He hadn’t been able to concentrate on anything all afternoon. It’d been his own fault. What had possessed him to pull her into his arms and dance in Nash’s living room? Nothing could happen between them in that house. And here he was sitting at the dining room table with the woman who had him tied in knots, knowing there wasn’t a damn thing he could do about it. Hitting my hand with a hammer would hurt less than this.

All through dinner he thought about the call from Derrick. They were returning late tonight. That meant Donna was free. Him not so much. In all the years he’d worked for Derrick, McLean had never taken a vacation. He hadn’t wanted to. Being on the ranch was where he wanted to be. At least that was the case before. What had seemed like a vast open space was closing in around him. He wanted, no needed, to find someplace for Donna and him to explore what was going on between them. That ain’t happening on Derrick’s couch.

His so-called manners had nothing to do with a concern for what Derrick might say. It was all about his respect for Donna. He could see in her eyes this was bittersweet torture for her as well. The way she bit her bottom lip as she watched him was driving him crazy. It was taking a hell of a lot of self-control not to get up and pull her into his arms. There was no doubt that, if he started, they would quickly burn out of control and wouldn’t stop. Donna deserved to be treated like the lady she was. Their first time together should be something special, not rushed.

“You seem to be in deep thought,” Donna said.

Oh, I am. He wasn’t about to tell her the subject. “Everything’s so good. I don’t want to stop.” Ain’t talking about the food either.

She smiled and said, “I’m glad you like it. It’s been a while since I cooked.”

It had been a while for a lot of things. Food held no interest at the moment. “It sounds like Evie is still sleeping. Why don’t we take advantage of the time?”

Donna’s cheeks turned pink as she replied, “What do you have in mind?”

“A lot of things that can’t happen right now. That doesn’t mean we can’t talk. There are things I’d like to, no need to, say to you. Why don’t we take this conversation to the living room?”

She didn’t move. “You think the couch is a better place to talk than here?”

McLean chuckled. “Good point.” Reaching his hand across the table, he grabbed hers. “The dining room it is then.”

As his fingers entwined with hers, she asked, “What do you want to talk about?”

“Me. You. Us.” McLean didn’t share feelings, but that was exactly what he intended to do. Sissie had made it clear yesterday while he was walking with her to the truck. If he didn’t take down his walls, he might lose Donna. He couldn’t risk that.

“I’d like that, McLean. Why don’t you start?”

Yeah, I suck at this. He’d rather show her than say it. But she needed the words, and he got that. Words didn’t flow easily from him. Some guys threw them around like they were candy. Not him. This was new to him. Words he thought he’d never say. Never wanted to.

“Donna I . . .” He was used to barking orders, not sharing feelings. No matter what came out of his mouth, he knew it wouldn’t equate to what was in his heart. “I’m not good at . . . this.”

“At what?” Donna asked softly.

He pointed back and forth between them. “This.”

She pulled her hand from his. “It’s okay. I get it.” Donna got up and started clearing the dirty dishes from the table. “It’s probably better we don’t talk anyway. It would make it . . . awkward later.”

He got up and grabbed the dishes from her and placed them back on the table. “We have to talk.”

“No, we don’t, McLean. Some things are better not said.”

Shit. He ran his hand through his hair in frustration. “Hell, I’m a jackass.” Donna didn’t say a word. “Thanks for agreeing.”

“I didn’t say that.”

“No. You didn’t say anything.”

“What do you want me to say, McLean? That I’m crazy about you and I don’t want to hear you say that kissing me was a mistake and how it can’t happen again? That you just want to be friends and nothing more? Or maybe that we come from different worlds and it’d never work out between us? Because, McLean, I don’t want to hear any of it. Definitely not from you.”

“Donna, that’s not what—”

“Of course it is. Look at you. You’re itching to get out of here. I’m not holding you. Go if you want.”

He reached out and grabbed her arms, making her face him. “Stop! You’ve got it all wrong.”

“Do I?” Donna snapped. “Look at you, McLean. It’s like you’d rather be anywhere but here.”

“As long as you’re with me, then you’re right.”

Her eyes widened. “What did you say?”

“You heard right. I’m not trying to run from you. If anything young lady, I’d get my rope and lasso you if you tried running from me,” McLean said in a playful tone as he pulled her closer. Then becoming more serious he added, “Donna, you have no idea what you mean to me.”

“Tell me,” she replied sweetly.

He grinned. “You ain’t gonna make this easy for me, are you?” Donna shook her head. “I see you’re tougher than some of those young fillies I deal with.”

“You betcha.”

He smiled down at her. “I never thought the day would come that someone so tiny would tame this cowboy, but you have. I ain’t thinking about late nights drinking beer at the Wild Sass anymore.”

“Really. Don’t tell me you’re thinking about hanging up your spurs, because I won’t believe you.”

“No, ma’am. Ranching is who I am. It’s in my blood. I was thinking more on the line of a place with a porch. You seemed to enjoy sitting on the swing at night. Maybe you’d be inclined to do the same with me.” McLean couldn’t believe the crap that was coming out of his mouth. He was trying so hard to be romantic when actually all he wanted to say was he was falling in love with her and didn’t want this to end because she was going back to town.

“So this is about a swing?” Donna asked with a puzzled look.

McLean laughed. “I told you I’m horrible at this.”

Donna touched his cheek and said, “Maybe I can help you. Would it be easier if I went first?”

“Please. I’m dying over here,” McLean admitted.

“No, you’re not. I think I understand what you’re trying to say.”

“Good at least one of us does.”

Donna smiled. “Let’s see how I do. I’ve spent a good amount of my life telling myself what I don’t want because I didn’t believe it was possible for me to find it. Then I met you. That brought out an entirely different set of . . .”

“Problems?” McLean asked. He hoped that is not how she viewed him, but he knew what a jackass he was.

“Yes, problems. Mostly not sleeping at night because I couldn’t stop thinking about you.”

Now I like the sound of that. “Should I ask what you were thinking?” McLean winked.

“Yes, but not now. Let’s wait for a time when we’re alone. I mean when we’re not in someone else’s house.”

It was just another thing he loved about her. Love? Is that what this is? He’d never come close to feeling what he did with her. She filled a place in him that he hadn’t even realized was empty. Without her in his life, for the first time, he’d feel alone.

“I’m due for a vacation. What do you say you and I go someplace when Casey and Derrick get back?”

“Where?”

“I meant it, Donna. Wherever you are is where I want to be.”

Her eyes glistened. “Say it.”

“You mean how I feel?” She nodded, and he remembered Sissie’s warning. “I’ve always been happy with my life as it was. Not any longer. For the first time, I want someone to share it with. Not just someone. But you. I’m falling in love with you, Donna. I don’t know where we are going to go from here, but I want it to be together.”

“I’m falling in love with you too.”

Cupping her face in his hands, McLean said, “I feel as though I have a lifetime to make up for. Let’s take some time for us. Will you go away with me?”

“Why don’t we take these southern hearts someplace secluded and get to know each other better?”

Before kissing her lips, McLean said, “Much better.” He kissed her gently as their time had yet to come. When he pulled back, he looked at his watch. It was only ten o’clock. “Damn.”

She asked, “What’s the matter?”

“We’ve got two hours before I can hold you like I want to.”

Donna laughed and kissed him lightly. “But just think how many hours you can hold me after that.”

McLean grinned. “Trust me, I’m thinking about it.” Letting her go, he bent down and picked up the baby monitor. “What do you say about the two of us enjoying that porch swing one last time?”

She placed her hand in his. “It’ll do for now.”

As they sat quietly on the swing, the sky lit up with shooting stars. He’d spent many nights lying beneath skies like this, but he’d never seen as beautiful a night as this one. Donna had not only opened his eyes but his heart as well.

Wrapping his arms around her, he asked, “What time is it now?”

Donna laughed. “Oh, this is going to be the longest two hours of our lives.”

She rested her head on his shoulder, and he knew this was something he didn’t want to be without. Kissing her on the top of her head he said, “Agreed, but where I’m planning on taking you sweetheart, we’ll have nothing but time for each other. I promise.”