Jen was struck dumb for an instant. Marsh always went directly to work after breakfast. She had never dreamed that this whole courting thing meant he'd actually take time out of his workday to spend with her.
"I'd love it," she said. "But we've got to-" That's as far as she got before he cut her off.
"We can work after we've had some exercise." Taking her hand, he led her away from the table. "Let's get changed." Releasing her, he sprinted up the stairs. "Last one on the court's a slowpoke."
"Hey, no fair," Jen protested as she chased after him.
To Jen's surprise, Marsh played a mean game of tennis. He won, but she made him work for it. "You're good," she said, bent over with her hands on her knees, drawing in deep breaths of air. "Where did you learn to play like that?"
Marsh was breathing every bit as heavily but he remained upright. "I was on the tennis team in college. You're good, too." He smiled at her. "For a few minutes there, I was afraid you'd beat me at my best sport."
Jen arched her brows in surprise. "You didn't play football?"
"Yeah, I did. But, after the first time I had my bell rung with a concussion I decided I liked tennis better." He flashed a killer grin at her. "My daddy didn't raise no fool."
From the court they went to the pool. Marsh stripped off his shirt and dove right in. Jen had pulled on a T-shirt and shorts over her bikini. Stepping out of the shorts and yanking the shirt off her sweaty body, she dove in after him.
There was no contest this time-they simply swam together. Jen was reveling in the sensation of the water rippling over her heated flesh when suddenly she let out a yelped, "Wha-!"
Marsh had dunked her.
Sputtering, Jen came up from the water to the sound of Marsh's laughter. She immediately retaliated. Jackknifing into a deep dive, she grasped his ankles and pulled his legs out from under him.
When he surfaced, Jen was laughing. For a moment, she watched him warily, but relaxed when he grinned at her.
"I deserved that," he admitted.
"Yes, you did," she said, grinning back at him.
"But I'll get you back for it," he teased. "Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but I will get you back for it."
That night, to her surprise, Jen slept alone. As much as she told herself she was glad Marsh hadn't made as much as a suggestion that they share his bed, she didn't sleep well.
Dammit. Having decided she wouldn't sleep with him again until she was certain of his true feelings for her, she expected she'd feel relieved that he hadn't tried to seduce her. But all she felt was disappointment.
On Tuesday afternoon, Marsh left his office two hours earlier than usual and, rapping on Jen's door, ordered, "Pack it in, Jen, and go change into jeans and boots. We're going to ride into the sunset together."
Opening her office door, Jen gave him a wry look. "Ride into the sunset together?"
"Yeah, you've been buried every night in that romance novel," he said, grinning. "I thought asking you to ride into the sunset with me would sound romantic to you."
"You are a complete nut," she said, laughing at him.
"Maybe so," he drawled. "But I'm still the boss."
They actually did ride into the sunset. Standing side by side on the crest of a small hill, their mounts nibbling on the short grass nearby, Jen and Marsh watched the sun set the sky ablaze in breathtaking splashes of pink and streaks of lavender as it slowly disappeared in the distance.
"Romantic?"
Jen smiled at his hopeful tone. "Beautiful," she answered.
He took her hand, drawing her closer to him so he could wrap his arm around her shoulders. "What about now?"
"Getting there," she murmured, drawing in the scent of him, the very essence of him.
Releasing her hand, he touched her cheek, drawing the tips of his fingers along her soft skin. She hitched a breath. At the soft sound, he lowered his head to brush his lips over her now trembling mouth.
"And now?" His breath teased her lips.
"Oh, yes." Raising her hand to the back of his head she brought his mouth to hers.
His kiss was sweet, gentle, wonderful for a full minute. Then, with a growl low in his throat, his desire took over.
Jen clung to him, owning him with her fierce embrace. Her feelings were running rampant. It was so good, so exciting, it was almost scary. Jen half expected Marsh to lower her to the grassy knoll, take her right there with the rainbow of colors arching across the twilight sky.
And she couldn't have stopped him.
But Cocoa and Star could.
Jen pulled away from Marsh when Star gave her a strong nudge against her shoulder. At the same time she heard Marsh curse as he was nudged by Cocoa.
"Unromantic beasts," he muttered, giving the horses a gentle shove away from them.
Jen couldn't control the burst of laughter that poured from her throat.
"Think it's funny, do you?" Marsh made a good attempt at a scowl, then lost it to his own roar of laughter.
"Yes, and so do you. And you were trying so hard, too."
"Trying?" One dark brow arched. "Trying?"
Leaning into him, Jen kissed his whisker-roughened cheek. "Actually, you were doing very well."
He reached for her. She danced away to grab up Star's reins. "Sunset's over. I think it's time to head back before it's dark."
"You don't need to be afraid of the dark," Marsh said, swinging up and into Cocoa's saddle as she mounted Star. "I'll protect you."
"I'll bet," she answered. "If I let you, you'll protect me right out of my jeans."
"Boy," Marsh said, in mock despair. "You are one very smart lady."
Jen laughed.
Marsh laughed with her.
By midweek, Jen could feel the changes occurring in their relationship. She was no longer wary of him, and she felt a closeness growing between them, a camaraderie.
And now he was approaching her about spending the night together, yet Jen held him off. No matter how often he complained of being lonely in that big bed of his, she stuck to her determination and slept in her own bed...alone, missing his closeness, his warmth.
As the days of the week slipped by, Jen knew she had to tell Marsh of her plans to drive to her parents' home in Dallas on Friday night. She had put it off, somehow knowing he wasn't going to be happy about her leaving. Thursday evening, Jen broached the subject after they had just finished a meal of salad and perfectly cooked steaks Marsh had made on the grill on the patio.
"Why?" he asked, when she had finished.
Why? Jen thought. "Why not?" she asked. They had spent most of the week together exclusively. Why shouldn't she spend one weekend away from him?
Marsh was getting to her-she was weakening toward his idea of them being together on a permanent basis. The realization was making her a bit edgy. Now, if he was going to start being possessive as well, she thought again that a little distance from him was a good idea.
Oh, who was she kidding? Jen was afraid she was falling for him, getting in too deep. So she took refuge in a show of independence.
She didn't even try to soften the impatience in her tone. "My weekends are free, aren't they?"
"Yes, of course." Marsh shook his head. "It just seems this came out of the blue. I was expecting to spend the weekend with you." His voice took on an edge, one she didn't particularly like. "Do you have plans or something?"
"Yes, I have plans," she said, surprised and annoyed by his manner. "On Saturday, I'm having lunch with several of my friends at my parents' home. And I'm attending the Terrells' party Saturday evening."
"Ah, the famous Terrells' Halloween masked ball, costumes required," he said in a ridiculing drawl, "and bedrooms available for couples for...private conversation."
That stopped Jen cold. "You're kidding," she said, raising an eyebrow. "Aren't you?"
Marsh smiled in superiority. "No, innocent one, I assure you, I am not kidding."
Jen wasn't sure what she resented more-his haughty smile or him calling her "innocent one." "But..."
"Have you been to the gala before?"
"Yes, I have, several times." Jen raised her chin in defiance. "Why do you ask?"
His silver eyes suddenly looked dark and stormy. "I would have believed once would have been more than enough to turn you off the debauchery."
Debauchery? At the Terrells' party? She could believe it about the Terrells-she had seen them in action. Still, surely her old friends, who had also attended the gala for years, would have mentioned it. She was considering not attending the affair after all when Marsh decided the issue.