The Taming of Delaney Fortune (The Fortunes of Texas: Cowboy Country)

by Michelle Major

  When her face started to fall, he laughed. “I’m joking, Delaney. Of course I made it.”

  “Your cousin could serve this at the Cantina. It’s that good.”

  He took a bite himself. “I’m glad you think so, although I don’t think Marcus and Wendy need any help from me.”

  “Tell me about the dish.”

  “It’s nothing fancy,” he said, a little embarrassed at the attention she was paying to the food. Which was strange because Cisco generally liked attention of any kind. “You take ground beef, onion, garlic, peppers, olives and raisins, then—”

  “Olives?” Delaney asked, poking her fork at the dish. “Don’t tell my mom I ate olives. They’re on my no-eat list.”

  “You have a list of foods you don’t eat?”

  She shrugged. “Mainly just olives. And artichokes.”

  “I’m going to make you love artichokes,” he told her.

  A tiny voice inside his head whispered, More important, make her love you. He wasn’t sure where that thought came from. Cisco wasn’t looking for love. Sure, he was attracted to Delaney and he liked spending time with her. But love? Cisco wasn’t ready for love. Or was he?

  “I’d never guess olives and raisins could coexist. What comes next?” She continued eating.

  Cisco shook his head to clear it, then answered, “I sauté the meat and onions, then add the other vegetables. Pour in tomato sauce and the spices and simmer for several hours. It’s really simple, actually. The spice mix is the most important part. My mother also had a special way of making rice. Her secret was soaking the uncooked rice in water before adding it to the pot. It cooks up better. No matter where my dad’s career took us in the world, my mom always made her signature dishes when we first moved to make sure wherever we were felt like home.”

  She took a bite of salad dressed with a tangy vinaigrette, then pulled off a nibble of crusty bread. “The whole meal is excellent,” Delaney told him. “You still miss your mom. I can tell.”

  Cisco shifted in his chair. He was a private man and didn’t usually discuss things as close to his heart as his mother. But Delaney had managed to move past the walls he’d erected and he wanted her to understand what this night meant to him. “She was the heart and soul of our family. Her death took a toll on all of us, especially my father. They had a true love story, and it was difficult to see him without her. We kind of went our separate ways after she passed. That’s one of the reasons it’s been good to spend time in Horseback Hollow since my dad, Gabi and Matteo are here. Family is important.”

  “It is,” Delaney agreed. “I’m glad you’ve stayed here.”

  The shy smile she gave him made his heart squeeze. “Me, too.”

  “How are the plans going for your meeting?”

  “Meeting?” he repeated, blinking.

  “The reason you need a Fortune. The whole purpose of you spending time with me.”

  He couldn’t believe he’d all but forgotten about his initial reason for seeking out Delaney Fortune Jones. He knew better than to let his emotions distract him from business. He’d worked long and hard to become successful. Was he really going to let that go so easily? Still, it irritated him to think that Delaney might doubt his feelings for her. “Do you really believe that’s the reason we’re together tonight?”

  She met his gaze across the table. “I don’t know, Cisco. I hope it’s not, but I honestly don’t know.”

  “My business in Horseback Hollow is on track, although still in the planning stages.”

  “Which means you aren’t going to give me any details.”

  “Not yet. But I want you to know you mean more to me than only someone who can help further a deal. I’ve been focused on my career for a long time, and I’m proud of what I’ve accomplished. I expect success because I work hard for it. But I want to work at this, too.” He motioned between the two of them. “Give me a chance to show you that my intentions are honorable, Delaney. I want to...court you.”

  “Court me?” She tilted her head as if mulling over the words. “That seems like a pretty old-fashioned concept for a guy who needs a bunch of bells and whistles just to make a cup of coffee.”

  “There’s a time for modern luxury and a place for time-honored customs.” He hit a few buttons on his iPhone and pushed back from the table, holding out his hand to her. Music began to play from the portable speakers he’d installed around the house. “May I have this dance, Ms. Fortune?”

  * * *

  Delaney wanted nothing more than to rush into his arms, but something held her back. There were a lot of things in life Delaney knew she could do well. Dancing wasn’t one of them. It’s what had made her run away from him at Jude and Gabi’s reception. She had no intention of running now, but still...

  She hopped to her feet and lifted her plate and one of the serving bowls off the table. “We should clean up the dishes.”

  Cisco drew back his hand, watching her with a curious look in his eye. “You don’t like salsa music?”

  “It’s not that, although I’m more a straight-up country girl. Give me some Kenny Chesney or Carrie Underwood and I’m happy.”

  Cisco groaned. “Mi cielo, tonight you put the arrow straight through my heart.” He pretended to stagger toward the counter, setting down his dishes when he got there. “This music feels like home to me. It gets into your soul, Delaney. Tell me you don’t feel the rhythm.” He swayed back and forth to the music, his arms in a wide circle as if he were already holding her tight.

  Of course he was a fantastic dancer. Delaney figured there was nothing related to wooing a woman that Cisco hadn’t mastered. The thought made her stomach plunge as if it were on one of the rides being built at Cowboy Country.

  She spun around and flipped on the water at the sink, her fingers trembling slightly as she rinsed off the plate. “I can’t dance,” she muttered, her back to Cisco.

  “What was that?” He leaned in next to her and she was caught up in the subtle scent of his cologne. With one hand he tipped up her chin, while he turned off the water with the other. “What has you so bothered right now?”

  “I can’t dance,” she said more forcefully, shaking her head. “I have two left feet, no rhythm, the whole bit.” She set the plate in the sink, reaching around him to grab a towel. “The music is great. I love the beat.” She took a step back. “Look, I can tap my toe.” He glanced down to her booted foot as she tapped it on the kitchen floor. “But that’s it. Anything more and I’m lost. I don’t two-step or line-dance, so you can bet I wouldn’t be good at salsa dancing.”

  “You just haven’t had the right partner.”

  “A partner who enjoys having his feet smashed?” She moved past him to the kitchen table. Before she could pick up another dish, he came to stand in front of her.

  “Give it a chance, Delaney.” He pocketed his phone, then took her hands. “One song.”

  His words echoed in her head. Something in the way he looked at her made her believe he was really asking her to give him a chance. “One song,” she agreed reluctantly, then took a step toward him, feeling her body go rigid with nerves. “I hope your toes are ready for a beating.”

  Instead of taking her in his arms, he led her out of the kitchen toward the sliding door at the back of the house. “Where are we going?”

  “Salsa is more than music—it’s an experience to savor with your senses.” He pulled out his phone and pressed another button as they stepped onto the back patio. The house was in a neighborhood but backed up to an open field, giving the yard a sense of privacy. Music began playing from a speaker mounted under the covered porch.

  “You’ve got a heck of a stereo system for temporary housing,” she said with a nervous laugh.

  “I love music,” he said simply. “The way it makes me feel. It can be relaxing or invigorating
. The right beat sets the mood for an entire evening.”

  Delaney swallowed and gave a short nod. She wasn’t used to being so far out of her element. Horseback Hollow was the only home she knew, every inch of the town familiar. But tonight felt as if she was in a brand-new world, a world where she wasn’t in control.

  “So now we dance?” she asked, trying and failing to make herself relax. The night had begun to cool and a gentle breeze moved through the air, tickling her bare arms. A mix of soft pink and purple colors streaked the sky and the clouds that floated above them took on a golden light. This was normally her favorite time of night, when the day quieted and she finished up her work in the gentle silence. But with Cisco standing in front of her she felt anything but relaxed and had to force herself not to run away in order to gain sway over her rioting emotions.

  “Close your eyes.”

  She bit down on her lip but followed his request.

  “Listen to the music,” he said softly. “Feel the beat of it. Let the sound wash over you.”

  She tried to concentrate but he’d come closer to her and she could feel the heat from his body as he spoke. The music flowed through her at the same time Cisco’s voice did crazy things to her insides.

  “Why do you call me mi cielo?” she asked on a whisper of breath. “That translates to my sky. What does that mean?”

  “That’s the literal translation, yes,” he answered, running one fingertip down her arm before lacing his hand in hers. “It is also a Spanish term of endearment. It can mean my heaven. That’s how you feel to me, Delaney. Like heaven.”

  Delaney’s eyes popped open. “Oh,” was all she could manage.

  “Are you ready?” His gaze was intense and tender at the same time.

  As he looked at her, all her fears melted away. She lifted her free hand to his shoulder and he pulled her close. Delaney had always found being petite was a disadvantage to dancing, but Cisco had been correct about her needing the right partner. She fit perfectly against him.

  He moved as she knew he would, a mix of easy grace and passionate spirit. She felt wild in his arms. His mouth grazed her ear as he hummed along with the melody. Delaney forgot her awkwardness and nerves. She became only movement and senses. Cisco’s enticing scent mixed with the clean fragrance of the land made her feel intoxicated. His expertise in leading her through the steps of the dance gave her confidence and she moved her hips in time with a rhythm that seemed to come from a place deep inside her.

  The song ended and a slower tune began to play. Cisco held her closer, wrapping his arm tightly around her back, his hand splayed across her hip. Delaney nuzzled into the crook of his neck, breathing him in as she felt his heart beating against her chest. Longing pooled inside her, a deep and restless desire she couldn’t name and barely understood.

  When he leaned back to look at her, she saw the same passion reflected in his eyes. “You are a beautiful dancer, cielo.”

  “You are heaven.” She whispered the translation and his gaze dropped to her mouth, darkening even more.

  “Tonight there is nothing but this moment.” He touched his lips to hers, gently exploring as if afraid she’d bolt if he was too aggressive.

  But Delaney didn’t want gentle. Being in Cisco’s arms freed something reckless in her. She wanted everything he had to give and wound her arms around his neck, opening her mouth to deepen the kiss.

  Chapter Seven

  Cisco heard a moan and wasn’t sure if it came from him or the woman wrapped around him. Delaney had been so responsive as they danced he couldn’t resist kissing her. He was tired of fighting his growing feelings for her. He wanted her with a passion he’d never before experienced.

  But he also respected her, and the secrets between them weighed heavily on his heart and conscience. So he’d kept the kiss gentle, allowing her time to become accustomed to his desire. As usual, she’d surprised him, taking control of the kiss with an innocent need that made his desire burst into flame.

  He stroked his hands up and down her back, loving the feel of her compact curves. His tongue met hers, and they explored each other as the slow salsa rhythm played in the background. Cisco lost track of everything except Delaney, the flowery smell of her perfume and how soft and warm she felt in his arms. His fingers grazed the hem of her dress, lifting it, her skin like silk under his hands. He wanted her more than he’d wanted a woman in as long as he could remember.

  Then, as suddenly as the kiss had started, Delaney pulled away. She took two steps back, her fingers covering her mouth, looking as dazed as he felt.

  “That,” she whispered, “was nice.”

  “Nice,” he repeated, working to get his body under control.

  She nodded. “Thank you.”

  He was having a hard time keeping up with her, especially since most of his blood flow seemed concentrated below his waist at the moment. “Why are you thanking me?”

  Her hand fluttered in the air in front of her. The evening light had grown dim as they’d danced, so now her face was partially hidden in shadow. He could almost feel her pulling away from him and couldn’t figure out what had gone wrong. “Dinner, the dancing, pretty much the whole night.” She pulled her hand in tight to her stomach, as if it might flit away if she didn’t hold it in place.

  Cisco ran his own hand across his face. “What’s wrong, Delaney?”

  “Nothing,” she answered quickly. “But I...you know...I promised my mom I wouldn’t be late, so I should probably get going. Unless you want me to help with the dishes first.” She glanced at the house over her shoulder. “I should help you finish cleaning the kitchen.”

  “I’ll take care of the dishes.” He took a step toward her, then stopped as she jumped back. She was spooked, no doubt about it. “I’ll walk you to your car,” he said gently, not wanting to push her for fear she might actually run away. This was something new, as well, a woman who wasn’t throwing herself at him. Maybe that was what made his blood heat so quickly in response to her. Whatever it was, he didn’t want to take a chance at messing it up.

  She gave a curt nod. “I just need to grab my purse from inside.”

  He followed her into the house. She was moving as though her life depended on getting away from him quickly. He hated that, wanted to find a way to reassure her. He wanted to pull her into his arms again and make her never want to leave.

  But he held back. He didn’t touch her as she walked to her truck. She turned to him at the edge of the driveway. “Thank you,” she said again, her eyes not meeting his.

  “Thank you for joining me.”

  She glanced up at him from under her lashes as if she expected something more.

  “It was a perfect evening,” he told her, reaching forward slowly to take her hand in his. Her fingers remained stiff and he turned her hand and placed a soft kiss at the center of her palm. She gave a tiny gasp as if his mouth burned and he released her.

  She nodded and whispered, “Thank you again,” then scurried around the front of her truck, the interior light blinking on as she climbed in, illuminating her for just a second. Cisco could have sworn he saw a tear streak down her cheek.

  Damn, what had gone wrong? He hated the thought that he’d made her cry for any reason, but especially one he didn’t understand. His feelings for Delaney were a jumble in his mind, but he knew he wanted to be the man to put a smile on her face. He kicked his boot into the concrete and swore under his breath. Stepping out into the street, he watched the red glow of her truck’s taillights disappear as she took the turn out of his neighborhood.

  He couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so frustrated. If her body’s reaction was any indication, Delaney had been as affected by the kiss as him. He made his way slowly into the house, turned off the music and finished cleaning the kitchen. As he did, he thought about what he wanted from life. Thing
s had always been clear for Cisco—success meant money, power and respect. He’d achieved all of those things but something had been missing, and until he’d come to Horseback Hollow, he hadn’t realized what it was. He still couldn’t put a name on it, but he knew it had something to do with the woman turning him inside out these past few weeks. He still had no doubt he could make things work out to his liking, including his relationship with Delaney.

  The trick was figuring out how.

  * * *

  Delaney sat at the table in her parents’ kitchen two days later, struggling to find the energy to start her day.

  “Are you going to eat the eggs,” her mother asked gently, “or make them into art on your plate?”

  She set down her fork and pushed the plate to the side. “I’m sorry. I don’t seem to have much of an appetite this morning.”

  “It happens, sweetie.” Jeanne Marie eased into the chair next to Delaney and took her hand.

  The small gesture made tears prick at the back of Delaney’s eyes. “Oh, Mama, I messed up so badly.”

  Her mother’s smile was gentle. “Tell me what happened.”

  “I didn’t mean to like him so much.” Delaney wiped the back of her plaid shirtsleeve across her cheek.

  “I assume you’re talking about Cisco?” her mother asked, taking a folded tissue out of the pocket of her soft denim blouse and handing it to Delaney.

  “I just wanted to have some fun. You were right—I’ve been at loose ends now that everyone except Galen and me has paired off. I don’t need to be in a serious relationship. That’s not what I’m looking for and certainly not with a guy like Cisco.”

  “And what does that mean, ‘a guy like Cisco’?”

  Delaney sighed. “He’s got all the right moves, you know? He’s polished and smooth. I bet you he could charm any woman he meets. It’s all an act and I wasn’t going to fall for it. I know better.”

  “That’s funny because he’s seemed genuine in his attentions toward you.”

  “Don’t you see?” Delaney asked, slapping her palm against the table. “That’s what he does. He makes you feel—he made me feel—like someone special. Like I was different. Now I’m just another one of the endless parade of women who have fallen for his charms. I was going to keep my heart out of the mix, Mama. Give him a taste of his own medicine. I don’t know why but I wanted to prove that I was immune to a man like Cisco. I’ve always wanted to be with someone like me, down-to-earth, simple. I don’t need much to make me happy, but now I’m so confused.”