by Cindy Kirk
Mitzi pulled into her driveway, already anticipating the bubble bath in her new whirlpool tub with a glass of wine for company. She paused to hit the remote button for the garage door and took the opportunity to check her online calendar to make sure she wasn’t scheduled for hospital rounds tomorrow.
She inhaled sharply.
No to the hospital rounds.
Yes to a date. With Winn Ferris. Tonight. Six o’clock.
She glanced at the time and yelped. The bath and wine would be preempted by dinner, classical music and the opportunity to wear her new dress and heels.
Mitzi may have grown up knowing next to nothing of fine foods and cultural pursuits, but she’d proved a quick study. She reveled in the lifestyle her salary as an orthopedic surgeon afforded her. Now that she had more time and more money, she was determined to experience life at its fullest.
Mitzi had what her friend Kate would call an “adventurous spirit.” While she loved the symphony and the opera, she’d have been equally happy to toss on cowboy boots and check out a rodeo or a barn dance.
She tried to imagine Winn Ferris with a beer in one hand, hot dog in the other watching a cowboy on an eight-second ride but couldn’t see it. That was okay. Not everyone was so open-minded about fun. Mitzi smiled, recalling her time with Keenan at the lake.
Windsurfing had been on her to-do list since her California days. But if Keenan hadn’t encouraged her yesterday to make time for it, she still wouldn’t know what a blast it could be. Kissing a handsome man while treading water had been equally fun.
She smiled as she readied herself for her date. Winn appeared to be going all out to impress her. Earlier in the week he’d told her he’d made reservations at La Maisonette, an elegant new restaurant that had opened earlier in the year. Getting the owner, a world-renowned chef, to relocate to Jackson Hole had been a real coup for the chamber of commerce.
Though Mitzi hadn’t yet eaten at the restaurant, she knew what to expect: tiny bits of artistically arranged food that wasn’t enough to fill up a three-pound Chihuahua. Still, she had no doubt the atmosphere would make up for the lack of quantity on the food front.
Would Winn kiss her tonight? Mitzi hoped so. Perhaps if they kissed, she’d feel a closer connection to him. Some men simply took a little more time to know.
A knock sounded on the side glass of her car. She jerked her gaze and found Keenan’s hazel eyes fixed on her. Instead of rolling down the window or pulling into the garage, she pushed open the door and stepped out into the sunlight.
Mitzi took in the dusty jeans, white shirt stained with flecks of paint and frayed ball cap and resisted the urge to sigh. No man should look that good without even trying.
Then she reminded herself that Winn was hot, too.
“Hey, windsurfer dude.” The teasing words came easily to her lips. “What’s up?”
“It’s Friday night, windsurfer chick.” Amusement edged his tone. “The rodeo is in town. They always have a dance afterward. It should be fun.”
An unspoken question hung in the air.
“I’m sure it will be.” Mitzi felt her pulse drum. “Me, I’m headed to the symphony. That should be fun, too.”
“I didn’t realize Jackson Hole even had a symphony.” Keenan gave a little laugh. “Tells you how far outside the loop I am. Are you going with a group of friends?”
“Actually, Winn Ferris invited me to go with him.” Mitzi kept her tone light. “He has season tickets.”
“Sounds like a nice evening.” Keenan’s smile didn’t reach his eyes. “Joel asked me to work tomorrow and finish trimming out your kitchen. He said he cleared it with you.”
“I’m in favor of anything that will get the house finished earlier.” Only this week had Mitzi finally admitted to Kate—and Joel—she hadn’t fully understood what living in a house under construction would be like. Once she’d realized how bad it was, she wanted the job completed...yesterday.
“I planned to stop by at seven.” He shoved hands into his pockets, drawing her attention to the area below his belt buckle....
To that part of him that had been hard against her softness when he drew her close and they’d kissed.
“Mitzi?”
She banished the memory of how perfectly they’d fit together and smiled easily. “Seven will be fine. How was Bitty today?”
He smiled then, a warm, genuine lifting of the lips that did funny things to her insides. “She watches everything we do. If Bill is in one room and I’m in another, she divides her time. It’s almost as if someone told her to keep an eye on us. Could that someone be you? Or is she Joel’s spy kitty?”
Mitzi chuckled. “I’ll never tell.”
“Well—” Keenan rocked back on his heels “—I’d best head out. Have a nice evening.”
As she watched him go, Mitzi fought a pang of regret. Though she’d never been to a rodeo or a rodeo dance, playing cowgirl and dressing in jeans and boots sounded like something she’d enjoy.
As would the symphony, Mitzi told herself and headed into the house to put on her new black party dress and heels.
Chapter Ten
La Maisonette wasn’t actually a little room but several large ones. Elegant and romantic, the restaurant boasted linen-clad tables, baby’s breath and lavender in crystal vases, and stained glass panels over a series of windows with a perfect view of the mountains.
A maître d’, resplendent in a black tux, showed them to a table by one of those windows. Their server, a clean-cut college type, appeared immediately. He was attentive without being disruptive and friendly without being too familiar.
The food was exactly as Mitzi expected: a tiny piece of fish no bigger than a domino, a tablespoon of risotto, two spears of asparagus. Still, she enjoyed the meal. Winn seemed pleased when she let him order, and they chatted easily about mutual friends and upcoming events in Jackson Hole.
Mitzi was thankful Winn had a lot to say about everything. It had been a long day and she didn’t feel like talking, especially not about herself. While she’d been completely honest with Keenan, for Winn she’d need to sanitize her home situation.
She’d discovered men reared in luxury often had difficulty identifying with her childhood. For the handsome man at her side, money had never been an issue. Still, it would be unfair to hold his privileged upbringing against him. Just as it had been unfair for her to hold Keenan’s prison time against him, Mitzi admitted with a twinge of remorse.
Because of the symphony, they skipped dessert. They slipped into their orchestra seats at the Center for the Arts just as the curtain rose.
The concert featured American composers, and Mitzi soon lost herself in the music. She barely noticed when Winn took her hand. His palms were smooth, the nails nicely manicured and his hands free of the nicks and scratches that marred Keenan’s.
For a second she wondered if Keenan had ended up going to the rodeo, then determinedly pushed him from her mind. This was her night to build a relationship with Winn.
The business exec looked fabulous in his tailored dark suit and shiny Italian loafers. Thankfully he had splashed on different cologne tonight, a scent that actually smelled good. Unfortunately she still didn’t feel the slightest zing of electricity when his thumb began to caress her palm. She told herself again that attraction often needed time to build.
After the performance, Winn asked if she wanted to stop at the Green Gateau for cappuccino and dessert.
Give him a chance, Mitzi told herself. Give him a chance to wow you.
The bistro on Scott Avenue, known for its signature green flourless torte, buzzed with activity. With warming lights taking the chill from the air, people sat outside on the patio, eating tall pieces of chocolate oblivion cake and pie with meringue a mile high.
Mitzi stepped aside while Winn opened
the door. She shot him an appreciative smile as she strolled past him into the café. The man had impeccable manners.
“Looks like half the town is here,” Winn joked, resting a palm lightly against the small of her back.
They slowly made their way through the milling crowd to the hostess stand, where they were informed it’d be a twenty-minute wait.
“I wonder if there is anyone here we know,” Mitzi murmured. It seemed like, considering the number of people in the café.
“Good idea.” Winn’s gaze swept the room like a hunter in search of prey. “Bingo.”
A flash of triumph filled his eyes.
Mitzi lifted a brow.
“Look who’s here.”
Curious now, Mitzi followed the direction of his gaze. She resisted the urge to sigh. Keenan sat with Hailey, Tripp and Anna at a large round table on the far side of the room.
“I’m going to see if they have room for us,” Winn said almost to himself. “There’s a zoning issue I’d like to discuss with our illustrious mayor, and Tripp’s been a hard man to reach.”
Without waiting for her response, Winn began winding his way through the tables.
So much for impeccable manners. Mitzi rolled her eyes then followed him at a sedate pace.
“We’d love to have you join us,” she heard Tripp say as he pushed back his chair and smiled warmly at both her and Winn. He glanced around the table. “I believe you both know everyone.”
Mitzi couldn’t believe it when Winn pulled out the chair next to Keenan for her. Of course, his only other choice was to give her the seat next to Tripp. A spot he obviously had marked for himself.
“You look lovely.” Anna’s admiring gaze settled on Mitzi’s retro black dress with its flared skirt and belted waist.
“Red is definitely your color,” Mitzi said, returning the compliment.
Even dressed casually in jeans and a simple crimson sweater, with her sultry good looks and killer body, Anna was stunning.
“Tripp told me I couldn’t wear a dress.” Anna slipped her hand through her husband’s arm, her tone teasing.
Her husband chuckled and brushed a kiss across her lips. “Who wears a dress to a rodeo?”
“The bull riding was awesome.”
At the comment, Mitzi shifted her attention to Hailey. Like Anna, the pretty blonde had gone casual in a Western-cut shirt that brought out the blue in her eyes. Instead of letting her hair hang loose like her sister-in-law, she’d pulled it back in a jaunty tail.
Before Mitzi could respond, Hailey shifted her focus to Keenan. “I saw Ryan ride when I was in high school. He was a-ma-zing.”
Like the others at the table, Mitzi knew Ryan Harcourt had once been a champion bull rider before he quit the sport to attend law school.
“I had the biggest crush on him back then,” Hailey admitted cheerfully. “All the girls did.”
“I’d tell him,” Keenan said, “but it’d just go to his head.”
Then, Keenan’s gaze settled on Mitzi. Her body began to hum as her blood warmed.
“Did you all go to the rodeo together?” Winn asked politely.
“We did.” Hailey answered and shot him a bright smile.
“It was fun but I wished we’d been able to get symphony tickets.” Anna’s lips came together in a light pout. “Especially since they featured American composers this evening. Do you recall if they played Gershwin’s ‘An American in Paris’? It’s a particular favorite of mine.”
“They did. It was one of the many fine pieces they played.” Winn’s gaze grew thoughtful. “Copeland’s ‘Fanfare for the Common Man’ was performed in a typically majestic fashion. And the upbeat rendition of ‘Rodeo’ couldn’t help but lift one’s spirits.”
Winn glanced at Mitzi for confirmation of the recap.
She nodded, wondering if Winn had concluded the best way to garner Tripp’s favor was to impress his wife. The second the uncharitable thought surfaced, she shoved it aside.
“Even though you’d have preferred the symphony,” Hailey said to her sister-in-law, “you have to admit you had fun at the rodeo.”
“I did enjoy it,” Anna admitted. “Especially seeing Cole and Meg’s Charlie in the mutton-busting competition. Though I’m not sure I’d want my little boy on the back of a crazed sheep.”
“I guarantee that ewe was more scared than Charlie,” Tripp said with a laugh.
“Have you always been interested in music?” Winn asked Anna.
“I’ve played the flute for eons.” Anna’s expression grew wistful. “I considered making music my career, but my dad was old-school and insisted I focus on something practical.”
Winn’s eyes grew shuttered. “Fathers can be like that.”
By the time the waiter stopped to take their order, Mitzi was engaged in a conversation with Hailey and Anna about an upcoming sale at a local boutique. Since she was occupied and there was very little she didn’t like, Mitzi told Winn to order for her.
When Anna turned to greet a friend passing the table, Mitzi realized Winn had broached the zoning issue with Tripp. She felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to Keenan.
She let her gaze linger for just a second and felt a little shiver. His military-green Henley stretched wide over muscled shoulders. He’d pushed the sleeves up, showing strong arms with a light dusting of hair. Even though he was dressed casually and his hair was in tousled disarray, there wasn’t a more handsome man at the table.
“Fried banana with coconut ice cream?” Keenan’s lips twitched.
At first she didn’t understand. Then it hit her. “Is that what Winn ordered for me?”
“I chose the chocolate oblivion. If you’re nice to me, I might give you a bite.” A devilish gleam sparkled in Keenan’s hazel eyes. “Unless you think you’ll be too full after eating all that coconut ice cream.”
“Ha, ha.” Mitzi narrowed her gaze. The chocolate oblivion was a personal favorite. And for her, one taste would never be enough. “Let’s...negotiate. I give you all of the coconut ice cream.”
“So generous,” he said, stifling a smile.
“I’ll even toss in the fried banana.”
“Gee, thanks.”
This time, Mitzi was the one who struggled not to smile.
“And you get what in exchange?” Keenan prompted when she didn’t immediately make her demand.
Mitzi cast a sideways glance. Winn was still engaged in an animated conversation with Tripp. Her date was so busy trying to impress Tripp, she doubted he’d even notice she was eating a different dessert than he’d ordered.
Coconut ice cream?
Fried banana?
What had the man been thinking? Still, if Keenan agreed to her terms, a happy ending was still in reach.
“Just half your cake,” she said quickly. “Not much considering all I’m giving you.”
“No deal,” Keenan said. “One bite. And that’s if you’re nice to me.”
She snorted. “I’m always nice to you.”
Unexpectedly he smiled. “Yes,” he said. “You are.”
Though she could have pressed the cake issue, she decided to regroup then circle back. “You never mentioned you were going to the rodeo with the Randalls.”
“I went with Betsy and Ryan. We ran into Hailey, Tripp and Anna when we got there and decided to sit together.” Keenan lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug. “Betsy and Ry headed straight home afterward because they had a sitter with a curfew. The rest of us came here for dessert.”
“I’m glad you did,” she said in an offhand tone, then stared down when the waitress put the huge chunk of chocolate cake in front of him.
Keenan shot a glance at Winn, who was still engaged in an earnest discussion with Tripp, complete with hand gestures and intense voi
ces.
“Since you’re sacrificing your Saturday for my house, come early. I’ll make you breakfast.” Mitzi wasn’t sure who was most surprised by the impulsive offer, her or Keenan. “Do you like huevos rancheros?”
“Love ’em.” He picked up his fork, looked at her. “I’ll need coffee with those eggs. Strong and black.”
“You’re very particular.”
Keenan’s smile came slow. “Let’s just say I’m a man who knows what he wants.”
* * *
Mitzi hummed the next morning as she chopped chilies, made sauce and cooked tortillas. Once that was done, she ground beans and set the coffee to brew before grabbing eggs from the refrigerator. She paused before cracking them, her thoughts drifting.
After leaving the café, Winn had driven her home. She’d invited him in and given him the grand tour. Once that was done, they’d done a little kissing.
The man knew how to kiss, she’d give him that. The problem was with her. Though she tried to muster some enthusiasm, she’d felt nothing. Nada. Not one spark.
Her reaction made Mitzi wonder if the problem lay with Winn or her. Was her lack of desire a result of zero chemistry between them? Or did the complete absence of sexual energy go deeper?
From what she recalled, that hadn’t been an issue any of the times she and Keenan had kissed. Unless her memory was playing tricks on her.
She might need to see about a repeat performance. Purely for scientific research purposes, of course. Kisses for eggs?
Mitzi smiled and picked up the wooden spoon. She stirred the simmering sauce.
“Something smells mighty good in here.”
Mitzi jumped. The spoon flew from her hand to clatter on the floor. She whirled. “Keenan. You startled me.”
Dressed in faded jeans and a white T-shirt with scarred leather work boots on his feet, Keenan looked rough, rugged and mouthwateringly good.
“I knocked a couple of times but you didn’t hear me.” Keenan crossed the room and silenced the jarring beat of a Metallica guitar riff blaring from the radio.