*
He was achickenshit. A few days ago he’d been determined to tell Sierra about his feelings. Instead, he sat her down and told her ‘we need to talk.’ Not a great romantic opening. Luckily, he’d had something else to ask her about. A party he hadn’t planned on going to, even if he did owe Jeff a favor. When she opened the door to him a few days after his confession that wasn’t, he did a double take. She looked gorgeous. And…elegant. Yeah, that was the word. Part of her dark hair had been pulled back into some kind of fancy-ass braid with loose waves beneath it hanging down her back. Her navy low-cut, off-the-shoulder, dress clung to every curve, lovingly outlining an amazing figure. Around her knees it turned into loose, slim folds. She wore a single diamond drop around her neck and a sapphire and diamond bracelet on her wrist. He could have eaten her alive.
She tilted her head. “Is this okay? You said formal, right?”
Obviously. Why else would he be wearing a tux? “You look amazing. I thought you were gorgeous in Las Vegas but now I don’t even have words to describe you.”
She smiled, put on her faux fur wrap, picked up a tiny bag, and gestured to a small suitcase beside the front door. “Can you get that for me?”
He’d suggested they stay at a hotel in Bozeman for the night since neither of them was working the next morning. “Sure.”
They walked down the stairs and into the parking garage. He’d moved his SUV to the lowest floor when he put his own bag there.
“What? No kiss hello?” she asked him before they reached his truck.
He cut her a glance and shook his head. “No way would I stop with a kiss. Not with you looking like every man’s fantasy come to life.”
She dimpled and said, “Why, thank you, sir.”
Once they were on their way she asked him, “Do you go to these kind of things often?”
“No. Only when I can’t get out of it. My buddy Jeff Paxton’s wife, Erica, is big into philanthropy. She’s always hosting something for charity. Parties, golf tournaments, which obviously have to wait for summer around here, silent auctions, and God only knows what else. She’s an event planner and loves that sort of thing. She comes from money and believes in giving back to the community.”
“She sounds like a lovely woman.”
“She is. You’ll like her. Everyone does.”
Erica, their hostess, stood beside her husband, welcoming guests. A petite blonde with brown eyes and a sweet face that belied the fact that she could transform into a hard-core businesswoman in a blink, had an energy she fairly vibrated with. Though he wasn’t sure why, she’d always liked Connor. Her eyes lit up when she saw him. “Connor! You came!” She hugged him enthusiastically before turning to Sierra and offering her hand. “You must be Sierra. It’s so nice to meet you.”
Connor introduced them. “Sierra Evans meet Erica Paxton and her husband, Jeff.”
“Thank you for including me,” Sierra said as she shook hands with both of them.
As usual Jeff didn’t say much but smiled at his wife. The man thought Erica hung the moon. Erica thought the same of Jeff. If he didn’t like them both so much it would be a little nauseating. As it was, it was sweet. Yeah, yeah, he didn’t often think of a couple as ‘sweet’ but it worked for the two of them.
“I don’t know how you dragged Connor here but I’m eternally grateful,” Erica was saying. “We have a hard time getting him to commit to anything. Especially when he knows he has to wear a tux.”
They talked for a bit before Erica waved a hand and said, “Help yourself to drinks and hors d’oeuvres and later there will be dancing. Have fun.”
“Are you going to dance with me?” Sierra asked him as they walked away.
“Sure, if you want to.”
“You’re not one of those men who hate to dance?”
“No, I actually like it.” Especially slow dances where he could mostly just hold her.
Once the band started, they danced until the musicians took a break. After that Connor left Sierra to get drinks for them. Just as he returned and handed Sierra her drink a man approached her.
“Sierra Evans, is that you?”
She turned and an expression of surprise crossed her face before she held out a hand to the tall, dark-haired, good-looking man. “Wes. Good to see you. Are you living in Montana now?”
He took her hand but pulled her close and kissed her cheek. Connor knew it meant nothing, but it still pissed him off. He didn’t like another man’s hands on Sierra, even friendly, and especially not if it was more. He got the feeling the man wished it was more. But maybe he was wrong.
“No, still in Dallas. I’m visiting friends. But what about you? Don’t tell me you’re living here in Bozeman?”
“No, actually, I’m in Marietta.”
