with a sweetheart neckline and long skirt slit up the side, it clung to my body in all the right places. I finished the look with strappy black heels and the beautiful pendant Buck had given me for Christmas.
"Mommy you look beautiful." Maggie had been in her bedroom playing with Pippi, but now stood in the doorway.
I gazed in my full length mirror and almost didn't recognize myself. For the first time in a long while, I felt beautiful.
"Thank you, Maggie." I gave her a kiss on the head. It was time to get going and drop her off at Annie's for the night. The doorbell rang, and I answered it to find Buck in his tuxedo, looking gorgeous. His blue eyes were bright, his hair messy in a sexy just-got-out-of-bed style.
"Claire, you look perfect. You're beautiful." He shook his head. "How did I get so lucky?"
"You look great, too, Buck." I smiled and bit my lower lip.
"Claire." He blew out a breath. "Please don't do that, or I won't be able to make it to the party."
I grinned at him and licked my lips suggestively, laughing when he let out a low groan.
We took Maggie to Annie's, who stalled us long enough to take dozens of pictures. There were some by the fireplace, some on the stairs, but I had to tell her enough when Mark suggested we take one with his John Deere.
As we drove to the party, Buck held my hand. He was so handsome in his tux. He caught me sneaking a glance at him and brought my hand up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles. Heat spread through my body. I was melting. Why did I find everything he did so attractive?
"Claire, you have to stop, or I won't make it to this New Year's party," he warned again.
"Buck, am I turning you on?"
"You’ve had me turned on since the day I met you."
Oh wow. "Okay I’ll try, but aren't you curious about what I’m wearing under the dress?"
Buck gripped the steering wheel, blowing out another shaky breath. He abruptly slowed down and pulled to the side of the road. "Let me see."
"Buck, you can see later."
His head fell back on the headrest, and he closed his eyes briefly. He took a deep breath, then turned towards me. Voice strained, he murmured, "Okay, here is the plan. We eat, we dance, then I take you to my place, and I make love to you."
"Yes, please!" I agreed. If he had asked me to skip the party, I would have. I leaned over to give him a kiss, and he met me halfway. He teased me with his mouth on mine but, but when I tried to deepen the kiss, he pulled back. This time, when I groaned, it was his turn to laugh.
Chapter 16
Claire
We ate dinner while a sultry female voice sang onstage. She was accompanied by a band of musicians. The soft light from candles on the tables made the room glow. Buck rested a hand on the back of my chair, his fingers delicately brushing my bare skin. As the band played into a slow song, people began to take up spots on the dance floor.
"Claire, could I have this dance?" Buck stood at my chair, hand extended. I placed my palm in his and allowed him to lead to the dance floor. We moved together, his right hand on my lower back, his left hand clasping mine closely to him. I rested my head on his chest, loving the feel of his body so close to me. His faint scent of aftershave lingered, and I inhaled, wanting to burn it into my memory. We continued to sway to the music, our bodies melding together, until the band switched to an upbeat number. I detached myself from Buck reluctantly, cold without his body heat. He smiled down at me, his hand on the small of my back as he walked me towards the table.
"I'll be right back. I’m going to use the bathroom and get us some drinks." He placed a small kiss on my head and walked away. My face ached--I had no idea how long I had been smiling, but from the feel of my cheeks, it must have been all night. I sat down and looked through my purse for my phone. Three missed calls. I scrolled through them and saw Annie's number pop up. She’d left me three voicemails. I tried to listen to the messages but
"Mommy you look beautiful." Maggie had been in her bedroom playing with Pippi, but now stood in the doorway.
I gazed in my full length mirror and almost didn't recognize myself. For the first time in a long while, I felt beautiful.
"Thank you, Maggie." I gave her a kiss on the head. It was time to get going and drop her off at Annie's for the night. The doorbell rang, and I answered it to find Buck in his tuxedo, looking gorgeous. His blue eyes were bright, his hair messy in a sexy just-got-out-of-bed style.
"Claire, you look perfect. You're beautiful." He shook his head. "How did I get so lucky?"
"You look great, too, Buck." I smiled and bit my lower lip.
"Claire." He blew out a breath. "Please don't do that, or I won't be able to make it to the party."
I grinned at him and licked my lips suggestively, laughing when he let out a low groan.
We took Maggie to Annie's, who stalled us long enough to take dozens of pictures. There were some by the fireplace, some on the stairs, but I had to tell her enough when Mark suggested we take one with his John Deere.
As we drove to the party, Buck held my hand. He was so handsome in his tux. He caught me sneaking a glance at him and brought my hand up to his mouth, kissing my knuckles. Heat spread through my body. I was melting. Why did I find everything he did so attractive?
"Claire, you have to stop, or I won't make it to this New Year's party," he warned again.
"Buck, am I turning you on?"
"You’ve had me turned on since the day I met you."
Oh wow. "Okay I’ll try, but aren't you curious about what I’m wearing under the dress?"
Buck gripped the steering wheel, blowing out another shaky breath. He abruptly slowed down and pulled to the side of the road. "Let me see."
"Buck, you can see later."
His head fell back on the headrest, and he closed his eyes briefly. He took a deep breath, then turned towards me. Voice strained, he murmured, "Okay, here is the plan. We eat, we dance, then I take you to my place, and I make love to you."
"Yes, please!" I agreed. If he had asked me to skip the party, I would have. I leaned over to give him a kiss, and he met me halfway. He teased me with his mouth on mine but, but when I tried to deepen the kiss, he pulled back. This time, when I groaned, it was his turn to laugh.
Chapter 16
Claire
We ate dinner while a sultry female voice sang onstage. She was accompanied by a band of musicians. The soft light from candles on the tables made the room glow. Buck rested a hand on the back of my chair, his fingers delicately brushing my bare skin. As the band played into a slow song, people began to take up spots on the dance floor.
"Claire, could I have this dance?" Buck stood at my chair, hand extended. I placed my palm in his and allowed him to lead to the dance floor. We moved together, his right hand on my lower back, his left hand clasping mine closely to him. I rested my head on his chest, loving the feel of his body so close to me. His faint scent of aftershave lingered, and I inhaled, wanting to burn it into my memory. We continued to sway to the music, our bodies melding together, until the band switched to an upbeat number. I detached myself from Buck reluctantly, cold without his body heat. He smiled down at me, his hand on the small of my back as he walked me towards the table.
"I'll be right back. I’m going to use the bathroom and get us some drinks." He placed a small kiss on my head and walked away. My face ached--I had no idea how long I had been smiling, but from the feel of my cheeks, it must have been all night. I sat down and looked through my purse for my phone. Three missed calls. I scrolled through them and saw Annie's number pop up. She’d left me three voicemails. I tried to listen to the messages but
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