What seemed worse, the more she knew him, the better she liked him and the more she thought of him. That realization scared her. She didn’t want to respect him, admire him and like him. He was still Tony, who had to run everything all the time. Physically, she was intensely attracted to him, but it was beginning to spill over into other aspects of their lives and that scared her.
Never in her life had she been attracted to someone who could put her way of life at risk—until now.
To protect her own lifestyle, she had to make tonight the last time she would socialize with him. She had to break off seeing him before her life was in shambles and her heart broken.
Could she adhere to that...or was it too late?
Six
He wasn’t in the kitchen when she came back from freshening up in the powder room. Where had he gone?
She saw a column of gray smoke spiraling skyward and followed it to the glassed-in sitting room where she saw him outside at a grill. When she went out, he turned to smile at her. Tall, lean and strong, he kept her heart racing. His blue-eyed gaze drifted over her and she could see his approval.
“The steak smells wonderful,” she said.
“Thanks. We have tossed salad and twice-baked potatoes, too.”
“When did you fix all that? Twice-baked potatoes? You planned this?”
“No. I have Gwynne, a cook who has gone home now. She fixes dinners and leaves them for me. The potatoes were frozen and easy to thaw and heat. She lives in her own place here on the ranch and cooks five days a week.”
“And what do you do the other two days?”
“Eat alone,” he said.
“I can imagine,” she remarked, thinking of women she knew he had taken out.
He chuckled as he turned to look at the steaks.
The terrace was broad, running across the back of the house and along the bright blue swimming pool that looked so inviting.
“What do you want to drink? Iced tea, wine, cold beer, martini—you name what you’d like.”
“With a drive home tonight, I think iced tea is a good choice.”
“I’ll get you that, but I’d be happy to drive you home tonight.”
“I’ll take the tea,” she answered, smiling at him, wanting to accept his offer, wanting to stay all night, but determined to do what she should.
In minutes he brought her a tall glass of tea and he held a cold beer. “Shall we sit where I can keep an eye on the steaks?”
All the time they talked, she was aware of him sitting close. His hand rested on her shoulder, rubbing it lightly, or on her nape, his warm fingers drifting in feathery caresses, all small touches that were heightening desire. Was it going to be easy to forget the times spent with him? Was she going to miss him or think about him when they parted for good? She knew the answers to both questions. What she was uncertain about was whether she could resist him.
Soon they sat down to eat in his cool, informal dining area.
“Once again, I’m surprised and impressed. You’re quite a cook, Tony. The steaks are delicious.”
“Thank you. Our own beef and my own cooking. Ta-da.”
When she laughed, he shook his head.
“I need to make an improvement,” he said, reaching out to unfasten one more button of her shirt and push it open to reveal her lush curves. His warm fingers brushed her lightly and she drew a sharp breath, longing for his touch.
She hoped what she wanted didn’t show. She could barely eat. All she wanted was to be in his arms. In some part of her mind she wondered if he had an ulterior motive for inviting her to see the pumps.
He turned on the charm during dinner, smiling and telling her stories about his family and funny incidents when he started as a rancher. They sat for hours after they finished their steaks, laughing and talking over coffee, until she realized the sun had gone down a long time ago. She stood. “It’s getting late, Tony. Ishould go home.” She picked up her plate. Instantly Tony took her dish from her hands.
“None of that. Gwynne will be here in the morning and will take care of it.”