Page 55 of Taming the Wild Cowboy

“I guess it would give me that closure people talk about.”

Trev wouldn’t try to stop her, but he couldn’t help the protective instinct that urged him to do just that.

Mac reached out to give his upper arm a reassuring stroke. “I won’t fight her. I promise.”

He let out a short laugh. “My money is on you if you did.”

He took a gentle hold on her shoulders and dropped his forehead to touch hers. There they stood for a long moment until he tipped up her chin and kissed her lips. “You’re not alone in this, you know.”

Instead of answering, she cupped his face and pulled his mouth down to hers. The kiss was soft and sensual, sparking a reaction that he fought to contain. “I don’t need backup, Trev. I can handle my life alone.”

“Looking to join Wade in the Stubbornness Hall of Fame?”

“Not the same thing.” She was withdrawing, and Trev wasn’t ready to let her go.

“Well, while you’re handling things, you can stay on here. I have to go back to my job next week. Jordan will be here in a couple days, but we can still use the help.”

She went still, her fingers clutching the canvas sleeves of his muddy coat.

He cupped the side of her head with one hand. “Mac?”

She pulled in a breath, one corner of her mouth quirking up. “Lots of surprises today.”

She doesn’t want you to go.

Now Trev went still.

“I’m good,” she said after the silence had stretched on just a little too long for comfort.

His grip on her waist tightened. “Are you? Because I’m not.”

“What do you want, Trev?”

“You.”

*

Mac’s breath caught as she met Trev’s intense gaze. This cowboy had been messing with her peace of mind, disrupting her thoughts for too long. “That can be arranged.”

He waited a beat, as if expecting her to backtrack. “Are you sure?”

Mac answered with actions rather than words, reaching out to push Trev’s canvas coat off his shoulders. He shrugged and it landed in a sodden heap behind him. He returned the favor, helping her out of her coat, then tossing it aside as he pressed his lips into the hollow of her shoulder. Raisin scratched at the door again and Trev reached behind him to open it, pushing it shut as soon as the wet dog scampered back inside, stopping next to Maclyn to shake the water off her curly coat before jumping into the dog bed.

Mac barely noticed the shower, intent as she was on stripping Trev out of his damp shirt. Her cold fingers fumbled at the buttons, but she got the job done, pushing the shirt open and then running her palms over the hard muscles of his chest. He jerked a little at her touch, then captured her hands in his and brought them up to his mouth, blowing on them.

“You’re cold.”

“Warm me.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Trev led her into the bedroom, shutting the door behind them before proceeding to follow her directions. And warm her he did. It was counterintuitive that removing her clothing would bring such heat to her body, but Mac had never been good with the properties of physics. She let her head drop back as he caressed her breasts, the calluses on his fingers creating a delightful friction before his hands traveled on, sliding her jeans down over her hips, crouching so that she could use his shoulder for balance as she stepped out of the rain-soaked denim.

He started to undo his belt, but she stopped him by covering his hands with her own.

“Let me.”

“Not going to fight you.” He surrendered the buckle and Mac went to work, unbuckling, unbuttoning and fighting damp denim until her prize was at hand. Or rather in hand. His erection felt immense, intense, but so was her need for the man. She pressed into the long length of him, kissing him deeply as she stroked the hard ridge trapped between them.

“Mac …”