“Dinner, as in a date?”
He nodded.
“Are you asking me out?”
Amused, he smiled. “What’s your last name?”
“Sinclair.”
“Erin Sinclair,” he said, as if tasting her name on his lips. “Yes, I am asking you out on a date. Would you like to have dinner with me?”
“Well, now that you put it that way, Dan Hunt. Yes I would.”
His next smile was of relief. “Thank you.”
“And work at my place, afterward,” she added.
She wanted to be on her own turf, in case things went sour. She wasn’t sure where Dan’s head was at, but she had a feeling their kiss tonight was as good an indicator as she was going to get from him. “But how will you get the files?”
“I have the pass code and permission, remember? I’ll double back and grab the next batch of files and we’ll look them over after we have dinner.”
“Are you sure?”
“You might not know this about me, but I eat dinner all...the...time.” He grinned.
She laughed, her mood lightening up considerably. Dan had a sense of humor, after all. And she wondered what a real date with Dan Hunt would be like.
Four
Sunlight cut through the white shutters cracked slightly open in Erin’s bedroom, lending brightness without any real heat. The morning air brisk and cool, she cuddled down into her covers, her head cushioned by a fluffy pillow. Her guest quarters at the Flying E Ranch were like a dream. More cottage than ranch cabin, she was surrounded by a picturesque garden that kept on giving, regardless of season, thanks in part to the groundskeeper, who always had a smile and wave for her.
Tapestries covered the walls in flowery settings, and she focused her gaze on one of them. But the artwork, a cobblestone path leading to a birdbath pond, soon obscured in her mind as an image of Dan entered, popping into her head, just like that.
She smiled. Her discovery that he was Chelsea Hunt’s brother had shocked her, but seeing her hadn’t shocked Dan. He’d seemed glad, although she shouldn’t make too much of his apparent relief at seeing her again. Because, according to her latest tally, most men didn’t live up to the hype, and their meeting again had been purely accidental.
Yet, it had been torture sitting beside Dan during the night, trying to concentrate on files when her mind was going to the secret places Dan had taken her. And then, before she could escape the parking lot unscathed, he’d kissed her, landing a knockout blow that had left her shaking.
Suddenly restless, Erin tossed off her covers and sat up in bed. She had a date with Dan tonight. She hadn’t been on a date since Rex. But he no longer counted. She was removing him from any importance in her life. The floor felt cool to her feet as she rose and padded over to her closet. It wasn’t what she’d call brimming with clothes, she’d left much of her stuff back in Seattle, but after a quick scan, she gave her head a bob. She could work with what she had and put together an outfit for her date tonight.
That settled, she slipped on her robe and ambled into the kitchen to set a pot of coffee to brew. She had approximately ten hours before Dan would pick her up for dinner and she created a schedule to keep herself busy. She’d take her daily jog around the ranch, tidy up the cottage, bake a cake, and continue her job search for a position back in Seattle. Her present situation ended on December 31. After that, she’d have to head home, jobless.
Working on the investigation made her feel useful. She looked forward to solving the mystery of Maverick or at least, lending a hand in tracking the cyberbully down. From what she’d gathered, he’d attacked one member of TCC after another over the months and it was why Will Brady, her ex-employer, had been called to Royal in the first place.
After a breakfast of raisin toast and coffee, she dressed in a pair of faded comfy workout pants and a deep purple sweatshirt marked by the Washington Huskies logo, and went outside. She jogged the ranch grounds stretching her legs and breathing in the crisp cool air. It was warmer than winters in Seattle, and there was sunshine, something you didn’t see in Seattle too often.
Half an hour later, she had her hand on the cabin doorknob, ready to head inside and face her computer, when a familiar voice rang out. “Morning, Erin. Wait up.”
She turned to find Will Brady coming up the path, holding little Faye in his arms. The little one recognized her and bounced in her daddy’s arms. Erin’s heart melted. “Will, good morning to you too.”
When Will reached her, Faye was holding her arms out and Erin immediately grabbed her. “Hello, my little princess. How are you this morning?” Every time she spoke to Faye, her voice rose an octave and today was no different. She gave Faye a big fat kiss on her rosy cheek and set her on her hip. It was as natural as breathing, holding this baby.
“I hope we’re not disturbing you. Are you busy?” Will asked.
“Yes, I’m busy holding your adorable little girl, and offering you a cup of coffee. Come inside.”
Will laughed and entered the house behind her. “Have a seat,” she said. Using her free hand to open the pantry door, she pulled out a box of teething crackers, leftover from when she was Faye’s nanny. “Can she have one?”
The baby spotted the box and was reaching for it.
“Of course,” Will said.
Erin handed Faye a cracker and the baby immediately went to town on it.
“Sit. I’ll pour you a cup of coffee,” she said. She knew how Will liked his coffee, black with two spoonfuls of sugar.
“No, thanks, Erin. But I’ll sit with you.”
He pulled out a chair for her and she took a seat, planting Faye comfortably on her lap. “How are you?” she asked.
“We’re all great.” It did Erin’s heart good seeing how happy Will was now. He’d been closed off before, a widower grieving the loss of his wife, and now that he’d found love with Amberley, vibrancy had come back into his life.
“Wonderful.”
“How are you, Erin?”
“Me? I’m doing fine. Enjoying my time here.”
Will glanced at the papers she had strewn about the other end of the long table, along with her computer ready to be fired up. “I have good news. At least I hope you’ll think it’s good news for you.”
Erin flashed him a look. “For me? What kind of news?”
“A job in Seattle. How would you like to interview for a full-time music teacher position? It’s at a private elementary school in Seattle.”
“Really? That would be perfect. I’ve been doing a job search every day and I haven’t seen this come up.”
“I know a guy who knows a guy,” Will said.
“You pulled some strings for me?” Erin was touched.
“You helped me raise Faye, Erin. I trusted you with my child and you did a great job. So, I owe you. Besides, it’s not all that nefarious. My friend told me the music teacher at his school is going to have a baby. She’s working until the end of the year and then plans on being a stay-at-home mom afterward. I simply put in a few good words for you.”
“Thank you.”
Will nodded. “They will set up a phone interview soon. The rest is up to you. And you can stay on here through the holidays. There’s no rush to go back to Seattle. We want you to have Thanksgiving with us.”
“Oh, uh...this is good news. I’ve been trying to figure out where to go from here. Your faith in me means a lot.”
“Do you need time to think it over?”
She gave her head a shake. “I don’t think so. It seems perfect. I need a job and you know I’ve wanted to get back to teaching kids about music.” She came partly out of her chair, baby and all, to give Will a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks again for the opportunity. I don’t know what else to say.”
“Say you’ll always be in our
lives. I want Faye to know you too.”
“Of course. You won’t be able to get rid of me. We’ll always stay friends.”
“Yep,” he said. “I have no doubt.”
“And now,” she said, giving Faye her full attention, “my little princess is about to meet the tickle monster.”
Erin carried Faye to the sofa and the baby gave her a five-toothed grin, knowing exactly what was to come. She tickled Faye under her chin, a sensitive spot that never failed, and the giggles began. They were the softest, sweetest sounds Erin had ever heard. One day she hoped to have a child of her own as sweet and adorable as Faye.
And that day may come sooner than she expected.
She was still late.
And she didn’t want to start thinking about what that could mean.
* * *
Dan knocked on Erin’s door at precisely six o’clock. Erin opened it and her eyes immediately flew to the yellow roses he held in his hands. Her mouth gaped a little and she gave her pretty head a tilt. He didn’t date much, but he knew how to treat a lady. The pleased look she granted him was well worth his effort. He loved how her eyes brightened when something made her happy.
“Hello, Dan.” Her voice was sultry, soft, inviting. A force of nature couldn’t hold back his smile at that greeting. “Come in.”
He stepped inside and offered up the roses, his fingers brushing over hers gently, igniting a spark that traveled the length of him. “For you.”
“Thank you.” She admired the roses and hugged them to her chest. “They’re lovely.”
“So are you,” he said, without skipping a beat. Erin looked dazzling tonight in a pretty sky blue dress that heightened the unusual aqua hue in her eyes and allowed a view of creamy shoulders and nice legs. The dress fit her form, showing off her tiny waist and shapely curves.
Dan removed his Stetson and kept it pressed to his side.
“Thank you again,” she said. “Would you like a drink before we go?”
“Hold that thought until later,” he said.
Her chin rose in question. “We’ll need coffee to keep us awake. I’ve got a huge stack of files to go over after dinner. But first, I must feed you.”
Erin laughed. “Let me get my jacket,” she said. “I’ll just be a sec.”
While she was out of the room, Dan sauntered around the cabin, making note of her view out the parlor window, the stone fireplace and the homey feel of the place. Entering the kitchen area, the only thing not tidied up was a small mound of papers left out at the edge of the table beside her computer. He walked over and gave it a glance, scanning the top paper for a second, feeling guilty for doing so, but curious enough not to let that stop him. Apparently she was looking for work as a music teacher. In Seattle.
The thought of Erin leaving town left him with two thoughts. One was relief, because he knew her departure would guarantee nothing of permanence between them and that steadied his nerves some. His mother’s abandonment when he was a kid had never really healed. He’d been injured more than anyone would ever know because Dan didn’t show his feelings. He didn’t talk about them. He only felt them, down to his bones. As a boy, he’d learned to hide his emotions from his dad, his sister, Chelsea, and his brother, Bradley. They’d been raised motherless by a father so heartsick over losing the woman he loved, he’d died early in life. Dan’s mother was out there somewhere, but she’d never contacted the family again. It was as if they didn’t exist.
Erin was leaving town. But Erin Sinclair was also getting under his skin. Quickly. He’d had no intention of asking her on a date, yet here he was, like a lovesick pup, waiting for her to enter the room so his heart could turn those somersaults again.
Dan was back in the parlor when Erin returned. “I’m ready,” she said, wearing a pretty waist-length leather jacket over her dress.
Looking at her vanquished the darkness inside him and he lit up again.
* * *
Erin sipped Pinot Noir in a cozy corner booth of a restaurant called The Oak House. Dark wood beams above caught the flicker of candlelight from an array of twinkling votives placed around the room. Their table was topped with a textured cream tablecloth and a bowl of deep red roses. Across the room a live band played soft music on a stage and a few couples sashayed to country music on the polished wooden dance floor.
Dan sat next to her, looking over the menu, giving her time to study his profile, the deep angles on his face, the contours defining his masculinity and the scruff on his jaw that always cast him in a dangerously sexy light. His hair curled at the bottom of his collar and she wanted to wrap her fingers around them and give them a hard tug.
She giggled.
Dan’s eyes snapped. “What?”
“Nothing. I’m just thinking.”
He stared at her with those blue eyes. Over the flicker of the candles his gaze was mesmerizing. “Of?”
“You don’t want to know.”
“Maybe I do.” He gave her a killer smile.
“On second thought, I don’t want to tell you. But it’s a good thing.”
He closed the menu and set it down, giving her his full attention. “A good thing, huh?”
Then he turned to her and gave her a perfect kiss on the mouth. Enough to shock her, but not enough to cause a scene in the fancy restaurant. “That’s what I was thinking.”
“I didn’t ask.”
“Imagine what you’d get if you did.”
Her eyes opened wider, the comment suggestive enough to make her melt. Heat burned her cheeks and she blushed. As if that wasn’t embarrassing enough, she let out a tiny gasp.
Dan grinned, very happy with himself, and took a sip of wine.
She buried her face in the menu, her momentary hideout, until the color faded from her cheeks.
“See anything you like?” he asked.
She put down the menu and met his eyes. “I see a few things I’d like to set my fork into.”
He laughed wholeheartedly and so did she. Then he rose from his chair and offered his hand. “Dance with me.”
This she didn’t expect. She didn’t peg Dan for a dancer. But then, Dan did express himself more with actions than words. Oh boy, did he. She didn’t make him wait. She placed her hand in his and as he closed over her fingers, a sensation spread across her body like warm honey. She followed him to the middle of the room.
The band played a sweet country ballad, the lead singer crooning mellow lyrics and the soft sounds drifted to her ears. Dan took hold of her waist and she set her hands on his shoulders. Underneath her fingertips she felt his strength and power, but as he began to move, she marveled at how graceful he was. “You’re a good dancer,” she said.
“Surprised?”
“A little.”
He nodded his head, a smile curving his lips.
“When did you learn?”
“A while back.”
“That’s not really an answer, Dan,” she said softly. The more time she spent with him, the more he intrigued her. And the more she wanted to learn about him. But he wasn’t a man who spoke more than he had to and yet she continued to press. “I would love to know how you came to dance so beautifully.”
“Beautifully? No one’s ever said that to me before.”
He moved her around the dance floor, gliding easily and she gazed up at him, waiting.
“My best friend’s mom taught me.”
“What?” she blurted.
He grinned at her reaction. “That’s why I don’t tell people.”
“Please, tell me. I want to hear this.”
He debated a few seconds. “I was big and clumsy in high school, towering over everybody. Couldn’t get a date to save my life.”
She found that hard to believe, but didn’t question him. She didn�
��t want to distract him from telling this story.
“Peter’s mom had been a professional dancer before she came to live in Texas. She overheard me complaining about how clumsy I was. I mean to say, she could see it with her own eyes. It wasn’t a huge revelation that I was a clod, I tripped over my own feet daily. At that rate, I’d never get a girl to date me, much less go to the prom. I think she took pity on me.”
“So she offered to teach you how to dance?”
“She did. Mrs. Brewer was very kind. She told me, once I felt confident on the dance floor, I wouldn’t be so clumsy at school and that would solve two problems. At first, I declined her offer. I mean, it seemed so weird and all. But Peter egged me on and I finally agreed.”
“Wow, well you can tell her she did a fine job.”
“I think she knows.”
“So what happened to Peter and his mom?”
“Peter is a colonel in the army. He comes home from time to time.”
“And his mom? Does she still live here?”
“She does. She runs a dance studio for underprivileged children.”
“Really? That’s wonderful. What’s it called?”
“I don’t recall, actually,” he said, with a shake of his head.
And then she was pulled close, so that Dan’s big body brushed intimately with hers and she could feel his heat. Her arms automatically roped around his neck and she laid her head on his chest. Rapid beats of his heart pulsed in her ear. “Dan?”
“Hmm?”
“Mrs. Brewer’s place, it isn’t called Dan-cing Dreams, is it?”
He didn’t say a word.
“I remember passing it in Royal. I thought it odd, the way it was spelled. She named it after you, didn’t she?”
Silence.
And then she knew, as sure as she knew her own name. “You had something to do with financing the studio, didn’t you? I bet you gave Mrs. Brewer a place to teach dance.”
She moved her head off his chest to look up at him. But his eyes rested somewhere over her head, refusing to connect with hers. “I’m right, aren’t I?”
The Texan Takes a Wife Page 6