Jane jumped and glanced up at a man who looked familiar, but she was certain she’d never met before. His sported a genuine smile that begged to draw her in. And yet it didn’t hold a candle to Noah’s.
Nope. She wasn’t even going to go there.
Jane grinned back and placed her hand within his. “Sure, I’m Jane.”
“Reese.” His voice held a low timbre, his hold on her firm as he pulled her into the middle of the dance floor.
She tilted her head as she gazed up into his eyes. “I feel like we might have met before.”
He shook his head. “No, but I’ve seen you around. This is my cousin’s ranch. And you were here most of yesterday setting up, right?”
“Right.” She glanced away, and her eyes snagged on Noah again before she brought them back to Reese. “So you’re related to Noah?” Immediately, she grimaced. Why did she feel like she had to bring him up?
Reese chuckled. “Yeah, my mom is his dad’s sister.”
“Is it true that your uncle invited you all out here to work for him?”
He lifted a shoulder, spinning her around before pulling her back. “Yeah, I suppose it is.”
“And you like working here?”
“What’s not to like?” He flashed her a grin, and the interesting thing about it was how it did nothing to her insides. Reese was handsome, charming, and he had a dimple that materialized when he smiled just right. But all she could think about was the way Noah had pressed into her and nearly stolen a kiss.
Goosebumps rose on her arms, and she had to force herself to keep listening to what Reese was saying. She’d missed some of it, and now he was talking about something to do with the ranch. Why couldn’t she focus? Her inattention wasn’t fair to Reese. Sheesh, she needed to do something to get her head on straight.
Smiling as if she knew exactly what he was talking about, she finished up their dance and immediately moved to get a glass of water. Thankfully, it was nice out. A gentle breeze wafted through the fields, making the whole experience more enjoyable.
She leaned against the railing of the raised platform and stared out into the darkness. Stars hung overhead, and against her will, her thoughts shifted to last night. The worst part about the whole thing was how much she’d actually wanted him.
It would have been so easy to give into his kiss. Her mother’s nagging demands that she settle down could be solved if she found a boyfriend. It was better than nothing as far as Jane was concerned. It didn’t used to be this bad. When her mother had her sisters’ lives to meddle in, the attention was split. Jane had even thought it would continue to be tugged in various directions when she had grandbabies to dote on.
But no.
Her mother still wanted to focus on the fact that Jane had avoided marital bliss.
She puffed out another sigh.
“This place looks great.”
Hairs rose on the back of her neck at his words. After last night, she knew she’d recognize Noah’s voice anywhere. After the way she’d left him last night, she wasn’t sure he’d want to speak to her. That didn’t stop her from staring at him, though. And on more than one occasion, she’d been caught doing so.
Turning, Jane let her gaze sweep over his tall figure. He looked even better up close. His shoulders strained against the material of his suit coat as he rested his forearms against the railing before them. He wore the most adorable, crooked grin that made her want to give in and just let him steal that kiss.
But it was probably too late now.
“Thanks,” she murmured.
He peeked at her. “Your boss must be impressed.”
She scoffed. “My supervisor seemed to think it was sufficient. My boss? I’ve never met the guy.”
Noah turned so he could face the dance floor and rest his elbows on the railing instead. “Is your boss here tonight?”
Jane arched a brow. “My boss? As in the guy who runs this charity?”
He gave her a slight lift of his chin.
She shook her head, turning her focus away from him once more. “Apparently, he doesn’t make it out to these sorts ofevents. In fact, I don’t even know who he is. He likes his privacy, and he prefers the head of his board to be the face of the operation.”
