by Ronica Black
Rob and Juan appeared lost.
“I know Grace through the ranch,” Madison said, clearing a tight-sounding throat.
Grace quickly explained. “My nephew Jake, uh, goes to the ranch.”
“Oh,” Rob said in a high voice, trying too hard to act surprised at the news. Had he heard of her? He shot Madison a quick look as the maître d’ called his name and they headed for their table.
He has heard of me. Oh God.
She wanted to run. Madison must too. She should say something. Without trying to garner too much attention, she fell back and slightly touched Madison’s arm.
“Should I go?” she whispered.
“Go where?”
“Home.”
Madison just stared at her with eyes that were set off by her thick hair. Grace suddenly hated the cowboy hat and bandana. They did her no justice whatsoever.
“Am I that bad?” Madison asked.
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind. You can go if you want.”
“No, I think you misunderstood. I—”
But the men were waiting for them, standing patiently by their chairs.
“I thought you might want me to go,” Grace added quickly. Madison was looking beyond her at their table.
“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said in a tone that Grace couldn’t read. “We can have dinner. We aren’t barbarians. Are we?” The look she gave her suggested Grace might think she was or vice versa. It was difficult to tell. Whatever it was, it was definitely a knowing look, one full of hidden or secret knowledge. Grace wished she’d let her in on it.
“Of course not.” Am I? She thought back to her two falls, the hickey, and the way they’d spoken to each other. Maybe I have behaved badly.
“Then by all means,” Madison said, encouraging her to go first.
They joined Juan and Rob at the table and sat quietly. Rob kept smiling at her while Juan did his best at conversation. Grace tried not to act nervous, but sitting next to Madison had her insides stirring like a ball of hot chaos. She didn’t know if it was the way she looked or simply the fact that it was Madison Clark. Whatever the reason, she was a wad of misfiring nerves.
“So, Grace, what kind of law do you practice?” Rob finally asked.
“I’m a defense attorney.”
“Really? How interesting.”
Madison stirred a little as she looked over her menu. “Do you find that difficult? Joe’s told me about some of the cases. I couldn’t imagine.”
“It’s not easy.” Actually, for her it was quite easy. She could find loopholes and questionable evidence just about anywhere. It was why she was so good. The hours were long and it could be stressful, but finding a way for a good defense for her client was rarely difficult for her. It was just all about what the judge would allow and the jury would believe. A crap shoot of sorts.
“I bet not.”
The waiter arrived and Rob encouraged Madison to order the wine. “Madison is a wine lover,” he explained.
“And collector,” Juan added. “Right?”
Rob nodded.
“Really?” Grace was a bit surprised. She would never peg Madison as someone who would be into wine. Then again, she would’ve never imagined her looking so well put together either.
“She has very fine taste,” Rob said. “You’d be surprised.” He smiled like he’d read her mind.
“I think we’ll go with the Beaulieu Vineyard Red Blend,” Madison said, handing the waiter the wine menu.
“That’s quite expensive,” Juan said, appearing concerned.
“Madison and I got it,” Rob said. “Trust me. It will be worth it.”
“Oh, so you’re buying?” Juan teased. “When was this arranged?”
Rob smiled. “Earlier.”
“Please. Sounds like Grace and I need to have a chat of our own,” Juan said.
“Sounds like it,” Grace agreed. “Maybe we should get dinner and let them get the wine.”
“No, no, no.” Madison said. “You two aren’t allowed to make deals tonight. This is our treat.”
“That’s right,” Rob said. “It got both Madison and I up off our rumps and out, so the thank you is ours.”
“It got me up off my rump as well,” Grace said.
“You don’t date much, Grace?” Juan asked. “I find that hard to believe.”
“Yes, so do I,” Madison added, her eyes flickering with mischief.
Grace eyed her in return and grinned. “Yes, you would find that hard to believe, wouldn’t you, Ms. Clark?”
Rob laughed softly.
Juan looked from one to the other, totally lost. “What am I missing?”
“Oh, so you know about the mark?” She pointed the question to Rob, who flushed.
Juan was desperate. “What mark? What am I missing?”
Grace decided to enlighten them all and lay the whole thing on the table. “The other day I had a hickey.” She looked to Madison, who was very serious all of a sudden. “Right here.” She brushed her hand over the cutout of the dress. “I had on a blouse in which you could see it, and Madison here obviously did.”
The table was very quiet.
“I assumed that she’d made her own assumptions about it, so I sort of confronted her on it.”
After a long silence, Juan said, “I see.”
“But,” Grace smiled, “it was just a one-time thing, and it was a mistake. Not something I normally do.”
“Well,” Juan said, “you’re single, so you shouldn’t worry about having to explain. Should you?”
“No, I didn’t think so, but I apparently felt like I should.”
“Why?” He grinned and rested his chin on his hands.
“Because I don’t want Madison to think I sleep around when I have Jake to care for. I’m not like that. He does and always will come first.”
Madison blinked. “You don’t have to explain on my account.”
“Yes, I do.”
“Is that the only reason you want her to know that?” Rob asked. “Because of Jake?”
Now Grace flushed, and she was just about to try to explain her way out of answering when the waiter brought their wine. Madison stared at her as he opened the bottle and poured them each a glass. Grace didn’t bother swirling or inhaling the aroma. She just took a large gulp and looked away from Madison’s penetrating gaze.
“So tell me about Jake,” Juan said, saving her ass.
“He’s a good kid,” Rob said with a smile. “Gonna make one hell of a rugby player.”
“Yes, he did mention something about rugby the other day,” Grace said.
“Rob’s the coach,” Madison said, having to clear her throat. “He’s a great coach. The boys love him.”
“Jake would make a wonderful addition. He’s fast, from what I hear. And he has tenacity,” Rob said.
“He does have that,” Grace said with a chuckle. She looked to Juan. “My nephew is quite the character.”
“Sounds like it.” He grinned.
“He’s coming around,” Madison said.
“In fact,” Rob said, “Madison said he may have a gift with horses.”
Madison shot him a look, but Rob was focused on Grace.
“She also said that about you,” he added.
Grace could feel Madison’s entire body constrict. Even her jaw clenched, and red brushed her cheeks.
“Rob,” Madison said.
“What? Tell her. It’s great news. Very special.” He smiled.
“Tell me what?” Grace was confused and a little alarmed. She didn’t like the fact that they all seemed to know something about Jake while she didn’t.
After a long glare at Rob, Madison finally looked to Grace. “Jake calms the horses.”
She shook her head, still not totally following. “How?”
Madison spoke softly. “With just his presence.”
“Oh.” Grace couldn’t help but smile. “Really?”
“Yes, he’s very good with them
. Puts them at ease. Especially Draco.”
“The one who bucked him?”
“Yes.”
Rob chuckled and Juan whispered, “Oh my God.”
“There’s no way Draco would’ve let anyone else climb on him. No way,” Madison explained.
“And that’s good?” Grace didn’t like imagining Jake with the wild horse.
“It can be.”
“Tell her what Marv said about her,” Rob said.
Madison sighed. “Why don’t you?”
They were like brother and sister bantering. She and Juan couldn’t help but laugh.
“Don’t mind if I do. Grace, Marv said he thought you had something special too. He saw it when you were working with that colt.”
Grace wasn’t sure what to say.
“You were good with the colt,” Madison said. “You relaxed him.”
“Do you like animals, Grace?” Juan asked.
“Yes.”
“Really?” Madison asked.
“Yes, of course I do. I love them, in fact.”
Madison seemed truly surprised.
“What about you, Juan?” Grace asked.
“Oh, yes. Especially horses. They are just so soulful, you know?”
“Yes, I know,” Grace said softly.
“I didn’t know that,” Rob said, looking at Juan. “We’ll have to go out to the ranch after dinner and show you around.”
Madison leaned forward and took several hearty sips of her wine.
“Right, Madness?” he asked, pointing his gaze at her.
“Sure.” She lowered her glass but avoided looking at Grace.
Grace considered protesting, but she really didn’t want to. Going to the ranch with the three of them would be fun, and it would give her ample time to keep viewing Madison in a different light, even if it made them both a little edgy. She just couldn’t bear to tear her eyes away from her.
Maybe I should protest. I told May I wouldn’t be late, and then there’s Jake.
But the waiter returned and took their orders before she could say anything. They all ordered steak, Madison a filet mignon. She said it went very well with the wine, and Grace knew just about any cut would. The wine was spectacular, and the more she drank, the more she liked it and the more she liked her company. Especially Madison, who looked so scrumptious sitting there in her white blazer with the open throat, bead necklace resting on her bare skin. Grace watched her sip her wine, watched her talk, watched her concentrate on Rob and Juan. She would do this by sipping from her own glass and looking over the rim carefully at Madison. A few times she caught Madison looking at her too, at which she would either glance away quickly or meet her gaze with a smile. Madison always returned the smile with a small polite one of her own. And once, it even lingered, and Grace swore she caught her staring at the cutouts of her dress that revealed a hint of cleavage.
Maybe she’s just looking for the mark. Maybe I’m crazy.
Was there something going on?
“Maybe it’s the wine,” she said aloud before she realized it.
All three stared at her.
“Sorry?” Madison said.
“Oh, nothing. I—I sometimes talk to myself.” She palmed her forehead. I’m such an idiot! “Would you please excuse me?” She rose and headed for the restroom, chastising herself the entire way. Luckily, the restroom was empty, so when she found a stall she called May, who answered on the first ring.
“Matchmaker.”
“Matchmaker my ass!” Grace said loudly and then lowered her voice.
“Oh, so it’s going well?”
“You set me up with Madison Clark!” she whispered.
“Who?”
“The—”
“The ranch lady?”
“Yes!”
“Oh my God. How—that’s impossible! I didn’t set you up with a cowgirl.”
“Child psychologist, owns her own business. Sound familiar?”
“Oh my God.”
“Can’t you say anything else?”
“Not at the moment. So it’s going terribly?”
Grace paused. “Not exactly. It’s not—”
“Oh my God! You like her!”
“Shut up! I didn’t say that.”
She heard the main door open and close. “I gotta go.” She ended the call and came out from the stall. Madison was standing there with one hand in her jeans pocket.
“Calling a friend to tell her about your hellish blind date?” She smirked, and Grace would have been offended if it wasn’t so damn sexy.
“Of course not.”
“Uh-huh. I don’t blame you really. This wasn’t what I had in mind either.”
“What, me?”
“It was quite a shock.”
“So I’m not the only one?” Her voice shook a little.
“In shock? No.”
“Good.” She ran her hand nervously through her hair.
“But I was hoping we could at least have a nice evening.” Madison offered a smile.
“We are, aren’t we?” Grace returned the smile and tried to allow the silkiness of her own hair to ground her. She dropped her hand when it didn’t help.
“I am. But I get the feeling you might not be.”
“Oh. No, I’m fine. I just—”
“Because if you want to go, I’ve thought about it and I understand. And what Rob said about the ranch, you don’t have to come.”
“I don’t know what to say.”
“Just say what you want. I don’t think you’ve had that problem before.” She smiled again, ever so slightly, to show she was playing.
“I guess I haven’t, have I?”
“Not exactly.”
“Okay, then.” She took a big breath. “I would like to stay for dinner and go to the ranch afterward.”
Madison seemed to sway back a little in surprise. Or maybe she imagined it. “Really?”
“Yes. Is that okay? You haven’t said how you feel about it.”
“I’m good. That sounds good. I’m glad we’re on the same page.”
“Yes, it’s nice. For a change,” Grace said softly.
“Yes, it is,” Madison said.
They looked at each other in silence for several moments. Grace wasn’t sure what to say or what to do. If she spoke, it would surely give away the fact that her heart was pounding and her blood boiling in excitement just beneath her skin. If she moved, it would surely startle Madison and she’d fly away, like the rarest of butterflies never to return again, ruining the beautifully charged moment between them.
No, all she wanted to do was remain like this in this moment. Perfectly still. With Madison Clark standing across from her, fueling her fire with that intense and certainly soon to be fleeting look.
“You look very nice tonight,” Madison said, the strain in her voice obvious.
Grace swallowed. “So do you.”
“You didn’t think I could clean up this nice, did you?”
Grace considered lying but she knew there’d be no use. She shook her head. “No.”
“I didn’t think so.”
“I’ve made a lot of assumptions about you, Madison.”
“And I you.” She took a step closer. Grace didn’t move.
“I’m sorry about that,” Grace whispered.
Another step. “Are you?”
“Yes.” Grace fought for the control she was desperately losing. Madison was inching closer, her gorgeous face looming. So close Grace could smell her tantalizingly clean-smelling cologne. “Are you sorry for the assumptions you’ve made about me?”
Grace reached out for her hand. She found it hot and smooth, slightly coarse at the base of her fingers. It sent her heart flying as if the hand had stroked the walls of her heart itself.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t know?”
“I’m not sure they’re wrong.”
Madison was an inch away and staring into her eyes.
Grace tilted her he
ad slightly, wanting to inhale her breath. But Madison leaned in and bypassed her mouth to whisper in her ear.
“I refuse to kiss you in a public restroom.”
Grace shuddered at the hot feel of her in her ear. She clung to her for support and nearly groaned at the strength she felt against her.
“I wish you would,” she whispered back, finding her ear and inhaling her scent.
“No. Not here.” She backed away and Grace nearly fell.
“Where, then?”
Madison tugged on her hand. “We have dinner to attend to.”
Grace was flustered, terribly so. “Give me a moment?”
Madison nodded. “I’ll be at the table.”
Grace watched her go and then approached the sinks. Her skin was crimson from her neck all the way down to the cutouts where her chest and cleavage peeked through her dress. She thought about rinsing her face with cool water, but she didn’t want to ruin her makeup. Instead, she concentrated on her breathing and on doing her hair. Her body was tingling from head to toe, and she kept going over what had happened.
Madison wanted to kiss her. Had indeed almost kissed her.
And then she’d come back with “where, then?”
“Ugh, God. How suave.” How desperate could she sound? She would have to try to hide it better. Madison had her quivering with just a whisper. How could this woman be doing this? How did she always seem so calm and in control? It was getting beyond maddening, but God, how incredible it had been. The intensity between them had been palpable, thick and heavy. And oh, how she’d wanted her to kiss her. She’d nearly wrapped her arms around her and taken her herself, wanting to feel her warm mouth on hers pressing and pulling. But thankfully Madison had stopped, and Grace would definitely have to weigh the kissing against the control. But she already had a pretty good idea which would win, and Madison Clark would be the one standing while she lay crumpled in a combusted pile at her feet.
“Get a grip,” she said as she exited the restroom.
Their food had arrived at the table, and all three gave her knowing smiles as she returned. Juan especially was grinning like a young schoolboy thrilled with a prank he just pulled.
“What?” she whispered to him.
“Oh, nothing.”
She nudged him a little. “What’s going on?”
He leaned in close to her. “You tell me.”
“Nothing.” She knew she looked aghast.