by Mari Carr
“Auction?” Zac asked.
Tacy grimaced good-naturedly. “I got drafted.”
Lauren gave a more detailed explanation. “The first night of the festival, we hold a dance auction. We have a few local celebrities—and this year Tacy—who agreed to dance with the highest bidder. Were you planning to join the party?”
“I…am now.” Zac did a mental calculation, trying to recall how much money he had left in his wallet. He was determined to be the high bidder for Tacy’s dance.
“Good.” Lauren turned and led the way as the three of them set off toward the dance. Along the way, Lauren gave them an insider’s look at Sapphire Falls, pointing out the blue lampposts with speakers in them, the photo booth on the edge of the square, and Borcher’s Booze.
Zac made plans to check out the liquor store tomorrow. Lauren had piqued his interest in trying the strawberry Booze. Sounded a bit like moonshine. If it was as good as she proclaimed, he’d take a couple jars back to New Orleans to share with his brothers.
When they arrived at the dance, he waved goodbye as Lauren dragged Tacy toward the stage. The auction appeared to be underway, an auctioneer calling out prices and hopefuls raising their hands to join the bidding.
It was a good thing Lauren had found them when she had, because Tacy was onstage within minutes of their arrival. He watched as several men entered the bidding early. Zac studied his competition, biding his time.
The auctioneer had been just about to seal the deal, selling Tacy’s dance to some muscle-bound farm-boy type. There was no way Zac was going to let that guy win. He raised his hand at the last minute, adding twenty bucks and a caramel apple for the lady to the last bid.
Several folks around him laughed at his extra incentive.
The farm boy looked surprised as he considered his opponent. Zac held his gaze, letting him know he had no intention of losing. After just a moment, the man good-naturedly nodded his head in defeat, and then looked back to the auctioneer. He shook his head and Zac was declared the winner.
Zac had been struck over and over today by how nice everyone in this town was. He hadn’t passed a single person who hadn’t said hello or welcomed him to Sapphire Falls. He’d run into some lively cast of characters who called themselves the Blue Brigade earlier. They had given him a card that told him to shake hands with and introduce himself to a stranger.
The random guy who had been walking by at that time—Travis—was clearly a local. He caught a glimpse of the card in Zac’s hand and took the impromptu introduction in stride.
Zac couldn’t imagine such a thing flying in New Orleans. Not that there weren’t friendly people in his hometown. It was simply that there were a lot of eccentric, offbeat, and even sketchy, stay-the-hell-away types, and as a whole, locals were more guarded until they knew a person.
Tacy grinned widely as she left the stage and joined him. “You realize I would have danced with you later for free?”
Zac handed her the caramel apple. “Call me greedy, but I want all your dances tonight.”
Tacy didn’t seem to mind his forwardness, but she still teased him. “And you think one little old caramel apple will guarantee that?”
“Will it?”
She nodded. “Oh heck yeah.”
The music began—an old Elvis tune—and Zac grasped Tacy’s hand.
“Hang on a second.” She pulled away to place her apple on the table where Lauren was sitting with a little girl on her lap, and then she returned.
The moment her hands landed on his shoulders, Zac realized that even if he danced every single dance with her tonight, it still wouldn’t be enough. He pulled her closer thinking that—odd as it seemed—he felt the same way as Elvis, as if he couldn’t help falling in love with this woman.
Tacy didn’t appear unaffected either. A fact she confirmed when she spoke. “Is it weird that I feel like I know you?”
He shook his head. “No. I feel the same way. Maybe we knew each other in a previous life.”
He’d meant his words as a joke, but Tacy didn’t laugh. Instead, she seemed to consider the supposition. “I like that idea. Makes it sound like we’re soul mates and we’ve managed to cross generations, worlds, lifetimes to find each other.”
“Are you looking for a soul mate, darlin’?”
“Isn’t everyone?”
Until that moment, Zac hadn’t been. It wasn’t that he wasn’t interested in romance, love, sex, marriage and kids. Eventually. All of those things were certainly on his list, under the heading Someday.
He’d been so focused, so intent on becoming a doctor, everything else had taken a backseat. Zac had dated. And he’d indulged in more than a few sexual affairs. He was only human, after all, and a man had needs. But he’d kept serious emotion out of it. Because there hadn’t been time.
“You went quiet.” Tacy was looking at him, still waiting for an answer. “Didn’t mean to freak you out or anything.”
He was freaked out. Not by her question, but by what it revealed. This trip had opened his eyes to how many places, how many adventures and opportunities he’d let pass him by as he kept his eyes on just one prize. Now he was forced to add love to the list. Until holding Tacy, he hadn’t realized how much he’d wanted someone to share his life with.
Zac placed his cheek against the top of her head as they continued to dance. “We must have been soul mates in another life because now that you’re here, I realize how much I’ve missed you.”
She leaned back a few inches, looking up at his face. “That’s the most romantic thing anyone’s ever said to me.”
“You caught me on a good night,” he joked, trying to find a way to lighten the moment, to put them back on steadier ground. He never acted like this on first dates. Hell, this wasn’t even a first date, was it?
Regardless, he never came on this strong. Must be all the fresh air, rich food and lack of deadlines. He was acting loopy with all this relaxation and freedom.
Tacy rested her head against his chest as he tightened his grip, molding their bodies together. She didn’t resist the closeness, despite the fact they were virtual strangers.
Or maybe they weren’t. If they weren’t soul mates, there was no denying they were kindred spirits. There was something in her eyes that told him she was just now recognizing the same deep-seated loneliness he’d found within himself.
She felt good in his arms. Zac couldn’t remember the last time he’d danced with a woman. God, now that he considered it, he was pretty sure it was senior prom.
The song came to an end, a faster tune taking its place. He and Tacy simply continued to sway, finding their own rhythm through the next three songs.
Tacy was the first to step away. “Getting kind of warm in here. Want to go for a walk?”
Zac nodded. He was feeling the heat as well, but it had nothing to do with the actual temperature at the dance and everything to do with the effect she was having on his libido. “Yeah. I’d like that.”
He stood near the exit as Tacy said goodbye to Lauren, who was slow dancing with the man he’d met earlier on the street, Travis. The couple glanced his way. Lauren winked, while Travis offered him a friendly smile. Both responses surprised him.
In the Lewis clan, the men were far too protective of the females. His sisters, Chloe and Dani, had been forced to endure as their older brothers, Caliph, Justin and Jett, subjected their dates to some serious third degrees. He and Noah had been younger than the others, so they’d mainly just watched. And learned.
While he knew he was a decent guy, he couldn’t believe Lauren and Travis would let her leave the dance with a complete stranger. Then again, he couldn’t imagine Sapphire Falls had much crime. Knowing this idyllic, modern-day Mayberry, the law probably never dealt with anything more serious than someone keeping a fish that was too small or hunting out of season.
“You ready?” She had retrieved her caramel apple and held out her free hand to him.
He took it, enjoying the warmth of it as they stepped out
into the crisp night air. Zac glanced up at the stars. “Never see a sky like that in the city.”
Tacy looked up as well. “It’s beautiful here. First time in Nebraska?”
He nodded. “With the exception of Vegas, this trip is my first time anywhere.”
“Really?” She seemed fascinated by that information, and he figured he was a bit of an anomaly to someone like her, who’d traveled all over the world. Her next comment confirmed that. “Sometimes I feel like I’ve been everywhere. And nowhere. Despite all the places I’ve traveled to, I didn’t see much more than the hotels and the stadiums. Kind of a waste, now that I think about it.”
“You’re still young. Start over. Maybe my friend will let you borrow his RV and you can take your own hobo adventure.”
She laughed. “I love what you’re doing. It’s so cool.”
He lifted one shoulder casually. “The trip is just my way of making up for lost time. Doing things I never had the chance to do.”
Tacy studied his face as they walked. He liked the way she wasn’t shy around him. She didn’t demur or avoid his eyes. Instead, she looked him straight in the face and didn’t bother to hide her thoughts. “Like what?”
“I’ve lived a fairly single-minded existence for the past decade or so. Focusing on achieving my career goals. Now I’m at a place where I find I have some regrets about the things I’ve missed.”
Tacy blew out a long sigh. “I can relate to that.”
“How so?”
“Soccer has been my life since, well, forever. Without it, I’m sort of stuck, trying to figure out who I am, what my purpose is now.”
“Sounds like we’ve both been walking the straight and narrow for a while. I’ve spent the last week wondering if there’s more to me than just medicine. Talking to you has made me realize exactly how much I’ve missed.”
“What do you mean?”
“With the exception of you, I haven’t danced with a woman since high school prom.”
Her eyes widened. “No way.”
“What can I say? I’m a pretty boring guy.”
“I don’t buy that for a minute. The fact that you had the guts to hop in an RV and head west with no real aim tells me you’re far from dull. I wish I had your sense of adventure.”
“Don’t sell yourself so short, Tacy. None of us are just one thing. Something tells me you could do anything you set your mind to. Soccer was one passion. You’ll find a new one soon enough.”
He probably shouldn’t have used the word passion while talking to her because it sent his mind straight to the bedroom. Zac was struggling to keep his cock under control after holding her so closely during the dance. He didn’t want to scare the poor woman away this soon in the game.
She smiled appreciatively. “You’re going to be a great doctor, Zac. You have an amazing bedside manner.”
Great. That didn’t help either.
Zac considered himself a gentleman, but right now, he was having a hard time keeping all his thoughts about Tacy pure. She was truly beautiful, with long trim legs, a slender build, a bright smile and the most expressive eyes he’d ever seen. Plus she smelled like sugar.
Time to deflect, to distract himself. “So tell me about yourself.”
He and Tacy meandered around the town square no less than a dozen times, talking until the wee hours. She reminisced about winning the gold in the World Cup, about the parties, parades and celebrations that followed.
Then her stories turned to her childhood. The dance had ended hours ago, the rides and booths closed down. Even the lampposts were silent, the music shut off.
And still they walked. She told him about her parents, their ambitious goals for her, the pressure to constantly succeed. He’d been outraged on her behalf, upset for the little girl she’d been, the one who hadn’t gotten a carefree childhood.
“God. I feel like I’m the only one talking. How about you? What do your folks do?” she asked.
Zac sucked in a deep breath. As a rule, he didn’t talk about his childhood. Not the earlier stuff anyway. However, he loved talking about the Lewises. “I was in the foster system.”
Her forehead creased with concern. “Oh, I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. My experience was positive. My brother and I were taken in by the most amazing woman on the face of the earth. Mama Lewis took us away from a bad situation and provided a wonderful home.”
Tacy smiled. “She sounds great.”
“You have no idea. Before her, I didn’t have a clue what it meant to feel secure, safe. She gave me and Noah a home, a family, unconditional love. It was because of her I had enough confidence to follow my dreams and study medicine.”
He hadn’t meant to reveal so much, but Tacy was easy to talk to. Words he’d never spoken aloud just seemed to fall out around her.
“How old were you when you moved in with her?”
They were entering forbidden territory. Zac hadn’t talked about his mom to anyone in years, with the exception of Mama Lewis, and even that hadn’t been much.
Unlike his brother, Noah, he’d remained in touch with their real mother. He knew it was ridiculous, but there’d always been a part of him that believed he could save her. As the years passed, he’d realized that was more and more unlikely. Regardless, he checked in on her monthly. He never gave her actual cash, but he took her food. He’d learned the hard way that no matter how hungry she might be, any money he gave her would go to feed her addiction, not her stomach.
“When I was fifteen.”
“It must have been tough for you before that.”
He couldn’t go into those details. That was a time he refused to revisit, even in his own mind. He just shut it out. “I lived.”
Tacy looked as if she wanted to ask more, but mercifully she let it drop. She glanced at the B&B. They’d walked past it three times already on their rambling stroll around town. Each time, they’d stopped, kept talking, and before they knew it, they were taking another lap around the square.
“This is my stop.”
“Yeah.” Zac looked at his watch and winced. “Damn. Three a.m. Didn’t mean to keep you out so late.”
They had run into her friends, Lauren and Travis, when they were leaving the dance. He’d overheard them making plans to meet for breakfast at Dottie’s Diner at eight a.m.
Tacy shrugged. “I’m used to getting up early. Most of our workouts started at the crack of dawn. Are you still planning to leave tomorrow?”
He shook his head. Zac wasn’t sure what was going on between them, but he wanted more time to explore it. “No. I think I’m going to stay a little longer.” Maybe the whole week. It would cut into his West Coast time, but he didn’t doubt it would be worth it.
“Good.”
The genuine pleasure on her face was more than he could resist. Zac reached out, cupped her cheek and kissed her.
He’d kissed his fair share of girls, but none of them—not one—impacted him like Tacy.
She wrapped her arms around his neck, her breasts pressing against his chest. He tightened his hold on her, moving his hands to grip her hips, to pull her more firmly against him.
She tasted like apples and sugar, remnants of the caramel apple they’d shared. His tongue swiped against hers, exploring the warmth of her mouth.
Tacy ran her fingers through his hair, turning her head so that he could deepen the kiss. Zac didn’t have a clue how long they stood there. It didn’t matter. He didn’t want this to end. Ever.
She was the first to pull away, to suck in a deep breath. “Wow. Not sure, but I think I might have seen some fireworks there.”
He chuckled, her openness and humor inviting. “Me too. It’s been a while since I’ve actually kissed anyone. Was afraid I might be a little rusty.”
“I think it’s like riding a bike.” She looked over her shoulder at the inn, and he thought he saw something like regret on her face. Was she sorry to leave him? To see the night end? He knew he was.
“W
ell,” she started.
“What’s on the celebrity’s agenda for tomorrow?” he asked. “Need an escort?”
Her face brightened. “There’s a softball game, but I’m not playing in it. Not sure my knee is ready for that. So I’m free. I was hoping we could ride the Ferris wheel and check out the haunted house. And maybe after…”
She flushed as her words faded away.
“After…” he prompted.
“I was hoping you’d give me a tour of your RV. My parents weren’t campers—tent, RV or otherwise. Always wanted to see the inside of one of those.”
The idea of having Tacy alone in his RV was going to wreak havoc on his self-control. Even now he was rock hard and hurting.
But he’d only met her a few hours ago. And Tacy wasn’t the sort of woman you had a one-night stand with. She was too sweet, too nice…too special.
Unfortunately, they were living on borrowed time—approximately seven days’ worth—and then they were heading in different directions to places unknown. He needed to make every second of it count.
Maybe he was going too fast. But the way he saw it, they didn’t have any other choice.
So it was going to be life in the fast lane this week. After so many years of plodding along in slow motion, he liked the idea of a whirlwind.
With Tacy.
In Sapphire Falls.
Chapter Three
Tacy didn’t even bother to dim her smile as she and Zac sat side by side atop the Ferris wheel. The sky was bright blue without a single cloud to mar the vivid color. The late afternoon sun was shining but not blazing too hot, and there was a slight breeze that had their seat swaying gently.
Up here, she could see forever, could take in the beauty of this quaint little town, nestled in the midst of the sea of green farms that surrounded it. The carnival was hopping, loads of people milling around below them, playing the games, eating junk food, laughing and talking. The soft strains of Frank Sinatra singing in the background of all the normal fair sounds simply added to the ambiance, the sheer magic of the moment.
Of course, the fact she was sitting next to the sexiest southern doctor she’d ever met didn’t hurt either.