A thread of pride surged through her. “I’ve told the Mayor about my plans for the B&B, and how his support to speed the process is much appreciated.”
“Interesting.” He took a sip of his champagne, and she couldn’t tear her eyes away from the way his sexy lips touched the chilled glass. “I’m impressed.”
“Really? Well, I’m impressed you’re impressed.” Especially given the fact you didn’t believe I’d see things through.
A woman with a headset approached the mayor, and with a promise to call her soon, he left them alone.
“Well done, Lola,” Jacksaid.
“Are you cheering me on? Because that would make things easier. If we didn’t want different things,” she said. Then again, what would his support mean? Would he agree to her opening the B&B and selling her his share of the ranch later on when she could affordit?
“I’m man enough to compliment an opponent,” he said with a wink, but despite his uncharacteristic playfulness, she just knew what he meant… he wasn’t changing his mind. Crap. He took the glass to his lips again. She shuffled from foot to foot, unable to tear her gaze from his long fingers.
“I knocked on your door but you were already gone.” Jack gulped down the rest of his champagne and handed the flute to a passing uniformed waiter.
“Oh, yeah.” She chewed on her lower lip. “Earl fixed my truck. I needed to come here on my own.” Making an invisible pattern on the golden rug with her sky-high stilettos, she avoided hiseyes.
“Are you upset about today?” His voice dropped an octave, and he popped his knuckles, like he was actually anticipating her reply.
What a loaded question. His challenging her added a boost to her goals. In a twisted way, he encouraged her to stick to her guns. “No.”
“Proveit.”
She raised her eyes to his, and he pointed his head in the direction of the dance floor. A band played the slow version of a popular country song. Considering his face for a second, the rugged features contrasting against his indigo eyes, the closed lipped smile offering her no more than a guess. Now she’d achieved her goal to talk to the mayor, she could let her hair down. But a voice deep inside warned her she wouldn’t relax if she danced withJack.
Still, stubborn and raging against her common sense, she accepted his challenge, and was barely getting used to the prickling of her hand in his when they reached the dance floor.
He embraced her, and an invisible, heavy draft of warmth encircled them. His hand on her back, and with legs dangerously close to each other, he began moving first, setting a slow pace that matched the song’s melody.
She looked to her side at the couples dancing next to them. Then upward to the chandelier shining far from them, in the same room as a delicious buffet was set. She glanced everywhere, taking in anything—even the chocolate fountain or ice sculptured water fountain—because anything else was better than staring at Jack. Her new friendJack.
The friend who pulled her closer, whose grip on her back turned into a caress, his fingers circling her searing skin. The friend with a hard-on twitching at her through the confines of his pants and her dress. Her pussy responded with urgency, throbbing a beat faster than her heart. No. This couldn’t be happening.
“Jack, we shouldn’t dance like this.” She cleared her throat, but didn’t manage to stop moving against him. “This isn’t appropriate now we’re friends.”
“What is it called again… friends with benefits.”
She waited for a snicker, or any trace of humor in the situation. His body stiffened, barely moving against hers yet persuading her to accept the unthinkable, audacious proposal. “It would never work,” she said, more to herself than tohim.
Picking up the pace and continuing his smooth moves, his silent response didn’t bring her relief. He dipped his head down, and his hot breath fanned her shoulder. The touch, lighter than a brush, sent a thrill of excitement through her. Her nipples hardened, and she smothered a moan. Giving in… was crazy.
“You know… In the country, some dogs get rattlesnake vaccines.” He slid his finger down her back, going from her goose bumped skin to the silky fabric, the heat on his fingertip still burningher.
What could she say? He’d never been much of a smooth talker. I could walk away. With one swift movement, she’d get out of the cloud of arousal. Do I want to? Gathering all her strength, she lifted her head and her eyes searched forhis.
Sexy, darkening blue eyes contemplated her. Entranced her. Seduced her. “There’s rattlesnake venom in the vaccine they take, to stimulate the dog’s immune system to produce antibodies. This way, if he’s bitten he’ll suffer less pain and have more chances of survival,” he said lazily, his eyes trailing her eyes and mouth. Promising and warning. “They do this to buytime.”
Her stomach clenched. “Duly noted, but what does it have to do withus?”
He curved his lips into a smile that would have any woman begging for mercy. Holy Louis Vuitton, was he gorgeous. “We didn’t work as a couple because we wanted more than we were able to give each other. We broke up but didn’t really extinguish the fire of the one thing that brought us together—kept us going long after we should have ended it. Sex.”
She licked her lips. Her heart tightened, and her breath caught in her throat. He was telling her the truth, but why wasn’t she relieved? “Jack—”
“We don’t have any illusion of rekindling the relationship now. In a few months’ time, we’ll divorce.”
Divorce. The word brought a sour aftertaste to her mouth. She’d been separated for years, and soon it would become official. He would have been a part of her past. She would be an independent divorcee, taking charge of her life. Kicking ass and taking names. “Why would I need to mess things up before our grand farewell?”
The message in his eyes intensified. “Some couples have rebound sex. We’d get it out of the way before.”
