Chapter 22
Chapter Twenty-Two
With some effort Mac managed to smuggle a small cooler on board the Cessna Sunday morning without his parents noticing.
Inside rested the bouquet of daisies he’d bought on the sly in Flagstaff and he’d used motel ice to keep them fresh in the cooler.
Ice had never been an erotic substance to him until Tess had mentioned placing it against certain parts of his anatomy.
Now he couldn’t even look at an ice bucket without getting turned on.
And now, at long last, he was flying his parents back to Copperville.
His rendezvous with Tess was only a few hours away, yet it was too many hours for his comfort.
He hadn’t dared call her again, considering the condition she’d put him in the one time he’d tried it.
But she’d been on his mind constantly. He wondered what she’d thought of the gloves, and if she’d run them over her skin.
Picturing her doing that, his mouth went dry.
Maybe she’d always been a sensuous person, but her reading had stoked up the fire in her.
He wasn’t going home to a timid virgin, that was for sure.
But she was still a virgin, and no matter how she plotted to drive him insane, he had to remember to go slow and be gentle.
That might not be as easy as he’d thought at first.
When he and his folks arrived home, Mac and his father unloaded the suitcases from the car while his mother went inside to check for messages on the answering machine. Mac walked into the kitchen in time to hear Tess’s voice coming from the speaker.
This message is for Mac, she said, sounding like the Tess he’d known for twenty-three years, not the new Tess he’d just discovered.
Mac, don’t bother to eat dinner before you come over tonight.
I’ll feed you. Something simple, finger food probably.
Oh, and don’t worry about ice — I have plenty.
I might be out back or something when you get here, so just come look for me. See you tonight.
Mac nearly dropped the suitcases he was carrying.
His mother turned to him with a smile. “You’re seeing Tess tonight?”
“Yeah.” Mac tried his best to look nonchalant, which wasn’t easy while he was thinking about Tess feeding him some exotic food while dressed in whatever sexy outfit she’d bought.
And then there was her subtle reference to ice, and the fact that she wanted him to walk in the unlocked door and come look for her.
He’d bet a million dollars where he’d find her, and it wouldn’t be “out back.”
She’d cleverly created the whole message to sound normal, when it was filled with suggestive ideas that only he would understand.
That was so like her. She’d done it to get him back for the gloves, no doubt.
He cleared his throat. “I promised to drop by and let her know how the trip went,” he added, realizing he was standing there staring into space. Not good.
His mother gazed at him, a speculative light in her blue eyes. “You’re upset that she’s leaving town, aren’t you?”
“Not really. I’m happy for her: It’s what she’s always wanted.”
“I know, and of course we’re all happy for her, but you’re agitated about it. I could tell by the expression on your face just now. Your color was high. I think you’re upset because she’s going off and leaving you.”
“I absolutely am not.” Mac set down the suitcases, walked over and took his mother by the shoulders.
“That imagination of yours is working overtime.” Then he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and noticed the tiredness around her eyes.
Three days of being constantly on the go had taken its toll on both her and his father.
He couldn’t ignore the fact that they were both nearly seventy.
“I think I’ll ride out and check the stock tank Dad’s worried about,” he said.
“Wasn’t he going to do that after we got unpacked?”
“Yeah, but why don’t you two take the afternoon off? You both got a lot accomplished on this trip. Relax for the rest of the day.”
His mother nodded. “I’ll see if I can get him to do that. I think he’s more worn out than he admits.” She glanced at Mac with gratitude. “Thanks. I don’t know what we’d do without you.”
“Hey, no problem.” Mac smiled at her and headed out the door. On the way, he passed his father coming in. “Try and get Mom to take it easy the rest of the afternoon, will you? She’s bushed.”
“I need to check the stock tank.”
“I’ll do it. No point in both of us heading out there in this heat.”
His father laid a hand on his shoulder. “Thanks. If I don’t watch your mother, she’ll run until she’s exhausted.”
“My thoughts exactly.” Mac crossed the back porch and started toward the corrals with a sense of relief. The solo activity was just what he needed to get him through the next few hours.