“How was that?” Logan asked.
The mayor had flushed and stammered that being a successful movie star wasn’t what anyone had thought he’d grow up to be.
Savannah had opened the ball and given a brief history of the WOWR, which had gone smoothly. The silent auction was going well, Avery noted as she checked on the bids beneath each of the items. Regina Taggart had bid on the date with Logan, which cracked Avery up since she suspected that Logan would have his hands full with Regina.
Served him right. She’d been avoiding him since he got back to town yesterday and she was determined to keep that up until he left again. She’d been all set to wade in and get messy but with more time to think about it she’d changed her mind. She wasn’t going to fall for a man who was only here for the holidays and then heading straight back to the West Coast and his life there. Though it was going to be hard given that she lived in his compound.
Savannah looked lovely in her red chiffon dress. But then her friend didn’t need a reason to look drop-dead gorgeous. Savannah always did.
“Have you seen Rachel?” Avery asked coming up to her friend who was alone for a moment. “I hope she’s not still hiding out. I introduced her to one of Logan’s friends… Turns out there was some history between them. I hope she’s okay.”
“Who was it?”
“Elijah Lane…did you know him?” Avery asked.
“Yeah, he didn’t have the best reputation. I think he stole Rachel’s mom’s car or something like that. He was definitely a bad boy back then. I can’t imagine he and Rachel had any history other than her wanting to watch herself around a felon,” Savannah said.
“I hope so. Eli doesn’t strike me as a bad guy. I really liked him,” Avery said. “Everyone makes mistakes when they’re young.”
“So true,” Savannah said, with a funny look on her face as if she saw someone she didn’t like.
“Who’s that?”
“No one,” she said.
But her tone implied he was. Before Avery could find out the details the emcee for the event announced it was time for the first dance. She groaned.
“Why did I ever agree to this?”
Savannah just chuckled and gave her a gentle nudge to the center of the dance floor where Logan waited. He was drop-dead gorgeous in his tuxedo. His naturally curly hair had been styled to frame his face. He arched one eyebrow at her and she shook her head in response.
It would be so much easier to be blasé about dancing with him if she didn’t have a genuine crush on him. If he was just a guy she’d seen in a magazine and not someone she’d kissed and gotten to know.
He was real to her and seeing his feet of clay had only served to make him more desirable in her eyes.
He held his hand out to her as the band struck up the Christmas Song. The female singer had a smoky, bluesy sound to her voice, reminding Avery of Diana Krall. Logan’s fingers brushed hers and a tingle went up her arm, as he put his other hand around her waist and drew her into his arms and started to dance her around the floor.
“You disappeared pretty quick when we got here,” he said. “One would think you were running from me.”
“Unlike you, I have a lot of responsibilities at this event,” she said, and she didn’t want to be like the rest of the women who flocked around him.
“Uh-huh,” he said. “Glad you could squeeze in this dance with me.”
Me too. She didn’t dare say that out loud but she tipped her head back and looked up at him, very aware that everyone at Felicity’s Ball was watching them.
“How do you like the fishbowl?” he asked, under his breath as he spun them around and pulled her closer.
Logan was doing a good job of acting like this wasn’t his first time on the dance floor despite what he’d told her the other day.
“It’s okay,” she said. “You are a really good dancer.”
“I practiced last night with Eli since I missed our dance lessons. Figured I better not embarrass you tonight.”
She smiled at the image that popped into her head. “With him?”
“We didn’t partner up or anything like that. I just meant I had him watch some YouTube videos with me and then we both tried it. I sold him on coming because ladies wouldn’t be able to resist a man in a tux.”
“He does look nice,” she hesitated and then asked, “What’s up with him and Rachel? I feel like I shouldn’t have introduced them.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I think it was fine,” Logan said.
Avery rolled her eyes. “Didn’t you see the way she looked like she’d seen a ghost?”
“No.”
“How could you have missed that?” Avery asked.
“I wasn’t looking at Rachel,” he said. “I was watching you. This dress is perfect on you.”
She tipped her head to the side. “Thank you. You look nice too.”
“I know.”
“You’re cocky.”
He winked at her. “Know that too.”
She had to laugh at him and she realized that he had a way of just making her chill out. She loved the way that he could do that. She knew when the dance was over it would be back to working the gala but for these few moments it was nice to be in his arms.
“So should we end the dance with a kiss…really give the old biddies in this town something to talk about?”
She looked into his eyes and knew she wanted that kiss more than she wanted her next breath, but kissing Logan in front of all of Whiskey River wasn’t a smart move.
*
Logan hadn’t known what to expect but Paloma Kelly wasn’t the only one in the Women of Whiskey River who knew he was back in town.
The ballroom looked like something out of a Christmas wonderland. A part of it made him uncomfortable because he’d never really relaxed during the holiday season. It was sometimes very cold in their bit of Texas, like tonight when a wintry storm was howling outside. And that had meant that the Calloway boys and their father were sometimes all trapped at home.
He started to feel like that grubby, bruised boy as the music ended and he stared down into Avery’s face. Of course she wasn’t going to kiss him here in front of everyone. He might be famous but that only made him a novelty.
A freak his father would have said.
“Logan,” Avery said.
He couldn’t answer, trapped as he was in the past and standing right here in front of the people who knew where he’d come from. Who were busy saying my, how nice he turned out. Like that made it okay—
Avery shifted up on her toes and her lips brushed his and the voices in his head died down. He pulled her closer to him, into the curve of his body, and he remembered the romantic ending to one of the dances he’d viewed on YouTube. He carefully dipped her over his arm, deepening the kiss for a moment before the sound of clapping drew him back to where he was.
He straightened and turned to bow to the crowd and Avery did a sort of curtsey before she waved to the band. “Let’s get everyone dancing.”
Logan noticed that Avery looked uncomfortable with the attention and wanted to say something to help her out. But he’d spent so much time with the eyes of Whiskey River on him, he wasn’t sure what. The band struck up Jingle Bell Rock and people started crowding onto the dance floor. Logan turned to say something to Avery but she dropped his hand.
“I have to check on the silent auction,” she said and turned, disappearing into the crowd.
He tried to watch for her but she was like lightning disappearing from the main room. He started to follow her but was consumed by a cloud of Shalimar and then Regina Taggart was there. One hand on his upper arm.
“That was some dance,” she said. “I’ve been following your career since your first movie.”
“Thanks, Regina,” he said. She was one of the girls who had been a few years behind him in school. He thought she might have been in Sully’s class. And she’d always looked down her nose at him so he found it hard to believe
she’d followed his career before he’d gotten famous.
“Want to dance?” she asked.
He started to turn away but there was a flash of something in her eyes. And he knew that appearances could be deceiving. Even a ‘mean girl’ like Regina had feelings and one dance wouldn’t hurt. Clearly, Avery wasn’t interested in another one.
Regina talked the entire time they danced. She stood closer to him than Avery had, and he felt the brush of her breasts against his chest so he put a gap between the two of them. When the song ended he saw Harlan Sullivan on the edge of the dance floor and made an excuse to Regina to go.
Just as he reached Harlan’s side he noticed a group of women giggling and looking at him. They were downing the flat white martinis that were the signature cocktail for the event like they were water.
Harlan noticed where his gaze was and laughed under his breath. “Damn, Logan, they are looking at you like you are dinner.”
“I liked it better when I was the guy that girls avoid. You’d think our reputation as bad boys would keep them at bay,” Logan said.
“Who’s a bad boy?” Eli asked coming over to them. Now that Avery had mentioned that there might be something between Rachel and his friend he looked closer. Eli did seem a little unsettled.
“We are,” Harlan said. “And chicks dig that kind of guy.”
“I don’t think you should let the chicks hear you say that,” Eli said, taking a drink from the tray of one of the passing waiters. He took a sip and then looked around for a place to ditch the drink.
“What the hell was that?” Eli asked.
“A festive cocktail,” Logan said. “I zoned out when they were discussing it at the committee meeting earlier in the week. But a lot of thought went into it.”
“I’m sure, but I’d prefer a glass of some nice vintner’s reserve.”
“Or a whiskey,” Harlan added. “I’m looking forward to you getting the winery up and running over the next few years. Are we going to meet out at the property? I’m anxious to get the job started and break ground on the main buildings.”
“I am too,” Eli said. “Yes. Maybe tomorrow we could meet?”
“I’m free,” Logan said.
“Me too,” Harlan added. “What time?”
“Afternoon?” Eli suggested.
“Definitely. I’m planning to enjoy this party so better make it late afternoon, around three?”
Eli and Harlan all agreed and then they were pulled apart by different people at the party. He was trying to remember the last time he’d been in a room with this many people from Whiskey River and couldn’t. Even in high school he’d avoided assemblies and large groups. He caught the scent of lavender and looked around but caught sight of Avery standing in the doorway that led to the foyer. She looked pensive as she stared at her cell phone.
He walked toward her. He was done dancing with the other ladies who were here tonight. He wanted Avery to be his date, not his co-chair, and he was going to make sure she knew it too.
She glanced up as he got closer and he noticed the worry lines on her forehead.
“What’s the matter?”
“Nothing that concerns this event,” she said. “Did you need something?”
“I do.”
*
Avery saw the intent in his eyes and she did what she thought was healthy and sensible. He was her boss, she was attracted to him and she had never been good at developing relationships with men. For her own self-preservation she knew she needed to keep him at arm’s length. She couldn’t hook up with him and then keep her job and her life as it was in this town. She knew that. And it would be so much easier if he didn’t look like her dream man tonight.
“Gotta go. It’s almost time for the silent auction winners to be announced.”
“Coward.”
She turned on her heel and walked back over to him. She should have just let it slide but she couldn’t. She was fighting against herself. Knowing that she kept her relationships light and superficial and that with Logan there was no real way to do that. And if she were being totally honest she didn’t want him to think she was like every other woman who crossed his path.
She’d seen them tonight, regular women who she chatted with in line at Riva’s or at the HEB when she picking up groceries. Acting like…well like she felt. But she was determined to be different.
“Coward?”
“Yup, you are running from me and have been all night. So that means either you don’t like me and the kiss we shared belies that or you are afraid of me.”
“Afraid? Of you?”
“If you aren’t, then stay here and prove it.”
“I can’t let a challenge go,” she said. She knew herself. Now she’d want to prove she wasn’t a coward. “But I also know that taking that dare you threw down and running with it would be a short race.”
He took a step forward. “Who’s to say that will happen?”
“Every one of those women you smiled at tonight and danced with. I saw you with Regina.”
“I don’t like Regina. To her I’m nothing. She was in a few of my brother’s classes in high school and she used to make fun of our dirty clothes. She might think that being nice to me now changes that but it doesn’t,” Logan said.
Just like that he was human again. Not the Hollywood movie star that they were auctioning off a date with but a real guy. A guy she wanted to wrap in her arms and comfort and then let the comfort naturally turn to passion. She knew it would. There was something between them, which was why she was throwing everything between them she could get her hands on.
“Oh, Logan,” she said.
“Don’t. Don’t you dare feel sorry for me,” he said. Turning on his heel he walked away and she let him.
She didn’t know what she wanted. Sure it was easy to think kissing a hottie like Logan would be fun. Sex was bound to be great, she thought, but as much as she found it hard to resist a dare she knew that she was also afraid to really go for it. She had never let a man that close to her. One-night stands were okay, no expectations and no trying to make things work out.
She’d essentially lived on her own her entire life. She wasn’t too sure she was going to be able to change at this late date.
But she wanted to.
She wanted too damned much when she was with Logan. His big dark-blue-colored eyes seemed to always be on guard. He smiled easily enough and as she moved to the doorway to watch the ballroom she noticed that he stopped and posed for picture after picture and he took business card after business card out of his wallet. She knew that she was going to be busy next week delivering on the promises that Logan made tonight.
He might have been the kid who no one had wanted to talk to in high school classes but he didn’t mind that most of the people in Whiskey River treated him like a long-lost friend. She knew herself, she wouldn’t have been as generous.
He glanced up and saw her watching him. For a second—so quick she might have imagined it—she saw a hint of vulnerability before he winked at her and raised one eyebrow. He took his phone out and hers pinged a second later.
Logan: Can’t keep your eyes off me, can you?
She just shook her head and texted back: No, I can’t.
Then she turned and walked to the room where the silent auction was taking place. Everyone was working hard at their stations and she could hear the music from the band faintly as she walked by the different items that had been donated. The Women of Whiskey River stood to make a lot of money tonight, which would all go the children’s charity.
She paused by the date with Logan. Of course, it was getting a lot of bids. She drew her manicured nail down the side next to each of the names.
You should bid.
She glanced around but didn’t see anyone near her. The scent of lavender was strong but there wasn’t anyone too close to her.
She wasn’t going to bid.
She turned away just as Regina came up.
“What did you
bid on?”
“Nothing,” she said.
“Really? I thought for sure you’d be making sure each of the items kept moving up,” Regina said. “I mean this was your idea—if it fails then you will too.” Regina’s smile showed she meant her remark in good humor.
“I don’t think we have to worry about this. Logan already has a lot of bids for the date and the other items are doing well too,” Avery said. “I think this is going to be the best Christmas fundraiser we’ve done.”
“You might be right,” Regina said. “You really got some great items this year. I know my aunt was thinking of bidding on the Cowboys game for next year.”
“Thanks,” Avery said. Regina was one of those women who was used to being the most beautiful in the room so she saw everyone as competition; but there were times, like this, where she just relaxed and acted like someone who wanted to be friends.
“You’re welcome but it wasn’t really that hard for you,” Regina said. “I mean the connections Logan has had to make it very easy to secure these things.”
And there it was, she thought wryly.
“You’re right,” Avery said. “I’ve got to get back inside. See ya.”
She returned to the ballroom, hoping to find Savannah or Rachel. She needed a friend right now to tell her she was doing the right thing but instead a waiter passed in front of her and she took one of the martinis from the tray. Cocktails, a dare and a man she wanted… What could possibly go wrong?
Chapter Eight
Avery smiled at Paloma Kelly as she waved her over toward her table. Even though the gala hadn’t set up assigned tables for the event Paloma had claimed one and called it the head table. Avery picked up another flat white martini and sipped it as she walked over to see the woman who intimidated her the most in this town.
Her own mother wouldn’t have given a crap what Paloma thought but Avery for some reason wanted the matriarch’s respect. Her sons Wyatt and Trey Kelly ran Kelly Boots and the Kelly ranch along with their half-brothers Nick and Zander Blue. It had been quite a shock when Paloma had learned that Boots had two illegitimate sons. But Wyatt and Trey had embraced their half-brothers and the four of them were close now. Gossip around town said that Boots’s will had stipulated that the boys all had to live together on the Kelly ranch or no one would inherit.
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