“No,” Tobin interrupted quickly. “Don’t go.”
“Good.”
He held out his hand to her and led her into the parking lot away from the grassy field where Domino hovered. He didn’t want anything to ruin this moment. This was the first time they were practically alone and able to really talk. He slowly twirled her around before pulling her into his arms.
“You look like a fairytale princess tonight,” he admitted, unable to take his eyes off of her bright smile.
“I feel like one for the first time ever.”
“Are you excited about taking over as CEO?” he asked, unable to help himself. The raw doubts in himself gnawed at his stomach painfully as he saw her smile falter.
“Truthfully, I’m terrified,” Claudia whispered, staring up at him with those bright blue eyes he adored. “I don’t know what I’m doing. If it was doing the schedule for the crew, or capping off a pipe, I’d be fine. This is going to be dealing with boardrooms, acquisitions, financing, and such… I’m scared to death I’m going to ruin something.”
“I sincerely doubt that the woman who can snap men into place and bark out orders like a general will ever fail at anything. You had to learn how to be a part of the team on your rig, didn’t you?”
“Of course.”
“You will learn this too,” he said confidently, pulling her hand that he held in his as they danced to his lips, kissing her knuckles. “They will be amazed at what you can do. I just know it.”
“How do you know that?” she asked, coming to a stop in his arms.
“Because the woman dancing with me has never once seemed afraid of anything and goes after what she wants. You strike me as the type of person that would singlehandedly take down an entire army to clear a path if needed – or you’d hold your breath for hours on end to prevent abandoning a burning oil rig,” he reminded her with a soft smile as her eyes searched his.
He watched her swallow nervously several times.
“You will be incredible.”
“Thank you.”
“You are very welcome – but it’s the truth.”
“I just needed to hear it.”
“Then I’m glad I told you what was on my mind. I’ll take that penny now,” he teased softly, releasing her hand to cup her jaw tenderly. His thumb brushed against a slight sparkle he noticed on her cheekbone as her lips parted in response to his touch. He felt his hands shake, knowing how much she affected him.
“I’d like to kiss you,” he breathed.
“I wish you’d quit stalling,” she confessed with a stilted laugh that told him she was as nervous and excited about this as he was.
Tobin took a step forward, drawing her closer into his arms. He leaned down, hesitating for just a moment, wanting to savor every second of this. There was no helicopter coming now, no blazing inferno except the one building between them, and no perceived obstacles to interrupt them.
It was just a couple, alone, in the moonlight.
The moment his lips touched hers, his heart was lost.
It was as if he’d been searching for feeling for so long and had no idea. The sense of completion and perfection was nearly violent within his body as he felt the surge of possession and yearning rock through him. Her catch of breath against his, the way she clutched at his shoulders, and the soft sweet moan that rose from her, were all signs that she felt the same as he did.
His hand swept up her back, his finger resting against the gauzy material of her dress just at the base of her neck, allowing him to cradle her closely to him.
He never wanted to stop kissing her.
He’d promised her a dance, she’d come to collect it, and he would never betray a vow to her, ever. He held her against him as he kissed her, swaying gently in the moonlight, in a dance as old as time that needed no music except the beat of their hearts. His hand moved to take hers in his, cradling it against his chest, as he broke the kiss. He leaned his forehead against hers and just held her in his arms, moving softly and silently together.
“You really think I can do this?” she whispered, her breath mingling with his as her mouth was just inches from his. He would do anything to support her, in any way that she needed, for just another smile or kiss.
“I know you can,” he affirmed quietly, kissing her tenderly on the forehead.
He heard a throat clear nearby and glanced up to see her father standing there with several others taking photos. His hand tightened perceptibly on hers where it rested on his jacket as he nodded, before relaxing his hold on her.
“Dinner is at six,” her father reminded him, handing him a business card. “Claudia?”
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” she whispered, unmoving from his relaxed arms. Tobin felt a burst of joy in knowing she didn’t want to leave either.
“I can’t wait.”
“Neither can I,” she admitted, leaning up unapologetically to kiss him quickly before her father. Tobin couldn’t help the grin that touched his face as she laid claim to him publicly with that chaste peck on the lips.
Several more flashes occurred and he heard a flurry of questions as she left his side to disappear into a limousine. A small hand appeared out the window as she waved. He stood there without saying a word to anyone around him. Instead, he slipped the card into his pocket, whistled for Domino, and headed for his car to get away from the chaos that was quickly increasing nearby.
Everyone wanted to know how long they’d been dating, how they met, and what did her father give him. Tobin shook his head silently. He would tell the press absolutely nothing. It was none of their business. He ducked into his vehicle to escape the madness around him as more people filed out of the auditorium.
Pulling away, he finally freed himself from all the flashing cameras and drove another few miles before yanking the car over onto the side of the road for a moment. Curious of what was on the card, it was making it unbearable to wait any longer to see what was there. He glanced down at the business card her father had handed him to see something written on the back.
A phone number, address, and a message.
Be good to her – and for her.
See you both at 6pm – sharp!
Chapter 8
Claudia was so excited she could barely stand it. She had hardly slept the night before, just replaying the events over and over again in her mind. She barely knew the man, but in some ways, she felt like she’d known him forever. There was just something magical that clicked between them.
Tobin was so sweet, so kind, so gorgeous, and so… so… perfect, that it took her breath away. He seemed to understand, know what she was thinking or just what she needed to hear him say, and then stepped back into the shadows like he understood her position in the world. She wanted support, not an aggressor, in her life. She wanted the comfort of knowing someone had her back at all times, allowing her the freedom to do what was needed – having that support gave her confidence to tackle anything.
She realized that last night when she was speaking.
She’d been so scared to get up in front of everyone, knowing they were going to be focusing on her, judging her, analyzing her and what she was saying, but when she’d looked out over the crowd and saw his smiling face watching her… all those fears melted away.
She knew in that moment that was the only reason she was able to leave the rig – somehow she knew that man would have her best interests at heart and take care of it for her; she’d trusted this stranger with her world.
…And he didn’t fail her.
Her mind whirled as thought after thought, doubt after doubt, circled in her mind. This was insane to be so crazy about someone so quickly after meeting them, but she’d never looked back since that hectic kiss on the platform. He’d been hers in that very moment and she wasn’t about to let him go.
She almost felt bad for him this evening, knowing her father was going to cross examine him. A wave of guilt hit her as she realized she was kind of glad they were all going to have di
nner tonight. She could learn more about him and would not have to endure the grilling herself when returning from a date on her own. Besides, if a guy was willing to meet your parents and have dinner on the first date… wasn’t he proving that he was worth it all?
Yanking dress after dress, clothing after clothing, she finally settled on a simple light sweater and a comfortable pencil skirt that stretched a bit when you moved. He’d seen her at her worst – and at her best – now it was time to show who she really was deep down inside. She had been tempted to wear blue jeans or slacks but knew her parents would frown on it. She now represented the company, not just the name, and regardless of it being a date or a simple outing – she was going to be watched by the whole world.
Her phone took that moment to buzz on her dresser. Claudia walked over and picked it up, not recognizing the number on the text message that she’d just received.
What’s your favorite color?
Claudia frowned and then hesitated before she responded.
Who is this?
Tobin.
How’d you get my number?
Your father… should I not have texted you? I’m sorry. I’m nervous.
She practically laughed in happiness. God love him! Her daddy was amazing sometimes. She would have to thank him for doing this! It had never dawned on her to give Tobin her cell phone number and the way they kept meeting didn’t exactly afford any privacy for them to talk or get to know each other better – that is why she was so happy to see him outside last night, alone.
Don’t be – my favorite color is pink. Don’t laugh either! On the rig I had pink towels in my bathroom because it was the only place I could hide them. I may be a roughneck, but I’m still a girl at heart.
Pink suits you – I would never laugh either.
What’s your favorite color?
Pink .
Claudia giggled, knowing somehow that he was teasing her. She could practically picture his eyes watching her and that mischievous little upturned smile on his face. Three dots appeared on her phone to indicate he was typing again.
I’m kidding – it’s actually blue… like your beautiful eyes. I’ll see you soon.
Claudia couldn’t help the sigh that escaped her as she smiled at her phone dreamily. He was so sweet and she liked him so much. She replied back a simple ‘see you soon’ and checked the time again. It was nearing five in the evening. If she knew her parents, they were probably discussing the list of things they wanted to know about him, or her father was having a background report pulled by one of his goons that did all sorts of investigations for him on different people and businesses.
Those goons would now work for her, she realized. It was all still hitting her like a ton of bricks. The methods that her father used; she was beginning to understand the ‘why’ behind it all.
He was careful – and for good reason.
It wasn’t just a team of twenty men working under him. Jenkins Oil employed thousands of people and she would be responsible for every single one of them. Every decision made would affect someone somehow. If she was in her father’s position, knowing his responsibilities to his company and staff – she would investigate anyone that could become integral to a prominent part of her team too. There was no bitterness at it, just a calm understanding. Years ago, it would have made her mad that her father was ‘meddling’ but maturity and time had taught her there was a reasoning behind everything.
Walking down the stairs, she saw that the flowers in the urns had been replaced to freshen up things. Everything had been wiped down to make it all look meticulous to her mother’s standards. The museum of a house that she grew up in practically glowed with cleanliness. Part of her expected to see the table in the formal dining area set with the best china, but instead the table was bare. Walking into the kitchen, she saw that the smaller table they had used to play Monopoly as a family when she was growing up, was set with four placemats and four place settings.
“Are we eating in here?” she blurted out surprised, seeing her mother fussing over the amount of cheese on the tray of scalloped potatoes that was pulled from the oven by their chef.
“Yes. We thought it might be a little more cozy for everyone – do you want more cheese on this? I think we should add a little more and brown it a bit but Javier says ‘no’.”
“He’s fantastic – so I’ll go with him,” Claudia said distractedly, watching her father walk into the room, tucking his newspaper under his arm and pulling off his readers from his face.
“Do you think your fellow will want to watch a movie after dinner? Your mother and I were talking about watching Shrek again. She loves that dragon in the movie, and I love to make her smile anytime she lets me,” he said, winking at her mother who flushed prettily.
“Stop Daniel, you know better.”
Claudia gaped at the two of them flirting with each other, realizing they weren’t talking about a movie anymore.
“Oh my gosh… I’m standing right here!”
“What?” they both said innocently, and shared a secretive smile.
“THAT!” she exclaimed, waving her hands at them. “You two don’t do that… no more than Santa and Mrs. Claus do! Stop it! I was born in a cabbage patch and my parents do NOT do THAT!” she cried out emphatically.
She covered her ears and squeezed her eyes closed theatrically as her parents laughed at her reaction. Claudia peeked open an eye to see her father kiss her mother on the cheek tenderly just before he whispered, ‘love you, Melly’ in her ear.
The doorbell rang, saving her from responding any further. Instead, she wagged her fingers at her parents in mock outrage and took off to go answer the door. Racing into the hallway, she saw someone had already beat her to it and the door was opening already to allow in her guest.
Her guest was carrying a large bouquet of pink roses.
She skidded to a halt in her flats and hesitated, her heart beating in her chest as she met his eyes. She saw the nervousness, intimidation, and sheer joy in his eyes as he looked at her. He gave her a soft, shy smile and raised a hand to say hello silently.
“You look lovely,” he said in greeting as she walked forward. Claudia nodded, effectively dismissing the person opening the front door so they could have a few seconds to themselves.
Tobin was standing there in slacks and a button-up shirt that was pressed crisply. He looked utterly devastating, reminding her once again at how gorgeous he was in everything she’d seen him in so far. Her father would approve of his business-casual dress tonight and could’ve sent him packing if Tobin had shown up in jeans for their first date together, regardless of the location.
“These are for you,” he said, thrusting the bouquet nervously at her. She walked up to him bravely, leaning up on her tiptoes, and kissed him on the cheek.
“Relax, we are normal people,” she whispered softly for him alone.
She didn’t want to embarrass him, but could see that he looked definitely intimidated by the massive mausoleum they practically lived in. She had never felt like she could relax here, even growing up. She spent time in the theater room, the kitchens, and outside in the private yard where her parents had a swing set installed and a small in-ground pool… not the formal gardens where her mother liked to host gatherings. The family space was limited – but that part of the house was her home, which made her even more glad they were eating in the kitchen.
It was normal…
“You know I can’t compete with any of this,” he whispered quietly, his eyes watching hers. “I feel like you should know that right away before… well…”
“And you should know that you don’t have to,” she countered softly, her hand curling up around his neck, brushing the hair that touched the collar of his shirt. “Are you here for Jenkins Oil… or for me?”
“You should already know the answer,” he breathed, as Claudia stepped closer to him, reaching forward to turn the deadbolt behind him.
“I do,” she murmured quietly, hesit
ating. “That’s why you are here, but part of me still wants to hear you say it.”
“You make me crazy,” he confessed, leaning forward and capturing her lips.
“That’s not how we say hello in this house, young man,” her father said loudly. Claudia felt Tobin jump backwards as if he’d been slapped or tased. She couldn’t help the laugh that escaped her as she saw her lipstick on his mouth, the panicked look in Tobin’s eyes, and her father’s smiling face.
“Jeez Daddy – you are gonna give him heart failure before you have a chance to whip our tail at Monopoly. Here, Tobin,” she said playfully, reaching up and wiping her lipstick off of him.
“Sir!” he said tightly, handing the bouquet to her and leaning forward to extend his hand towards her father.
“At least get my daughter’s lipstick off your face when you shake my hand,” Daniel said gruffly, winking at Claudia. “Her mother wouldn’t let me sit on the front porch polishing my rifle. Melissa, my wife, said that would scare you too much.”
“Mrs. Jenkins would be correct sir,” Tobin admitted unabashedly, shaking his hand nervously. “Is it a big rifle or something someone could heal from?”
Her father laughed, making Claudia’s heart swell.
Her daddy liked him too.
“Tobin, is it?” her father began, putting his arm around Tobin’s shoulder. “If you have to ask that, you aren’t aiming correctly. Do you shoot?”
“Yes sir.”
“Attaboy, let me show you my collection while Claudia puts those flowers in a vase and her mother finishes up in the kitchen.”
“Daddy,” Claudia warned quietly.
“Can you watch Domino for a few minutes?” Tobin asked.
“Of course.”
“Tobin will be fine… it’s not a bad thing to have a healthy respect for someone,” her father said firmly, steering Tobin towards his office. Claudia rolled her eyes, knowing her father was going to show him the massive gun safe that held his collection. This was all a test for poor Tobin and she would have to thank her mother for talking him out of polishing a rifle on the front porch of their mansion.
The Oil Tycoon Rescue Page 6
