“Why, does my hair look bad?”
“No. You look . . . beautiful.”
She met his warm gaze. “Thanks.” Oh, yes, leaving Mac was going to be very tough.
CHAPTER 25
They unsaddled the horses together, because Anastasia insisted on that. But once the horses were munching on their dinner, Mac took over the chores. He built a fire and unpacked the supplies while she sat on one of the logs grouped around the fire pit, her sketch pad balanced on her knees.
He loved watching her work. He’d become used to the mournful tunes she hummed while she drew, but they still made him smile. She’d offered to help him with the meal, too, but he knew she’d been itching to get her hands on a pencil.
He was itching to get his hands on her, but he controlled that urge. They’d have plenty of time to make love after she’d poured out all the images in her head onto paper. He’d never known someone so filled up with creativity. Hard to believe that she’d ever lost interest in drawing, but apparently she had and he’d inspired her to start again.
That justified his existence right there, because he wondered what would have happened if she hadn’t gone back to her art. She never would have realized her potential and the world would be a poorer place as a result. But now she would expand into a whole new area. If he’d contributed to that, he’d consider it a point of pride for the rest of his life.
He’d made some stew this morning so he’d have something he could warm up instead of cooking dinner from scratch. He liked cooking, but he liked kissing better, especially if he could be kissing Anastasia. But that wouldn’t last. What did? At least this time he knew when the end would come and he also knew she didn’t want to leave. That helped.
Henry usually handled the food preparation for the trail riders, so Mac had all kinds of equipment at his disposal at the campsite, including a heavy pot that he could suspend from an iron tripod. Once he had the stew simmering over the fire, he turned his attention to their sleeping arrangements.
He could do without an air mattress but he wanted her to have one. He inflated two so they’d have a level playing field, so to speak. He’d forgotten to ask her if she wanted him to set up a tent, though.
Because he didn’t want to interrupt her, he made an educated guess. Lying outside gazing up at the stars seemed like an Anastasia thing to do. That would be after they’d wrung each other out, of course. He pulled a couple of sleeping bags out of the storage trunks, zipped them together, and secured the liner inside.
He chose a location near the fire but not too near. They’d generate plenty of heat all by themselves. Last of all he inflated a couple of pillows and put on clean pillowcases. He tucked some condoms inside the one on the left side, a habit he’d fallen into because that was the side he usually took when they were in bed.
“You’ve been busy.” Her sketch pad under her arm, she walked over and surveyed the bed he’d created. “Cozy.”
“I hope so. Are you going to show me what you’ve been working on?”
“Yeah.” She grinned and flipped open the sketch pad. “I’m willing to make prints of this.”
He looked at her new drawing of the Ghost and gave a low whistle. “Amazing.”
“I know, right? I had him rearing before, but this is so much better, with him standing proudly, head up, mane blowing in the breeze. He doesn’t need to fight because he’s the king.”
“I love it.”
“Good thing, because you get the original for your living room wall. Everyone else gets a signed print.”
“You shouldn’t do that. You should sell the original for a whole lot of money. Put it in the gallery in Amarillo. Set the price really high, because it’s worth it.”
“No. It’s yours, Mac. You made this sketch possible and it’s not for sale. It’s my gift to you.”
He looked into her eyes and felt a visceral tug that was part lust and a whole lot of something more significant. To hell with the stew. He didn’t care if it burned to a crisp if he could only . . . but she might be hungry. “Ready for dinner?”
“Not yet.” She closed her sketchbook, put it on the ground, and anchored it with a nearby rock. Then she sat on the closest log and pulled off her boots. After that she began taking off her clothes.
He’d died and gone to heaven. That was the only explanation for being in the presence of a beautiful woman who seemed to read his every thought. She’d caught him by surprise, so she was way ahead of him by the time he started fumbling with his own clothes. Anticipation made him clumsy.
By the time he’d shed everything, she was already in the sleeping bag. She patted the space next to her. “I saved you some room.” Then she held up a condom packet. “I also went fishing and found this.”
He climbed in and reached for it.
“Nope.” She snatched it away. “Lie down, cowboy. You can test the resilience of the air mattress while I test you.”
And did she ever test him. She started with oral sex, something he’d never experienced while staring up at the twilight sky. She was wickedly good at it, too. He focused on the evening star and made a wish that he could hold out a little longer, just a little . . . “Okay, stop.” Jaw clenched, he fought off his climax.
She kissed the tip of his cock. “You can come, you know. We have all night.”
“I know.” He gulped for air.
“Then let me.” She licked the cleft underneath that was all kinds of sensitive.
Breath hissed out between his teeth. “No. Please. Scoot up here.”
She wiggled her way up his body, which was another form of sweet torture. Then she propped herself above him and looked down. “What?”
She was so cute about it that he had to laugh. “Where’s the condom?”
“Here.” She held it in front of his face.
“Please put it on. Or let me do it. I want . . . I need . . .”
“All right.” She smiled. “Me, too, actually.”
“Thank God.” He battled his climax some more while she rolled on the condom. After what seemed like an hour, she finished the task and he sighed in relief. “Good job. Now—”
“Don’t worry. I know what you want.” Holding his gaze, she moved over him and began claiming territory. “Better?”
“Much.”
“I want to treat you right, Mac.”
He sucked in air as she rotated her hips in a slow circle on her way down. “You’re doing . . . a terrific job.”
“You’ve been so good to me.”
“Like I said, it’s easy.”
“Because we fit.” In one smooth movement, she was there.
“We sure do.” He grasped her hips and lifted his to intensify the connection.
“Mmm.” Leaning forward, she braced her hands on either side of his shoulders. Her mouth hovered over his. “I’m gonna miss you like crazy.”
“Same here.”
Keeping the rest of her body still, she kissed him, taking it slow and making generous use of her tongue. Then she angled her head and took the kiss even deeper, as if silently telling him something. He had a pretty good idea what that something was.
And he answered her. Sliding both hands up her warm back, he cradled her head and slackened his jaw. She could have anything she wanted from him. He was completely, absolutely hers.
She made love to him with her mouth while the rest of her body remained completely motionless. Then she moaned softly and her muscles tightened around his cock. Her orgasm rolled through her with a silent power that shook him to his core. His hips rose without conscious effort and his release brought a surge of joy so great that he lost track of where he was.
But he never lost track of who was in his arms. As she ended the kiss and sank against his chest, panting, he held her close and murmured her name. This moment would stay with him forever, even if she couldn�
��t.
• • •
Their night together was filled with laughter and lovemaking and very little sleep. Even though Mac knew she wouldn’t be leaving permanently for another two weeks, he couldn’t help thinking these few hours gave them a chance to say good-bye. He sensed that she felt the same.
At dawn they dressed and crept back to the meadow. The horses were on the far side picking at the scattered tufts of dry grass left from the summer and didn’t appear to take notice of them. Mac held Anastasia’s hand as they crouched in the shadows and watched.
The stallion moved through the herd as if taking a head count. He seemed relaxed and in charge. Mac had wondered if the trail rides and the increased presence of humans in the area would upset the Ghost’s routine, but so far that didn’t seem to be happening.
Anastasia put her mouth close to his ear, her breath warm and arousing. “Let’s go before we disturb them.”
He nodded. As they crept back up the trail, he listened for a whinny of alarm and rapid hoofbeats signaling that the herd was running away, but the meadow remained peaceful. He and Anastasia had managed to slip in and out of the horses’ world without being noticed.
Back in camp, all he had to do was look at her and they were in each other’s arms again. They made love without words because they no longer needed them. He wouldn’t share her future, but he’d had this special week, far more than he’d ever dreamed of. And it was enough.
They cooked breakfast together and he taught her what he knew about frying eggs and bacon over an open fire. He doubted she’d need to know that in L.A., but she’d asked to learn. The chance that they’d ever share breakfast again was slim.
Their weekend was over and she’d go back to the Victorian this morning. Wedding preparations would take up most of her free time for the rest of the week, although he might see her at Sadie’s now and then. Things would return to the way they’d been before she’d asked him to teach her to ride. Except nothing would ever be the same, at least not for him.
They sat on a log near the fire to eat the breakfast they’d made. She was halfway through her meal when she put down her fork and turned to him. “I’m going to destroy that nude.”
“You are?” That shocked him. “Why?”
“If something ever happened to me, people could go through my stuff and find it.” She put her plate on the ground and stood. “Besides, I don’t need that sketch to remember how beautiful you are. I can just close my eyes.” She took her sketch pad out of her messenger bag, flipped through it, and tore out the drawing she’d made of him on Friday night.
“But you took the time to draw it. I hate to think of you destroying something you created.”
She tucked her sketch pad back in her messenger bag and set it down before walking toward him holding the nude. “Do you want it?”
“Uh, no. That would be weird.”
“Then it’s going away.” She leaned down and thrust it on top of the warm coals. Then she returned to the log and continued eating her breakfast.
He watched the paper crinkle and burn with a mixture of sadness and relief. Knowing she’d drawn the picture made it precious just like everything she created. But she was right. It was too personal to keep around.
He glanced over at her. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” She smiled. “Thank you for trusting me to draw it in the first place. I’m keeping the ones of you shaving and cooking because those are adorable, but that one . . .”
“I know.” She’d captured his expression perfectly. Anyone looking at it would recognize that he was a man in love.
And because of that, he didn’t want to leave the canyon. She didn’t seem in any hurry, either. They had a second cup of coffee and listened to the sound of the waterfall mingled with the chirp of birds. They took their time packing up.
But eventually they couldn’t delay the moment any longer. He made sure the fire was out, and then they mounted up. He suggested that Anastasia should lead, figuring she’d take it slow.
Near as he could tell, she did that, but still the trip went faster than he wanted. Part of the time they talked about the wedding. Part of the time they rode in silence, but it was a comfortable one. He didn’t know about her state of mind, but he was treasuring every second.
They were almost clear of the canyon walls when his cell phone chimed, indicating an incoming text. He’d noticed before that this was the first place on the way out where he could get reception. Any deeper in was out of range.
He brought Cinder to a halt and pulled out his phone. “Hold up a minute. Let me see what this is about.”
“Sure.” She paused and turned Jasper slightly so she could look back at him.
“It’s from Vince.” He scanned the message as a dull ache settled in his chest. “The documentary filming’s been postponed. They may try to do it in November, weather permitting, but it might end up being next spring.”
“Oh, no! I hope it’s November and not spring. Everyone will be so disappointed if they have to wait months.”
How like her to consider other people first. He’d selfishly thought of what it would mean to him, personally. “I hope it’s November, too. But in any case, you won’t have to come back from L.A. next week, after all.”
“Yes, I will.” Panic laced her words. “I’m only supposed to be going for a preliminary visit. Maybe I won’t like it or they won’t like me. But if it’s all good, then I have to come back for my stuff. I won’t take all of it on Sunday, obviously, so I’ll need—”
“Georgie can ship it.” He was pounding nails in his own coffin, but her future employer would say it if he didn’t. “Either you’ll come back because you’re still not sure and need to think things over, or you’ll decide to stay. If you’re staying, you’ll mostly just need the rest of your clothes, right?”
She hesitated, her expression troubled. “I guess. I’ll probably rent a furnished apartment to start with. But I thought . . . we’d have a little more time.”
“I know. Me, too.” He took a deep breath. “Maybe it’s better this way. We’ve had a wonderful weekend. We were able to relax and enjoy each other. If you had come back for the filming, we wouldn’t have had that luxury. Trying to see each other could have been frustrating.”
“What are you saying?”
“I think you know. This week will be busy. Georgie needs your help with all the details that go into a wedding, and Charmaine will be coming into town in two days. I’ll be on tap for whatever Vince wants me to do. We’ll both have lots to do.”
“So this is it?”
The ache in his chest grew sharper. “After what we’ve shared, are we going to be satisfied with a few stolen moments here and there? I think that might be worse than if we just . . .” But he couldn’t make himself say it.
“Ended it now?”
“Yeah.”
“Oh, Mac.”
He swallowed. “We always had a shelf life. It just turned out to be a little shorter than we thought.”
“But we’ll be seeing each other at Sadie’s, and I’ll be the maid of honor and you’ll be the best man at the wedding. I won’t be able to pretend I don’t care about you whenever we’re together.”
“I’m not asking you to. I couldn’t do that, either. We’ll see each other around town this week and then we’ll dance at Georgie and Vince’s wedding. After that . . . we’ll kiss each other good-bye. It’s the way it needs to be.”
“Is that what you want?”
“Don’t ask me that.”
“I am asking. Is that what you want?”
He gazed at her. If he said no, then they’d spend the week desperately trying to find time to be together. They might even come to resent Vince and Georgie for making that so difficult. A frantic attempt to re-create what they’d shared this weekend could make their eventual separation toughe
r for both of them. “Yes,” he said. “That’s what I want.”
“Okay, then.” Her jaw firmed. “I’m on board with that program.” Pointing Jasper straight ahead, she rode the rest of the way without speaking, but the silence was no longer comfortable.
Unsaddling and grooming the horses at the stable wasn’t a lot of fun, either. He offered to take over the chore, but she refused. He’d seen that stubborn light in her eyes before and knew better than to argue.
When they finished, she picked up her messenger bag and a small knapsack that held the few things she’d brought on the camping trip. He’d been impressed with how little she’d chosen to take along. She might not be an experienced camper, but she had the concept of minimal possessions down.
Now that the moment of separation was at hand, he wasn’t sure how to handle it. They stood in the stable yard in view of Ed’s front porch and the main road. Not a particularly intimate or romantic place to end an affair.
First he thought of practical considerations. “We haven’t set up any more rides between now and Saturday. Will you be okay with the ride into the canyon for the ceremony?”
She looked like a person facing a firing squad. “I’ll be fine.”
“Look, don’t be noble just because of what I said back in the canyon. If you need a couple more lessons, we can work that out.”
“Nope. I’m good.”
“Yes, you are,” he said softly. “You’ve made incredible progress in a short time. I’m not the least bit worried about Saturday.”
She met his gaze. “I had a good teacher.”
“I had a talented pupil.”
“Thank you.”
She looked so earnest standing there in that hat. He wanted to kiss her more than he wanted to breathe. But that wouldn’t help anything. “See you around.”
“Yeah.” She gave him a soft smile. “See you around.”
He watched her walk out of the stable yard and wondered if he’d survive losing her, after all.
CHAPTER 26
Wild About the Wrangler Page 27
