“I like the sounds you make.” His grin could destroy her heart.
She shook her head. “I’m definitely not smooth.” Not like Lana Robards.
“Maybe that’s what I like best about you. Your honesty is refreshing.” Then his grin disappeared and his brows pulled together. “I’ve got this thing on Friday night. It’s a rodeo dinner that I have to attend. Would you join me as my date?”
His date? Her dreams were finally coming true. But was it years too late? She gulped down air. The sound wasn’t sexy or feminine. Good thing the pale light hid the flush of color that was creeping up her face. Casey kept his eyes trained on her. She had to give him an answer. A dozen reasons to say no popped into her head. But how could she deny what she’d always wanted?
“I’d have to see if Mindy can watch Ally for a few hours but I would love to go.”
He actually appeared relieved, as if he’d worried over her answer. “Good. It’s black tie.”
“Black tie?” A formal affair? Now she’d have to find something spectacular to wear on a budget. “Okay.”
* * *
On Wednesday evening, Susanna stirred an enamel pot of bubbling chicken cacciatore. The pungent aroma of garlic and sweet onions filled the air. French bread was set out on the table, sliced and ready for buttering.
“Ally, will you please pick up the toys on the kitchen floor. Casey will be here for dinner any minute.”
“Is Charger coming?” Ally asked. The raw hope in her voice sent Susie’s heart spinning.
“Yes. Casey is bringing the puppy. He knows how much you love to play with him. Now put those things in your room, okay?”
“Oh, boy!”
Ally worked fast to clean up her mess and Susie moved to the sink to wash her hands. She turned on the faucet, and nothing happened. “What the...”
She moved the handle to the right. Water didn’t flow. She turned it to the other side. No water flowed there either, not even a drip.
Her toes curled as beads of cold water seeped under her bare feet. She glanced down at the watery river surrounding her. “Oh, no.” Bending, she yanked at the doors underneath the sink. The S-shaped formation of pipes grumbled and groaned. When she fell to her knees to get a better look, water suddenly squirted out, hitting her like a splash on a water slide. Her face, her blouse, her arms were all soaked. “Ugh!”
She backed away, struggling against the brute force. But the water kept coming. She had to dive in again. There was a knob toward the back of the space under the sink. If she could only get to it, she could shut the whole thing down.
She plunged forward, closing her eyes and reaching deep inside the cavity of the cabinet, desperately searching for the control valve.
“Move away, Susie. I’ve got this.”
At that moment, she felt herself being guided back away from the surge of water. She opened her eyes and blinked.
Casey knelt next to her. His shirt was off and he was taking the pounding spray in the chest with much more finesse than she had. He reached in and with one try, managed to twist the knob that turned off the water, ending the leak that had drenched her.
Casey popped his head inside to inspect the pipes, then turned to her. “Are you all right?”
She did a quick sweep. She was soaked from head to toe but she wasn’t hurt. “I’m fine.”
Casey’s eyes drifted down to her wet shirt and his eyes flickered over her breasts. Her taupe blouse did little to hide her reaction to the cold. “I’d be agreeing with you there,” he said huskily.
Running her hands through her hair, she sat back and chuckled. She was beyond humiliated.
Casey laughed too, the warm and inviting sound helping her find some humor in this situation.
He sniffed the air. “Is something burning?”
“Oh, shoot! My cacciatore!” She rose quickly and instantly lost her footing on the slippery floor. She began to stumble backward. Casey moved into her path and reached out to catch her, bringing her tight against his bare chest. Only beads of moisture and a wet blouse separated them.
Oh, wow.
He didn’t move.
Neither did she. It was like heaven being held by him. Seconds ticked by.
“Susie,” he whispered, his mouth touching her hair. Goose bumps rose on her arms.
With his thumb, he tilted her chin and she peered into his deep azure eyes. The intensity burned straight through her.
Casey arched a brow and there was a low rumble in his throat. “One kiss,” he said.
Then he dipped his mouth and claimed her lips.
It was more than a kiss. He devoured her, sweeping his tongue deep into the recesses of her mouth. She fought to breathe, to keep control of her senses. He cradled her face in his hands and the yearning inside her was unleashed. She was pulled into his magical spell.
From another room, her little girl’s voice echoed in her head.
“Auntie? I put all my toys away.”
Ally.
Casey pulled away immediately and reached for the shirt he’d flung onto the kitchen chair.
“That’s g-good,” she called out, watching him slip his arms into his sleeves and start buttoning up. She tossed him a dishtowel, which he caught with one hand and a grin. She used another one to wipe her face and blot her blouse. “I’m in the kitchen. Casey’s here.”
She turned to the oven to shut off the flame. The chicken had survived, barely.
Ally entered the kitchen and Casey walked over to her, casual as you please. “Hi, Ally.”
“Hi.”
“Charger’s in the backyard. If your aunt says it’s okay, we’ll go outside and play with him in a little while.”
Ally nodded, her blue eyes wandering over the flooded floor. “’Kay.”
“We had a little leak, sweetie,” Susanna managed to explain. The kitchen was a mess. And so were her nerves. Something special was happening between her and Casey and she wasn’t sure what to make of it. Or whether she could trust what she was feeling.
“Susie, why don’t you get cleaned up,” he said, his gaze set firmly on her face. Heat climbed up her throat. She crossed her arms over her saturated blouse. Just a few seconds ago, they’d almost...she couldn’t think about that now. “I’ll keep an eye on Ally and clean up in here. I want to look at those pipes.”
“What about you?” She pointed to where water was soaking through the button-down shirt he’d flung on in haste. His face was dotted with droplets.
“As soon as I’m through here, I’ll get myself decent. Just grab some towels for the floor. Do you have any tools?”
“My dad’s tools are in the garage. I’ll get them.”
He eyed her for a second, then nodded. “Thanks.”
She should be thanking him. For fixing her leak. For catching her fall. For kissing her like his world revolved around her.
And all she had to offer him tonight was slightly scorched chicken cacciatore.
And a muffin.
* * *
The knock on Susanna’s door came precisely at eight o’clock on Friday night.
How had she survived the week? She’d seen Casey nearly every day since Ally’s birthday, whether he was fixing the plumbing or taking Ally for a walk with the pup or sharing a meal with them. Susanna just couldn’t get away from him. She wasn’t sure she wanted to. That was a revelation. She’d spent the last decade half in love with him, half hating him. Her brain didn’t know what to think now, but oh, her heart said things that could get her into major trouble.
“He’s here,” she said to Mindy. She checked her appearance in the mirror, willing her nerves to settle down.
“Hang on a sec, hon.”
“Why? Don’t I look all right?”
She’d shopped this
week for a new outfit, but nothing had jumped out at her and screamed PERFECT, so she’d opted for the meadow green lace dress she’d worn to her mother’s wedding. It had a scoop neck with ruching around the waist and a skirt that reached the floor. She felt sort of like a fairy princess herself tonight.
“You look fabulous. That dress is killer, but don’t be too anxious. Let him wait.”
“Mindy, that’s awful.”
“Just looking out for my friend. What else can a prego like me look forward to, if not some juicy deets of your date.”
Susanna shrugged. “I’m rusty when it comes to dating. There won’t be much to tell.”
She’d never dreamed she’d be dating Casey Thomas, not in a zillion years.
“Just remember, he asked you out,” Mindy said. “The ball’s in his court. You don’t have to do a thing but sit back and enjoy the evening. Ally’s already asleep, so it’s all good. Have fun and don’t worry about us.”
“You’re a good friend. This is a lot to ask of you.” She hugged Mindy. “If you get tired or anything, or if Ally needs me, just call. You have my cell number and—”
“Go! Have fun. I’m disappearing.”
Mindy waddle-walked down the hallway and once she was gone, Susanna glanced at the front door and tried to get her jitters under control. She’d never left Ally this long before. She didn’t know what to expect from Casey. Why had she agreed to this?
Giving herself a mental pep talk, she grabbed hold of the knob and pulled it open.
Casey stood on her doorstep, his hands in the pants pockets of a jet-black tuxedo. She lifted her eyes to his ebony Stetson. She hadn’t seen him in one of those in years. It looked right on him. His roguish hair peeked out from beneath the brim. The whole cowboy tycoon package made her breathless.
“Damn,” he said, whistling low, his gaze roving over her. “You look beautiful, Susanna.”
“Thank you. You clean up pretty nice yourself.”
“Thanks.” His gaze flickered over her hair. She’d pulled it to one side with a rhinestone clip and curled the ends. With any luck the curls would hold for the entire night. “I like it.”
She smiled. Where were her manners? “Would you like to come in for a little while? Ally’s sleeping but if we’re quiet...”
He stepped inside, and a hint of his cologne wafted to her nostrils as he walked past her. The lime and earth scent did things to her equilibrium every time. “Actually, the dinner starts in half an hour, so we should probably get going. Do you have a wrap?”
“It’s right there.” She pointed to her crepe shawl sitting on the entrance table. He retrieved it and she picked up her silver clutch purse.
He moved to her side with the shawl in his hand. “Do you want to wear it?”
“I don’t think so. It’s a warm night.” Just looking at him in that tux heated her body through and through. She doubted she’d need the shawl at all.
“Ready to go then?” He opened the door. His hand found her lower back and he escorted her out the door. She locked up and almost did a double take when she turned and spotted a shiny onyx limousine parked in her driveway, a chauffeur standing at the ready, holding the door open for her. Her heart raced but her feet kept moving even when she wanted to come to a dead halt and ask Casey what was going on. He’d been mysterious about this date all week, giving her evasive answers when she’d wanted to know what the “rodeo thing” was all about.
She smiled and thanked the chauffeur, then slipped inside. Casey followed, as if he’d done this sort of thing a hundred times before. Susanna had never ridden in a limo. This was a first for her.
They backed out of the driveway and rode along the quiet streets. “I’m glad Mindy was able to watch Ally tonight,” he said.
She nodded. “I’m nervous about it. I have my cell phone and gave poor Mindy a thousand instructions before I left.”
Casey took her hand and placed it on his knee. She glanced at their joined hands. “She’ll be fine. Chances are she won’t ever know you were gone.”
“I know all that, but it’s such a big weight on my shoulders. It’s more than a responsibility for me. I love her.”
“She may call you auntie, but you’re her mother now. I know she loves you too...who wouldn’t?”
Susie’s head snapped around and she was met with a sincere gleam in his eyes. A small smile wobbled on her lips. Did he see them quivering?
Casey leaned back in the seat and sighed, staring straight ahead. They remained with their hands entwined and speaking very little from then on. There seemed to be a new connection between them, something more powerful than she’d ever felt before. Was it due to the formal dress and privacy of the limo ride ? Or was it truly something else?
Something wondrous?
* * *
Casey hated these things. He didn’t like attention poured over him and if it hadn’t been for Austin and Elizabeth Brown insisting, he would’ve been glad to bypass this Think Pink Strong event. Every male in attendance at the Grand Palace Hotel ballroom was handed a pink ribbon to pin to his tuxedo lapel and every female was given a bud vase with a single rose. Subtle hues of carnation pink surrounded them from tablecloths to tinted wineglasses.
Susie was stunning tonight under sparkling chandelier light and Casey was glad he’d asked her to join him. She made the evening bearable. Hell, she made it downright enjoyable. He took her hand and led her to their round table at the front of the ballroom. Austin and Elizabeth Brown were already seated along with a few rodeo veterans Casey had come up the ranks with. Casey introduced Susanna to everyone and they took their seats.
“I’m so glad to meet you,” Elizabeth said to Susie. Then the older woman turned to him and smiled. She’d already sized Susie up and decided she liked her. “I understand you and Casey are old neighbors.”
“Yes, since childhood. Audrey is one of my best friends.”
Austin put a hand on his shoulder. “I’m proud of Casey for the work he’s done for Think Pink Strong. Ever since Elizabeth’s recovery, Casey did his best to raise funds for breast cancer research. It’s good that he’s being honored tonight. Along with four other recipients, each one worthy.”
Susie questioned him with her eyes. Then she picked up the program by her place setting. She read it like a speed reader and answered without missing a beat. “Yes, it seems his contributions to the cause have been extremely generous. He has a giving heart.”
Flies didn’t land on Susie. She caught on quickly and he was chewing himself out for not telling her about it earlier. Though, bragging rights over his charity work never did set well with him. He kept quiet about it mostly. And maybe he wanted Susie to accept his invitation for no other reason than she truly wanted to go out on a date with him.
“He never talks about it,” Elizabeth said. “When we got wind of this dinner, Austin and I had to practically twist his arm to get him to accept his award tonight.”
Thank you, Elizabeth.
He shrugged against Susie’s stare. “I never expected an award.”
“True, all the more reason you should be honored,” Elizabeth said.
The waiters came by with piping hot sourdough rolls and the first course of spinach and prosciutto salad. Good thing, too: the subject of his fundraising was getting old.
Between courses, there were speeches and testimonials. Cancer survivors went up to the podium to tell their own stories of heartache and loss, as well as survival and hope. When Elizabeth had taken ill with the disease, Casey had known he wanted to help and he’d gotten involved raising funds using his rodeo fame for a good cause. It was something he believed in and pursued even after he’d broken his back.
After dinner, the award ceremony began and his name was announced. Susanna squeezed his hand and he felt all her warmth and encouragement in her touch. Whe
n he gazed into her eyes he found reassurance. He carried that with him as he walked up to the podium.
He wasn’t good at making speeches, but this one came from the heart. He had a fondness for the Browns and he’d seen how helpless Austin had been when Elizabeth had had bad days. The cure had to be around the corner. If only he could be a small part of making that happen, he’d feel his purpose in life was somehow served.
As he accepted his award, he looked over at the Browns, who were listening to his words intently. Then his gaze drifted to Susanna. Her eyes had misted over and her smile rippled through his heart.
The other four recipients were called up to give speeches and afterward they were met with a rousing round of applause. Then Casey left the stage with his honoree plaque and returned to his seat, grateful the awards part of the evening was over. Austin rose to shake his hand and Elizabeth laid a kiss on his cheek, congratulating him. Orchestra music began playing and he didn’t bother to sit. This was his chance to get Susie alone to explain. He leaned over to whisper in her ear, “Would you like to dance?”
Taking the napkin off her lap, she nodded and he extended his hand. She took it and he led her to the dance floor, then pulled her close the second their feet hit the parquet. He breathed in the scent of her hair, his nose deep in her shiny locks. Oh, man. The fragrance of vanilla filled his nostrils.
“Why is it so hard to accept recognition for the good you’re doing?” she asked. But there was a glow in her eyes and softness in her tone. She wasn’t angry with him.
“I don’t do it for acclaim. I don’t like receiving awards.”
“Only championship buckles?”
He grinned. “Yeah, back in the day.” He pulled her tighter in his arms. “I am glad you’re here,” he whispered in her ear. “Makes it easier.”
“I’m glad I’m here too,” she whispered back. “I wished you’d told me about this though.”
He shrugged. “I guess I should have. The whole thing gives me hives.”
She was impossible to resist, the prettiest woman in the room. He brushed her forehead with a soft kiss. His mind wasn’t on charity tonight. It felt too damned good to dance with her, to have a legitimate excuse to hold her close. The lines of his mission here in Reno were blurring again. He’d helped Susie as much as she would allow and time was running short. He’d have to broach the subject of opening her own shop again, but not tonight. Tonight was about showing her a good time. Lord knew, she deserved it.
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