by Kristi Gold
With that, she turned on her spiky black heels and carefully made her way to the party. Once inside the tent, she navigated the milling crowd, past tables filled with sophisticated finger foods and prissy desserts, searching for a familiar face among the strangers. Luckily she spotted two familiar faces positioned near the makeshift dance floor. With Paris wearing a flowing green empire-waist dress barely showing her belly, her blond hair cascading in soft curls around her bare shoulders, and Dallas decked out in a black suit, complete with red tie and dark cowboy hat, they looked as if they belonged on the cover of a trendy fashion magazine...or a bridal cake. A fortysomething man with a hint of gray at his temples stood across from the couple. Most women would label him debonair. From the looks of the expensive suit and high-dollar watch, Georgie would label him wealthy.
After Paris waved her over, Georgie wandered toward them, hoping she hadn’t inadvertently interrupted some sort of business deal.
Paris immediately left her husband’s side and greeted Georgie with a hug. “You look beautiful, Georgie.”
She nervously tugged at the dress’s crisscross halter neck that felt a bit like a noose. “Thanks. I haven’t worn anything like this since my college senior spring formal a dozen years ago.”
Paris looked surprised. “You’re thirty-three?”
“Actually, thirty-four.”
“I swear you could go to a high school dance right now and blend right in. And that is not a bad thing.”
Unless I tried to purchase a glass of wine without being asked for my ID. “That’s nice of you to say, but the only thing that might help me pass for a student happens to be my height. My dad used to call me ‘Peanut.’” And now he wouldn’t even acknowledge her as his daughter. The thought dampened her mood.
“Don’t discount your beauty,” Paris said. “Every man in the room, from twenty-one to eighty-one, would like to take you home.”
Yeah, sure. “I’m flattered, but I don’t believe it.”
“Hello. I’m Rich Adler. Who are you?”
Georgie turned her attention to the man behind the introduction. The same man who’d been conversing with Dallas. She found his name both ironic and appropriate. “Georgia Romero,” she said as she took his offered hand for a brief shake.
Dallas moved forward as if running interference. “Rich is an attorney. He also owns a quarter horse operation outside San Antonio.”
The lawyer sent her a somewhat seedy smile. “I’m into breeding.”
She resisted rolling her eyes. “I’m sure that keeps you busy.”
“Not as busy as I’d like,” he said. “Dallas tells me you’re a veterinarian.”
“Yes, I am.”
He winked. “I could use a good vet.”
She could use a quick exit. “I’m sure you have several options in the city.”
“Not any who look as good as you. Have you ever been to Italy?”
She sent him an overly sweet and somewhat sarcastic smile. “Oh, yes. That nice little town right outside Hillsboro. I passed by it once on the interstate on my way to Oklahoma.”
Now he looked perplexed. “I’m referring to the country, not the town in Texas.”
She started to mention she was kidding, but she suspected his arrogance trumped any true sense of humor. “’Fraid not.”
He had the gall to move closer. “You would enjoy it there. Extraordinary cuisine and superior wine. The Amalfi coast is a great place to don your bikini and sunbathe. Do you have a passport?”
She had a strong urge to back up and run. “Passport, yes. Bikini, no. I do have a very busy practice to run. No time for vacations.” Even if she did, she had no desire to travel with him.
Dallas cleared his throat and slapped randy Rich on the back. “Let me buy you a drink, Adler, and we’ll leave the ladies to talk about us.”
Georgie planned to do just that, and she would have nothing flattering to say about the lecherous lawyer. “Nice to meet you, Mr. Adler.” Not.
“It’s Rich.” He pulled a card and pen from his inside pocket, jotted something down, then handed it to her. “If you need a job, here’s my info.”
She wouldn’t work for him if he happened to be the last employer on earth. “Have a good night.”
He leaned over and murmured, “Call me. For business or pleasure.”
Oh, she’d like to call him...several names that wouldn’t be fit to utter in this atmosphere.
As soon as the men left the area, Paris turned to Georgie. “I’m so, so sorry. That guy is a first-class jerk.”
As far as Georgie was concerned, that was a colossal understatement. “A jerk and a creep.”
“A married, creepy jerk.”
Georgie wadded up the card and tossed it into a nearby waste bin. “Figures.”
“He’s on his fourth wife.”
“What a shocker. I could have gone all night without meeting the likes of him.”
When a roving waiter passed by, Paris snatched a crystal tumbler from his tray and offered it to Georgie. “Drink this. It might help erase the memory.”
Georgie took the glass and held it up. “What is this?”
“It’s Jenny’s infamous mint julep. She made several gallons’ worth to go with the champagne.”
She eyed the dark gold liquid for a moment. “Does she use a lot of bourbon?”
“Yes, and a splash of rum and she adds tequila for a little extra kick.”
“Interesting.” Georgie took a sip and found it to be surprisingly palatable, albeit extremely strong. “Wow. This will wake you up today and give you a headache tomorrow.”
Paris leaned over, lowered her voice and said, “Take some advice. Sip it slowly, and don’t have more than one, unless you have a designated driver.”
“Believe me, I won’t.”
For the first time since her arrival, Georgie scanned the room to study the attendees...and spotted Austin standing nearby, dressed in a navy jacket, white shirt and dark jeans with a dark cowboy hat to complete the look. He had a bevy of woman hanging on his every word and wore a grin that could melt the icing off the red velvet cupcakes lined up on the stand behind him.
As bad luck would have it, he caught her looking, and when he winked, Georgie downed a little more of the julep than she should. “Still the cowboy cad,” she muttered, the taste of tequila and jealousy on her tongue.
Paris frowned. “Who are you referring to?”
“Your brother-in-law. The one who’s named after the capital of Texas.” She nodded to her left. “He’s over there, draped in women.”
She followed Georgie’s gaze to where Austin was surrounded by several young females who were probably quite willing to be at his beck and call. “He came here alone,” Paris said. “In fact, I haven’t known him to date anyone since we met.”
Georgie took another ill-advised gulp. “Austin doesn’t date. He passes through a girl’s life, shows her a good time, then blows away like a tumbleweed.”
“He dated you, didn’t he?”
“Using today’s teenage vernacular, we basically hooked up.”
Paris remained silent for a moment before she spoke again. “Have you talked to him yet about...the issue?”
Issue as in their child. “I’ve been busy, and I’m waiting for the right time.”
“Maybe you’ll have the opportunity to speak to him tonight.”
She glanced Austin’s way to find his admirers had disappeared and he was now leaning back against the bar, his gaze trained on her. “Maybe I will.” Maybe not.
Paris hooked her arm through Georgie’s. “You’ll know when the time is right. And by the way, I have a doctor’s appointment Tuesday morning. After that, I’m free for the day. Why don’t you and I have lunch in San Antonio?”
Georgie
could use the break and the camaraderie. “Most of my appointments are in the morning. I can probably rearrange my schedule and clear the afternoon.”
“Good.” Paris looked a bit distracted before she returned her attention to Georgie. “I need to go rescue my husband from the creepy jerk. I’d invite you over but—”
“No offense, but no thanks. I’ve had enough exposure to Rich. I’ll just mingle a bit and we can catch up later.”
“Sounds like a plan.” Paris started away then turned around again. “Be careful with that drink.”
What was left of the drink. “I will.”
After her friend departed, Georgie milled around the tent, greeting a few people she’d known a while back and nodding at several strangers. She could see Austin from the corner of her eye, basically tracking her path like a cougar stalking his prey, yet keeping his distance. She felt like a walking bundle of nervous energy, and that led her to finish the drink and take another from the waiter as he walked by. She planned to only hold this one, not drink it. But when the cat-and-mouse game with Austin continued and he smiled at her, she took another sip. And then another, even with Paris’s warning going off in her head like a fire alarm.
After she noticed Austin approaching her, she began to survey the silent auction offerings laid out on a lengthy table. If she ignored him, maybe he’d just go away—and that was like believing the temperature wouldn’t reach one hundred degrees in South Texas next summer.
“Georgie girl, I’m going to bid on that six-horse trailer with the sleeping quarters.”
The feel of his warm breath playing over her neck and the sultry sound of his voice caused her to tighten the wrap around her arms against the pleasant chills. If she turned around, she would be much too close to him, so she continued to peruse the items until she regained some composure. “The spa day looks intriguing.”
“I’ve never had a massage for two. I’m game if you are.”
She disregarded the comment and sidestepped to the next offering displayed beneath a small glass case—an exquisite oval diamond ring encircled by a multitude of sparkling rubies. “Now this is quite nice.” She then noted the shocking top bid on the sheet. “Surely I’m not reading this right.”
Austin leaned over her shoulder, causing her to shiver slightly and take another sip of the drink. “Yep, you are. It’s twenty-thousand dollars’ worth of nice. You should go for it.”
She regarded him over one shoulder. “I don’t believe wearing this while inoculating cattle would be practical.”
“All work and no play makes for a boring life.”
“As beautiful as it is, it’s not me.” She noticed another, less gaudy ring to her left. A simple silver setting with a round sapphire surrounded by petite diamonds. “Now that’s more me, but ten thousand dollars still isn’t in my budget.”
“Maybe Santa will bring it to you.”
Against better judgment, she pivoted around and confronted Austin head-on. “If Santa Claus, Mrs. Claus, the elves and the tooth fairy pooled their funds, I still doubt they can afford this ring.”
“Then let me bid on it for you.”
He’d clearly lost his mind. “Don’t you dare.”
He sent her a sexy, sultry grin. “I have something better to give you.”
She could only guess what that entailed. “We’re not going there, either, Austin.”
He frowned. “Get your mind out of the gutter, Georgie. I want to give you a dance.”
That took her aback. “What?”
“The band’s playing a slow song. Dance with me.”
“As I told you recently, I highly doubt I remember how.”
“I highly doubt you could ever forget. Now put down that drink and that bag you’ve been hanging on to like a lifeline, and follow me onto the floor.”
She scraped her mind for some excuse to prevent her from falling into his sensual trap. “I can’t just leave my purse unattended.”
“What’s in it?”
“My phone, driver’s license, a five-dollar bill and lipstick.”
“Credit cards?”
“No, but—”
“I guarantee no one in this crowd is going to steal that dinky bag, and if someone does, I’ll replace your phone and the cash. You’re on your own when it comes to the lipstick and driver’s license.”
Against better judgment, she finished off the last of the julep. “I’m holding you responsible if my dinky bag turns up missing.”
Austin took the purse from her grasp and handed the glass off to a waiter. He then set the clutch on a table and used her wrap to cover it. “No one will even know it’s there.”
No one would know how needy she felt at the moment when Austin clasped her hand, either.
Unable to fight his persistence, Georgie allowed Austin to lead her onto the floor and, once there, he took her right hand into his left, wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her close.
The slow country song spoke of lost love and long-ago memories, a fitting tribute to their past. Georgie felt a bit light-headed, and she wasn’t sure if it was because of the booze, or her partner. She pressed her cheek against his chest, closed her eyes and relaxed against him. She relished the feel of his palm roving over her back, his quiet strength, his skill. The first song gave way to another, then another, and still they continued to move to the music, as if they didn’t have a care in the world.
When Austin tipped her chin up, forcing her to look into those magnetic cobalt eyes, she sensed he wanted to say something. Instead, he kissed her softly, deeply, taking her breath and composure. After they parted, Georgie could only imagine what the attendees were thinking, particularly Paris and Dallas, who were standing not far away, staring at them. She also noticed the couple had been joined by a crowd of Calloways. Mothers Jenny and Maria seemed pleased, the two dark-haired brothers, Houston and Tyler, looked annoyed, and the only blond sibling, Worth, evidently found the whole scene amusing, considering his grin.
Georgie tipped her forehead against his chest. “We’re going to be the talk of the town.”
“So?”
She looked up at him. “So if my father finds out I was canoodling with a man in public, and that man happens to be a Calloway, it won’t be good for either of us.”
Austin stopped and escorted her into a secluded corner. “Georgie, it’s high time you stop caring what your dad thinks. And when it comes down to it, we weren’t making out on the dance floor. I just gave you a simple kiss.”
A kiss that curled her toes in her stilettos. “Some would deem it inappropriate.”
“Some can kiss my ass.”
Georgie suddenly felt very warm and a tad bit dizzy. “I need some air.”
Taking her by the arm, Austin guided Georgie outside the tent and set her on a wooden bench. “Better?” he asked.
She pinched the bridge of her nose and closed her eyes. “It’s the drinks.”
“Drinks? You had more than one of those mint juleps?”
“I know. Paris warned me, but I was...thirsty.”
“You could’ve gotten water or a soda at the bar.”
She frowned up at him. “I don’t need a lecture. I need to go home.”
“You’re not fit to drive, Georgie.”
She wouldn’t debate that. “I know. Do you mind driving me home?”
“You can stay at my house.”
She wasn’t that tipsy. “Not a good idea.”
“I have four bedrooms and four bathrooms. You can take your pick.”
She found that odd. “Why so many?”
He shrugged. “The builder told me it was better for resale, not that anyone would buy a house in the Cowboy Commune.”
Georgie giggled like a schoolgirl. “Is that what you’re calling it these days?�
�
“That’s what people around these parts have labeled it.”
“I suppose it does fit.”
He took both her hands and pulled her up. “Let’s get your things and get you to bed.”
She gave him a quelling look. “Austin Calloway—”
“A bed in a guestroom.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and traveled toward the tent. “Of course, my bed is probably the best.”
“Hush.”
He favored her with a grin. “Okay. I’ll be good.”
Georgie knew how good he could be when he was being bad. For that reason, she should demand he drive her home. But all her wisdom went the way of the cool wind when he paused and gave her another kiss, and this one wasn’t simple at all.
She wasn’t too mentally fuzzy to know that if she didn’t keep her wits about her, she would end up in Austin Calloway’s bed.
* * *
“Here’s the bedroom.” Austin opened the door and stepped aside to allow Georgie some space to move past him. When she brushed against his belly, he realized he should’ve stood at the end of the hall. Or outside on the front porch.
He could hear his stepmom telling him to be a man about it and leave her be. Unfortunately, that seemed to be his problem. What man wouldn’t want to sweep this woman up and make love to her until dawn?
Don’t even think about it, Calloway.
But that was all he could think about when Georgie wandered into the room, perched on the edge of the bed and ran her palm over the teal-colored comforter like she was stroking a pet. “This is a really nice room. Has anyone stayed in here before me?”
He moved into the doorway but didn’t dare go farther. “Nope. You’re the first. Jenny’s the one who decorated the place. That’s why it’s so frilly.”
“It’s pretty. I like peacock colors.” She hid a yawn behind her hand. “I want to apologize for my behavior. I didn’t plan to get drunk.”
“I wouldn’t qualify you as drunk. In fact, in all the time I’ve known you, I’ve never even seen you have a beer.”
She crossed her legs, causing the dress to shift higher, revealing some mighty nice thighs. “I’ve only done it once. On my twenty-first birthday, a group of my college girlfriends and I hired a limo and went bar hopping. I had several cosmopolitans and a hangover to beat all hangovers the next day. It was awful.”
