His shoulder went up in a shrug. Could it be he missed having dinner with her? “I have a craving for barbecue pork ribs. I thought maybe you’d like to try them. There’s this little place outside of town… They make ribs you’d sell your grandmother’s soul for.”
His devotion to food made her chuckle. “Really?”
He sent her a sincere smile. “I wouldn’t lie to you.”
Except for a few quick trips into town for clothes and supplies, Macy hadn’t ventured off the ranch. The idea excited her. “Sure, I’d love to go. But I’ll need an hour to shower and change.”
He nodded. “You might want to disguise yourself a little. The Bear Pit has a crowd every night.”
Macy had a surefire way to keep people from recognizing her in a small Texas town. “Don’t worry. I have the best disguise ever. I’ll use it tonight.”
* * *
Carter had showered and dressed in twenty minutes, then spent the rest of the time waiting for Macy in his office while going over the payroll accounts. He checked his watch just as his stomach complained. Macy was taking longer than the hour she’d asked for and patience wasn’t his best virtue, especially when he was hungry.
Carter got to thinking about his marine buddy, Roark Black, and wondered what the hell kind of trouble he was in. He hadn’t received another text from him yet, so yesterday Carter decided to text him to let him know he’d contacted Ann Richardson about the Gold Heart Statue. He’d kept his message vague, but it was enough to let Roark know he’d done what he’d asked. Whatever his friend was caught up in, he hoped to high heaven Roark would find his way out safely.
When Carter heard voices in the parlor, he rose from his desk abruptly. “Finally.”
He strode out of his office, his mind now on Pit’s Blue Plate Special, a slab of ribs coated with whiskey sauce, mashed potatoes and creamed corn along with the best darn buttermilk biscuits in the whole county. He could almost taste it already. When he reached the door to the great room, he stopped up short.
A woman dressed in a soft paisley blouse tucked into a tan skirt and tall leather boots stood speaking with his cousin Brady. The woman’s back was to him, but her long hair hung down her back straight and smooth, parted down the middle. The two were laughing, and Carter thought for a moment that he’d interrupted a private conversation.
What was Brady doing here?
His cousin hadn’t noticed him. His attention was focused solely on the woman.
Then Carter realized his mistake. That wasn’t just some woman. It was Macy. And she was having a grand time with Brady. The devil of it was that Brady was enjoying her attention, too much.
Carter’s gut clenched and emotion poured over him like hot oil. When Macy turned his way, she tilted her head slightly, acknowledging him. “Here’s Carter now.”
He blinked and shook his head. He couldn’t believe the transformation. Macy looked like an entirely different woman with stick-straight hair. Every curl was gone, replaced by a plank of black hair tied loosely with a band at her nape. She’d done something to her face, too, drowning out her natural color with makeup or something.
Brady shot him a grin, and Carter wasn’t proud of the jealousy bouncing around inside. He couldn’t forget the reason for Jocelyn’s rejection: she’d loved Brady and not him. And now, seeing Brady and Macy smiling together was like a shot through his heart. Shouldn’t be so. He didn’t have feelings for Macy.
But he’d be lying if he said he wasn’t attracted to her.
Kissing her had convinced him of that.
But jealousy?
“Brady, what are you doing here?”
Macy’s eyes went wide from his directness, but Brady took it in stride. “I’m on my way out of town. Thought I’d stop by to meet your houseguest. As you can see, Macy and I have already met.”
“Yeah, I can see that.” Carter stepped farther into the room. “You had me fooled for a second,” he said to Macy. “I almost didn’t recognize you.”
She touched the hair at the base of her neck. “It’s my secret weapon. I can’t straighten my hair too often. People will catch on. But now seemed like the perfect time.”
She reached into her handbag and slipped on eyeglasses. “They’re magnifiers, so items might appear larger,” she said, darting a glance at both men, keeping her eyes above their waists, but the innuendo was there. Carter wasn’t sure if Macy was teasing or flirting. Or had it been an innocent comment?
Brady chuckled. “Wow, Macy. You’re a trip.”
Macy laughed with him. “I’m told.”
Carter’s lips tightened.
“Come on, Carter. You have to admit, no one will know it’s me.”
Carter stepped closer and took her arm gently. “I’m starving. Are you ready? Or do you have anything else to add to your disguise?”
“Not a one. I think this will do.”
“You two have fun.” Brady walked outside with them and bid them goodbye.
Carter silently cursed at himself for being a jerk to his cousin, but he couldn’t deny he had a protective streak when it came to Macy. But he was fighting other emotions, as well. He felt possessive of her, and seeing her with Brady just now nearly unraveled his good sense.
“He’s nice,” Macy said on the drive to the Bear Pit.
Carter turned to her. “He has his moments.” He didn’t want to spend the evening speaking about Brady’s virtues. He still couldn’t get over the way Macy looked. “It’s hard to believe you’re the same woman. You look like an Indian princess or something.”
“It’s the MAC makeup. It’s what actors use. I put a dull matte finish on my face, but the only problem I have is with my eyes.”
Carter couldn’t help admiring them. “Nothing wrong there. They are the damnedest shade of violet I’ve ever seen.”
“That’s the problem. They’re so unique, they can be a dead giveaway.”
“The eyeglasses help.”
“Let’s hope. I’m hungry for some ribs.” She rubbed her stomach, and Carter’s gaze drifted to her clothes. In those boots and Western gear, she would fit right in at the Bear Pit.
For some reason, that made Carter extremely happy.
* * *
The place was a honky-tonk to the tenth degree and Macy loved it, right down to the sawdust on the floor. A live band played George Strait, Tim McGraw and Trace Adkins songs on a small stage at the opposite end of the large restaurant. She sat in a red vinyl booth facing Carter and tapped her boots to the beat. She ate barbecue ribs with gusto, chucking aside rules of etiquette and femininity.
“I told you, didn’t I?” Carter said, wearing a satisfied grin. He was about as handsome as handsome gets, especially when those dimples appeared. Especially when his stomach was full of the Blue Plate Special and he was crowing about it.
“It’s delicious. Just like you said.” Macy finished half of her ribs and about the same of her mashed potatoes. She’d eaten one biscuit she swore was the size of a baseball. “I’m so full, I couldn’t—”
The waitress slid a seven-layer chocolate cake in the middle of the table. “Bear’s Bake, just as you ordered, Carter.”
It was the biggest slice of cake Macy had ever seen.
Carter sent the waitress a smile and a wink. “Thanks, Jody.”
The blonde woman’s gaze stayed glued to him. She ignored Macy as if she wasn’t sitting across from him. Normally, she would be relieved to go unnoticed, but her behavior bordered on insulting. “Haven’t seen you here in a long while.”
“Too long,” Carter said. “I won’t let that happen again.”
“See that you don’t.” Finally, she gave Macy a cursory glance, then shot Carter a sweet look. “This one doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty. Or her clothes. I like that.”
Carter had a belly laugh over that, and the waitress took off.
“What?” Macy didn’t like being the butt of a private joke.
Carter didn’t say a word, but a quick glimpse
to her chest had her looking down.
A loud gasp escaped when she spotted a big round barbecue stain on her paisley blouse. “Oh no!” Some of the greasy sauce had also dripped onto her chest, right between her breasts.
“Just sit tight,” Carter said. He moistened a napkin and leaned way over the table to dab at her blouse. He was close, taking his time with the scrubbing. His face came inches from hers, and she breathed in his lime aftershave. It was intimate, how he was touching her, and goose bumps erupted on her arms. Then he moved his attention to her chest, and her skin prickled underneath the napkin as he gently stroked her. She drew a deep breath, which managed to fill out her chest. He stared at the stain for a moment then lifted his face a fraction, his eyes blazing hot as he looked at her. He took a hard swallow. There was a flash of awareness, a hunger that had nothing to do with food. They stared at each other a long moment.
“Can’t get it all off,” he said quietly.
“Not for lack of trying,” she whispered.
His eyes roved over her breasts with unabashed admiration. “It wasn’t a hardship.”
Her words slipped out, countering his attention. “For me, either.”
The band played a slow ballad, and Carter rose from his seat. He came to stand beside her at the table, and she faced his outstretched hand. “Dance with me?”
She was a mess of whiskey-sauce stains, but it wasn’t enough to stop her from dancing with Carter McCay. She slipped her hand in his and followed him toward the music. Once on the saw-dusted wooden dance floor, he turned to face her, his eyes heavy lidded as he drew her against him. He curved his arms around her waist and she clung to his neck.
They began moving, gently rocking to the rhythm. There were ten other couples slow dancing. “I like this song,” Carter whispered in her ear.
Macy laid her head on his chest. “Hmm. I think it’s my favorite, too.” It wasn’t a lie. It was going to be her favorite from now on.
Carter moved with grace, swaying back and forth in tune to the rhythm of the music, and Macy followed easily, her boots gliding across the floor. She wished she could bottle this moment and pretend they were in a cocoon of time, where nothing and no one could interrupt them. She would get lost, never wanting to be found.
“Truth is, Hollywood,” he said in a low rasp, his breath warm against her throat, “I don’t dance much.”
“You’re doing fine.”
“Maybe I just wanted to hold you.”
“I won’t complain.”
“You’re easy to be with.”
“I can be a pain.”
He chuckled, and she felt the vibration of it rumble through his chest. “I’m not touching that comment.”
“It’s good that you don’t. What did the waitress mean, ‘This one doesn’t mind getting her hands dirty’?”
Carter spoke close to her ear. “Jody has a big mouth sometimes. It’s not important.”
Macy pulled back to look into his hazel eyes. “I’d like to know. I mean, the woman insulted me.”
“Trust me. She really didn’t mean anything by it. It’s just Jody.”
“You’re not going to tell me?” She should just be quiet and enjoy the dance.
His lips quirked. “Is this you…being a pain?”
She lowered her head and looked over the top of her fake eyeglasses. “I’m not even trying.”
Carter grinned, and those deep dimples came out. They were his secret weapon, whether he knew it or not.
Her lips formed a pout. She couldn’t help it. Her curiosity was killing her despite Carter’s charm.
He regarded her with a closed-off expression, then finally said, “It was about Jocelyn. She didn’t like it here. The last time we came, she sort of kicked up a fuss about the food and the service.”
“Whoops. Sorry I asked.” Macy really put her foot in it. Jocelyn was a sore subject with Carter.
He pulled Macy close and crushed her breasts, sauce stains and all, into his chest. It was absolutely the place she wanted to be. His lips formed words against her throat. “I don’t want to talk about her anymore.”
Her breath caught. She managed a throaty, “O-kay.”
“Fact is, darlin’, I’d rather not talk at all.”
She couldn’t argue with that or anything else. Her bones were melting.
He lifted her chin with his thumb, looked into her eyes and shut her up for good with a slow, sensual, heart-stopping kiss.
When the dance was over, Macy guiltily looked around to see if she was being gawked at. Carter had kissed her as if he meant business, right there on the dance floor. But the people at the Bear Pit didn’t seem to take notice. Not one bit. If was as if bone-melting kisses were an everyday occurrence or something. Maybe they were.
But not for Macy.
Carter took her hand when the band started playing a rockabilly tune and led her off the dance floor to the table. They stood by their booth and stared at the huge slice of chocolate cake sitting front and center, like a creamy edible centerpiece. “You want cake?”
“No thanks. I’ve already had my dessert.” She glimpsed his mouth.
He blinked.
“If you want some, go ahead. Please,” she said.
He picked up his hat from the booth’s seat and flicked his fingers over the brim, brushing it off. And then he shifted his attention to her, his eyes a dark, daring blaze. “Cake isn’t what I want right now.”
Macy took a gulp of oxygen, her nerves a mass of tingles, and asked softly, “What do you want, Carter?”
Music blared in the background. The floor got rowdy with foot-stomping Texans and their girls. She wasn’t Carter’s girl, but for a moment back there on the dance floor, it sure felt as if she was. She waited for his answer. He wasn’t a man she could deny. If he wanted her, she would go willingly.
A tick worked his jaw and he ran a hand through his hair, making the ends curl up at his collar. He did that, she noticed, when he was trying to make a decision. He drew a breath and regret singed his eyes. Then he tossed his hat back onto the booth’s bench and sat down. “On second thought, maybe I will have some cake.” He gestured for her to sit down. “C’mon, try it. It’s like nothing you’ve ever tasted before in your life.”
Wanna bet? Disappointed, Macy lowered herself into the booth. She wouldn’t press Carter. He needed space and freedom. He’d kissed her like a man who hadn’t been heavily involved with a woman just weeks ago, but that was the point, wasn’t it? That kiss was more about forgetting Jocelyn than it was about his desire for Macy.
Her heart ached. Carter was an amazing man, and she wanted him more and more every day. She knew nothing would come of it in the long run. Macy had a life in Los Angeles, or rather a home, but she didn’t have direction. She needed that more than anything else. Now that her debts were paid, her hope was that her absence in Hollywood would cause the buzz about her to die down. When she returned, she’d like some peace of mind to find her place. She needed to carve out a future, somehow.
But she had time. She’d promised herself she wouldn’t worry about later when she could be living in the now. That’s why she came to Wild River in the first place.
Well, that and because she couldn’t imagine refusing the gorgeous Texan his offer.
“Okay, Carter. Lay it on me. I’ll bite.”
His brows rose and he laughed as he cut her a ginormous piece of chocolate cake. He slid it over to her. “It’s heaven on a plate.”
She picked up her fork and dug in. The cake went down creamy and silky smooth. It was the second-best thing she’d tasted tonight. She let out a contented sigh and sent him a smile. “Mmm…you’re wrong. It’s heaven in Texas.”
Carter leaned back in his seat and folded his arms across his middle, giving her a smug, satisfied look. “You got that right.”
She did. Only, Macy wasn’t speaking about chocolate cake.
* * *
After last night with Carter, Macy had a ton of nervous energy. Sh
e’d rationalized in that his backing off from her was for the best, but her heart said other things. So today, Macy poured herself into her work at the inn, and it was doing the trick. She thought about Carter only every hour or so.
“You are pathetic, Macy,” she muttered as she walked the upstairs hallway.
She poked her head inside the bedroom she was planning on decorating next. This one needed furniture, an armoire and a headboard, at the very least. She’d flipped through catalogs, but nothing jumped out at her. She wanted something special and authentic, antiques from the area, to finish off the room.
The room dimmed and Macy stole a glance out the window. Threatening gray clouds moved in and filled the sky. The air cooled down. She crossed her arms and rubbed away a slight shiver. “Better pack up,” she said. She’d been warned about fast-moving Texas storms.
Rocky, the traitor, had already left. Seemed the dog loved her to pieces, until dinnertime. He’d trotted back to the main house an hour ago, led by his tremendous appetite. She’d already had break time with Bill Fargo. He’d told her a funny story about his youth while they munched on cheese and crackers.
Darkness was descending quickly. A loud clap of thunder made her jump. “Oh!”
There was a sudden flash. Then the power went out.
Macy stood alone in the dark. She shivered again then attempted to make her way out of the bedroom. There was no light, and she knocked her shoulder into the doorjamb. “Ouch!”
She rubbed away the pain on her shoulder, trying to get her bearings, waiting for her eyes to adjust to the dark.
Another clap of thunder struck, louder this time.
A noise from downstairs jerked her to attention. She froze, listening. She heard rustling and hoped it was a tree brushing the window. Glass broke. The sound rang out in her ears. Another bang erupted and glass splintered again.
It was raining and the wind wheezed slightly, but it wasn’t strong enough to break a window.
Someone was out there. Trying to break in.
Macy stood paralyzed with fear, defenseless.
This wasn’t happening, her mind screamed.
She heard a man’s voice, raspy and old, cursing. Someone was really downstairs.
Exquisite Acquisitions Page 10
