you feel this morning?”
“Fine,” she told him, lying and smiling all in one breath.
She had just spent almost forty hours in bed making love with a man she’d known most of her life. True, a lot of women made love with men they’d known all their lives. That wasn’t unique. But different for her was the fact that she’d done it in so many new ways time after time. And according to their deal, time had been the ticking bomb here. All of this passion was over so soon.
Sorrow swallowed her. She clutched the sheets, watching him pad away to the bathroom. She didn’t want to do without him!
Stop your childishness, Jess! She punched the pillow. She had enjoyed what they had here—and his declaration that he wanted her in his bed all the time was one she understood.
She wanted him. Inside her body. Loving her. All the time.
But was sex enough for her?
After Clint died she had promised herself that she would look very long and hard at any man who ever again touched her mind or her heart. Clint had enchanted her in bed.
Just like his brother, Trey. Clint had been intelligent, funny and fun-loving. Just like Trey.
Clint had been a man in a hurry to have her. Just like Trey. But Clint had been lazy, undisciplined.
Unlike Trey who was organised, efficient.
Clint had also been a drinker.
Unlike Trey who stopped, always, at one.
Clint had been one to issue ultimatums. Marry me after graduation. Let me do the finances.
Sign the deed to the ranch over to me. I’m your husband and you owe me.
Not like Trey.
Now whatever she had learned about Trey would go for nothing. Because he was returning to his post, to wherever he was sent. Away from her. And even if she wanted to go with him, she couldn’t. She owned a ranch that was now, and always had been, the one constant in her life. She wasn’t rich enough to hire a foreman like Trey had. She couldn’t go anywhere with Trey, no matter how much she wanted him.
Wanting a man was what had led her to marry Clint. Being so in love with lust that she was blinded to who he really was. She had vowed never to make that mistake again. Yet, here she was trying to decide if she loved this man. And she wondered if she could even make a sound decision about loving any man, let alone this man who charmed her and disarmed her—and who by his laughter and grace, alarmed her.
Chapter Four
Their ride towards home in the dusk was so silent, he could damn near hear his heart beat. He reached for her hand at one point and she squeezed it good-naturedly, then withdrew.
He’d thought showing her how he loved her would have made her break down and declare how she cared for him. But she wouldn’t go that far, no matter how often or how well he brought her to climaxes. And as for him, hell, he was a goner, now down with a bad case of the love sick blues. And he hadn’t even left her yet.
He saw the latest road sign and knew he had only fifteen more miles until the turn-off for home. That meant time was out for him to make his pitch, but damn, if he wasn’t a tongue-tied kid. Trying to find the right words, he knew he’d just have to force himself to blurt out what he wanted—what he intended—and sit tight and see where the sparks flew.
At the next right turn off the Interstate highway, he pulled off the lonely road into the service area and parked the truck.
She glanced at him, a question in her eyes.
“Would you like to use the ladies room? Or get a Coke?”
She shook her head no. “Thanks.”
“Me neither.”
“Then why—?”
“I haven’t been fully honest with you, Jess.”
Her lips parted. “About what?”
“What I wanted here.”
She sucked in air like a woman dying for breath. “What do you mean?”
“I asked you to come away with me because I had an ulterior motive.” Christ, do not lookat me like I’m a vampire. He grasped her hand, but she snatched it back.
“Tell me,” she pleaded in a small voice. “Get it over
“Fine,” she told him, lying and smiling all in one breath.
She had just spent almost forty hours in bed making love with a man she’d known most of her life. True, a lot of women made love with men they’d known all their lives. That wasn’t unique. But different for her was the fact that she’d done it in so many new ways time after time. And according to their deal, time had been the ticking bomb here. All of this passion was over so soon.
Sorrow swallowed her. She clutched the sheets, watching him pad away to the bathroom. She didn’t want to do without him!
Stop your childishness, Jess! She punched the pillow. She had enjoyed what they had here—and his declaration that he wanted her in his bed all the time was one she understood.
She wanted him. Inside her body. Loving her. All the time.
But was sex enough for her?
After Clint died she had promised herself that she would look very long and hard at any man who ever again touched her mind or her heart. Clint had enchanted her in bed.
Just like his brother, Trey. Clint had been intelligent, funny and fun-loving. Just like Trey.
Clint had been a man in a hurry to have her. Just like Trey. But Clint had been lazy, undisciplined.
Unlike Trey who was organised, efficient.
Clint had also been a drinker.
Unlike Trey who stopped, always, at one.
Clint had been one to issue ultimatums. Marry me after graduation. Let me do the finances.
Sign the deed to the ranch over to me. I’m your husband and you owe me.
Not like Trey.
Now whatever she had learned about Trey would go for nothing. Because he was returning to his post, to wherever he was sent. Away from her. And even if she wanted to go with him, she couldn’t. She owned a ranch that was now, and always had been, the one constant in her life. She wasn’t rich enough to hire a foreman like Trey had. She couldn’t go anywhere with Trey, no matter how much she wanted him.
Wanting a man was what had led her to marry Clint. Being so in love with lust that she was blinded to who he really was. She had vowed never to make that mistake again. Yet, here she was trying to decide if she loved this man. And she wondered if she could even make a sound decision about loving any man, let alone this man who charmed her and disarmed her—and who by his laughter and grace, alarmed her.
Chapter Four
Their ride towards home in the dusk was so silent, he could damn near hear his heart beat. He reached for her hand at one point and she squeezed it good-naturedly, then withdrew.
He’d thought showing her how he loved her would have made her break down and declare how she cared for him. But she wouldn’t go that far, no matter how often or how well he brought her to climaxes. And as for him, hell, he was a goner, now down with a bad case of the love sick blues. And he hadn’t even left her yet.
He saw the latest road sign and knew he had only fifteen more miles until the turn-off for home. That meant time was out for him to make his pitch, but damn, if he wasn’t a tongue-tied kid. Trying to find the right words, he knew he’d just have to force himself to blurt out what he wanted—what he intended—and sit tight and see where the sparks flew.
At the next right turn off the Interstate highway, he pulled off the lonely road into the service area and parked the truck.
She glanced at him, a question in her eyes.
“Would you like to use the ladies room? Or get a Coke?”
She shook her head no. “Thanks.”
“Me neither.”
“Then why—?”
“I haven’t been fully honest with you, Jess.”
Her lips parted. “About what?”
“What I wanted here.”
She sucked in air like a woman dying for breath. “What do you mean?”
“I asked you to come away with me because I had an ulterior motive.” Christ, do not lookat me like I’m a vampire. He grasped her hand, but she snatched it back.
“Tell me,” she pleaded in a small voice. “Get it over
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