by Desiree Holt
Self-consciously, she brushed a few strands of stray hair back from her forehead.
“Yes?” Very polished, Davenport.
“Um, hi.”
“Hi.” She stared at him, wishing he’d take off the sunglasses so she could see those come-fuck-me eyes again.
“So, remember me?”
Reenie felt a smile trying to break out and did her best to squelch it. She let her eyes travel down the length of his body and back up again.
“I don’t know. Take off your clothes and I’ll let you know.”
It was the first time she’d ever seen a man blush. Even his ears turned red. His mouth opened but nothing came out. She was about to lose the battle with the smile.
He cleared his throat. “Okay. I deserve that. And more.”
He swallowed and her eyes were glued to the flex of the muscles in his throat. Even that movement was sexy. The man was damn near lethal, and a definite danger to her in her present no-men state. She could have eased up on him but she was fascinated to see what he’d say or do next, so she just stood in the door and watched him.
He tilted his head slightly. “I admit that wasn’t my finest moment, but I’m trying to make up for it here. Should I get down on my knees? Grovel?” His grin was wicked. “Lick your feet? Or any other part of your body?”
Reenie couldn’t help herself. She burst out laughing. Matt Stark was incorrigible. She wondered if he ever thought about anything besides sex and cattle.
He took off his sunglasses and despite being bloodshot his eyes had that same hot look. “Listen. I really did come to make a sincere apology, Reenie. My behavior last night was, well, reprehensible.”
“Ooh. Reprehensible.” She fanned herself with the dust cloth. “Big words too.” She tilted her head, studying him, wondering why she hadn’t just slammed the door in his face. “I was thinking more like disgusting. Although I do have to say Texas hospitality is very unusual. I don’t think I’ve ever been greeted by a naked drunk.”
“And I don’t usually greet guests at Stark Ranch that way.” He rubbed his jaw. “My only excuse is the deal I closed yesterday was enormous financially. The beef market’s been a little unstable and I have a very large operation to support.” He lifted his hands. “So, big celebration. Too much booze, too little common sense.”
“Uh huh.”
“That’s not my style. Really. I respect women and certainly try never to do anything to embarrass my sister and her friends. Come on, Reenie.” His mouth curved in a boyish little grin. “I’m still the same guy you met when you and Amy were roommates.”
“Not hardly.”
He held up a hand. “I swear to you. So how about a second chance here?”
I should just accept his damn apology, slam the door and go about my business. What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I?
“Okay. Apology accepted. Scram.”
She would have closed the door if he hadn’t reached out a hand and pressed it open.
“Hey. Wait a minute. How polite is that? A guy comes to say he’s sorry and you kick him to the curb?”
She sighed, not bothering to conceal her exasperation. “No offense, but I’ve had my fill of guys like you. So, have a nice life. Bye.”
“Guys like me?” He was still blocking the door, preventing her from closing it. “You mean ranchers?”
“Ha ha. Very funny. I mean men who collect women. Who should be branded with an A for arrogant.” Her smile was almost a sneer. “Or for asshole. Take your pick. Just leave me alone.”
“Look. Reenie. I’m not going away until I convince you I’m really a nice guy.”
“I guess you’ll be spending a lot of time on the doorstep then.”
But he went right on as if she hadn’t said a word. “So could we pretend it never happened and start all over again?” He held out his hand. “Hi. I’m Matt Stark. You and my sister, Amy, roomed together in college, remember? Nice to see you again.”
How could you stay mad at a guy like this? She pushed thoughts of Asshole Aaron out of her mind and actually found herself smiling. Matt was just impossible. And unfortunately, impossibly sexy. The kick of lust she’d felt when she’d seen him naked surged back in full force. Damn it anyway, she didn’t need another alpha male screwing up her life. But somehow his determination got to her. Okay, she’d play nice and send him on his way.
“Hi.” She took his hand. “Reenie Davenport. Nice to meet you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really have things to do.”
And I have to get away from you before I do or say something stupid.
But he wasn’t budging. His gaze flicked to the dust cloth. “Like cleaning your house? That your idea of fun on a Saturday? Anyway, how dirty can it be? You just moved in.”
Reenie lifted her chin. “I like to keep a clean house.”
He grinned. “God. You sound just like June Cleaver.”
Heat crept up her cheeks. She wanted to pull her T-shirt over her face but that didn’t seem to be too practical. “At least June Cleaver didn’t have naked men falling at her feet.”
The words popped out of her mouth as if her brain had disconnected. Holy hell.
Matt cleared his throat, and Reenie wondered how such a simple sound could be so sexy. At least the part of her brain still functioning wondered. The rest of it seemed not to belong to her anymore. Even Asshole Aaron—and what a great name for him that was—had never had her this revved up. What the hell was the matter with her?
“Let me try this again,” he said. “I probably should have brought flowers and chocolates. So let me just say that I’m humbly sorry for making an ass of myself and embarrassing you last night. Instead of flowers and chocolates I was wondering if I could take you out to lunch.” His mouth kicked up in that grin again. “I promise to be a gentleman and keep my clothes on.”
Lunch? With him? Her mind was yelling no, no, no. No men, remember? But her body was screaming yes. Hot guy.
“Um, well…” She couldn’t seem to make her mouth work properly.
Matt looked around to either side of him. Reenie realized people were outside now taking advantage of the nice weather. Puttering in the miniscule yards. Washing cars. Eyeing Matt with curiosity. “Maybe you could invite me in and we could discuss it a little further.” When she didn’t answer him, he shrugged. “Okay by me, but I thought you might want to take this away from your neighbors.”
Reenie did not want him inside her townhouse. He might be on his best behavior, but she was still too vulnerable and he was too tempting. Nevertheless, she couldn’t make herself send him away.
Stupid, stupid, stupid!
He looked up at the sky. “Nice day. Sunshine. Blue skies. Perfect for eating Tex-Mex food outside under an umbrella. Maybe having a drink. Come on, Reenie. What can it hurt and I’ll feel a lot better.”
“All right,” she said at last, suddenly aware that the neighbors were staring openly. She knew she was stupid for doing it but he made it sound so appealing. And what could happen out in the open? It sure beat dusting and cleaning the bathroom. “You can wait in the living room while I change.”
She opened the door to let him step over the threshold. Thank heavens the first floor was in presentable shape. She’d just unpacked the last of the boxes this morning so she didn’t look like a nomad moving in or moving out.
“That chair is comfortable.” She pointed to the big arm chair where she loved to sit with her laptop, then handed him the television remote. “Since it’s Saturday there must be something on the sports channels to watch.”
He stared at the big-screen television. “Holy cow. I didn’t think women bought televisions like this.”
Reenie had bought it because she loved college football, but she wasn’t about to get into that with him. At least not right now. No discussions about anything. She’d have a polite lunch with him, accept his apology and that would be that.
“Enjoy yourself. I won’t be long.”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” he sm
iled. “That’s what they all say.”
He dropped into the chair, placed his Stetson on the table next to it and turned on the television. With his long legs stretched out before him, the fabric of his slacks clung to the muscles she remembered all too clearly from the night before. The dark curls of chest hair peeping over the open neck of his shirt brought back the image of his hard chest and flat abs and his…
Stop! Stop, stop, stop!
Reenie stood there for a moment longer, searching for something to say, then bolted for the stairs.
He looks too damn good sitting in my living room.
She tried to chase away the butterflies in her stomach while she showered and washed her hair.
Lunch. It’s just lunch. Not a date. Not with Mr. Sexy.
She kept up a running dialogue with herself while she blow-dried her hair, smoothing out the wild curls with a big brush, and applied makeup with more care than she took dressing for work.
What to wear? What to wear?
Not too dressy. This was just a Saturday lunch and she certainly didn’t want him to think she was primping for him.
Oh, yeah. Like that’s not what I’m doing right now.
Not too casual either.
She finally settled on a pair of cream-colored slacks and a deep blue short-sleeved sweater that brought out the blue in her hazel eyes. Gold studs at her ears. Feet slipped into the fancy Yellow Box sandals, and she was ready. One last look in the mirror and she almost chucked the whole thing. Who was that stranger with the glowing skin and the heat of expectation flashing in her eyes? Damn. He might think she was actually looking forward to this.
Well, dimwit? Aren’t you?
Purse. Keys. Deep breath.
“All set?” Matt asked, taking one last look at the television screen before turning it off.
When he rose and turned to look at her, the expression on his face, as if he’d just been pole-axed, made all the extra care she’d taken definitely worthwhile.
“Well.” He just stared at her. “Too bad I don’t have a big stick with me. I’ll need it to beat off all the other men. Just remember, you dance with the fella who brung you.”
Chapter Three
He took her to Casa Rio on the famous Riverwalk. It was a warm spring day and the locals as well as the usual tourists were crowding the walk on either side of the narrow San Antonio River. Opened in the 1930s following a disastrous flood and the construction of a dam that created a narrow bend in the river, Paseo del Rio is a network of walkways along the banks of the river with shops and restaurants taking up every inch of space on either side. Casa Rio was the first restaurant to open there and even in California Reenie had seen pictures of the restaurant with its colorful outdoor umbrellas and the gaily outfitted waitresses.
They sat at a table right at the river’s edge among the throngs of people moving along the stone pathway. Sightseeing barges with drivers calling out areas of interest floated by and pigeons hopped around looking for handouts.
“I guess I should thank you for helping Amy get me into my bedroom,” he said after the waitress took their drink orders. “Sad to say the last thing I remember is standing in the doorway to the family room.”
“You do remember you were naked, right?” she teased, and was rewarded by the flush creeping up his face.
“As if I could forget,” he muttered and rubbed one hand along his hip. “I’ll have a reminder of that for a long time. And thanks to whoever tossed the dish towel over me. I hope it covered my, um, assets.”
Reenie swallowed her grin. “Are you asking for a recommendation? I wouldn’t think you’d need one.”
“I’m not sure exactly how to take that.” He gave her a lopsided grin.
“Only that I understand from your sister that you’re quite the player. You should be able to get plenty of letters of reference. Maybe from all the women in your little black book.”
“My sister should learn to keep her mouth shut,” he grumbled. “Anyway, she tends to exaggerate. Greatly. And I don’t have a little black book. Or a book of any color.”
“Oh, come on. All you guys do. It’s your personal record.”
Matt opened his mouth to reply but whatever else he might have wanted to say was interrupted by the waitress bringing their drink orders—frozen margarita for Reenie, who had discovered last night they could be very addictive—and beer for Matt. He was tilted back in his chair, tipping the bottle to his mouth. She tried not to stare at the flex of the muscles in his neck when he swallowed or the strong lines of his body as he sat there loose and relaxed. A tiny shiver walked down her spine and she wished again that he didn’t make her skin hum and her blood sizzle. Wished she could get the image of his naked body out of her mind so she could stop drooling mentally. She knew behind those sunglasses his dark, dark eyes were focused on her.
Of course, he was funny and that Texas drawl was smooth as butter, sliding all over her. His natural charm immediately drew her in while at the same time it put her on her guard. She could feel herself falling for him that quickly. Damn. She was just a glutton for punishment. It took every effort of will she had to keep herself in check.
“You know,” he said in his hot deep voice, “people who come here say the Riverwalk is the place for romance.”
“Really? Well, today it’s just a place to eat, right?”
“You’re tough, Reenie,” he said at last. “Did anyone ever tell you that?”
She bit delicately into a warm tortilla chip. “I’ve heard that a time or two.”
He leaned forward slightly. “I’d sure love to find out what makes you tick.”
Just taking me to lunch my ass. I knew this was a mistake. I just knew it.
Reenie had so many conflicting feelings regarding this man. She wanted to despise him, to flip him off in disdain like a disgusting insect. Instead she kept remembering his naked body, the sight of his impressive cock. And the way her own body had responded to the sight of him. And now, listening to his deep voice with its easy Texas drawl, she felt herself drawn to him like a fly into a spider’s web. Emotions she didn’t want to deal with were battling their way to the surface.
She’d run to Texas to get away from men like him and then one had fallen naked at her feet. Literally. But he was so good at this, whatever this was. She was sure it was a technique he’d perfected over the years, one that easily lured women into his arms and his bed. She’d been caught like that before by Asshole Aaron—Mr. Double A—and he hadn’t been nearly as smooth as Matt Stark. Men like him should come with a warning label.
She nibbled on another tortilla chip and sipped at the chilled margarita. No way was she giving this man any kind of clue about herself. She needed to get past this meal, get home and try to pretend he didn’t exist. She’d had enough of men like him.
“This is going to be a very boring lunch if only one of us is talking,” he teased. “I thought maybe we could get to know each other a little. I could tell you a little something about me, you could do the same. Pretty soon we’re almost friends.”
He tipped up the bottle of beer again and Reenie could hardly drag her eyes away from the flex of muscles at his throat as he swallowed. Clutching her own drink, she took a large swallow, blinking her eyes at the sudden burn in her throat.
“Easy, sweetheart,” he said. “Margaritas are meant to be absorbed slowly into the system. I’ll go first. Remember me? I’m Amy’s brother and I run Stark Ranch. Five thousand acres, ten thousand head of cattle. I can ride a horse and rope a steer.” He grinned. “And even play guitar.”
Reenie wished she could erase the erotic images cluttering up her mind, but the more Matt Stark talked the more she remembered his naked body and his impressive package. She took another swallow of drink as if that alone could wash everything away.
“Your turn,” he prodded, when she didn’t say anything. “Come on. It’s real easy.”
She let out a slow breath. Okay, she’d play his little game, get through lunc
h, then send him on his way. Damn it.
“Reenie Davenport. I do web designs and maintenance. Right now I’m working for Orion Promotions. End of story.” She wished he’d take off those damn sunglasses so she could see his eyes. You couldn’t tell what a man was thinking if you couldn’t see his eyes, although she wasn’t really sure she wanted to know what Matt Stark’s thoughts were.
“So what do you do at Orion that’s better than what you did in L.A.? What is Orion anyway?”
“A special promotions company. Events. Fundraisers, Stuff like that. We used to do their web stuff and promotional material for them, but they decided they wanted to take it in-house. They knew me from the work I did for them and offered me the job.”
“There.” He grinned, that lethal, sexy twist of his lips. “See how easy that is?”
Reenie found herself sitting on the edge of her chair during lunch, chewing and swallowing without really tasting her food. Which was too bad because they were eating at a great place, the sun was out, a soft breeze danced in the air and the food was excellent. Under normal circumstances she’d be kicked back enjoying herself, the color and the ambience.
But these circumstances were far from normal. For one thing Matt Stark was a tempting treat and he knew it, slowly seducing her with his molasses drawl and his teasing comments. She wanted to be in control but somehow she had a feeling that control was slowly eroding. The sexual tension she’d felt the minute she opened her door to him was like the elephant in the room, invisible but taking up all the space.
For another, it seemed every good-looking woman strolling the Riverwalk knew him and stopped to say hello. If looks could kill, the ones thrown at Reenie would have had her dead under the table. She lost count after a while of how many stopped by, kissed him with total disregard for her presence, trailed their well-manicured fingernails down his cheek and whispered in his ear.
