Page 29 of One Wild Texas Night
She motioned to the back seat, and he glanced over his shoulder. “Ahh, that should do it for a couple of days.” His gaze went over her. “Nice duds. You look great.”
She laughed. “Thank you, but I’m wearing the same clothes I wore when we came to town. Those new ones get washed first. Anyway, for now, I’m finished shopping.”
“You were speedy. I brought the burgers about ten minutes before you arrived. Do you want to go to the park and eat them or just sit here in the car?”
“The park. Unless there are lots of people there. Let’s go see. It’s a pretty day, and we can sit under a tree and I can enjoy my burger.”
“I can think of some more fun things to do, but for that I suspect you would want more privacy than the park would provide.”
“Yes, I think so,” she said, smiling at him.
“And then back to my ranch,” he said, starting his pickup.
“Yes, you’ll still have a houseguest.” Even as she said the words, she couldn’t help thinking that she should just go to Dallas, get out of his ranch house, away from him. But once again, she thought how much easier it would be if she stayed at his place to meet people when they came out to keep all the appointments she had set up for the construction of her new ranch house and buildings. She already had four appointments.
“It’s easier for you to get things done on your ranch if you’re staying on mine, right there next to yours instead of driving out from Dallas every time,” he said as if he knew what she was thinking.
“Oh yes. It’s a lot more convenient,” she answered. But she couldn’t deny the truth she felt deep inside. There was another reason she wanted to stay with him: she wanted to be with Jake, in his arms again. Because she knew that’s what would happen when they got back home.
* * *
On Thursday they flew to Dallas and Jake took Claire to her house, a large two-story in an old part of town. The area was full of multimillion-dollar mansions that had increased in value through the years and still boasted choice properties with large tree-shaded lawns, carefully tended flowerbeds and quiet streets. “Want to come inside and see my home?” she asked when the limo he’d hired pulled into her drive.
“I will when I pick you up. I know you have appointments. I’ll be back Saturday night to get you for dinner at six. Sunday we go back to the ranch.”
“Thanks, Jake. It’ll help get started on my house if I can stay at your place and be right there when the contractors have questions. Once they begin to get it framed in, I can go home.”
“I’m in no hurry to get you out of my house,” he said.
“Oh my,” she said in a breathless voice. “That sounds as if you want me in your bed a long time.”
“Do I ever,” he said. He slipped his arm around her waist. “You’re teasing. I’m not. I want you and I want you in my bed.” He kissed away her reply, and when he released her, she was breathless, all her teasing remarks forgotten. She fanned herself.
“Wow, you’re one sexy man,” she whispered. “I need to go inside and climb into the freezer to cool down.”
“Instead, get your shopping done so I can take you to dinner and then to bed.”
True. He reminded her she still had to find a dress for the arena celebration. “That’s a deal, my handsome friend.”
She watched him walk to the waiting limo, get in and disappear down the street. With a sigh she closed the door. “I still think you’ll break my heart, but for now I am thoroughly enjoying the sexiest kisses ever,” she whispered. “And the best possible sex.”
She tingled at the thought of getting dressed up and going out for a night with him, something where they weren’t in jeans, she wasn’t in his giant T-shirts and wearing singed boots. Instead, she’d look more like the women he usually took out.
“Just wait, Jake. I’m about to give you a night to remember.”
* * *
Saturday evening Jake stood at Claire’s door after ringing the bell and waiting. He wore a charcoal suit, a red tie, gold links in his French cuffs and his best black boots.
When the door opened, he turned. “Are you—” He stopped as he stared in surprise. If he had been in public, somewhere besides her front door, and simply run into her, he wouldn’t have known her.
He could only stare, and for a rare moment in his life he was speechless. He didn’t even realize he wasn’t speaking and hadn’t greeted her. She was stunning, and he couldn’t get his breath. Her red hair, parted in the center, framed her face as it fell over her shoulders. He thought about the long, thick braid she’d always had. Now her hair was only shoulder length, a beautiful dark red with streaks of blond highlights near her face.
Her sleeveless dress was a red silk that had a high, round collar, a belted midsection that showed her tiny waist and a straight skirt that went to midcalf that showed off every curve. She wore red platform sandals with high, thick heels, and he could only stare because his normally plainly dressed rancher neighbor took his breath away. She was so gorgeous. The red dress had a seam in front from chin to the hem. It wasn’t very noticeable, but he saw it and realized it might be a zipper. He promised himself that before the night was over, he would know if it was a zipper. That thought made him wonder what she wore under the red dress.
“You look fantastic,” he said.
“Thank you. You clean up rather well yourself,” she said, smiling at him. “What a handsome devil you are, dear neighbor. My, oh my.”
