by Vivian Arend
“Now, don’t you two look cozy,” Diane offered, sliding onto the couch and patting the space next to her. “If I can drag her way from you, Luke, I’d like to borrow your woman.”
“We’re supposed to be heading downstairs, sugar,” Jack warned.
Diane gave a dramatic sigh, but she winked at Kelli. “The man is right. Come on, girlfriend. Let’s pull on our dancing shoes and go see what mischief we can make.”
Kelli glanced at Luke, not quite sure what was going on. All the agenda had said was the name of a room, and she wasn’t sure she wanted to be separated from him, for more than one reason.
He nodded briefly, tugging her in tight for a hug. “Jack and I are coming with you girls,” he promised.
She could’ve sworn he pressed a kiss to the top of her head before he let her go. What was certain was he patted her on the butt as she stepped away. She did a double take back at him and set him grinning.
Jack laughed. “This is going to be fun,” he said, clasping Luke firmly on the shoulder before the two men grabbed shoes and light jackets and passed them around. “I’m not sure who’s more trouble, yours or mine.”
“Two are always better than one,” Kelli pointed out, “especially when it comes to making trouble.”
“Amen, girlfriend.” Diana raised a fist in the air. Kelli bumped their knuckles together.
Easy talk and comfortable laughter hung around them as they made their way to the second floor where the room was rented for the evening.
This was the best part of having met someone already. There was a whole crush of brand-new people in the room. The hotel had done their best to turn the place into a welcoming environment, but it was busy. Not a thousand people busy, but still clusters of strangers, and Kelli shifted closer to Luke’s side before she realized what she’d done.
It was amazingly comfortable to feel his hand slide to her lower back, centering her and rooting her. “You got this,” he said, bending until his lips were right beside her ear.
She tilted her head to respond which put her mouth a fraction of an inch away from his. “Piece of cake, baby.”
A huff of amusement escaped him, air brushing her cheek, and it took a great deal of control to stop from simply closing the gap between them.
The way he was looking at her told her she wasn’t the only one with that thought, and suddenly the tangle inside unraveled just a little.
It didn’t really matter how many strangers she was about to have to impress. Luke Stone was watching her with eyes that said this entire roller coaster ride of second-guessing their sexual tension might not be headed toward derailment.
“Kelli, there’s someone over here you need to meet.” Diane had her by the hand, tugging her away from Luke without a by-her-leave, yet that was fine.
Kelli wiggled her fingers at an obviously amused pair of men.
“Take care of her for me,” Luke called after them.
“It’s okay. I’ve got bail money set aside,” Jack announced, their laughter fading in the distance as Diane dragged her away.
The whirlwind began. For the next four hours Kelli was enticed from one set of people to the next. Diane introduced her at times, Luke shuffling back into the mix to stand beside her and bring her into conversation with the people he already knew from his years travelling to deliver sales or while supervising stud services.
It was exciting to be in a place with so many people who honestly loved the industry. Before long, Kelli found any lingering anxiety she had over chatting with the big-wigs had vanished like dandelion fluff in a strong wind. She felt swept away to places unknown as she settled in a chair opposite a woman with hair that was teased to the heavens, her Texas drawl making Kelli smile.
Her friends from Heart Falls Girls’ Night Out would have rolled their eyes if they could see her now, because the evening had turned into a little bit of Kelli-heaven. Talking horses non-stop and hearing what was going on in a world that was far beyond her reach—perfect.
Not even the sensation that she was being watched closely by more than just Luke was enough to send her tumbling from her euphoria. The watchers weren’t scary. They were just…
Curious about her? Wondering about Luke’s new partner?
Timothy Carlyn was one. The older man had that distinguished look about him, with the grey hair and neatly trimmed beard and moustache; he could’ve been a poster boy for horseracing billionaire of the month.
His attention wasn’t really creepy, but he definitely stared at her more often than seemed right.
Sweet, caring, bossy Diane was keeping an eye on her too, which made Kelli feel all kinds of happy and curious. After being pulled into a few conversations by her new bestie, it had become clear from the way others reacted that Ms. Jakarta was someone big in the industry. Kelli itched to break out her phone and do a Google search, but she decided it would be far too rude.
So instead, Kelli buckled down and schmoozed.
The room held little clusters of seating arrangements and small tables where people could grab a drink and a bite to eat. They would chat for a while then move into a new setting with new people.
The setup was simple and, as it turned out, immensely enjoyable for Kelli because she had two wonderful things going on.
Bragging about Silver Stone was easy. She loved the place, loved everything about it. Add in the fact that Luke couldn’t seem to keep his eyes off her—
Concentrate, Kelli warned herself, dragging her gaze away from where she’d gotten stuck staring at him. She focused deliberately on the Texas woman in front of her.
Sadie Petrie paused to take a sip of her tea, a knowing smile curling her lips as her gaze darted between Kelli and Luke. “It’s nice to see two young people so obviously in love.”
Kelli wasn’t about to point out the difference between love and awakening lust.
The heat scalding her cheeks must’ve been enough of an answer to satisfy Mrs. Petrie because the woman laughed, patting Kelli’s fingers. “I won’t tease. Come. Let’s grab your young man, and the two of you can sit with me during dinner. I’ll introduce you to my husband.”
Nice people, Kelli decided. Diane and Jack and the Petries, and many more. She’d been wrong to assume just because they had money in their pockets that the entire group were going to be terrible or stuffy.
Then again, she’d made that assumption based on the only truly rich person she’d had much contact with. And Penny’s past behavior meant Kelli couldn’t really be blamed for having jumped to some conclusions.
Through the rest of the evening, both dinner and the time afterward where, to her great surprise, everyone broke into groups and the cards came out for some family-friendly games, the sensation of Luke’s gaze upon her grew stronger. As if he were actually touching her.
She thought she was doing a good job at the gala, but as much fun and as important as the entire event was she couldn’t help but hope a little of the magic spilled over to the rest of their evening.
What would happen when they left and went up to their room?
Luke wasn’t sure what he was doing anymore.
The gala—fantastic. That part he had zero doubts about. As he suspected, Kelli was in her element as soon as she’d forgotten to be nervous. Watching her work her magic as she chatted excitedly about anything and everything related to their horses, well, after a while he hadn’t bothered doing anything more than run interference to make sure she didn’t get monopolized for too long. People seemed to want to take her home and adopt her as a pet.
There were a few couples to avoid, but Diane had also taken Kelli under her wing, which meant there were two of them running interference. It was awesome.
Speaking of Diane—Luke’s jaw had nearly hit the floor when he’d realized exactly who they’d fallen in with. The Jarkatas were partners in, or outright owned, a half a dozen of the top breeding stables in the south.
Including, it turned out, Jack’s family’s operation.
H
e’d stared at his friend in shock when Jack had finally informed him of all the tangled details.
Jack raised a brow, amusement covering his face. “You honestly didn’t know?” he asked.
Luke shook his head. “Last time we talked you were foreman for your family’s stables. You said you were dating someone—but you didn’t say who, or that it was serious. You moved fast.”
“Diane’s parents bought out my parents without mentioning a thing to either of us until it was a done deal. Thank God I’d already told Diane I loved her before the final paperwork went through.”
Luke could see how that could have caused problems. “When’s the wedding?”
Jack shrugged. “I’ve asked her, but she’s said even though she loves me too, she’s not ready yet. And while I’d love to get my ring on her finger, whatever makes her happy is what I’m going with.”
He slapped Jack on the back as they were drawn into another conversation.
Luke’s gaze had drifted across to where Kelli sat beside Diane, the two of them laughing wildly as the youngest woman in the room, the seventeen-year-old granddaughter and heir apparent to one of the most successful dynasties represented at the event, laid her cards on the table in front of them with a squeal before shooting her arms upward.
No, the evening hadn’t been what he’d expected. It had been better.
And now, hours later, as Luke opened the door to the suite and Kelli slipped inside in front of him, a new set of better than expected hopes dared to rise.
When she’d hit him with her…
He wasn’t even sure what to call it. Proposition? Suggestion?
Radical new way of thinking?
He hadn’t been ready for it. But after the evening and time to see her in a new light, things were changing. He’d reminded himself over and over that this was not Kelli, the ranch hand who eavesdropped and teased and worked at his side because she was an employee.
She was Kelli. The woman who’d seen him hurt and dirty and exhausted. The one who done her damnedest at times, he’d finally realized, to make him smile on the days when he hadn’t had much to smile about.
She was a woman who, now that he got to think of her as a woman, cleaned up damn nice.
Jack and Diane were nowhere to be seen. They’d left the gathering after mentioning time zones and jetlag. At least another half an hour had passed before Luke could haul Kelli away from the far too vigorous game of whist she’d been playing against three silver-haired gentlemen.
He glanced at his watch. It wasn’t late enough to call it a night. Not even with the drive that day and all the rest of the activity.
To tell the truth, he was scared to head into the bedroom yet because he wasn’t sure how he was going to face the night.
Once again Kelli came to his rescue. She kicked off her boots then sauntered across the room to the still-burning gas fireplace. She dropped to her knees in front of it and let out a happy sigh.
He followed suit, getting comfy before crossing the floor to join her.
Luke stopped by her side and glanced down to discover she’d crossed her legs and was sitting in the familiar twisted-limb position he used to catch his foster sister relaxing in. “I’d join you, but I don’t think my pants bend that way.”
A smile twisted her lips. “Take them off.”
Tempting, but no. “I don’t think I bend that way.”
Instead he settled beside her, leaning against the couch conveniently at his back.
Outside, snow continued to fall. Big white fluffy flakes drifted gently downward, a wonderland. The hotel’s feature spotlights shone in different directions. Inside, the fire had turned the room warm and cozy.
“The heat is nice, but gas fireplaces don’t sound right or smell right,” Kelli complained softly, easing her neck from side to side.
She had closed her eyes, so it was safe to watch her. To let his gaze drift over the long line of her neck reflected in the firelight glow. To admire the sweep of her breasts under her shimmering yellow blouse.
He eased forward far enough to give into temptation and drag a finger down her sleeve to once again enjoy the soft texture. “I was going to tell you earlier how much I like that top.”
“It’s Rose’s. You should see how good it looks against her dark skin.”
He snorted. Deflection, again. “It looks good on you.”
“Thanks.”
They sat in silence. Luke was tempted to slide forward until he sat right behind her. Close enough he could rub his cheek against hers. Maybe press his lips to the spot under her ear that, when he’d touched it earlier that day, had made her quiver in his arms.
Close enough that he could reach around and undo the buttons on that blouse, one by one, until the fabric slid apart and more of her skin was exposed to the dancing light from the orange and red flames.
He wasn’t sure anymore what was stopping him, other than they were in a semipublic room, a problem that could be fixed with a quick change of location.
Her eyes drifted open, and she twisted toward him. “Tell me about Penny.”
Okay, there was an instant libido killer. He raised a brow. “Now? I thought you told me not to mention her name.”
“We were in the middle of a fight, and it wasn’t an appropriate time. But over the course of the evening enough people mentioned her name that I realized I probably should know a bit more.”
“I don’t think most men talk details about their ex-fiancée with their current fiancée,” Luke drawled, folding his arms behind his head. “If anyone was asking you about her, they were out of line.”
“Duly noted, and yet me being me, I am curious.” She untangled her legs and wrapped her arms around her knees. “Why were you with her? I mean, I watched Caleb fall in love. There’s plenty of good reasons why Tamara kicked his feet out from under him. And I get why Walker’s with Ivy. But I never understood why you were with Penny.”
“That’s why we’re not together anymore, I guess,” Luke confessed. For some reason it was easier than he’d expected to keep going. “You know parts of this. We met at the Stampede. She was actually getting harassed by some dude. I stepped in and pretended I was her boyfriend to get him to lay off.”
Kelli rolled her eyes. “Dear God, don’t tell me this fake relationship thing is a habit with you.”
“Twice in over thirty years. I don’t think that’s a habit.”
But she was smiling. “Go on.”
He stared into the fire. “She was all excited about Silver Stone and the things she said she was learning from me, but when I think back, it might’ve been more that she wanted to be excited about something. It made her seem more serious so her father would agree she should be brought in on their family business. I was convenient, and after a while, so was she.”
The lights on the plastic piece of log rotated again, a pattern that was too easy to predict. Fake, not full of life and unexpected, the way a true fire would dance.
Kind of like his relationship with Penny had been, if he was honest.
“Being with her—associated with her family—wasn’t a bad thing for Silver Stone,” he confessed.
A soft curse drifted from Kelli. “That’s why it went on for so long. That’s the part I couldn’t figure out.”
He dragged his gaze up to hers. “So, you see, it’s not as if she was the only one who made a mistake. She’s not a terrible person, but in the end, we weren’t right for each other. I wish her well.”
She watched him intently before dropping her chin firmly. “You’re a good man, Luke Stone.”
“I make mistakes, same as anyone. Some more spectacular than others,” he said wryly, drawing a smile from her.
She rubbed her palms against her thighs then unraveled herself to vertical, looking down at him. “I’m gonna grab a quick shower then crawl into bed. Good night.”
Luke stared after her, watching her heart-shaped ass sway as she strode across the room and disappeared behind the bedroom doo
r. He stayed where he was, desperately trying not to think about her getting naked under the water. To not imagine the heated streams rolling down her skin, or her hands moving over her breasts, between her legs…
He closed his eyes and fought with himself. Staying there as time ticked past to give her time to get wrapped up and safely under the covers, because there was one thing he’d just realized with complete and utter surety. Didn’t matter that she’d called him a good man not even thirty minutes ago.
The things he wanted to do to Kelli James were utterly wicked.
10
The room was dark when the door finally cracked open and Luke slipped in. Kelli lay curled up on her side of the bed, eyes closed so she wasn’t tempted to gawk.
The bathroom door opened and closed, water ran, and enough time passed that under any other circumstances she would have fallen asleep.
This wasn’t a normal night. On a normal evening, she wasn’t waiting for Luke to join her in bed.
His footsteps were almost soundless as he paced across the carpeted floor toward her, and when he sat, the mattress was big and firm enough to barely shift position.
He lay back, head on his pillow, adjusted the quilt, and then lay motionless.
Fairly anticlimactic after all of her hopeful expectations.
Only the longer she lay there trying to relax, and the longer he lay there pretending to sleep—because there was no way anyone could possibly stay that motionless unless it was deliberate or they’d been hit on the head—the more amused she got.
She opened her eyes.
Enough light stole in the open curtain to see he was staring at the ceiling.
“I’m tempted to shout ‘Boo,’” she confessed softly, “but you might hurt something breaking out of that rigid position you’ve got yourself encased in.”
His lips twitched, and he rolled, brown eyes shifting as his gaze drifted over her face. “Very considerate you restrained yourself then.”
They stared at each other until Kelli noticed that their breathing had become synchronized. The repetitions were slow and even, strangely enough, considering how frantically her heart pounded.
