Her heart sped up as Cole drew close and her mind inexplicably pulled up memories she wished she could forget from the other night.
Like how it had felt to be held in his arms when he carried her. Or how nice his voice sounded coming through the bathroom door. Or the look on his face when he’d made her tea and ordered her to bed.
Those memories only amplified her nerves so by the time he reached her side she felt breathless and flushed.
“Glad to see you up and about,” he said, his voice a low drawl yet somehow she could hear him perfectly in the noisy cacophony of the gym.
“Yes, I’m much better, thank you.” The words came out stilted. As she was speaking she had the horrible realization that she’d never properly thanked him. She’d meant to but she’d been putting it off. She hadn’t known how to go about it.
Okay, no, that was a lie. She knew how to thank someone, she hadn’t been raised by wolves, as her mother would say. She just hadn’t been able to summon up the nerve to talk to him. Even if she had, it would have meant going to his family’s ranch because, from what she could gather, that was where he worked these days.
Ugh. This was why he was off limits. Where he worked these days? Yeah, no. She was ready to date someone who had a respectable career. Or at least knew how to hold down a decent job for some length of time. She didn’t need her dream man to be a doctor or a lawyer, but she would absolutely not even consider dating someone who fell under the category, “Ruby’s type” in her mind, and that included any man who couldn’t hold down a job.
Which meant Cole Deckland was off limits. It was a simple concept but one she found she had to remind herself of on a regular basis. How many times would she have to remind herself before she got it through her thick skull?
All at once she realized she was staring.
And she was mute.
Forcing a smile, she met Cole’s slightly quizzical stare. Stop thinking about men, she commanded her brain. And dating. And absolutely no thoughts about dating Cole Deckland, that is an order.
“Are you feeling all right?” Cole asked.
She sighed softly. She had that coming. “I’m fine. Fine. I’m just….” She stopped herself before she could say the word ‘fine’ one more time. “And how are you?”
That quizzical look was rapidly turning to amusement and she had the feeling it was at her expense.
Awesome.
“I’m…fine,” he said, placing just enough emphasis on the word so she knew he was teasing her.
Do not blush, do not blush, do not…. Oh darn. Her face grew uncomfortably warm.
She resisted the urge to look around for help. Where was Ellen? Or June? Heck, she’d settle for an interruption from that bullheaded basketball coach, if it meant easing this crazy awkward tension between them.
She’d rather thought that by the time she saw him again, she would have figured out the perfect way to pay him back for his kindness the other night. Not that he’d asked for payment, but pride made it a necessity. She hated this feeling that he held something over her. A kind act, maybe, but it was still leverage, in a way.
She’d gone this far in life without owing anything to anyone and she sure as heck wouldn’t start now.
She tried to surreptitiously wipe her palms on her yoga pants as Cole surveyed his surroundings, stopping to grin as Ellen herded the little girls back into their dance positions against the wall.
He turned back to her. “You’re teaching ballet?”
She nodded. “Mmhmm.” Way to be super eloquent, Clarabelle. She was normally so poised—it kind of came with the territory when one spent one’s entire life trying to be a great ballerina.
One didn’t meet many ballerinas who lacked in poise.
Yet, here she was. A professional—or rather, former professional ballerina. And she couldn’t form a coherent sentence to save her life.
But then, she was supposed to have more time! She’d figured she’d see him during one of her shifts this week, or maybe she would even summon up the courage to go to his ranch. But he was here. Now.
She blinked at him as that reality struck her anew. She’d been so flustered by his appearance, or rather what she would say and how she would act, that she hadn’t even stopped to consider what he was doing here.
“What are you doing here?”
The words burst out of her rudely and with zero grace. “What I mean is… um, I’m glad you’re here because—”
But he’d started answering at the same time and they talked over one another for an interminably long and insanely embarrassing moment.
“I wanted to see how you were, but also—”
They both stopped at the same time too. As if talking at the same time wasn’t awkward, they felt compelled to follow it up with an awkward silence.
Oh this just kept getting better and better.
He cleared his throat. “You first.” Then he gave her a lopsided grin that made her knees weak. It was a struggle not to roll her eyes at her body’s silly reactions to this man. So she’d had a little crush on him in high school. Who hadn’t? That didn’t mean she had to act like an imbecile every time he was around.
Her body thoroughly chastised, she focused her attention on completing a thought out loud, which was so much harder than it should have been. “I was just saying that I’m glad you came by. I’ve, uh… I’ve been meaning to thank you. Properly.”
Oh heck, that sounded awkward.
His lips were twitching and she swore to herself that if he laughed she would stop talking forever. Well, to him at least. But he didn’t laugh. “No need to thank me... properly or otherwise.”
She found herself returning his smile, which was so darn contagious. No wonder all the girls had wanted him as a boyfriend. He was just so… likeable.
She wanted to argue with him, but knew that it would get ridiculous really quickly. No, but seriously. I really did mean to thank you. Properly.
She resisted the urge. Instead, she focused on what he’d started to say. “Your turn. You’d said you come by to see how I was and…” Raising her eyebrows, she prompted him with what she hoped was a friendly smile.
To her amazement, Cole—Mr. Too Cool for School himself—shifted uncomfortably, shoving his hands in his pockets and staring at the floor like it had just started speaking.
“Um, well, you see….” He gave a low self-deprecating chuckle that made her heart do funny things in her chest. “I, uh…” He shook his head. “This is so embarrassing.”
She reached out and touched his arm, needing him to look up and meet her gaze. When he did, she gave him her best reassuring smile as curiosity threatened to kill her. “It’s okay. Just spit it out.”
He looked to the ceiling and blew out a long breath. “Okay, fine. My sister asked me to come here and see if you would help me. Er, us. Our ranch, that is.”
Claire stifled a laugh. Not because he needed her help, obviously, but because he was so adorably awkward. She’d never have believed he was capable of it. It somehow made him even more appealing.
How was that possible?
“Of course,” she said quickly, not even thinking. “I mean, you saved my life. I’d be happy to help you in any way I can.”
She caught his grimace before he ducked his head. “I don’t want you to feel obligated, Claire.”
She let out a little snort noise and then immediately regretted it, even though it caused him to lift his head and aim that smile at her once more. Oh boy.
But still. Where had her poise gone? Where was her grace? As a rule, graceful, poised ballerinas did not snort.
She talked quickly to cover her embarrassment. “It’s just that… well, of course I feel obligated. You. Saved. My. Life.” Her eyes widened as she said it slowly and meaningfully. “I mean, it’s not like that’s something I’m ever going to forget or be able to repay.”
His lips parted and she could tell he wanted to protest, but yet again she didn’t want to find herself in the
midst of a pointless, ridiculous argument. Besides, one quick glance showed that her new students were ready and waiting for her with varying degrees of patience.
Even Ellen was watching her expectantly, although her interest in her current conversation was of a different type than the little girls. She suspected Ellen could care less about the rest of ballet class, and cared far more about when she could get a play by play of her conversation with Cole.
Giddy laughter threatened to bubble up in her chest. Before Cole came along, she couldn’t remember the last time she’d had these surges of giddiness. High school, probably. That’s the last time she’d done anything so childish as harbor a crush on the town’s resident bad boy.
She studied him now as he clearly hemmed and hawed over how to ask her for this favor.
Not a bad, bad boy. That was what had always been so appealing about him. He was just bad enough to appeal to whatever ridiculous bent she’d inherited from her mother. But still nice enough that it had seemed safe to like him, even if it had only been from afar. After all, he’d come from a good family—they didn’t come more solid and stable than the Decklands.
Her trip down memory lane came to a halt as Cole finally spoke again. “My sister, Alice… do you remember Alice?”
She nodded, an image of a pretty, petite blonde popping into her mind’s eye. “I remember her,” she said. “I’ve seen her around town a few times but haven’t talked to her. How is she?”
“She’s good, thanks. She’s great.” He scratched the back of his neck in an aw shucks gesture that made her already pitter-pattering heart pick up its speed even more.
Cole Deckland was an attractive man when seen from a distance. He was devastatingly handsome when he smiled. But add humility to the mix?
She was a goner.
He tilted his head down and looked up at her, his gaze filled with that mischievous laughter that made her want to know what on earth he was thinking that he was forever amused.
“She has this idea,” he started slowly.
Just then Frank the basketball coach called out. “Hey, Deckland! What are you doing here, man? When’d you get back to town?”
Claire didn’t have to turn around to know that Frank was heading their way to greet Cole and play catch up.
Cole gave her an apologetic grin. “Maybe it would be easier if we discussed this later.” He looked around pointedly at their audience of grade school girls who were outright gawking at their ballet instructor and her handsome visitor.
She laughed. “Maybe you’re right.”
She heard Frank’s footsteps behind her. “Where do you want to meet?” She was about to suggest the bar, since it was a good meeting spot…not to mention downstairs from her apartment.
But before she could, Cole said, “Actually, if you could come to the ranch, it would probably help. That way Alice could explain it herself.”
She nodded. “Yeah, sure.” Her mind was already moving ahead to how she’d have to ask her mother if she could borrow her car for the night when Cole continued.
“I’ll pick you up tonight. Say six?”
She nodded. “Sure.”
“Come hungry,” he added with a grin that could only be described as wicked. “I’m cooking tonight.”
Frank reached them then, cutting off any response she might have made. Probably for the best, really, since she was speechless. Again. So she slipped off as Frank started talking, making her way back to the girls.
Ellen met her halfway. “He’s picking you up?”
Oh goodness. “You heard that, huh?”
She raised her brows. “He’s cooking for you?”
Sighing, she glanced over her shoulder to make sure Cole couldn’t overhear her friend’s excessive excitement on her behalf. “It’s not like that. It’s not what you think.”
“Uh huh.” Ellen grinned at her. “Claire Geddy, you have a date with Cole Deckland!”
Chapter Ten
Cole stirred his pot of chili with a bit too much vigor. This wasn’t a date. Not really. But try telling his sweaty palms that. Why was he so nervous?
Because this was Claire Geddy he’d invited over to his house for dinner. It was hard to remember that it wasn’t a date when dinner was involved. But it wasn’t a date, it was a friendly gesture so he could ask her for a huge favor.
Oh man. How on earth had he let Alice talk him into this?
A date with Claire Geddy he might have been able to handle. Maybe. Sure, he’d be nervous—no man in his right mind wouldn’t be nervous around the stunning, untouchable Claire Geddy. A woman so far out of his reach she might as well be in orbit.
She’d always been the good one. The responsible one. The one who was so dedicated to her dancing she practically lived in a different world, even when they were children. While the rest of them were playing video games and hanging out in the playground, she was off training and giving new meaning to the term ‘dedicated,’ as far as he’d been concerned.
So no, she’d never be in his stratosphere, but that didn’t matter. He scowled at the chili. It shouldn’t matter, at least. Because this was most definitely not a date.
“Whoa, there, big brother. What did that chili ever do to you?” Dax’s slow drawl irritated him, and even though he knew his anger was irrational he couldn’t bite his tongue.
“Not now, Dax. I’m not in the mood.”
There was a brief silence before he heard Dax’s voice closer this time. “Somebody sounds stressed.”
Stressed? Not really. Nervous was more like it. He had about five minutes before he had to head out and pick her up, and in that time he needed to gain control over his nerves.
For the first time in his life, Dax chose that moment to understand what his older brother was thinking. “Ah. The great Claire Geddy, huh? Don’t tell me the prima ballerina got under your skin?”
He paused in his vigorous stirring, mulling those words over. His brother was waiting for a response, so he finally settled on, “Something like that.”
He felt Dax close behind him, leaning against the counter, almost exactly where Alice had perched to watch him a few days earlier. What was it about kitchens that made people want to gather?
Even as he thought it, Dax leaned over with a spoon and snagged himself some chili. “Mmm, you’ve still got the magic touch,” he said around a mouthful of food.
“And you still have the manners of a baboon.”
It was ridiculous but something about this normal, familiar bickering was soothing. His nerves faded a bit.
Not that he’d ever admit it to Dax.
But then, just as he was starting to feel a brotherly kinship with Dax, the little brat had to go and ruin it. “So, the big bad biker has a crush on Miss Goody Two Shoes, huh?”
He spun around, temporarily forgetting about dinner. “Seriously? How old are you?”
Dax grinned. “Are you going to ask her to go steady?”
Cole stared at him, temporarily bemused by the sight before him. Dax was the serious one. He did not tease.
That was Cole’s job.
Dax swatted his shoulder with a dirty dish rag. “Relax, Cole, you’re just having a woman over for dinner, it’s not like you’re asking her to marry you.”
Marry. That jarring word managed to snap him out of his daze. Of course he wasn’t marrying her. Women like Claire didn’t marry men like him. They didn’t stay in Lulu, Montana when they had big, exciting careers waiting for them back in New York City. His brother’s ridiculous teasing finally brought him back to his senses. There was nothing to be nervous about because there was nothing going on here. There couldn’t be. And he said as much to his brother. “I’m not marrying Claire. I’m not even interested in dating her. I just—”
“Eh hem.”
The loud throat clearing noise made him jump and Dax whirl around so both brothers were facing the kitchen doorway.
Oh no. Cole’s stomach sank as he caught sight of Alice…and Claire standing directly
behind her.
How much of that had they heard? Judging by Alice’s wide-eyed look of horror, he’d have to guess all of it. Or at least the bit about never marrying Claire… or dating her.
Great. Just great. As if he wasn’t beating himself up enough as it was, Alice’s eyes said it all. You had one job here, mister. Be nice to Claire and ask her to help us.
And he’d already blown it. What had he been thinking when he’d agreed to this in the first place?
But the silence in the room was growing unbearably awkward and Claire…oh heck, Claire’s sweet, pretty face was so taut with uncomfortable embarrassment, it hurt to look at her.
He’d done that.
Well, now he would fix it, if he could. Moving away from the stove, he pushed past Alice and grabbed Claire by the shoulders, pulling her in for a hug. “Claire, glad you could make it.” He lowered his voice, “And sorry you had to overhear my juvenile younger brother’s teasing.”
His words had the desired effect of making her laugh. While it might not have been genuine, it was better than the awkward silence and the temperature in the room warmed by ten degrees, at the very least.
He’d give her a better apology later, but for now they’d moved past it.
Besides, it wasn’t like she would be hurt to know that he wasn’t interested in dating her. He’d bet the rest of the ranch’s money that she was at least a little relieved to hear that he didn’t have designs on her.
“How did you get here?” he asked as he gently guided her toward the dining room.
Claire nodded her head back to the kitchen where they’d left Alice and Dax. “I ran into your sister when I was heading home from dance class and she offered to give me a lift.”
He grit his teeth, resisting the urge to turn and ask his sister if it would have been too much trouble to tell a guy when she goes and ruins his plans for the night. “I was planning on picking you up,” he said.
“I know, but Alice figured since she was already heading this way….” Claire shrugged, as if it was no big whoop that she’d just overheard him being unbearably rude.
Dancing Queens & Biker Kings: Sweet & Rugged in Montana Page 9