So Hard To Forget Part 8

He was lost in the heat of her desire and his own.

Nicole could feel their sweat-sheened skin together as they rocked together. She her mouth from his and struggled for a steadying but her heart was thumping much too fast and pulSe racing wildly She was on fire and icy COld the same instant. Suddenly her body shuddered and trembled with such force that she threw back her head and gasped. The unexpected power of the release shocked her, leaving her panting as her lungs grabbed for air.

"Hold on, Nicky," Max managed through stiff lips. She slid her legs lower, across his b.u.t.tocks, and anch.o.r.ed him to her while he thrust deeper and deeper. Suddenly he stiffened, made a soft sob of a groan, then collapsed against her.

Nicole didn't move, enjoying his weight on top of her, as she tried to remember if a man had ever made her feel like this before. She was limp and exhausted and exhilarated at the same time, more satisfied than she'd ever believed possible. That sense of peace and fulfillment both frightened and thrilled her.

Nothing ever lasted, she reminded herself, not for her. She'd learned that sad fact firsthand a long time ago. There were promises made to herself when she'd come face-to-face with the heartbreaking truth of in-fidelity--she would learn to enjoy what there was of love but guard her heart. Her lashes fluttered down, closing access to her emotions. She'd never let him see the hunger of a tender heart in her eyes.

Max gazed at her, amazed and dazed. Something inside him s.h.i.+fted out of kilter. She was so d.a.m.n beautiful. He wanted to make love to her forever. He put the brakes on his drifting thoughts. "Well, I guess we blew our allnighter in one shot."

She could still feel him inside her and wrapped her arms around his shoulders to keep him from moving. Then she whispered, her lips beside his ear, "What a shot."

He was concerned he might be too heavy for her, but she'd proved her agility and strength. It was new for him to be able to lie, still deeply embedded in that warm place, quiet, peaceful and be allowed to drift away.

When he awakened, he was curled around her, sheltering her body with his. He moved and she quickly turned over to face him. "I'm sorry, I fell asleep," he said. He started to rise, but she held him back.

"I took care of tNn's.

FOr a second he just stared at her, then pulled the sheet back and looked. He was a little embarra.s.sed. He'd never had a woman do that for him, but then he'd never dropped off so quickly afterward.

She could have sworn he blushed, then decided she must be wrong. But it didn't stop her from having fun. "You know, my ex always said it wasn't quant.i.ty that mattered, but quality. Man, was he ever wrong. Quality can be faked, but not quant.i.ty." He was blus.h.i.+ng! She could feel the sudden change of heat in his chest.

Nicole rolled onto her back and stretched lazily. "I never knew being so bad could feel so good." It was the only excuse she was willing to give for her outrageous behavior. "Did you search everyone's belongings?"

"No. I gave our dilemma some rational thought. Clarence and George are happily married men. I knew they wouldn't bring any protection with them. And Larry ... well, s.e.x is probably the last thing on his mind. Preston's the type that doesn't have many women in his life. They're not on his mind day and night like Hal. Plus, he's too wrapped up in his vacation with a bunch of men to care about women. Hal was the only logical one, and I didn't rifle through all his belongingS. i checked his wallet, and When I came up empty, I went straight to his shaving kit. Knowing Hal, I wasn't surprised, but I was deeply disappointed to find only one."

"What would you suggest we do for the rest of the evening? I've got some wonderful old movies we could watch."

Max closed his eyes and shook his head. "I don't think I could concentrate with you so near. Why don't we do something novel, like talk?"

'"About what?" she asked.

"You and me. I'd like to get to know you."

"Why? You'll be leaving in a few days, and this little interlude will be just a memory."

"Maybe. Maybe not," he said cryptically. "How long have you been divorced, Nicky?"

She liked the way he said Nicky, instead of the more formal Nicole. "Almost two years. Why?"

"Don't snap. Play along. Maybe you'll enjoy opening up. I'm just curious about your life. You seem so cut off from everything out here."

"Cut off from what?" She turned on her side and propped herself up on her elbow. "If you mean men, I haven't had much use for them lately. But if you think just because I live in Montana, and on a ranch, that I don't have the opportunity to date, then you're very much mistaken."

"Hold it. I didn't mean that. What I was trying to say was you seem isolated out here." Max sighed inwardly. His ploy wasn't going as he'd hoped. "I mean, this isn't exactly a beehive of activity. Oh, h.e.l.l." He'd probably do better if he shut up.

"I get by, thank you very much."

"Like that Sam character back at the ranch," he said irritably, "who was trying to bribe you for a date. Or was it a date he had in mind?"

She chuckled. "Sam? I'm nice---only nice--to him because he's the princ.i.p.al at the school where I've been teaching, and he's also on the school board. I could use his vote, though, mind you, I don't have to have it. I've contacted each of the members and talked to them."

"Sweet-talked them, you mean?"

"Whatever it takes."

Max slipped his arm under her shoulders and pulled her close. He wanted more than anything to go back to sleep and awake in the morning with her beside him. But he knew he was going to have to leave soon. He couldn't take the chance of any of the men finding out and embarra.s.sing Nicole.

"What about you?" she asked. "All I know about you is that you live in New York and are partners with Doug in a security-consultant business.

"What do you want to know?"

"Oh, come on," she said with the same tone of irritation he'd used. "Now who's being close-mouthed?"

Moonlight streamed in through the window at the head of the bed, highlighting her skin and making it glow like silver. More than anything he wanted to make love to her again, but... "I'm divorced, too."

She waited. "Well, don't stop there. How long were you married? Why did you split? leez, it's like pulling teeth to get anything out of you."

He hadn't realized how much he disliked talking about himself until now. "Two years. I've been single for five."

"I don't know," he said. "Lately I wonder. If she'd been the right woman, it would have been different. That claim is a big jump for me. Until lately, I pretty much let my bitterness override any other feelings I might have."

She stroked his chest, teasing at the spa.r.s.e dark hair until he grasped her hand and stilled it. "What happened recently to make you question yourself?."

He almost said Sandra's name, but caught himself in time.. "Coming face-to-face with the reality that I'm not going to live forever. Life slips by too fast and it's best not to spend a lot of time waiting for things to happen. You have to make them happen yourself." He chuckled. "G.o.d, now I'm getting gloomy. I'm SOrry."

She could tell he was talking about two separate but related events.

She'd done the same herself before. It surprised her that she recognized what he was trying to convey. "What brought you to Montana?"

"Mostly boredom."

"Expensive cure for the blues." The way he shrugged, she realized money was not a problem for him. It also told her something else. He was cynical and didn't care deeply about much at this point of his life. She thought it a sad testament to his thirty-two years. "What about your company? The people who depend on you?"

He s.h.i.+fted his position so he could look at her. "I'm sick of my life. Tired of being alone and unsettled." "Maybe you're having a mid life crisis?"

"Kind of ely, but yeah, maybe." He cupped her cheek, then kissed her lazily. When their lips parted, he slid his arm out from under her and sat up. He closed his eyes for a moment in an effort to reclaim his good intentions. "You know I want to stay with you tonight, but if I do, I'll make love to you again--and that's something that's going to have to wait. It's time I went back to my room."

Nicole sat up, too. She smiled at the way his gaze lingered on her b.r.e.a.s.t.s. "This is the last time, New York." She tried to keep her voice light, teasing. "You only have one more day here." She glanced at the clock on the bedside table and saw it was after one in the morning. "Actually, this full day, then we'll be heading back to the ranch tomorrow. You'll be going back to your own life and I'll continue mine."

He slipped out of bed and began dressing. "Things have a way of changing, Nicky, when you least expect it."

"What's that supposed to mean?" She threw back the covers, then laughed when he groaned and pretended to cover his eyes as he handed her her robe.

"I'm not a strong man tonight, Nicky. Don't tempt fate." He gave her a quick kiss, then pivoted and strode out of the bedroom.

She listened to the door quietly shut and sat on the side of the bed. What had he meant? She almost let herself hope.

A mAV MORNING FOG hugged the ground and the surface of the river, like thick white frosting on a cake. It was a beautiful, ghostly sight. But it made visibility impossible for the fishermen. The Jeep was ready, packed with the men's gear and parked in front. They were all congregated on the lodge porch, drinking coffee and discussing the problem that was delaying their early-morning start. This was the last day, and every Everyone, that is, except Max. He leaned comfortably against the railing, his bck to the river and the magnificent view, and watched Nicole. The morning air was crisp and had a bite to it. She was wearing jeans that fit her like a glove and a yellow-and-white plaid flannel s.h.i.+rt. He was sure every l.u.s.tful thought he was having was in his face and had to remind himself to be careful. Staring would only attract the interest of the others. But it was d.a.m.n hard to keep his eyes off her as she moved from one man to the other, laughing and talking.

When she'd finally worked her way over to him, she grinned and paused. "As soon as the wind picks up, the fog will begin to dissipate."

"Thank you, Montana. How many times have you said that this morning?"

"Five. You make six. But it's true."

She was so d.a.m.n beautiful his throat suddenly closed on him and he could only stare and nod. Bright pink stained her cheeks and he smiled. She was being as careful as he was and had started to move off when his next words stopped her. "How about dropping me off last and stay and fish with me this morning?"

"Okay. I'll even have JD put something special in your lunch."

"You're enough for any man."

She walked away on unsteady legs. It wasn't so much what he'd said, though heaven knew that was enough to send her pulses racing. But it was the way he looked at her. The way his eyes roamed over her, undressing her as if he'd never seen her before and was savoring every imagined detail. Taking a deep breath, she headed for the kitchen.

"Cripes, Nicky, are you coming down with some thing?" JD asked. "You look poorly. Flushed." "I'm fine," she said.

Penny poked him in the ribs. "What's wrong with you, woman?"

"Do you have any of those fresh strawberries left?" Nicole asked.

JD and Penny both stopped what they were doing and stared. "Maybe," JD said. "Why you asking'?"

She loved them dearly and knew they were fully aware something was going on with her and Max. But there were times when their teasing got the better of her. "Because I want what's left."

"Don't go getting" that snippety tone with me," JD said as he disappeared into the refrigerator locker and came out with a pint of plump ripe strawberries.

"You hush up your leg-pulling, you old coot," Penny said as she took the fruit from him and carefully wrapped it in a dampened paper towel, then put it in a small cooler with an ice pack. "Are you so senile you've forgotten what it's like to be bitten by the love-bug?"

"I'm not in love," Nicole said in swift denial.

JD nodded, agreeing with Nicole. "Looks like something" else to me. Somethin" hot." He gave Henny-Penny a loud smacking kiss on the cheek. "Gives a fellow ideas seein" all those looks no one's supposed to be seein'."

She wasn't going to dignify them with another de-vial. It was just what JD wanted so he could keep it up. She scowled at them, picked up the cooler and turned to leave. He stopped her with a firm hand on her arm.

"I cleared it with your daddy."

For a second she blanched, and while she waited for her heart to calm down, she caught the sparkle in his eyes. "One of these days, JD."

He chuckled. "Okay. New subject. Henny-Penny and me, well, we've come to think a lot of Larry. I asked him to stay on for a couple more days as our guest. Charlie says it's fine by him, and Larry'll be staying at the house with us. What do you say?"

She knew that JD had found a fis.h.i.+ng buddy and that Larry had spent his evening with them. "I think it's great. You know he's very ill, don't you?"

"Told us." JD looked away, his eyes s.h.i.+ny with moisture. He had a soft heart and hated for anyone to see his weakness. "Me and Henny-Penny thought a couple extra days of my cooking and the outdoors would be real good for him."

"I agree." She heard the wind crackling the tree limbs by the kitchen window and quickly kissed his cheek. "I'll see you later. If you need me, give me a call."

"Be careful, kiddo."

His tone made her stop and turn around. She looked at Penny, then JD. "Is them something I should know?"

Penny answered for JD. "Just remember, he's leaving tomorrow."

"I love you both, but you worry too much. I promise I'm never going to let myself be hurt again."

CHAPTER NINE.

AFTER SHE'D SETTLED Hal and Preston on the river, Nicole dropped Clarence and George off at their favorite spot and was driving back up the path when Max leaned over and kissed her. She'd always boasted that she'd driven the river road so often she could do it with her eyes closed. But this time she did slow down, then brought the Jeep to a stop.

Max smiled, but didn't move away. "I didn't get much sleep last night--or what was left of it." "I slept like a baby." "And you're a liar."

"Well," she said grudgingly, "maybe I tossed and turned a little." His eyes were that intense sky-blue shade this morning, mirroring his emotions. She felt the heat of his nearness, and desire bubbled up inside her The way he kept looking at her was unnerving and unsettling. She s.h.i.+fted in the driver's seat, twisting so she was facing him. "Do you want to go back to the waterfalls and fish, or are you feeling adventur "Adventurous is putting it mildly. I'm feeling downright desperate for a distraction this morning."

His gaze ran over her in a way that left little doubt he had just stripped her naked. She s.h.i.+vered, laughed, then s.h.i.+fted the into "You have to like "Why? My imagination's better than nothing at all."

They b.u.mped along in silence for a while, then Nicole turned the Jeep off the road and they started a steep climb. She s.h.i.+fted into four-wheel drive and headed between a thick row of spiny trees. Bushes sc.r.a.ped the sides of the Jeep, and overhanging limbs slapped at the winds.h.i.+eld. She made a sharp turn and steered into an opening in the trees. "The river is fed by the melting snows." She opened the door and slid out, remembering to grab the small cooler. "I haven't been up here in a long time. I hope... Come on, New York. I promise the trees don't bite."

He had a morbid fleeting thought that the area, with its isolation and cover, was an ideal place for disposing of a body. Then he snapped out of that train of thought, telling himself it was his guilty conscience bedeviling him.

"Where are you taking me, Montana?" he said as he hurried to catch up with her.

"Just follow me and don't be so suspicious."

The overgrown path led them to a deep cut in the mountain and a narrow cliff ledge. He was wise enough to keep his mouth shut and set each foot in exactly the same spot she'd placed hers. They edged around a boulder that looked as if it had been thrown into the side of the cliff and stuck there.

He was about to suggest they stop so he could catch his breath when Nicole turned and held out her hand. He grasped it firmly, joined her on a ledge, then gasped. The cliff gave way to a flat open s.p.a.ce about the size of a tennis court. The small field was thick with lush green gra.s.s and a profusion of wildflowers, bringing to mind a Monet painting. In the center was a small crystal-clear pool of water being fed by a stream from the cliff that babbled and splashed softly over the smooth rocks.

Nicole tugged at his hand, and he trailed along. The air was colder, and he glanced around for the source. Then he realized the air was coming from the top of the snowcapped mountain. "How long does the snow stay?"

She didn't answer, merely let go of his hand and sat on the ground by the edge of the water. She took off her boots and socks, then pulled up the legs of her jeans. "Come on, New York. Let's see how strong you are."

He sat down beside her with a laugh, watching as she gritted her teeth, took a breath, then plunged her feet into the water. He flinched and s.h.i.+vered. "Frostbite isn't on my agenda for today."

"Chicken!" She lay back on the gra.s.s, folded her arms behind her head and smiled. "I never would have thought it of you. No guts."

"Right, and I'm not a sucker. I don't fall for insults or taunts to my masculinity." He watched as she lifted one very shapely foot out of the water and wiggled it in the air. She was much too smug for her own good. He kept his gaze locked with hers as he yanked off his boots and socks, then rolled up his jeans. Holding his breath, he clenched his teeth and shoved his feet into the water. His breath shot out in a hiss of words. "So you like to tease, do you?" The water was warm and soothing, and after a moment he relaxed and sighed. "I don't understand. We're so close to the snow. " "

"I don't, either. We had a guest who was a geologist, and I told him about's place. He said something about thermal warming of the rocks, underground hot springs, anomalies and freaks of nature. Nothing he said really explained it. So I just call it Dawson Mountain's gift." She gazed at the sun, then closed her eyes. "It's the most relaxing place in the world, and when I'm upset or worded, I always come here."

"Have you ever been up here during the winter?" "No one comes up this far on the mountain in the winter." She gave him a look that spoke volumes about what she thought of his knowledge of Montana, "Sometimes we can barely get out the back door of the ranch house. Trying for the lodge up here in the dead of winter could be suicide." She shook her head at the thought.

"But you did come here once, didn't you."