The Fall of Shane MacKade by Nora Roberts Page B

about me.”
    â€œActually, I was wondering how you manage to walk around upright, when you’re weighed down with that ego.”
    â€œPractice.” Now he grinned. “Same way you manage it with all those heavy thoughts inside that head of yours. I’m just about finished up here. Why don’t you go on in, make us some coffee? We can talk about this some more.”
    â€œI think we’ve covered it.” She moved just quickly enough to get out ahead of him. “And I don’t make coffee.”
    For a skinny woman, he mused, she looked mighty nice walking away. “Don’t you want me to kiss you goodbye, sweetie?”
    She tossed a look over her shoulder. “Kiss a cow, farm boy.”
    He couldn’t resist. He was on her in a heartbeat, swinging her up into his arms and around in a dizzying circle while his laughter roared out. “You’re the cutest damn thing.”
    Her breath had been lost somewhere during the first revolution. For an instant, all she could think was that his arms were as hard as rock, and felt absolutely wonderful. “I thought you understood no. ”
    â€œI’m not kissing you, am I?” All innocence, Shane’s eyes laughed into hers. “Unless you want me to. Just wanted to get a hold of you for a minute. I swear you weigh less than a sack of grain.”
    â€œThank you so much for that poetic compliment. Put me down.”
    â€œYou’ve really got to eat more. Why don’t you hang around? I’ll fix you some dinner.”
    â€œNo,” she said. “No, no, no.”
    â€œYou only have to say it once.” He cocked his head, enjoying the way the pulse in her throat beat like a bird’s, just above the open collar of her silky white shirt. “Why are you trembling?”
    â€œI’m angry.”
    â€œNo, you’re not.” Intrigued now, he studied her face, and his voice gentled. “Did somebody hurt you?”
    â€œNo, of course not. I asked you to put me down.”
    â€œI’m going to. If I did what I wanted and carried you inside right now, I’d neglect my cows and break my word. I wouldn’t want to do either.” So he set her on her feet, but kept his hands on her shoulders. “It seems to me we’ve got something going here.”
    â€œI’d prefer to take my own time deciding that.”
    â€œThat’s fair.” Because he was becoming fond of it, he skimmed a finger over her hair, tugged on one of the short, soft tresses. “It occurs to me that I’ve already decided. I really want you. Not being a psychiatrist or aheavy thinker, I don’t have to analyze that or look for hidden meanings. I just feel it.”
    His eyes, green and dreamy, lowered to hers again, and held. “I want to take you to bed, and I want to make love with you. And I want it more every time I get near you. You can put that into your equation.”
    â€œI will.” It was a struggle to concentrate when his hands were moving in gentle circles on her shoulders. “But it’s not the only factor. Things would be…a lot less convoluted if we could back off from this while I’m getting my project under way.”
    â€œLess convoluted,” he agreed, amused by the word. “And less fun.”
    Fun, she thought, feeling herself yearn toward him. It was a novel and interesting concept, when attached to intimacy.
    He watched her lips curve just a little, felt her body soften, saw her eyes deepen. A knot of need twisted in him as he drew her closer. “Pretty Rebecca,” he murmured, “let me show you—”
    He could have committed murder when a sharp blast of a horn shattered the moment.
    She stiffened, stepped back, as both of them looked over at the dusty compact that pulled up in front of the house. Rebecca had a clear view of the sulky-mouthed brunette who poked her gorgeous head out of the window.
    â€œShane, honey, I told