“Carter—”
He fastened his mouth to hers and his hot tongue swept inside to thoroughly share her taste.
She clutched his shoulders, yanking his full body weight onto hers. Macie jammed her hands through his hair and arched her hips against his erection.
The kiss grew desperate. Hungry.
Carter rocked his pelvis from side to side, rebuilding her sharp ache of desire. She raked her nails down his naked back, gripping the firm butt cheeks to do a little grinding of her own.
He broke the kiss on a soft, frustrated moan. “Macie.” He whispered, “Touch me.
I’m dyin’ to feel your hand around me.”
Macie said, “Yes.” Just as she reached between them, three thunderous raps sounded on the camper door.
Carter went absolutely rigid above her.
“Macie?” was shouted outside the window.
“Shit. It’s my dad.” She tried to shove Carter aside, but he wouldn’t budge. “Okay, don’t panic. We’ll pretend we were sleeping.”
The lust cleared from his blue eyes. “Why? There was nothin’ wrong with what we were doin’, when we both wanted to do it. Besides, you are an adult and—”
“—and he’s still my father. Catching us sleeping is a lot better than catching us dry humping, don’t you think?”
“Good point.” Carter jerked the covers over both of them and spooned against her.
“Macie? It’s me. I’m comin’ in.” A gleaming ray of sun cut through the camper walls and disappeared into shadow as the door shut.
Bootsteps thumped as loud as her heart.
“Honey-girl? Sorry ’bout leavin’ you alone last night. I tried callin’ you…” Then,
“Christ Almighty, what in the hell are you doin’ in my daughter’s bed, McKay?”
Macie and Carter both sat up. “Carter came to check on me last night during the storm because the electricity was off. I asked him to stay.”
“Why?”
“I didn’t want to be alone.”
Cash frowned. “But—”
“That’s all you need to know, Dad.” She watched his braid swing as he automatically retreated a step. “Did you and Gemma run into any problems on your way back?”
“Yeah. Lots of trees are down. I think the electricity is still off, but I’ll fire up the generator for the camper.” He directed his glower to Carter. “Soon as you’re decent I need your help in the barn.” With that, he left.
Macie slumped back in bed as Carter used her toothbrush at the tiny bathroom sink.
He didn’t bother to glance in the mirror or comb his hair. She admitted the curls looked cute all mussed up from her fingers.
He faced her. “Duty calls.”
“I heard.”
“If I’m lucky he won’t line up all the shitty jobs for me, after findin’ me in your bed.”
“Don’t count on it.”
He smiled. “So, when I’m done with chores today, will you come to my place?”
“To do what? Finish what we started before my dad interrupted?”
Carter lifted his eyebrows. “Don’t pretend it was one-sided.”
“I’m not.”
“Good. But the main reason I want you to come over is because I need you to pose for me.”
Not the answer she’d expected. “Seriously?”
Carter pulled on his jeans and she couldn’t help but stare at his ripped abs. Damn.
She’d been so close to letting her fingers do the walking down that yummy muscled torso and beyond.
“Seriously. I never kid when it comes to art.”
Her gaze flew to his. He’d gone from playful to deadly serious. “I suppose. I’m not scheduled to work today anyway.”
“Work here on the Bar 9? That could be fun. You and me—”
“I’m not working here on the ranch.”
“Then where?”
Would a polite look of distaste cross his face when he discovered she was just a cook? “I took a job as a cook and a waitress at the Last Chance Diner.”
Carter’s eyebrows lifted again. “When did you do that?”
“The day we met at the rodeo. Dad and I stopped for supper and I saw the help wanted sign.”
“Ah. So are you any good?”
“At what?”
His hot gaze lingered on her mouth before a mischievous smiled curled his lips. “At cookin’ of course, what did you think I meant?”
“Can you blame me for being suspicious? Especially after all the innuendos dripping from your silver tongue?”
“Baby, those aren’t innuendos, but the gospel truth. And I can’t wait to show you all the tricks my silver tongue has in store for you.” The tight black T-shirt went over his head, covering up his abs of steel. Dressed, he grinned and leaned over her. “I’ll be back as quick as I can. Be ready.”
He brushed his lips across hers and vanished out the door.
Carter had to remind himself no matter what went on with Macie, Cash was still essentially his boss. Surprisingly enough, he and Cash worked well together—albeit in complete silence. They unloaded the new mares and helped Gemma pick up the debris from the storm.
The morning was muggy. The wisps of clouds didn’t stifle the heat. Luckily the night’s rainfall kept the dust to a minimum. With three of them working, it didn’t take long to clean up the broken tree branches. By the time they finished, the electricity was back on.
After Gemma and Cash drove off to check cattle, Carter moved his truck from the ditch where he’d been forced to leave it during the storm. Before he climbed out, Macie emerged from the camper, twirling her car keys in her hand. It pleased him to think she’d been waiting for him.
He smiled and let his eyes roam over her. “Darlin’, you look—” good enough to eat
“—great.”
Macie fussed with the straps on the long gauzy white dress. “Is this all right? I didn’t know what to wear.”
“It doesn’t matter.”
Her gaze snapped to his. “No nudes. If this is where you tell me I’m supposed to get naked—”
“No. I’ll be workin’ on portraits. Pen and ink or charcoal; I haven’t decided which.
I’ll wait to see how the light is today.” She’d look stunning in any light. As he studied the angles and lines of her beautiful face, that intriguing expression appeared again.
“What? You’re staring at me.”