Chapter 16
Chapter Sixteen
Tess had never seen Mac so still, not even the time he rode all day without a hat and ended up with sunstroke.
He was usually brimming with energy, yet he lay slumped against her like an unconscious person, his eyes closed.
On the other hand, the experience of loving Mac had stirred her up again.
She’d finally experienced activities she’d only read about, and she felt as if a whole new world had just opened up for her.
She was ready for... more. She wasn’t sure exactly what form that “more” would take, but she was ready for it.
She peered into his relaxed face. “Mac, I didn’t hurt you, did I?”
His mouth curved in a faint smile. “Nope.”
She stroked his hair back from his forehead. “You’re awfully quiet.”
His lips barely moved enough to form the words. “Your books should tell you why.”
“It was that good?”
“Yeah, Tess, it was.”
“Cool.” She smiled to herself in the darkness. “I was wondering if I’d done everything right.”
“Extremely right.”
“Good.” She adjusted her position. “Is it okay if I kiss you again?”
His eyes drifted open. “Where?”
“On your mouth. Where did you think?”
“I wasn’t sure. For a virgin, you have some amazing ideas.”
She brushed her lips against his. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”
“It was.”
She settled her mouth over his, coaxing his tongue into slow love-play with hers.
At first his response was lazy, almost nonchalant, but gradually the tempo of his breathing picked up.
As the temperature of his kiss changed from warm to sizzling, he cupped her breast, kneading it with sure fingers.
Her body throbbed with new knowledge, and she whimpered and moved closer to his heat.
He drew his mouth back a fraction. “Oh, Tess. I’m getting hard again.”
She reached downward. “Let me—”
“No.” He captured her hand. “We have to stop. I thought I was so drained that I could just play around for a while more without getting too worked up. I was wrong. I don’t trust myself if we get started again.”
Her body tightened in anticipation. “You’d ravish me?”
“There’s a good chance.” He reached for the strap of her dress. “Let’s put this back on.”
“Mac...” She could hardly believe that she was about to make such a bold suggestion, but she wanted this night to continue forever. “I’m sure you have birth control stashed somewhere at home. You could take me back to my house, go get it, and then come back to my place.”
He paused in the act of pulling the bodice of her dress back up over her breasts.
“You see, I want you, too,” she murmured.
He trembled and bunched the material in his fist.
“There’s still a lot of time before the sun comes up.”
He drew a long, shaky breath and continued his task, reaching for the zipper of her dress. “It’s probably stupid, but I want to stick with what I promised you. You’ll only have the experience of giving up your virginity once in your life. I think... we should make it special.”
“We could make it special tonight.”
“Not special enough. Give me a chance to woo you a little. Let me bring you flowers, maybe a bottle of good wine.”
Despite her frustration, she liked the picture he was painting. “Should I buy lingerie or something?”
“Lingerie would be very nice.” He arranged the pearl in the cleft between her breasts. “But wear this. I love watching the way it nestles right there.”
“I’ll bet when you gave it to me you never imagined a scene like this.”
“Not consciously.” He ran a finger over the gold chain. “But maybe subconsciously. When I saw the necklace in the jewelry store, I knew immediately I wanted to get it for you for graduation.” He looked into her eyes. “Maybe I wanted something that would touch you where I wasn’t allowed to.”
She smiled. “We seem to have overcome those restrictions without too much trouble. I’d say our make-out session was a success.”
”Yeah, but now we have to go back and face the real world with all its guilt trips. And we still have the big hurdle to jump.” He gazed at her. “Maybe when it comes to that final moment, I won’t be able to do it.”
Her smile widened. “Oh, I think you will, judging from tonight.”
He grinned back. “You could be right.”
“So, when?”
“Tomorrow night? Oh, wait. Damn. I promised to fly my mom up to an antique show in Flagstaff tomorrow. Dad’s going along, and he and I have appointments to look at some horses while we’re up there.”
She wrestled with her impatience. “How long will you be gone?”
“Three days. Until Sunday. Damn. I don’t think there’s any way I can get out of it, either. It’s been set up for months.”
“Three days sounds like an eternity.”
“Tell me about it.”
She traced the line of his jaw. “We could go back to my original plan and have you come back to my place tonight.”
He gazed at her for a long moment and finally shook his head. “No. I really want this time to be one you’ll remember.”
“I don’t think there’s much doubt about that, no matter when it happens. And to tell the truth, I’m... afraid you’ll change your mind in three days.”
“After tonight? Are you kidding?”
“You had a good time tonight?”
He cupped her face in both hands. “I had the best time I’ve ever had in my life. And I promise you I won’t change my mind.”
Her heart swelled with an emotion she couldn’t name, but it was strong, and it brought happy tears to her eyes. “Thank you, Mac. You’re a true friend.”
“I do my best.”
“What time will you be home on Sunday?”
“Probably around noon.”
“So you could come over that night?”
“I could do that.”
Her heart thudded in her chest. “Then I’ll expect you about eight.”