Page 27 of One Wild Texas Night
“I think you’re safe on that one after what you just told me. So you’ll stay?” he asked, staring intently at her and sounding as if he really wanted her at his house on his ranch. She was shocked and stared at him while she thought about it.
“I don’t have anywhere to go except Dallas, and I need to be out here right now to get things back into a routine. I’ll stay here if you will promise—absolutely be honest about it—that you will tell me to leave if you want me out of here.”
“I promise,” he said instantly, smiling at her and sounding happy, as if she had just given him a wonderful gift. She gazed at him and wondered about what she was getting into. If they fit together as well the rest of the time as they had the past twenty-four hours, she wouldn’t want to leave. At the same time, she wouldn’t ever want to marry him, because that would be a disaster.
Another thought hit her. Could Jake fall in love with her? Was he so certain his heart was safe, and he couldn’t be hurt, or were they both going to end up heartbroken?
Nine
A few hours later, Claire faced Jake and knew she would never view him the same way she had before they made love too many times to count. Her feelings about him had made a monumental change. Could they stay on a friendly basis? How much would their lovemaking improve their neighborly relationship? How much did she care about him now?
She glanced over at the clock and gasped. “Jake, do you know that it’s after three in the afternoon?” she said, turning to him as he rolled over to face her and prop his head on his hand. As he smiled at her, she brushed locks of black hair off his forehead.
“I don’t really care what time it is. I don’t want to leave this bedroom yet. This has been fabulous,” he said.
“It’s time, Jake. We’ve been here all night and all morning, going into the afternoon. It’s been fabulous, but it’s time to go back into our real world, back to the problems, because I really want to go into town and get some clothes.”
“I know you’re right.” He placed his hand on her arm lightly. “Before we go, I have a question—actually an invitation. We’re having a celebration. It’s a thank-you dinner Saturday night in Dallas for people who contributed to rebuilding the arena. My cousins and I made a generous donation, and I want you to go with me.”
A cold chill suddenly ran down her spine as the world intruded on their idyll.
“We’re naked in bed together—I don’t think you thought that invitation through. I would love to go with you, but how can we go out in public in Dallas? We could easily run into Reeds or Blakes and all hell would break loose. Besides, it will stir things up for some locals to see a Reed out with a Blake, and you know it. We can ignore some things, but there’s no reason to go asking for trouble and for you to take me to an event. I think that’s looking for trouble. Worse, disaster.”
He shook his head. “This dinner should be okay. They’ve had several of these thank-you get-togethers, where they report on the progress of the construction, and my cousins have never once come. It’s a small group going to a private club, and we’ll be in our own room. There’s a chance to run into relatives, but it isn’t likely. Like I said, I don’t remember any Blakes or Reeds that will be at this shindig. We’ll just go in my limo, be shut away in a private room and then get back into the limo to go to my apartment in Dallas. The chances are slim.”
“And you’re willing to take that risk?” she asked.
“I want to take you, so yes, I’m willing to take the risk. I don’t think it’s likely I’ll see any relatives. Frankly, I don’t see many of my relatives in Dallas. They’re more in Amarillo and scattered in smaller towns, and they don’t go to Dallas a lot. There’s always that chance we’ll see someone, but I think we can deal with it. I’m willing to take the risk and live the way I want to live. It should be a fun evening, and you seemed interested in the arena.” As he talked, his fingers ran over her arm and the back of her hand. Then he moved his hand to caress the nape of her neck. Each light caress kept her thoughts on him more than thinking about going out with him and the problems that could mean.
“You know I want to go with you,” she admitted honestly.
“Good. So, you’ll do it. I’ll try to see to it that you have a fun evening,” he drawled, and she smiled, shaking her head.
“It didn’t take you long to talk me into it. Before we go to the party, though, I really should spend a day in Dallas. I need something to wear, I need my hair done—you know, girl stuff. I’m going to have to get a new pickup and a new car sometime, but I want to go to Dallas for that, too, and I can’t go today.”
“We can go to Dallas Thursday or Friday and stay in my apartment. I’ll get my pilot to fly us to Dallas. You can get ready and do what you want to do during the day. Just leave the nights for me.”
“Let’s go on Thursday, and I can get some business done,” she said, amazed to be planning her life and including him in it. “I’ll make appointments, because I have to see about the insurance and a lot of things on clearing my land and rebuilding my ranch house and replacing my vehicles. We moved a lot of things before the fire, so it shouldn’t be too much. We’ve got a routine for emergencies and it worked to save a lot of equipment. Trouble is, you can’t move everything. I can get my pickup, and then you won’t have to drive me around.”
“Come here,” he said in a husky voice, reaching out to lift her closer against him as he wrapped his arms around her. Held against his nude body, looking into his sexy, long-lashed dark eyes, she forgot about the weekend, the problems, the things she needed to do. She just wanted his kisses, his loving, their bodies joined. The more they kissed and made love, the more she wanted him. Would she fall in love with him?
If she did, he would break her heart, because she was certain Jake wasn’t falling in love. He wanted hot sex, endless hours of loving, but she suspected part of him was locked away, not to be shared, and he wasn’t ever going to be in love. And if the impossible happened and he fell in love with her, that would disrupt both their lives and tear them away from their families. She didn’t want that, either. There was no good solution to a relationship with him. And she knew she better face that fact and keep a realistic outlook with realistic expectations. Getting involved with Jake Reed meant disaster whatever way she went.
No matter how fabulous and exciting sex was between them, how compatible they had become, at some point, they would have to say goodbye.
* * *
“I think it’s time for me to dress—in my same old jeans and in one of your T-shirts. Then let’s go into Persimmon and get me some other clothes.”
“Whenever you’re ready,” Jake replied, though if he had his choice, he’d keep Claire naked and in bed for the rest of the day and into the night. “I will say, those jeans you’ve been wearing still look mighty good on you,” he added with a wink.
“Thank you. But I’m ready for new ones. Now, what are we going to do about riding into town together—a Blake and a Reed in the same car? That will turn everyone upside down.”
“I’ll drop you off at my uncle Bernard’s hardware store. The family avoids it unless they desperately need some hardware because he’s such a grump.”
“He is that, I’ll agree, but I figured it was just with my family. That’s kind of funny that he is with his own family. Well, he’ll still see us and spread the word.”
“He might, but it’s unlikely. He doesn’t pay attention until someone corners him and says they want to buy something.”
