Mellie glanced around wildly, making sure no one was in earshot. “Lower your voice, please,” she hissed. “I’d rather this not end up on the evening news.”
“Who is it?” Amanda demanded. “The new wrangler over at Hartley Ranch? Or, no, it’s the dentist...right? He’s asked you out a half dozen times and you finally said yes.”
Mellie smiled, despite her turmoil. “It’s not the dentist. He kept wanting to whiten my teeth...not at all romantic.”
“Then who?”
“Back up,” Mellie said. “I didn’t have sex. Or at least not all the way. More like teenagers in the back of a car.”
Amanda appeared to be struck dumb, her eyes wide with astonishment. “It’s like I don’t even know you,” she said.
Mellie wondered suddenly if she should have kept things to herself. But she couldn’t move forward without at least an amateur second opinion. She decided to come at the situation from another angle. “I’ve been invited to the party at the Cattleman’s Club Saturday night.”
“Okayyyy... So what’s the stupid thing you did?”
“I said no.”
“Ah. And now you want to change your mind.”
“Maybe. But what if he’s already asked someone else?”
“Is that likely?”
“I’m not sure. He was mad when I turned him down. Said he wasn’t going to ask again. That I would have to tell him if I wanted to go.” She fudged a bit. That wasn’t exactly how Case had phrased it. He’d said Mellie would have to say she wanted him.
“I still haven’t heard a name.” Amanda’s brow creased.
“The who isn’t important. Because even if I decide to contact him, I don’t have a dress to wear.”
“That part’s easy.” Amanda sat back and took a sip of the iced tea she’d brought with her to the table. “Last year when Nathan and I were invited to the governor’s mansion for a law enforcement ball, I bought a dress I never wore. I decided the color didn’t work for me and the skirt was way too long and too hard to hem. But the dress was on clearance, so I couldn’t return it. You and I are about the same size. Plus, you’re taller, so I think it will work. Why don’t I bring it by your house this evening?”
“That would be great.” Except that Mellie had been counting on a lack of wardrobe choices as her reason not to go to the party.
Amanda glanced at her watch. “I’ve gotta get back to work. I’ll text you when I’m on my way...okay?”
“Sure.”
Amanda stood and tapped the table with her finger. “You can’t keep his name a secret forever. If the dress works, the price for my fashion donation is full disclosure.”
“I don’t know why you’re making such a big deal about this. If I end up going, you’ll find out who it is. You and Nathan will be at the party...right?”
“Of course...but I hate surprises. So you might as well tell me tonight.”
* * *
By 6:00 p.m. Mellie chickened out and sent a text to Amanda.
Changed my mind about the party. Thanks anyway.
Amanda was not so easily dissuaded. She showed up at Mellie’s house half an hour later, garment bag in hand. When Mellie answered the door, Amanda frowned at her. “I never figured you for a coward.”
Mellie stepped back, shrugging helplessly. “I’m not a coward. But it’s complicated.”
“Isn’t it always?” Amanda placed the long black bag on Mellie’s coffee table and sat down on the sofa.
Mellie took the chair opposite. “I’ve waited too long to say yes. It’s a moot point now. Sorry you came for nothing.”
Amanda stared at her. “Tell me who it is.”
“Case.” Even saying his name out loud made Mellie shiver with a combination of anticipation and dread.
“Case who? Your boss?”
Apparently, Mellie was right. The idea that Case Baxter might invite his housekeeper to the most important event of the year was inconceivable. “Yes.”
At last Amanda grasped the enormity of the situation. Her jaw dropped. “Case Baxter invited you to be his date for the party honoring him as the new president of the Texas Cattleman’s Club and you turned him down?” That last part ended on a screech.
Mellie winced. “Yes.”
Silence reigned for long minutes. Amanda looked at Mellie as if she were some kind of alien being. “I didn’t think you even knew Case until you started cleaning his house.”
“I didn’t. But when he got sick and I helped him out a bit, we...um...”
“Fell madly in lust with each other?”
Mellie couldn’t decide if Amanda was scandalized or delighted. “I didn’t even like him at first,” Mellie said. “He’s arrogant and bossy and opinionated...”
“In other words, a Texas male. It’s in their DNA, Mellie.”
“Maybe.”
“But you got past that first impression, obviously.”
“I still think he’s all of those things, but when he was so sick, I saw another side of him. A human side. A vulnerable side.”
“Oh, dear.”
“What?”
“You’re falling for the guy.”
“Don’t be silly. He’s handsome, and when you get to know him, not so bad, but this isn’t about anything long-term.”
“So why did you turn him down?”
A very good question. “He’s the guest of honor Saturday night. He’ll be in the spotlight. I’m not a center-of-attention kind of girl.”
“So?”
“I shouldn’t even have mentioned this to you. I’m not going, so it doesn’t matter.”
“Try on the dress. And don’t argue.” Amanda could be like a dog with a bone when she wanted something.
“Fine. But only because you won’t leave me alone until I do.” Mellie snatched up the dress in its protective covering and hurried down the hall to her bedroom, trying to ignore Amanda’s mischievous smile.
When she unzipped the garment bag, she sucked in a breath. The gown was amazing. It was halter necked and backless. The chiffon-and-silk fabric almost glowed. The color started out as sea-foam green at the bodice, edged into a slightly darker hue at the hips and continued the length of the dress, sliding from one shade into the next as the mermaid-style skirt fell in a dozen layers of tiny ruffles.
No woman could resist trying it on. With a few contortions, Mellie managed the zipper on her own and slid her feet into strappy high heels. One look in the mirror told her the gown was made for her.
Amanda called out from the living room. “I want to see it. Come model for me.”
“Give me a minute.” Mellie stared in the mirror, trying to imagine the expression in Case’s eyes if he saw her in this dress. She didn’t suffer from false modesty. Her body was nice...average. But in this confection of multishaded green, she felt like a princess.
Amanda actually stood up and clapped when Mellie walked into the living room. “You look amazing. And I was right. The length is perfect.”
“I can’t wear a bra.” Her shoulders and back were bare.
“You don’t need one. I’m so excited you’re going to the party.”
Mellie held up a hand. “I haven’t even tried to contact Case, and if I do, he’s probably asked someone else already.”
Amanda chuckled. “Why don’t we find out?”
“Now?”
“Of course now. The event is less than forty-eight hours away.”
“I’ll text him later tonight. Let me change out of this and we can grab some dinner. Didn’t you say Nathan was working tonight?”
“Yes. But I think my stomach can wait five minutes for a meal. Quit stalling.”
“Be honest, Amanda. Don’t you see that this could be a disaster? Gossip spreads faster than wil
dfire around here.”
Amanda hugged her, careful not to muss the dress. “It’s a very simple question. If he enjoys your company and you like being with him, all that matters is whether or not you can keep from getting hurt.”
“It won’t last long. He’s not interested in anything serious.”
“That’s all the more reason to enjoy it now. You work hard, Mellie. And you deserve an exciting evening with one of Royal’s premier eligible ranchers.”
“Sounds like a B-grade reality show.”
“I’m serious. Do the Cinderella thing for one night. And come Monday, everything can go back to normal.”
“You make it sound so easy.”
Amanda picked up Mellie’s cell phone. “Here.” She held it out. “Do it before you get cold feet.”
“I already have cold feet,” Mellie complained. But she took the phone and pulled up Case’s contact info. Hastily, without overthinking it, she clicked out a message.
If the invitation is still open, I would like 2 go with you to the party Saturday nt.
Suddenly, she felt like throwing up. It was going to be so embarrassing when he told her it was too late...that he had invited someone else. Every passing second made her want to climb into a hole and hide.
Even Amanda seemed abashed, her romantic soul shriveling in the loud silence.
Suddenly, Mellie’s phone dinged.
I’ll pick you up at 6:30. Glad you changed your mind.
Heart pounding, Mellie replied.
Only about the party. Just so we’re clear.
Chicken?
No. Practical. How R U feeling?
100%. Good enough to rock your world. J
“What’s going on over there?” Amanda asked when Mellie giggled.
Who knew a man like Case Baxter would use an emoticon?
Mellie sat down on the sofa, her legs suddenly too weak to hold her up. “Um, nothing special. He says he’s glad I changed my mind.”
“Well, there you go. You were worried for nothing.”
Maybe. Or maybe her worries were only beginning.
Twelve
Friday flew by in a blur. Mellie subbed for one of her ladies, worked on her scheduling for three weeks out and at the end of the day went for a mani-pedi at her favorite salon.
That night she fell into bed, too exhausted to worry about her upcoming date with Case. But Saturday morning, the day of reckoning arrived. She and Amanda met after lunch to get their hair done.
They had booked simultaneous appointments. Amanda requested that her hair be arranged in a soft knot on top of her head with tendrils framing her face. She would look adorable.
The salon owner and Amanda ganged up on Mellie when Mellie asked for a similar style. “Yours needs to be down and wavy,” Amanda insisted. “That gorgeous color will pop against the green of the gown.”
“And who says I want to pop?”
The other women ignored her, their plan already in progress.
An hour later it was done.
Mellie had asked for a trim, but her hair still swung softly against her shoulders. She paid for her session and waited as Amanda did the same. The truth was, she did feel a little bit glamorous.
They saw several other women in the shop, as well—ranchers’ wives mostly, with a few girlfriends thrown in. Tonight these would be the people observing Case and his date.
On the sidewalk, Mellie parted company with Amanda. “Promise you’ll rescue me at the party if things get weird.”
Amanda laughed, her cheeks pink from the heat inside. “Nothing is going to get weird, but yes... Nathan and I will look out for you.”
After that somewhat reassuring promise, Mellie went home and second-guessed her decision a thousand times. When she was stressed, she liked to clean, so that’s what she did. After a couple of hours, her house was spotless. But she was still jittery.
When Case arrived to pick her up, Mellie felt as awkward as a preteen on her first date. She opened the door and managed not to swoon. He stood there filling the entryway...tall, incredibly handsome, king of his domain in the conservative tux that fit his long, lean body to perfection. Clearly, he was on the mend.
His lazy grin lit a spark deep inside her. She wanted to gobble him up but at the same time had the urge to run away.
He must have nicked himself shaving. She could see the tiny red spot where he had managed to staunch the trickle of blood.
As she stepped back so that he could come in, his warm gaze raked her from head to toe. “Hello, Mellie.” His tone was low and intimate. “You look stunning.” The words held a level of intensity she hadn’t anticipated.
“Thank you,” she muttered. “I’m ready. All I need to do is grab my wrap.”
* * *
Case was fully recovered from the flu, but he still felt a little unsteady on his feet. Mostly from lying around all week. Inactivity wasn’t his usual style.
The fact that Mellie had changed her mind about being his date tonight gave him great hope for the culmination of the evening. Now that he was well, he wasn’t about to let her get away a second time. All he’d been able to think about as the days dragged by this week was how amazing it had been to hold Mellie and kiss her and how desperately he wanted to do so much more.
If it had been up to him, the club wouldn’t be throwing a party in his honor this evening. But he understood that his new title came with certain social obligations. Having Mellie at his side would go a long way toward making the evening’s festivities palatable. Despite her reservations about being seen in public with him, he was going to be proud to have her on his arm tonight.
Thank God he was finally well. Everything was going according to plan.
As she disappeared down the hallway, he watched her go, taking note of the way her dress dipped low in the back. His breath came faster and his forehead was damp, but his symptoms had nothing at all to do with the flu. Mellie Winslow was a smart, gorgeous, funny woman.
And for tonight she was his.
By the time he had tucked her into his vintage sports car, he realized two things. One, he should have brought the larger Mercedes. He and Mellie were so close in this small space he could have leaned over and kissed her with no trouble at all. Given the fact that he was already hard just from looking at her and inhaling her light scent, he was in trouble.
Secondly, Mellie was as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs. She seemed pale, but maybe that was a trick of the light. “Relax,” he said. “We’re going to a party. I want you to have fun.”
Mellie half turned in her seat. “I don’t know why I let you talk me into this.” Her eyes were huge. The pulse at the base of her throat beat rapidly.
He smiled, ruefully aware that he was in far deeper than he wanted to admit. What he was about to do would make them late, but it would be worth it. Leaning across the gearshift, he held her chin in one hand and slid his other hand beneath her masses of golden-red hair to cup her nape. “I can’t wait all night to taste you.”
He kissed her slowly, even though he wanted to do the opposite. Her lip gloss would have to be repaired, but that was a minor inconvenience. She responded instantly, moving toward him and sighing as his tongue mated with hers. Her skin was soft and warm, her kiss feminine and eager.
Damn. His memories hadn’t been exaggerated by his illness at all. Here he was, stone-cold sober, fever-free and wildly out of control already. He inhaled sharply and released her, pausing only to run his thumb along her trembling lower lip. “Say something,” he demanded.
Her faux-fur wrap had fallen away. Mellie retrieved it and huddled into the warmth. “Like what?”
Now that her bare shoulders were covered, maybe he could manage a coherent conversation. “I want to strip that dress from
your body and drag you into the backseat.”
So much for conversation.
Mellie managed a smile. “I’d invite you inside, but I think it’s probably a terrible faux pas for the newly elected president of the Texas Cattleman’s Club to miss his own party.”
He gripped the steering wheel, needing to refute her statement but knowing she was right. “Afterward. Tonight. I want to stay over.”
The silence lasted several beats too long for his peace of mind. Mellie wrinkled her nose. “I’d rather you not. My neighbors are nosy.”
Hell. “Be honest with me, Mellie. Are you objecting to the venue or to the idea of you and me?”
This time her answer was even slower in coming. “The venue only, I suppose. I’d like to think I could say no to you, but I won’t lie to myself. I want you, Case. But we seem to be at an impasse, because I know you don’t have women spend the night out at the ranch.”
A knot inside his chest relaxed. “For you, I’ll make an exception.” He meant his response to be light and teasing, but the six words came out sounding like a vow.
Mellie nodded slowly. “Okay, then. We can swing by here later, and I’ll pack a bag. If you’re sure.”
He wasn’t sure at all...about anything...except that before midnight, Mellie Winslow was going to be in his bed.
* * *
Mellie felt as if she had fallen down the rabbit hole. Suddenly, her career seemed far less important than her love life. Since when did she calmly make plans to spend the night with a man? She hadn’t had sex in over two years. Maybe she should warn Case that she was rusty. Or maybe he knew enough for the both of them.
As they pulled up in front of the imposing Texas Cattleman’s Club, a uniformed parking valet hurried forward, ready to take the keys and whisk the car away. Case helped Mellie out of the low-slung vehicle, both of them taking care not catch her dress on anything.
When she stood at his side, her stomach full of butterflies, he slipped an arm around her waist. “You ready?”
She nodded, but her heart plummeted. Out at the ranch, Case had simply been a sick male who needed her help. Now...here...it was going to be impossible to ignore who he really was.
Courting the Cowboy Boss: Reclaimed by the Rancher Page 10
