The Mighty Quinns: Mac. Kate Hoffmann

Is this some sort of religious thing?”

      “No. It just happened. I’ve never dated much, never had serious boyfriends. Believe it or not, the opportunity only presented itself a few times when I was younger and I decided to turn it down. And then the years just got away from me.”

      “And you want me to take care of this for you?”

      “Yes, I would appreciate that. It would only be one night. Not even a full night. I mean, it could go pretty fast, I think. At least that’s what I’ve heard. And I can guarantee that it wouldn’t be horrible. I’ve done a lot of reading so I know what’s what.”

      “You realize that being aware that this is your first time changes everything.”

      “I’m kind of just getting that,” Emma said. “Why, though? It’s still sex.”

      “There’s a lot of pressure,” Mac said.

      “You mean performance anxiety? Believe me, I can relate. Is that why you’re afraid to...do the deed?”

      Mac cursed beneath his breath. “No. I don’t get performance anxiety.”

      “Then why?”

      He thought about her question for a long moment, then shrugged. “Maybe I want more,” he murmured. “Maybe a one-night stand isn’t enough for me.”

      The notion that a man like Mac might prefer romance over pure lust surprised her. On the surface, he seemed to be the perfect playboy type, a guy who could easily love ’em, then leave ’em.

      “I don’t expect it to be special,” Emma said.

      “I want to make it special for you,” Mac said. He glanced over at her and smiled. “Listen, why don’t we just delay negotiations on this tonight and pick it up at a later date.”

      “I understand,” Emma said. “If you don’t want to, you can just say so. I won’t be hurt.”

      “Oh, I want to,” he replied. “Believe me, I’ve been thinking about it since the moment you walked into the shop. But I’m not sure you understand what you’re asking. So I’d like to take a little time.”

      “All right. But if you change your mind, just call.”

      “I will,” Mac assured her. “There is one thing we could do right now.”

      “What’s that?” Emma asked. It all happened so quickly, she didn’t have a chance to prepare. He slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her close, his gaze meeting hers. And in a heartbeat, his mouth came down on hers in a long, delicious kiss.

      Emma had already grown to love the way he kissed. His attention fixed on her lips for just a moment before his mouth descended on hers. And after that, a wild whirl of sensations assailed her body. His kiss was a demand, not a request, and she had no choice but to respond.

      When he finally drew away, his eyes were closed and her breath came in short gasps. A thrill raced through her. It was obvious the kiss had affected him in the same way it had her. Maybe she should count this as a victory.

      “I’ll talk to you soon?” she asked.

      “You will,” he said.

      She walked him to the front door and opened it. “Thanks for the kiss. It was really nice.”

      “Emma?”

      “Yes?”

      “You don’t ever have to thank me for kissing you.”

3

      MAC CIRCLED BUDDY’S PLANE, checking all the fittings and controls for crop dusting. He was due to go out at dawn the next morning, and he wanted to get a jump on the job. Hell, he didn’t have anything better to do on a Sunday than catch up with work at the shop.

      He wasn’t going to fly his own plane because Mac’s old deHaviland Beaver wasn’t typically used for agriculture applications like crop dusting, a job better suited to a small, maneuverable plane. The Beaver was made for transport—of people and their belongings.

      Whether he was bush piloting in Alaska or transporting produce in the warmer climates of California, Mac’s plane was the closest thing he had to a home. When he had no place to live, he slept in the tail section.

      J.J. watched him as he went through his check, sipping on a cold Yoo-hoo. “So, how did your date go? I didn’t see you at the show last night.”

      “It didn’t go. We decided to postpone the date.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Sorry about the show.”

      “What happened?”

      “It’s far too complicated to explain. We were looking for different things, I guess.”

      “You were looking for sex, she was looking for romance?”

      Mac shook his head. “No. The exact opposite. She was hoping for an end to her ‘condition’ and I wasn’t willing to provide it. At least not under her terms.”

      “Terms?”

      Mac ran his hand through his hair. “I don’t know. Maybe I should have said yes. But there’s something about Emma that I can’t get my mind around. I don’t want her to view me as just some solution to a problem.”

      It didn’t make sense. He ought to be thrilled that she was interested in no-strings sex. And there was no doubt in his mind that their intimacy would be more than just one night. Once she got a taste of what he could offer in the bedroom, she’d want more.

      So why did he refuse? Why not take the chance that he could turn a single night of sex into something more?