too many.”
She smiled. “Western history was my main interest in college.”
“Yeah? Where’d you go?”
She didn’t like where this was leading. She could imagine the gap it would put between them if he knew she was only weeks away from getting her Ph.D. “Boston University.”
One of his dark brown eyebrows went up. Patience turned toward the bandstand. “The song’s just about over,” she said, to change the subject. But the band didn’t pause, just swung into another Nelson tune, equally slow and seductive.
Dallas’s hold subtly tightened and any thought of talking slipped away. By the time the song was over, he was holding her snugly against him and her arms were around his neck. She couldn’t help noticing how good he felt, how perfectly they fit together. When the music stopped, Dallas steered her into the shadows of the deep, leafy foliage around the pool.
He reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear. “I’d really like to kiss you. I haven’t been able to think of anything else since the moment I saw you tonight.” A corner of his mouth edged up. “You won’t slap me, will you?”
Slap him? When he looked at her that way, hitting him was the last thing on her mind. “No. I’ll just kiss you back.”
Something flashed in those blue, blue eyes. He didn’t wait, just lowered his head and captured her lips. His were warm and softer than they looked, sinking in, molding perfectly to hers. He tasted her, kissed her more deeply, started over and did it all again. He coaxed her to open for him and his tongue slid into her mouth. He tasted faintly of whiskey mingled with something raw and masculine that made her insides curl.
Patience trembled. Dallas groaned.
He kissed her again and heat tugged low in her belly. Her limbs felt shaky; her pulse set up a frantic beat. Then, he eased a little away.
“I was afraid of this.”
“Afraid of what?”
“I was afraid that if I kissed you, I’d want a whole lot more.” He bent his head and nibbled at the corner of her lips. “Why don’t we can the party and go back to the hotel? I’ve got a suite there you wouldn’t believe. Big marble Jacuzzi, bedroom from here to Texas, the whole bit.” He pressed small soft kisses against the side of her neck. “I could order us some supper—”
Patience drew away, though it was nearly impossible to do. She tried to smile and hoped her tingling lips would work. “Part of me would like to say yes. I’m attracted to you, Dallas—there’s no use lying about it. But I…” She shook her head. “I know you’ll probably think I’m old-fashioned, but I’m not into the one-night thing. Right this minute, I wish I were. The truth is, it just wouldn’t work for me.”
He stared into her eyes. She thought she saw an odd sort of turmoil in his. Then he sighed. “You’re right. I just…the truth is, I’d really like to make love to you. I know it’s a bad idea—we both know it. We’ve got a long summer ahead of us. We’ll be traveling together and I’m not the kind of guy to make commitments.”
She moistened her lips, tasting him there. “I know that.”
He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t. In the end, he just bent and kissed her softly one last time. “I better walk you back to the others.”
Patience felt his hand at her waist as he guided her toward Shari and Stormy, who stood laughing together beside the bar. Big Roy Greenwood was with them, tall and stocky with a fringe of hair around a nearly bald head. Dallas introduced her, then ordered a Jack and water on the rocks.
Roy gave her a lengthy perusal. “I do admire the man’s taste, yes, indeed. Dallas has always had a fine eye for the ladies.”
She didn’t thank him for the backhanded compliment. Being reminded of Dallas’s endless supply of women wasn’t something she felt grateful for.
Greenwood turned away. “If you got a minute, Dallas, there’s some folks I’d like you to meet.”
Dallas
She smiled. “Western history was my main interest in college.”
“Yeah? Where’d you go?”
She didn’t like where this was leading. She could imagine the gap it would put between them if he knew she was only weeks away from getting her Ph.D. “Boston University.”
One of his dark brown eyebrows went up. Patience turned toward the bandstand. “The song’s just about over,” she said, to change the subject. But the band didn’t pause, just swung into another Nelson tune, equally slow and seductive.
Dallas’s hold subtly tightened and any thought of talking slipped away. By the time the song was over, he was holding her snugly against him and her arms were around his neck. She couldn’t help noticing how good he felt, how perfectly they fit together. When the music stopped, Dallas steered her into the shadows of the deep, leafy foliage around the pool.
He reached up and tucked a strand of her hair behind an ear. “I’d really like to kiss you. I haven’t been able to think of anything else since the moment I saw you tonight.” A corner of his mouth edged up. “You won’t slap me, will you?”
Slap him? When he looked at her that way, hitting him was the last thing on her mind. “No. I’ll just kiss you back.”
Something flashed in those blue, blue eyes. He didn’t wait, just lowered his head and captured her lips. His were warm and softer than they looked, sinking in, molding perfectly to hers. He tasted her, kissed her more deeply, started over and did it all again. He coaxed her to open for him and his tongue slid into her mouth. He tasted faintly of whiskey mingled with something raw and masculine that made her insides curl.
Patience trembled. Dallas groaned.
He kissed her again and heat tugged low in her belly. Her limbs felt shaky; her pulse set up a frantic beat. Then, he eased a little away.
“I was afraid of this.”
“Afraid of what?”
“I was afraid that if I kissed you, I’d want a whole lot more.” He bent his head and nibbled at the corner of her lips. “Why don’t we can the party and go back to the hotel? I’ve got a suite there you wouldn’t believe. Big marble Jacuzzi, bedroom from here to Texas, the whole bit.” He pressed small soft kisses against the side of her neck. “I could order us some supper—”
Patience drew away, though it was nearly impossible to do. She tried to smile and hoped her tingling lips would work. “Part of me would like to say yes. I’m attracted to you, Dallas—there’s no use lying about it. But I…” She shook her head. “I know you’ll probably think I’m old-fashioned, but I’m not into the one-night thing. Right this minute, I wish I were. The truth is, it just wouldn’t work for me.”
He stared into her eyes. She thought she saw an odd sort of turmoil in his. Then he sighed. “You’re right. I just…the truth is, I’d really like to make love to you. I know it’s a bad idea—we both know it. We’ve got a long summer ahead of us. We’ll be traveling together and I’m not the kind of guy to make commitments.”
She moistened her lips, tasting him there. “I know that.”
He looked like he wanted to say more, but didn’t. In the end, he just bent and kissed her softly one last time. “I better walk you back to the others.”
Patience felt his hand at her waist as he guided her toward Shari and Stormy, who stood laughing together beside the bar. Big Roy Greenwood was with them, tall and stocky with a fringe of hair around a nearly bald head. Dallas introduced her, then ordered a Jack and water on the rocks.
Roy gave her a lengthy perusal. “I do admire the man’s taste, yes, indeed. Dallas has always had a fine eye for the ladies.”
She didn’t thank him for the backhanded compliment. Being reminded of Dallas’s endless supply of women wasn’t something she felt grateful for.
Greenwood turned away. “If you got a minute, Dallas, there’s some folks I’d like you to meet.”
Dallas
Similar Books
