Mac kissed her until he had no choice but to come up for air. He buried his face in her fragrant hair and breathed in the scent he would recognize anywhere as hers. “Now that we’ve gotten the good-night kiss out of the way, what do you say? Will you go out with me?”

She smiled. “Are you sure Janey won’t mind?”

“I’m positive.”

“Then yes, I’d like to go out with you.”

“Have I told you lately,” he said, skimming kisses over her neck and face, “how much I like being married to you?”

That earned him the genuine, lusty laugh he’d grown to adore, and it was all he could do not to say the words right then and there. I love you. I love you so much I ache with it.

She caressed his face. “What are you thinking? Right now?”

Caught off guard, Mac had no idea what to say. “I can’t tell you.”

“Why?”

He kissed her lightly, fighting for control of his desire and emotions. “Because it would scare you.”

“Oh come on. Just tell me.”

“I’ll make you a deal: if you still want to know what I was thinking after our date, I’ll tell you.”

“You’ll tell me the truth?”

“Always.” He kissed her again before he reluctantly lowered her to her feet. “I have to go drop the wood and stuff at the marina and get my dad’s truck back to him. Will you be okay for a little while?”

“I’m fine. You don’t need to hover over us like a mother hen anymore.”

Kissing her nose and then her lips one last time, he said, “I love hovering over you. I’ll be back to pick you up in an hour.”

“And you’ll call Janey?”

“Already taken care of.”

“Awfully sure of yourself, weren’t you?”

“I was hopeful. That’s all.” Framing her face, he kissed her once more. “I’ll be back.”

Mac unloaded the lumber from the back of the truck into a pile in the parking lot. Sweating under the late afternoon sun, he pulled off his T-shirt and reached for another sheet of plywood. He was just about finished when a willowy blonde approached him from the direction of the Tiki Bar, wineglass in hand. She sported a dark tan and wore a white tube top over hot pink shorts.

“You must be Mac,” she purred in a voice that sounded like pure sex. “I’ve heard a lot about you.”

Mac used his forearm to wipe the sweat from his forehead. “I’m afraid you have me at a disadvantage.”

She released a sultry laugh. “Where are my manners? I’m Doro Chase.”

He remembered the name from dinner the other night—the dinner he wanted to forget. “Ah, yes, you’re a friend of my mother’s. Good to meet you.”