Excerpt from True Blue Texan by Linda Barrett

Katherine rolled over in bed inhaling the novel fragrance of spice and musk, noting the strewn tuxedo on her low back chair, and wondering how she could have ever had trepidations about making love with this man. When it was good, it was very, very good. She stretched and giggled.

"Liked that, did you?" growled Nick as he caught her around the waist and hauled her against him spoon style.

She fit him perfectly, as though she belonged, as though sharing such intimacy was as natural as breathing. Her heart filled, but she teased him. "It was…okay."

He nipped her ear.

"All right," she squealed. "It was…good."

"Just good?"

She turned over to see his woebegone face mismatched with his twinkling eyes. "How about," she began slowly, "if I say that making love with you was like tasting chocolate for the first time."

He whistled long and low. "Chocolate? Hmm. Come closer." Rising on his elbow, he leaned over and nuzzled her neck. "So, how about a second helping?"

She'd like that. "Whenever you're ready," she whispered.

Ready? He was as ready and ripe as a stallion catching scent of his mares. One look at that beautiful face, one brush against her silky skin and he was lost. He remembered the uninhibited joy on her face just minutes ago. Nothing beat the pleasure of watching her rapt expression as they made love.

"Nick? You're staring at me. What's wrong?"

"Not a damn thing, darlin'. I'm just enjoying the view."

He knew she'd blush and she did.

"You know what, cowboy? So am I!"

Blushing never stopped her feisty lip. Nick grinned and knuckled her gently on the chin before claiming her irresistible mouth again. And again. And again.

Amazing. Wonderful. Extraordinary. Her dizzy mind whirled as she flew through space with him. She led, he followed. He led, she followed on a ride they would long remember. Blue flame evolved to orange fire, volcano hot and earth shattering. Power. Exhilaration. Connection.

"Oh, my. Oh, my," she gasped in the afterglow as she lay against Nick's shoulder. "Like seeing a blazing sunset over the Grand Canyon, or shooting stars, or fireworks on the…the fourth…" Tears flowed suddenly. Copious tears from nowhere.

Nick's arms tightened around her immediately. She heard his, "Shh, darlin', shh. It's all right," and shook her head. She'd had a close call. If it weren't for Nick, she'd have never experienced these tears of joy. Loving him was so good, she ached with it. 

How would she walk away later when she had to move on?