"We're almost there. Can you hear it?"

"No. I deafened myself when I slapped a mosquito."

Gabe rose on his stirrups and pointed. "It's right there. Through the trees."

She looked, and sure enough, sunlight flashed on the stream as it tumbled over smooth stones and cascaded down a waterfall about three or four feet high. Below the miniature falls swirled a pool, and beside it lay an intimate-looking crescent of sand. The gurgle of water, which she could actually hear now, welcomed them as they guided the horses down an incline to the creek.

Gabe dismounted and looped Finicky's reins over a tree branch. Pulling a blue-and-white checked blanket from his saddle bag, he shook it open and spread it on the sand. Then he took out the mosquito repellent and studied the label before setting that on the blanket.

"This is not looking like such a good plan, after all, Gabe. I can see the mosquitoes tying on little bibs."

"It's a great plan." He tossed a condom packet on the blanket before walking over to where she waited on Top Drawer. He held out his arms. "I'll help you off, and once you're on the blanket, you can strip down."

She drew back in horror. "Strip down? Are you nuts? I'm not exposing any more flesh than necessary to these vampires!"

"I'll be right there with the repellent. This'll work."

"What? You're going to spray it all over my naked body?"

"Uh-huh. I read the label, and it'll be fine. You might want to close your eyes, though." He motioned for her to come into his arms. "Don't be a wimp, Morgan. I promise I'll make it worth your while. But we have to work fast."

She gazed at him and shook her head in wonder. "You are truly insane, Gabriel Archibald Chance."

"Yeah, and that's why this will be so much fun." He tipped back his Stetson and gave her the sort of c.o.c.ky grin that could make a woman agree to all sorts of foolish schemes, including having s.e.x while mosquitoes swarmed.

"Okay, but you have to promise to scratch my back all night if I need you to." She leaned toward him.

"Sweetheart, it will be my pleasure." He swung her off the horse as if she were a feather and set her on the blanket. "Now, strip! Fast!" He picked up the can.

She started with her boots and hat, but once she took off her shirt, she realized that speed was truly of the essence. The quicker she moved, the less time those little b.u.g.g.e.rs had to get a bead on her. In no time she was standing naked on the blanket. "Spray me, Gabe!"

"You got it!" He aimed the can.

As he sprayed, she twirled, holding out her arms and dancing on the blanket in case any mosquitoes had made it through the mist.

"That should do it." The can dangling loosely in his grip, Gabe stood for a moment just looking at her.

"What? It's not like you haven't ever seen me naked before."

"I haven't seen you dancing naked in the sunlight next to the creek in my favorite makeout spot. That's a sight to behold."

"This is your favorite spot?"

"Since high school."

"So you've brought other girls here?" She wasn't crazy about that idea. So far she'd been part of several firsts with him and she'd like to keep that streak going.

He seemed to realize she wasn't happy about being taken to the same rendezvous point he'd used for his other dates. "Well, yes, but not in the daytime. And definitely not when the mosquitoes are around."

Morgan laughed. "Now I feel special." She held out her hand and wiggled her fingers. "Can, please. Your turn, nature boy."

Watching Gabe rip off his clothes was almost worth getting bitten by mosquitoes, but to her relief, they weren't landing on her, at least not yet. So she was free to admire the ripple of Gabe's pecs as he pulled off his shirt and dropped it to the ground.

A mosquito landed on his chest, and she reached over and slapped it. "Ow."

"Oh, I'm so sure that hurt. Hitting you is like smacking a piece of granite. You have such a hard body, Gabe." Sunlight burnished his chest hair, turning it to gold. She gave in to temptation and ruffled it with her fingers.

He caught her hand. "Back off, lady. I gotta finish this striptease before the skeeters attack again."

"Go for it." She stepped away, can at the ready.

Once he'd shucked his jeans and underwear to reveal what was going on under that confining material, Morgan concluded this plan of his might not be such a mistake, after all. Her body hummed in antic.i.p.ation of having that gorgeous equipment deployed in the interests of her pleasure.

But first he had to be anointed with mosquito repellent. "Hold out your arms."

He covered his crotch with both hands. "Spray me like this."

She gazed at him. "I just allowed you to spray every inch of me with this stuff. Are you worried about getting some on your Johnson?"

"As a matter of fact, I am."

"Why? You said it was environmentally friendly."

"That doesn't mean d.i.c.k-friendly. Your special parts are tucked away, but mine are right out there, and I don't care what the label says, I don't trust it not to...make me sterile or something."

She choked back a laugh. He was deadly serious about this, as most men were about their pride and joy. He wouldn't appreciate her amus.e.m.e.nt. And for all she knew, the bug repellent might sting his more tender parts. "You could've put on a condom first."

"No, because then spray could get on it, and I'm not taking a chance with your special parts, which will soon come in direct contact with my special parts."

"You know, that's touching in a weird kind of way."

"Just spray me, okay?"

"You bet." She walked around behind him. Now there was a view. Mountains and wildflowers were nice and all, but she'd take a screensaver showcasing Gabe's buns any day.

His buns looked as tight as his pecs. She gave him a sharp slap there to check it out. "Hey!"

Just as she'd thought. Satisfyingly firm. "Sorry. Mosquito." Then she began spraying because actual mosquitoes were showing up.

"That's good enough."

"But I'm not sure I got every-"

"I'll take my chances." He grabbed the can from her and tossed it on the ground. "You're torturing me."

"With mosquito spray? Now who's the wimp?"

"Not the spray, the jiggle." He pulled her into his arms and cupped one slightly sticky breast. "You were bouncing all over the place. I couldn't wait another second to get my hands on you. You feel so d.a.m.n good, Morgan. No wonder the mosquitoes want to suck on you."

"But you'd better not. I probably taste awful."

"Probably." He ran his hands over her b.r.e.a.s.t.s, fondling them with obvious relish. "But I can touch. Before we go back, we'll take a quick dip in the creek." He slid his hands down to her waist. "Was there really a mosquito on my b.u.t.t?"

"No."

"Then you deserve some payback." He gave her a swat on the rear. "Hey!"

"I'd kiss it and make it better, but you probably taste like turpentine, so I'll have to settle for a tush ma.s.sage instead." He began a slow kneading motion that stimulated all of what he referred to as her special parts. Soon she was breathing like a long-distance runner.

"Mmm." She closed her eyes and let her head fall back as he built the tension within her. "Like that?"

"Uh-huh. But two can play at that game." Opening her eyes, she reached down between his legs.

He groaned. "So they can."

"Is this what you had in mind when you brought me down here?"

"We're getting closer to my vision."

She stroked and teased him until his b.a.l.l.s began to contract and his p.e.n.i.s was slick with moisture. "How's that?"

"We need that condom."

"Allow me." Stepping out of his arms, she knelt on the blanket and located the condom lying there. As she turned back to him, she was in the perfect position to slide it on, but she couldn't resist wrapping her hand around him first and nibbling a bit. "Morgan..."

"You didn't get sprayed there. You taste delicious."

"You're playing with fire."

"No, I'm playing with your magnificent pe-"

"Put the condom on." He spoke through clenched teeth. "Please."

"Okey-dokey." She was trembling a bit from excitement and fumbled the job, but finally managed it.

Grasping her by the shoulders, he hauled her to her feet and covered her mouth with his in a kiss filled with desperation. Then he drew back, panting. "I need you on your back on that blanket, Morgan. And no fooling around."

His urgency thrilled her to her bare toes. She cradled his face in both hands. "Somebody's a wee bit tense."

"And somebody has the remedy between her soft thighs. On the blanket, Morgan."

"Next time I get to order you around." But secretly she liked his take-charge att.i.tude. When it came to s.e.x, commands could be exciting.

Crouching down, she sat on the blanket and then stretched out. The sand crunched underneath her and she wiggled a little on the blanket, molding the ground to her body. Then she gazed up as sunlight filtered through the green leaves of tree branches that arched over the tiny beach.

In the time it took her to draw one quick breath, Gabe was there. Bracing his arms on either side of her shoulders, he probed once and then thrust deep with a growl of satisfaction.

Morgan sighed with pleasure and wrapped her arms around him. Then she wrapped her legs around him for good measure. Even when they were both sticky with mosquito repellent, being naked with Gabe had become her favorite thing. The connection was magic, and would, in a few moments, become transcendent. Except for the mosquito that had just landed on Gabe's shoulder.

"Gabe, there's a mosquito on your-"

"Don't care." His eyes were twin flames of blue as he eased back and pushed forward again. "Nothing matters but this."

11.

Nothing matters but this. The words seemed to echo through the forest as Gabe looked into Morgan's eyes and began the age-old mating rhythm that he craved with every ounce of his being. He'd never been so focused in his life, and that was saying something for a guy accustomed to fierce compet.i.tion.

When Morgan came, arching upward with a joyous cry, happiness surged through him because he'd given her pleasure. Then his own o.r.g.a.s.m ripped through him, narrowing his world to this time, this woman, this driving need to be joined with her.

For long seconds he was blind and deaf to his surroundings as his body absorbed the shock of that climax. But gradually the shudders grew less and he became aware of sunlight on his back, the loamy scent of new growth and water sliding over stones.

He looked into Morgan's eyes and found lazy contentment there, which pleased him. But her blue-green gaze was filled with something more, something tender and new. He wondered if she knew how much she was allowing him to see, and how vulnerable that made her. His chest grew warm, as if someone had covered him with a soft blanket. Just like that, their relationship moved beyond l.u.s.t into territory that Gabe hadn't traveled much in his adult life.

He should be worried about that, but he couldn't bring himself to worry when the air smelled of evergreens and great s.e.x. Leaning down, he brushed his lips over hers. "Ready for a dip in the creek?"

"I'll bet it's ice-cold."

"Yep." Leaving her warmth, he divested himself of the condom. He'd deal with it later, after they'd washed off the sticky repellent.

"We don't have towels."

"We'll use the blanket. Up you go!" He scooped her into his arms.

"Gabe! I can get myself in."

"Ah, but will you?" He carried her to the edge of the pool and sucked in a breath as he stepped into the water. He wasn't even sure he could do this, but they both needed a good dunk.

"I heard that! I heard you gasp. If it's that cold, then I'm not going in." She tried to wiggle out of his arms.

"Yes, you are, and so am I." He waded into water cold enough to freeze his nuts. "Stop struggling, or..." He lost his footing and they both went down, accompanied by her ear-splitting screech of dismay and his pungent swearing.

He scrambled to his feet and stood in waist-deep water. He could feel his privates shriveling in protest. Morgan faced him, her mouth open in a silent scream as water streamed down her face from her dripping hair. Her chest was heaving, which was a bonus, and her nipples were puckered into tight little raspberries. Cold as he was, Gabe enjoyed seeing that.

Figuring the best defense was a good offense, he grinned at her. "Refreshing, huh?"

She gulped in air. "Refreshing? Try hypothermia!"

"Ah, it's good for you."

"You think so? Then take this!" She splashed frigid water all over him.

"Two can play that game!" He splashed her back, and the war was on.