An Old Fashioned Romance

From Desert Fire by Marcia Lynn McClure

She gazed up into his brutally handsome face and said, “Bet you a nickel that I can kiss you without touching you, Jackson McCall.”

He raised his eyebrows and grinned. “Really?” Malaina smiled and nodded. “All right then. I ain’t known as a bettin’ man…but I’ll call your bluff.”

She reached up, taking his whiskery face in her hands and pulled it toward her own. “Do you have a nickel?” she whispered smiling.

“I’m good for it,” he said.

Then she touched his lips very softly with hers and the thrill of it caused her to tremble. Malaina stepped back to look at him. He looked just the slightest bit dizzy. She reached into the pocket of her long johns and pulled out the nickel that she’d discovered earlier.

“I guess I should stay away from gambling,” she whispered flipping the nickel into the air.

Jackson caught the coin and dropped it in his own pocket. Then he slowly took her into his arms and kissed her forehead.

“Don’t go playin’ with fire, Miss Malaina. It’s mighty unpredictable,” he whispered and she thought he would push her away.

But moments later Jackson had made his decision and Malaina felt his coveted kiss on her forehead. Jackson bent and kissed one of her shoulders. Malaina couldn’t halt the excitement that flooded her being. When his lips next found her neck, she tightened her grip on his arms, solid as granite. Jackson caressed her neck several times with his kisses and then, as his mouth savored hers, Malaina let her arms slide around his waist, pulling herself tighter to him. His kisses were deep and filled with desire and passion and she returned them with equally as much emotion. She caressed his back, reveling in the feel of the muscles hardening as he worked to hold her tighter. She ran her fingers through his hair, felt his unshaven face, gasped once when he nearly crushed her ribs with his strong hands.

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