CHAPTER ELEVEN

MINA LOOKED UP at Cort with her heart in her eyes. It didn’t take a genius to realize that she was falling in love with him.

That shocked him. He knew that she’d enjoyed him in bed. It had been her first time, and he wanted to make it something that she’d want to remember. But he’d assumed that two piña coladas had influenced her decision to sleep with him. Now he could see the real reason she’d given in, and it wasn’t completely due to alcohol. Her eyes were soft, dark brown and soulful, as they met his. A woman like that, with principles, wouldn’t fall into bed with a man just because her reflexes were dulled. She’d only do it out of love.

He touched her face gently. It was disconcerting to know how she felt. Women had loved him for years—for what they could get out of him. But Mina had been out of her mind with fear for him.

It made him feel warm inside, as if all the cold places the years had dug into him were thawing. It was like spring. He smiled.

“You really do look sweet,” he whispered, and he bent his head.

She lifted hers for the slow, hungry descent of his hard mouth, clung to him as he grew hungrier and drew her body close against his. He wrapped her up tight, his mouth invasive now, tender, ardent. She moaned softly at the sensations that wound through her. All her senses were awakened, and she recalled with anguish the pleasure he’d taught her in bed. She wanted him now, as she’d never wanted anyone. She’d been unawakened before, with no desire for intimacy. But with knowledge of it came the craving, the aching need of possession. She pressed close to him, feeling his powerful body react almost instantly to the feel of her against him.

Cort was dying for her. He could hardly contain the hunger as he drew her closer in the shade of the cottonwood tree. It had been a long, dry spell, but his memory of the night before was driving him mad. In bed, Mina was everything he’d ever want. Even out of it, she was a constant surprise, a delight.

He groaned. His body was in agony, and there was no place they could go without being interrupted except a motel. His mind rebelled at the thought of treating her the way he’d treated women in the past. She was so innocent!

He drew back, grinding his teeth together when he saw her rapt expression. She was feeling similar things, having only just been awakened to physical need.

“Damn,” he bit off.

Her eyebrows lifted. “Damn?”

His sensuous lips made a thin line. “There’s not a soul in sight, but if I start undressing you, every cowboy in the county will suddenly have to ride this way!”

She gasped. “We couldn’t…” she began.

He drew her hips to his and looked down at her sardonically as she flushed. “We damned sure could, if there was a private place.”