Read Online The Complete Mackenzie Collection by Linda Howard - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Linda Howard
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he muttered. “I could crawl on top of you right now, sweetheart, and I’d do it if you had any real idea of what you’re asking for. But the last thing I want is to have some prissy little Anglo screaming ‘rape’ at me. Believe me, an Indian doesn’t get the benefit of the doubt.”
“I wouldn’t do anything like that!”
He smiled grimly. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I’m probably the only man who has ever kissed you, and you think you’d like more, don’t you? But sex isn’t pretty and romantic, it’s hot and sweaty, and you probably wouldn’t like the first time at all. So do me a favor and find some other guinea pig. I have enough troubles without adding you to the list.”
Mary jerked away from him, pressing her lips firmly together and blinking her eyes as fast as she could to keep the tears from falling. Not for anything would she let him make her cry.
“I’m sorry I gave you that impression,” she said, her voice stifled but even. “It’s true I’ve never been kissed before, but I’m sure you aren’t surprised by that. I’m obviously not Miss America material. If my—my response was out of line, I apologize. It won’t happen again.” She turned briskly to the cabinet. “The coffee is ready. How do you take yours?”
A muscle jerked in his jaw, and he grabbed his hat. “Forget the coffee,” he muttered as he jammed the hat on his head and reached for his gloves.
She didn’t look at him. “Very well. Goodbye, Mr. Mackenzie.”
Wolf slammed out the door, and Mary stood there with an empty coffee cup in her hand. If it really was goodbye, she didn’t know how she would be able to stand it.
Chapter Four
M ary wasn’t weak-willed, and she refused to give into the desolation that filled her every time she thought of that horrible day. During the days she prodded, cajoled and enticed her students toward knowledge; at night she watched Joe devour the facts she spread before him. His thirst for knowledge was insatiable, and he not only caught up with the students in her regular classes, he passed them.
She had written her letters to the Wyoming members of Congress, and had also written to a friend for all the information she could find on the Air Force Academy. When the package came, she gave it to Joe and watched his eyes take on that fiercely intent, enthralled look he got whenever he thought of flying. Working with Joe was a joy; her only problem was that he reminded her so strongly of his father.
It wasn’t that she missed Wolf; how could she miss someone she had seen only twice? He hadn’t imbedded himself in her daily routine so that her life seemed empty without him. But while she had been with him, she had felt more vividly alive than she ever had before. With Wolf, she hadn’t been Mary Potter, old maid, she had been Mary Potter, woman. His intense masculinity had reached parts of her that she hadn’t known existed, bringing to life dormant yearnings and emotions. She argued with herself that what she felt was plain old garden-variety lust, but that didn’t stop the ache she felt whenever she thought of him. Even worse was her humiliation because her inexperience had been so obvious, and now she knew he thought of her as a sex-starved old maid.
It was April before the inevitable happened and word got out that Joe Mackenzie was spending a lot of time at the new teacher’s house. At first Mary wasn’t aware of the rumor flying through the town, though the kids in her classes had been watching her strangely, and there had been a lot of whispering. Sharon Wycliffe and Dottie Lancaster, the other two teachers, also took to giving her odd looks and whispering to each other. It didn’t take Mary long to decide that the secret was no longer secret, but she went about her business with a serene smile. She had already received a favorable letter from a senator, signaling his interest in Joe, and despite her own arguments for caution, her spirits were high.
The school
“I wouldn’t do anything like that!”
He smiled grimly. “Yeah, I’ve heard that before. I’m probably the only man who has ever kissed you, and you think you’d like more, don’t you? But sex isn’t pretty and romantic, it’s hot and sweaty, and you probably wouldn’t like the first time at all. So do me a favor and find some other guinea pig. I have enough troubles without adding you to the list.”
Mary jerked away from him, pressing her lips firmly together and blinking her eyes as fast as she could to keep the tears from falling. Not for anything would she let him make her cry.
“I’m sorry I gave you that impression,” she said, her voice stifled but even. “It’s true I’ve never been kissed before, but I’m sure you aren’t surprised by that. I’m obviously not Miss America material. If my—my response was out of line, I apologize. It won’t happen again.” She turned briskly to the cabinet. “The coffee is ready. How do you take yours?”
A muscle jerked in his jaw, and he grabbed his hat. “Forget the coffee,” he muttered as he jammed the hat on his head and reached for his gloves.
She didn’t look at him. “Very well. Goodbye, Mr. Mackenzie.”
Wolf slammed out the door, and Mary stood there with an empty coffee cup in her hand. If it really was goodbye, she didn’t know how she would be able to stand it.
Chapter Four
M ary wasn’t weak-willed, and she refused to give into the desolation that filled her every time she thought of that horrible day. During the days she prodded, cajoled and enticed her students toward knowledge; at night she watched Joe devour the facts she spread before him. His thirst for knowledge was insatiable, and he not only caught up with the students in her regular classes, he passed them.
She had written her letters to the Wyoming members of Congress, and had also written to a friend for all the information she could find on the Air Force Academy. When the package came, she gave it to Joe and watched his eyes take on that fiercely intent, enthralled look he got whenever he thought of flying. Working with Joe was a joy; her only problem was that he reminded her so strongly of his father.
It wasn’t that she missed Wolf; how could she miss someone she had seen only twice? He hadn’t imbedded himself in her daily routine so that her life seemed empty without him. But while she had been with him, she had felt more vividly alive than she ever had before. With Wolf, she hadn’t been Mary Potter, old maid, she had been Mary Potter, woman. His intense masculinity had reached parts of her that she hadn’t known existed, bringing to life dormant yearnings and emotions. She argued with herself that what she felt was plain old garden-variety lust, but that didn’t stop the ache she felt whenever she thought of him. Even worse was her humiliation because her inexperience had been so obvious, and now she knew he thought of her as a sex-starved old maid.
It was April before the inevitable happened and word got out that Joe Mackenzie was spending a lot of time at the new teacher’s house. At first Mary wasn’t aware of the rumor flying through the town, though the kids in her classes had been watching her strangely, and there had been a lot of whispering. Sharon Wycliffe and Dottie Lancaster, the other two teachers, also took to giving her odd looks and whispering to each other. It didn’t take Mary long to decide that the secret was no longer secret, but she went about her business with a serene smile. She had already received a favorable letter from a senator, signaling his interest in Joe, and despite her own arguments for caution, her spirits were high.
The school
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