“Then, have a good time.”
The kids barely seemed to notice as she said goodbye to the McGregors and walked out to the Volvo, Jackson beside her.
“I should have brought my truck so you wouldn’t have to take me home,” he said.
“No problem,” she assured, except now that they were alone again, the breathless surge of her hormones was reasserting itself with a vengeance.
In silence she started the Volvo and began retracing the various roads to Jackson’s ranch.
“It’s obviously more direct to come over on horseback,” she said, hoping her voice sounded even, “but is there any problem crossing other ranches?”
“Not around here. We just have one rule—if you open a gate, close it after you.” His voice was husky in the gathering darkness.
“Very neighborly.”
“Yeah, though the only ranch that has to be crossed is the Balderdash, and now it belongs to my brother Trent.”
Kayla stopped in front of his house. “Looks as if you didn’t leave on any lights.”
“I forgot Flora was spending the night with her sister. How about a swim?” he asked, his voice low and enticing.
Oh, hell. What was a woman to do? At least tonight nobody was around to get their hopes up about any future relationships...or be upset by the possibility.
“Sounds good.”
She climbed out of the car and went inside with Jackson.
“I’ll leave the pool lights off so they don’t outshine the stars. Go on out, I’ll change upstairs.”
A tall rolling fence had been pulled alongside the pool, blocking any lights from the ranch’s outbuildings. It was quiet and private and devastating to any resolve she might have had left in her brain.
Quickly she went into the pool house to put on her suit, half surprised and half disappointed that Jackson hadn’t suggested a nude starlight swim.
He wasn’t there when she emerged, and she slipped into the dark water to float on her back. With no artificial light nearby, the stars shone with a fiery glory, and several meteors shot across the sky as she watched.
Kayla was barely aware that Jackson had come outside and entered the pool with silent grace. She had a dreamy sensation of being suspended in time, floating between worlds in the starlight. After a long time, reluctantly, she moved toward the long steps in the shallows.
“Surely you’re not leaving,” he murmured in the darkness.
“Perhaps I should.”
His hand cupped her waist and she swallowed. “Hey,” she chided, “you blew your chances when you didn’t suggest skinny-dipping.”
“That would have hurried things up too much.” Jackson tugged her closer. “You wouldn’t have wanted to miss all those shooting stars,” he murmured. “Did you make a wish?”
She hadn’t wished for anything, since the only things she still wanted were out of reach.
“No.”
“I did.” His fingers slipped under the shoulder strap of her suit. “Another reason for not starting out skinny-dipping is the sensuality of undressing in the water.”
Kayla swallowed as he tugged the straps down until her breasts moved freely. With strong hands, he stretched the black one-piece so it slipped easily over her hips. She couldn’t see his face, but had a feeling he was grinning as he swam down and eased the fabric from her legs.
As he rose, his hand brushed the inside of her thighs and stopped at the apex. The water didn’t feel cool in the least as his fingers probed, and she gasped as they found the center of sensation. He drew her closer with one hand until he was kissing her while his other still touched, explored, entered, withdrew, teasing until pleasure exploded through her body.
“Mmm,” he whispered. “See what I mean?”
“What about...” She stopped, realizing his own suit was gone and his erection was insistently prodding her belly.
“Much as I’d enjoyed proceeding without delay,” he murmured, “being in the water isn’t any protection.”
She almost didn’t care whether protection was involved, but she let him lift her onto the edge of the pool and lead her to one of the large redwood chaises. Only then did she realize the backrest was lying down flat. Perhaps it should have offended her that he’d assumed too much; on the other hand, she’d known it was going to happen from the moment she’d agreed to a starlight swim.
He stopped, and with the faint crackle of a condom wrapper, she knew he was covering himself before moving over her, his weight settling on her body with delicious satisfaction.
* * *
“ARE YOU COLD?” Jackson asked much later. They were still damp and a breeze was blowing through the yard.