Page 69 of Taming the Wild Cowboy

“No.”

“Mac—”

“Do you have feelings for me?” She tilted up her chin with a touch of defiance, telling him just how hard it was for her to put herself on the line. He didn’t want her to feel that way. Not with him.

“I love you,” he said simply.

Mac’s lips parted, before pressing tightly together as she eyed him. “Okay then.”

“Okay then?”

She lowered her gaze, once again tightening her mouth in a rueful expression. “I don’t know how to do this.”

Neither did he. Never before had anyone meant as much to him as this cautious woman who was doing her best not to bolt in the face of perceived danger.

She looked up again. “I’ve never said I love you out loud to a guy.”

Trev reached out to smooth a few strands of hair behind her ear. “Did you ever think it?”

“All the time.” She met his gaze in a serious way. “Lately anyway.”

“Fuck.” He hadn’t meant for the word to escape, but as it did, his self-control snapped. He reached for her, pulling her tightly against him before finding her lips. One kiss led to another, and another, which led to him backing her up to the wall.

“Don’t stop,” Mac said when he came up for air.

“Oh, I have no intentions of stopping.” He touched his forehead to hers. “I just wanted to point out that we seem to communicate better with actions than words.”

“You think?” Her laugh was low. Pure Mac. “I’d also like to communicate with words.”

He wasn’t feeling all that verbally inclined at the moment, but for Mac he’d do whatever needed done. “Now?” he asked.

“Later.” She rimmed his lips with the tip of her tongue.

“How much later?” He barely got the words out.

She leaned back to meet his gaze, amusement lighting her gray eyes. “After I find out just how vigorously you can say, You’re welcome.”

He gave her a look that spoke of his intentions. “I’m going to do my best to make you want to say thank you again.”

*

Mac snuggled against Trev, pleasantly spent, yet unwilling to surrender to sleep. There was time for that later after things were more settled between them. “I heard rumor you loved me,” she said in a low voice.

“Not a rumor.” His breath was warm on her cheek.

“What does that look like?”

He frowned down at her. “I must have done something wrong if you’re asking a question like that. I can try again.”

“I’m communicating, here. Don’t distract me.”

His smile took on a sensual edge, and Mac gave a low laugh. Had she ever in her life felt this comfortable with another person? “I mean what does it look like in the other aspects.”

“Other aspects.” Trev tugged the blanket higher, so it covered her shoulders. “Good question. Hard question.”

“I know.” But easier to tackle snuggled naked under a blanket in a chilly bedroom.

He studied the ceiling, lit only by the dim lamp on the desk that held the router. “I’d say it looks like you having a say in my future plans.”