiling. Bill told the best stories. “No, but it sounds romantic.”

“It was back then. We were both in our twenties. We didn’t know each other at all. I saw her laughing in a group of my friends. I walked right up to her and we were introduced. It was 1972 and I was just out of college. Oh, her laugh was wonderful. I knew then, I was going to marry her. I told her that night. She thought I was crazy.” Bill got a distant look on his face, as if reliving the moment. “When you know, you know.”

Macy’s encounters with love were nowhere close to that. She’d probably never been truly in love before. She didn’t have a good track record with the few men whom she’d thought she’d loved. She’d forgotten them pretty easily. And her mother? She’d had disastrous results in the love department, so Macy was curious at what Bill Fargo had meant.

“But how do you know? For sure, I mean?”

But his answer was interrupted when Carter pulled up to the inn and bounded out of the Jeep. Rocky took off, racing toward him, and the cowboy bent to give the dog several loving pats on the head. Then he strode over to them. The sight of him got Macy’s heart pumping hard.

“Hey there,” he said to them both.

They returned the greeting and Carter took a seat to the right of Macy, sandwiching her in between the two men. “Thought I’d stop by and see the progress.”

“It’s coming along,” Macy said.

“Macy’s doing a fine job. I’ve been checking on the house every day, and the transformation is outstanding,” Bill added.

Carter nodded, then glanced at the opened cooler. “Those cookies for anyone in particular?”

“Mara made them. Want one?”

Carter grinned. “Does the sun shine?”

Macy handed him a cookie. “The rooms are all painted, and I think you’ll like what you see in there.”

“Okay.” He didn’t seem all that interested. “Glad you used the McManus brothers?”

“Yes. They’re very good painters. Thanks for the recommendation.”

“You’ll find that true of most the workmen in Wild River. They need the jobs. It means putting food on the table and keeping their kids clothed. They take pride in their work.”

After a few minutes of jawing, as Carter would say, Bill rose and thanked Macy for the cookies then excused himself to get back to his rounds.

Carter finally bit into his cookie, and his face lit up. “These are better than I remembered.” He finished one and then took another from the batch. Then matter-of-factly, he asked, “You coming to dinner tonight?”

“Oh, I uh…” With the back of her hand, she brushed curls away from her forehead, buying time to think. She’d deliberately kept her distance from Carter, working late and missing meals with him. Humiliation was a hard thing to recover from, and after nearly throwing herself at him, she’d wanted to dig herself a hole and jump in. But she’d also been a little miffed at him, too. He wasn’t interested in her, and he’d made that abundantly clear. “Why do you ask?”

His shoulder went up in a shrug. Could it be he missed having dinner with her? “I have a craving for barbecue pork ribs. I thought maybe you’d like to try them. There’s this little place outside of town… They make ribs you’d sell your grandmother’s soul for.”

His devotion to food made her chuckle. “Really?”

He sent her a sincere smile. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”

Except for a few quick trips into town for clothes and supplies, Macy hadn’t ventured off the ranch. The idea excited her. “Sure, I’d love to go. But I’ll need an hour to shower and change.”

He nodded. “You might want to disguise yourself a little. The Bear Pit has a crowd every night.”

Macy had a surefire way to keep people from recognizing her in a small Texas town. “Don’t worry. I have the best disguise ever. I’ll use it tonight.”

Carter had showered and dressed in twenty minutes, then spent the rest of the time waiting for Macy in his office while going over the payroll accounts. He checked his watch just as his stomach complained. Macy was taking longer than the hour she’d asked for and patience wasn’t his best virtue, especially when he was hungry.

Carter got to thinking about his marine buddy, Roark Black, and wondered what the hell kind of trouble he was in. He hadn’t received another text from him yet, so yesterday Carter decided to text him to let him know he’d contacted Ann Richardson about the Gold Heart Statue. He’d kept his message vague, but it was enough to let Roark know he’d done what he’d asked. Whatever his friend was caught up in, he hoped to high heaven Roark would find his way out safely.

When Carter heard voices in the parlor, he rose from his desk abruptly. “Finally.”

He strode out of his office, his mind now on Pit’s Blue Plate Special, a slab of ribs coated with whiskey sauce, mashed potatoes and creamed corn along with the best darn buttermilk biscuits in the whole county. He could almost taste it already. When he reached the door to the great room, he stopped up short.

A woman dressed in a soft paisley blouse tucked into a tan skirt and tall leather boots stood speaking with his cousin Brady. The woman’s back was to him, but her long hair hung down her back straight and smooth, parted down the middle. The two were laughing, and Carter thought for a moment that he’d interrupted a private conversation.

What was Brady doing here?

His cousin hadn’t noticed him. His attention was focused solely on the woman.

Then Carter realized his mistake. That wasn’t just some woman. It was Macy. And she was having a grand time with Brady. The devil of it was that Brady was enjoying her attention, too much.

Carter’s gut clenched and emotion poured over him like hot oil. When Macy turned his way, she tilted her head slightly, acknowledging him. “Here’s Carter now.”

He blinked and shook his head. He couldn’t believe the transformation. Macy looked like an entirely different woman with stick-straight hair. Every curl was gone, replaced by a plank of black hair tied loosely with a band at her nape. She’d done something to her face, too, drowning out her natural color with makeup or something.

Brady shot him a grin, and Carter wasn’t proud of the jealousy bouncing around inside. He couldn’t forget the reason for Jocelyn’s rejection: she’d loved Brady and not him. And now, seeing Brady and Macy smiling together was like a shot through his heart. Shouldn’t be so. He didn’t have feelings for Macy.

But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t attracted to her.

Kissing her had convinced him of that.

But jealousy?

“Brady, what are you doing here?”

Macy’s eyes went wide from his directness, but Brady took it in stride. “I’m on my way out of town. Thought I’d stop by to meet your houseguest. As you can see, Macy and I have already met.”

“Yeah, I can see that.” Carter stepped farther into the room. “You had me fooled for a second,” he said to Macy. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”

She touched the hair at the base of her neck. “It’s my secret weapon. I can’t straighten my hair too often. People will catch on. But now seemed like the perfect time.”

She reached into her handbag and slipped on eyeglasses. “They’re magnifiers, so items might appear larger,” she said, darting a glance at both men, keeping her eyes above their waists, but the innuendo was there. Carter wasn’t sure if Macy was teasing or flirting. Or had it been an innocent comment?

Brady chuckled. “Wow, Macy. You’re a trip.”

Macy laughed with him. “I’m told.”

Carter’s lips tightened.

“Come on, Carter. You have to admit, no one will know it’s me.”

Carter stepped closer and took her arm gently. “I’m starving. Are you ready? Or do you have anything else to add to your disguise?”

“Not a one. I think this will do.”

“You two have fun.” Brady walked outside with them and bid them goodbye.

Carter silently cursed at himself for being a jerk to his cousin, but he couldn’t deny he had a protective streak when it came to Macy. But he was fighting other emotions, as well. He felt possessive of her, and seeing her with Brady just now nearly unraveled his good sense.

“He’s nice,” Macy said on the drive to the Bear Pit.

Carter turned to her. “He has his moments.” He didn’t want to spend the evening speaking about Brady’s virtues. He still couldn’t get over the way Macy looked. “It’s hard to believe you’re the same woman. You look like an Indian princess or something.”

“It’s the MAC makeup. It’s what actors use. I put a dull matte finish on my face, but the only problem I have is with my eyes.”

Carter couldn’t help admiring them. “Nothing wrong there. They are the damnedest shade of violet I’ve ever seen.”

“That’s the problem. They’re so unique, they can be a dead giveaway.”

“The eyeglasses help.”

“Let’s hope. I’m hungry for some ribs.” She rubbed her stomach, and Carter’s gaze drifted to her clothes. In those boots and Western gear, she would fit right in at the Bear Pit.

For some reason, that made Carter extremely happy.

The place was a honky-tonk to the tenth degree and Macy loved it, right down to the sawdust on the floor. A live band played George Strait, Tim McGraw and Trace Adkins songs on a small stage at the opposite end of the large restaurant. She sat in a red vinyl booth facing Carter and tapped her boots to the beat. She ate barbecue ribs with gusto, chucking aside rules of etiquette and femininity.

“I told you, didn’t I?” Carter said, wearing a satisfied grin. He was about as handsome as handsome gets, especially when those dimples appeared. Especially when his stomach was full of the Blue Plate Special and he was crowing about it.

“It’s delicious. Just like you said.” Macy finished half of her ribs and about the same of her mashed potatoes. She’d eaten one biscuit she swore was the size of a baseball. “I’m so full, I couldn’t-”

The waitress slid a seven-layer chocolate cake in the middle of the table. “Bear’s Bake, just as you ordered, Carter.”

It was the biggest slice of cake Macy had ever seen.

Carter sent the waitress a smile and a wink. “Thanks, Jody.”

The blonde woman’s gaze stayed glued to him. She ignored Macy as if she wasn’t sitting across from him. Normally, she would be relieved to go unnoticed, but her behavior bordered on insulting. “Haven’t seen you here in a long while.”

“Too long,” Carter said. “I won’t let that happen again.”

“See that you don’t.” Finally, she gave Macy a cursory glance, then shot Carter a sweet look. “This one doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Or her clothes. I like that.”

Carter had a belly laugh over that, and the waitress took off.

“What?” Macy didn’t like being the butt of a private joke.

Carter didn’t say a word, but a quick glimpse to her chest had her looking down.

A loud gasp escaped when she spotted a big round barbecue stain on her paisley blouse. “Oh no!” Some of the greasy sauce had also dripped onto her chest, right between her breasts.

“Just sit tight,” Carter said. He moistened a napkin and leaned way over the table to dab at her blouse. He was close, taking his time with the scrubbing. His face came inches from hers, and she breathed in his lime aftershave. It was intimate, how he was touching her, and goose bumps erupted on her arms. Then he moved his attention to her chest, and her skin prickled underneath the napkin as he gently stroked her. She drew a deep breath, which managed to fill out her chest. He stared at the stain for a moment then lifted his face a fraction, his eyes blazing hot as he looked at her. He took a hard swallow. There was a flash of awareness, a hunger that had nothing to do with food. They stared at each other a long moment.

“Can’t get it all off,” he said quietly.

“Not for lack of trying,” she whispered.

His eyes roved over her breasts with unabashed admiration. “It wasn’t a hardship.”

Her words slipped out, countering his attention. “For me, either.”

The band played a slow ballad, and Carter rose from his seat. He came to stand beside her at the table, and she faced his outstretched hand. “Dance with me?”

She was a mess of whiskey-sauce stains, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from dancing with Carter McCay. She slipped her hand in his and followed him toward the music. Once on the saw-dusted wooden dance floor, he turned to face her, his eyes heavy lidded as he drew her against him. He curved his arms around her waist and she clung to his neck.

They began moving, gently rocking to the rhythm. There were ten other couples slow dancing. “I like this song,” Carter whispered in her ear.

Macy laid her head on his chest. “Hmm. I think it’s my favorite, too.” It wasn’t a lie. It was going to be her favorite from now on.

Carter moved with grace, swaying back and forth in tune to the rhythm of the music, and Macy followed easily, her boots gliding across the floor. She wished she could bottle this moment and pretend they were in a cocoon of time, where nothing and no one could interrupt them. She would get lost, never wanting to be found.

“Truth is, Hollywood,” he said in a low rasp, his breath warm against her throat, “I don’t dance much.”

“You’re doing fine.”

“Maybe I just wanted to hold you.”

“I won’t complain.”

“You’re easy to be with.”

“I can be a pain.”

He chuckled, and she felt the vibration of it rumble through his chest. “I’m not touching that comment.”

“It’s good that you don’t. What did the waitress mean, ‘This one doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty’?”

Carter spoke close to her ear. “Jody has a big mouth sometimes. It’s not important.”

Macy pulled back to look into his hazel eyes. “I’d like to know. I mean, the woman insulted me.”

“Trust me. She really didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just Jody.”

“You’re not going to tell me?” She should just be quiet and enjoy the dance.

His lips quirked. “Is this you…being a pain?”

She lowered her head and looked over the top of her fake eyeglasses. “I’m not even trying.”

Carter grinned, and those deep dimples came out. They were his secret weapon, whether he knew it or not.

Her lips formed a pout. She couldn’t help it. Her curiosity was killing her despite Carter’s charm.

He regarded her with a closed-off expression, then finally said, “It was about Jocelyn. She didn’t like it here. The last time we came, she sort of kicked up a fuss about the food and the service.”

“Whoops. Sorry I asked.” Macy really put her foot in it. Jocelyn was a sore subject with Carter.

He pulled Macy close and crushed her breasts, sauce stains and all, into his chest. It was absolutely the place she wanted to be. His lips formed words against her throat. “I don’t want to talk about her anymore.”

Her breath caught. She managed a throaty, “O-kay.”

“Fact is, darlin’, I’d rather not talk at all.”

She couldn’t argue with that or anything else. Her bones were melting.

He lifted her chin with his thumb, looked into her eyes and shut her up for good with a slow, sensual, heart-stopping kiss.

When the dance was over, Macy guiltily looked around to see if she was being gawked at. Carter had kissed her as if he meant business, right there on the dance floor. But the people at the Bear Pit didn’t seem to take notice. Not one bit. If was as if bone-melting kisses were an everyday occurrence or something. Maybe they were.

But not for Macy.

Carter took her hand when the band started playing a rockabilly tune and led her off the dance floor to the table. They stood by their booth and stared at the huge slice of chocolate cake sitting front and center, like a creamy edible centerpiece. “You want cake?”

“No thanks. I’ve already had my dessert.” She glimpsed his mouth.

He blinked.

“If you want some, go ahead. Please,” she said.

He picked up his hat from the booth’s seat and flicked his fingers over the brim, brushing it off. And then he shifted his attention to her, his eyes a dark, daring blaze. “Cake isn’t what I want right now.”

Macy took a gulp of oxygen, her nerves a mass of tingles, and asked softly, “What do you want, Carter?”

Music blared in the background. The floor got rowdy with foot-stomping Texans and their girls. She wasn’t Carter’s girl, but for a moment back there on the dance floor, it sure felt as if she was. She waited for his answer. He wasn’t a man she could deny. If he wanted her, she would go willingly.

A tick worked his jaw and he ran a hand through his hair, making the ends curl up at his collar. He did that, she noticed, when he was trying to make a decision. He drew a breath and regret singed his eyes. Then he tossed his hat back onto the booth’s bench and sat down. “On second thought, maybe I will have some cake.” He gestured for her to sit down. “C’mon, try it. It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted before in your life.”

Wanna bet? Disappointed, Macy lowered herself into the booth. She wouldn’t press Carter. He needed space and freedom. He’d kissed her like a man who hadn’t been heavily involved with a woman just weeks ago, but that was the point, wasn’t it? That kiss was more about forgetting Jocelyn than it was about his desire for Macy.

Her heart ached. Carter was an amazing man, and she wanted him more and more every day. She knew nothing would come of it in the long run. Macy had a life in Los Angeles, or rather a home, but she didn’t have direction. She needed that more than anything else. Now that her debts were paid, her hope was that her absence in Hollywood would cause the buzz about her to die down. When she returned, she’d like some peace of mind to find her place. She needed to carve out a future, somehow.

But she had time. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t worry about later when she could be living in the now. That’s why she came to Wild River in the first place.

Well, that and because she couldn’t imagine refusing the gorgeous Texan his offer.

“Okay, Carter. Lay it on me. I’ll bite.”

His brows rose and he laughed as he cut her a ginormous piece of chocolate cake. He slid it over to her. “It’s heaven on a plate.”

She picked up her fork and dug in. The cake went down creamy and silky smooth. It was the second-best thing she’d tasted tonight. She let out a contented sigh and sent him a smile. “Mmm…you’re wrong. It’s heaven in Texas.”

Carter leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his middle, giving her a smug, satisfied look. “You got that right.”

She did. Only, Macy wasn’t speaking about chocolate cake.

After last night with Carter, Macy had a ton of nervous energy. She’d rationalized in that his backing off from her was for the best, but her heart said other things. So today, Macy poured herself into her work at the inn, and it was doing the trick. She thought about Carter only every hour or so.

“You are pathetic, Macy,” she muttered as she walked the upstairs hallway.

She poked her head inside the bedroom she was planning on decorating next. This one needed furniture, an armoire and a headboard, at the very least. She’d flipped through catalogs, but nothing jumped out at her. She wanted something special and authentic, antiques from the area, to finish off the room.

The room dimmed and Macy stole a glance out the window. Threatening gray clouds moved in and filled the sky. The air cooled down. She crossed her arms and rubbed away a slight shiver. “Better pack up,” she said. She’d been warned about fast-moving Texas storms.

Rocky, the traitor, had already left. Seemed the dog loved her to pieces, until dinnertime. He’d trotted back to the main house an hour ago, led by his tremendous appetite. She’d already had break time with Bill Fargo. He’d told her a funny story about his youth while they munched on cheese and crackers.

Darkness was descending quickly. A loud clap of thunder made her jump. “Oh!”

There was a sudden flash. Then the power went out.

Macy stood alone in the dark. She shivered again then attempted to make her way out of the bedroom. There was no light, and she knocked her shoulder into the doorjamb. “Ouch!”

She rubbed away the pain on her shoulder, trying to get her bearings, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark.

Another clap of thunder struck, louder this time.

A noise from downstairs jerked her to attention. She froze, listening. She heard rustling and hoped it was a tree brushing the window. Glass broke. The sound rang out in her ears. Another bang erupted and glass splintered again.

It was raining and the wind wheezed slightly, but it wasn’t strong enough to break a window.

Someone was out there. Trying to break in.

Macy stood paralyzed with fear, defenseless.

This wasn’t happening, her mind screamed.

She heard a man’s voice, raspy and old, cursing. Someone was really downstairs.

Macy’s entire body shook now. She couldn’t stop it, but she knew she had to do something. She took a step back into the room, felt for the door, her arms flailing out, searching. Finally, once she made contact, she closed the door as quiet as a mouse and leaned against it, sending up silent prayers.

Footsteps on the stairs brought more fear. She held her breath, panicked. What could she do? She had no weapon.

“Macy? Macy, are you up here?”

His voice broke through her fear, and her knees buckled with relief. “Carter! Oh, my God, Carter!”

A thin stream of light beamed under the doorway and then he was there, opening the door. Light poured in from the flashlight he held. She squinted and saw a look of genuine concern on his face. He dropped the flashlight to the ground and grabbed her waist, folding her into his arms. “Macy, darlin’, are you okay?”

She shook uncontrollably and he tightened his hold on her. “I…d-don’t kn-know.”

“It’s okay. It’s okay,” he repeated, kissing her forehead, her hair. “I’m here now. No one’s going to hurt you.”

Tears spilled down her cheeks. She couldn’t stop shaking. “I w-was so scared.”

“I know. I know.” His voice was velvet, soft and warm and smooth. “Calm down, sweetheart. Calm down.”

He freed one hand and used his fingers to pry something out of her hand. He brought it into the light. “A candlestick?” Admiration touched his voice. “I’m glad you didn’t use it on me. Looks painful.”

She couldn’t laugh. She couldn’t smile. She had grabbed the tall bronze weapon out of sheer panic at the last second. “D-don’t let me go, Carter. Don’t.”

His lips came to that sensitive spot behind her ear. He murmured softly, his breath whispering over her skin. “Wasn’t going to.”

She didn’t want to think about anything other than being with Carter, but she had to ask. She spoke in a hushed tone. “What happened out there? Does someone know I’m here?”

“It’s not that, trust me.”

“But how do you know?”

“I got a glimpse of him running away. Must’ve scared him off when I pulled up.”

“I heard him cussing. He sounded…older,” she said.

Carter searched her eyes and nodded. His voice was gruff yet reassuring at the same time. “It wasn’t you he was after, Macy. Don’t worry. He probably just wanted to get out of the rain. Fargo and Henry are out looking for him now. I have an idea who it was, and I’ve sent them in search. They’ll report back to me later.”

“Carter?”

“Shush, darlin’. It’s all right.”

“Shouldn’t we call the police or sheriff or someone?”

Carter shook his head. “Not tonight. I’ll take care of it in the morning.”

He ran his hands down the sides of her body, his fingers splayed wide as he caressed her. Macy focused her attention on how good he made her feel. With him holding her, his strong body acting like a shield to protect her, Macy could forget her fear and concentrate solely on him. He murmured, soft and low, “You have no idea how much I want you right now.”

Macy’s body shook again, this time from the impact of his sensual words. “I want you, too.”

His eyes darkened and he reached up to pull the band out of her hair. Then he dug his fingers into her long, natural curls and spread her hair out, letting it fall past her shoulders. Her body reacted to his touch and the pure lust she saw in his eyes as he let the tresses flow through his hands. Her shaking stopped, replaced by a surge of desire so strong, Macy couldn’t speak the words forming in her mind. She was overwhelmed with emotion and needed Carter more than she needed her next breath.

She stepped out of his arms a moment and he followed her movements with intense interest. She untied the straps of her halter top and let the material fall away. Her breasts were bared, and the cool, damp air touched them. Carter’s gaze was hot enough to heat the entire house. Appreciation shone in his eyes, which made her feel beautiful. She reached for his hand and brought it to her mouth. She kissed his palm then stepped closer to him. He didn’t need any more encouragement.

He cupped her breast with one hand and filled his palm. He looked at her as he stroked his thumb over the extended tip. She closed her eyes. She was truly in heaven.

Then he brought his mouth down over her other breast, and she let go a tiny sigh. He moistened her nipple and made it peak, his tongue circling until she ached from dire need. Her body flamed, the heat spiraling down below her waist. She tossed her head back, lengthening her frame. He kissed her again and again, finding her shoulder, first one then the other. He moved his lips to her throat, planting tiny moist kisses there, working his way up her chin, until he finally took her in a long, sensual tongue-to-tongue kiss that brought with it only one inevitable finale. “Take me, Carter,” she breathed between his kisses.

“Planning to, darlin’,” he murmured, his breathing heavy. The palm of his hand flattened on her breast, applying sweet, exquisite pressure.

She had to touch him, to bare his body to hers. She needed him, desperately. There was no holding back, no time for modesty or coyness. She straightened and began unfastening the snaps to his shirt. It was easy pulling them apart. He helped her get his shirt off and then…then she laid her hands flat on the solid, powerful wall of his chest. Muscles bunched underneath her fingers. He was ripped, perfectly sculpted with definition, and damp from his jaunt in the rain. To save her.

A powerful shudder racked her body.

“Wow,” she whispered.

“Give me a few minutes before you say that.” A rumble of laughter rose up his chest and quaked under her palms. Carter found her amusing, but she found him nothing but stunning.

He reached for the zipper of her jeans and made fast work of undressing her. Once she was clear of pants and panties, Carter drew her up against him again and pressed his hand between her legs. Electric jolts shot through her as he stroked her most sensitive area. She brought her mouth to his chest and kissed him, wanting to bring him pleasure, too, but his forceful, demanding touch was no match for her mere kisses.

She squeezed her eyes closed and rode the building wave.

He grabbed the back of her head, brought her mouth to his and filled her with a lusty kiss. He whispered over her lips, “Let go, sweetheart.”

She moved with him now, standing beside the bed, the rain ravaging outside and Carter doing the same to her inside. Her breaths came up short, her gasps closer together. She couldn’t take another second of the toe-curling, heat-inducing spasms.

She broke apart, her body releasing in sharp, shattering tremors. Carter held her tight while she exploded with pleasure in his arms.

It took a minute to come down from the precipice. Everything felt better, clearer, fresher, and she’d never been happier.

Carter kissed her cheek and spoke into her ear. “Now you can say it.”

She smiled wide and said softly on a sigh, “Wow.”

He grinned and picked her up. She wrapped her arms about his neck, and he carried her a few steps to the new bed that had been delivered just yesterday. “It’s time to initiate this bed.”

He lowered her down carefully, and her head came to rest on a pillow sham. His gaze traveled over the length of her slowly, lazily, perusing every slight curve. “You’re…beautiful.”

She smiled. She felt beautiful. “You have to say that. I’m naked.”

“I’m not lying,” he said quietly, and the solemn look in his eyes made her believe him.

She was ready for round two. She’d go ten rounds with Carter and not be sorry. She wanted him. Wanted to bring him the same pleasure he’d just given her.

“Take off your clothes, McCay.”

“Those words,” he said, unbuckling his belt, “are music to my ears.”

She’d felt his erection through his clothes when he held her, but nothing prepared her for the sight of Carter McCay naked and aroused.

She gulped down her compliments. Her mouth went totally dry. He approached the bed, laying one knee onto the mattress. She reached for him, her hand wrapping around the silky, thick member. “May I?” she asked, though she was pretty sure of his answer.

“Darlin’, you have free reign to touch me anywhere. Any time.” He shot her a look so intense, she trembled.

“G-good to know,” she said. She covered him and slid her hand up and down, felt the pulsing need and the shaft thicken even more. She watched Carter’s expression change, saw the lust in his eyes as she stroked him. It was surreal. A few weeks ago, she would never have guessed she’d be making love to a strong, gorgeous cowboy hunk of man and bringing him intense pleasure.

Her stroking accelerated. Carter’s eyes closed tight. She was turned on from arousing him, and her body ached now. She wanted him inside her. She wanted to be covered by him.

Carter groaned and gripped her hand. He stilled her, and she knew then he was close.

“I have protection,” he said, finding his jeans and coming up with it.

Of course he did.

Thank goodness. Macy hadn’t thought about it. Not once.

He was ready for her now and he joined her on the bed, kissing her mouth and fondling her body again, making sure she was ready.

She was so ready.

Carter came over her, his eyes on hers, and he nudged her between the legs. “Open again for me, sweetheart,” he commanded.

“It’s been a long while, Carter,” she warned.

“I won’t hurt you.”

She knew that. It wasn’t what she meant. She was out of practice.

He reassured her with a kiss and entered her body with a slow, precise thrust. She welcomed him with all she had. It was heaven all over again.

Carter made love to her like a man on a mission to please. They were in tune with each other, their bodies perfectly aligned.

His thrusts grew stronger, harder, Macy accommodating him with each movement. His release came fast and hard. She toppled over the edge, seeing him arch above her, still his body then thrust once more with an erotic groan of completion. She came with him and they filled the room with moans of intense satisfaction.

It was good…so good.

Carter lowered himself to lay atop her slightly askew to allow her breathing room. He kissed her and she wove her hands through his hair. The dark blond locks, thick and long, curled at his nape, and she relished the freedom to touch him. He was her sexy cowboy for the night.

He’d rescued her once again.

They lay quietly for a while, Macy speechless, for once. She didn’t know what to say to him. She didn’t know how this changed their relationship, if at all.

“Wow,” Carter said. It wasn’t a word he’d ever used, and she wondered if he was teasing her.

“I agree. Guess fear of death is a pretty hefty aphrodisiac.”

Carter lifted up on his elbows to look into her eyes. His musky scent surrounded her. She drew it into her lungs and savored it. “I wouldn’t let anything happen to you.”

“How’d you know I was in danger?” she asked softly, running her hands through his hair. Once she’d gotten free reign, she couldn’t get enough.

“I, uh, came to bring you home for dinner.”

That surprised her. She tilted her head in question. “Why?”

“It was getting late.”

“I’ve stayed late before and missed dinner.”

“Yeah, well. That’s going to change now.”

He kissed her quiet and Macy got the hint.

Carter had made his decision, and the time for talking was over.