By the time the debate was over, Matt’s earlier stumble seemed to have been forgotten. He stayed around for another forty-five minutes, shaking hands and assuring the people in the crowd that he would fight for them if he made it to the state senate. However, there were still a few who were not convinced that he was old enough.
“Carter has clout,” Norm Donaldson told him. “He knows how to get things done in Baton Rouge.”
“Patrick Carter didn’t go into public office knowing how to get things done. He had to learn. I’m willing to learn, just as he did. I’m going to prove it to you, Norm. Give me a chance and I’ll prove it to you.”
The older gentleman didn’t look convinced. Matt didn’t know if he wouldeverconvince some of them that he was the right man for the job, but he left the auditorium feeling more confident about his chances than he had when he walked in.
He got in his car and drove right past the Gauthier mansion, heading straight for Belle Maison. After pulling into the lot, Matt quickly got out of the car and headed up the steps of the stately Victorian. He walked up to the front door and was about to knock when he heard, “How was it tonight?”
He whipped around and found Tamryn sitting on a white rocking chair on the huge porch.
“What are you doing out here?” he asked before walking over and planting a kiss on her lips.
“I was waiting for you. I haven’t even gone inside. I figured you would be on your way.”
“Am I that predictable?”
“I just figured that if you were anything like I am, you’ve been missing this,” she said before pulling him in for another slow, hot kiss. Never leaving her lips, Matt pulled her out of the chair and switched places with her, settling her onto his lap and wrapping his arms around her.
“You’re right,” he said. “I’ve been thinking about that all day.” He nuzzled her neck, planting delicate kisses along her throat. “What do I have to do to convince you to come home with me tonight?”
“Not nearly as much as you’re probably thinking,” she said. “I barely made it through last night’s dinner without attacking you.”
Matt slanted her a look. “Don’t tease me,” he said. He went for her neck again, giving the spot just above her collarbone a gentle bite. “If you’re not ready for me to take you to my place just yet, I don’t have a problem staying here with you.”
“Do you know how many tongues would wag if people found out you spent the night here?”
“Baby, they are already wagging, believe me.”
She laughed. “Seriously, how did it go tonight?”
He gave her a quick rundown of the debate, including the flyer Ben had made.
“I saw it on the table at breakfast this morning,” she said. “They must have passed them out yesterday evening.” She ran her fingers down his cheek. “It’s admirable that you’re refusing to go that route. You don’t need to. If anyone can win that seat based on his merits, it’s you. You have been nothing but good for the people in this town, Matt. And they know it. I’ve witnessed that after only a few weeks here.”
The people in this town had no idea just how detrimental he had been to it, but Matt didn’t want to think about that right now.
“Why don’t we go upstairs so you can tell me all about the exciting lecture you listened to tonight. Was it on Asia?”
“Egyptology,” she said with a laugh. “And you know that if we go upstairs you will not let me get a word in about tonight’s lecture.”
“I’m not an ogre. I’d let you get at least three words in. ‘It was good’ should sum it up, right?”
“Actually, it was fascinating.”
“See, three words. That’s all I need to know about it. Now, let’s go upstairs.”
“How about I go upstairs, and you go home and rest after your successful debate?”
Matt dropped his head to his chest. The cold showers only worked to a certain point. He was going to spontaneously combust if he didn’t release some of this pent-up lust soon, and the only release he wanted was the kind he would find in bed with Tamryn.
Because he was a damn Southern gentleman, he left her with a simple good-night kiss.
As he drove home, his cell phone trilled. Matt glanced at the screen and frowned.
Great. Just whohe didn’t want to talk to.
“Hello, your honor. What can I do for you?”
