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With an unapologetic grin, he lifted his eyes. “Yes?”
“You’re being very bold, sir.”
Her tone was teasing, not offended, so his grin only deepened when he murmured, “You know how it is with us epic adventurers.”
“Sadly, yes.” She injected just the right amount of world-weary resignation into her tone to make him laugh. Damn, but it was fun to be with her. The only real fun he’d had tonight.
He motioned toward the open French doors, through which they could still hear voices, laughter and music. “You’re missing the toasts.”
She glanced that way, then lifted one shoulder in a slight shrug. “There will be plenty more this weekend. I needed a little break.”
“Yeah. Me, too. With all those people in there, it gets too stuffy inside.”
She nodded. “It is warm in there. It’s very nice out here.”
“Yes, it is.” He made it clear he wasn’t talking now about the temperature.
She smiled at him again. She had a very nice mouth. Beautifully curved, the lower lip full and soft-looking, gleaming with a subtle gloss that made him want just a little taste—though he suspected he wouldn’t be content to stop with a mere nibble.
The noise level behind him had abated somewhat. Music began to play, suggesting the dancing was starting up again. In contrast to the faster tunes of before, this number was slower, more relaxing. Maybe everyone else was getting a little tired, too, he thought with a faint smile.
Madison tilted her head in recognition of the tune. “‘Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered,’” she murmured. “I love this song.”
The title summed up quite well the way he felt at that moment. It was unlike him to get so carried away.
“Let’s not waste the song,” he said, holding out his arm to escort her inside. “We still haven’t had our dance.”
She tucked her hand beneath his elbow, smiling up at him. Covering her hand with his, he didn’t immediately move toward the doors. His gaze lingered on her glistening lips.
Her brows rose. “Was there something else?”
“I was just thinking—any movie hero worth his salt would be unable to resist stealing a kiss in the moonlight from a beautiful gypsy.”
Her smile wavered, but he wouldn’t say she looked displeased by his impulsive comment. He was surprised the words had escaped him, to be quite honest. Something about this night, this party, this costumed encounter—or maybe something about this woman—brought out a flirtatiously playful side of him even he rarely saw. Especially lately, when he’d been so swamped with obligations and responsibilities that there had been little time for play.
If he were to make a guess, he would say Madison was as tempted as he to take advantage of that private moment. Her gaze held his, and he was certain he saw an answering spark of recklessness ignite in her deep blue eyes.
“Since we’ll only be a movie hero and a gypsy for a little while longer, maybe we shouldn’t waste the moonlight,” she said, confirming his suspicion.
His pulse rate kicked into a higher gear even as he grinned in response to her tone. Flirty. Fun.
In that same spirit, he pushed his fedora back on his head and touched his lips to hers. She tasted as sweet as he had predicted. He felt a jolt of hunger when her mouth moved softly beneath his.
He had intended to keep it casual. Just an innocuous brush of lips, a champagne-flavored impulse that would make them both smile when they remembered it later. Instead, he found himself lingering. The light touch became a firm press of mouth to mouth. Her lips parted, moist and inviting, and it would have taken a much stronger man than he to resist the opportunity to explore more deeply. His tongue dipped, hers welcomed, the teasing underscored by a smoldering heat that threatened to flare into something much more serious.
He slid a hand down her back, feeling the soft warmth of her through the thin gypsy blouse. He forced his hand to rest at the curve of her hip, though he would have liked very much to allow it to explore at will. As she had pointed out, this diverting charade would come to an end soon. He wouldn’t want to do anything either of them would regret tomorrow. With that thought, he started to lift his head, ordering himself to bring the kiss to an end much sooner than he would have liked.
She wrapped a hand around the lapel of his leather jacket and drew him back to her, making it clear that she was no more satisfied by that fleeting contact than he was. More than happy to satisfy her curiosity—not to mention his own—he covered her mouth with his again, making no pretense at playfulness now.
Madison blamed it on the moonlight. Maybe the champagne. Or maybe it was the enticing fantasy of kissing a dashing stranger in a secluded garden while one of her favorite songs drifted through the cool air surrounding them. Only a few feet away, dozens of noisy revelers danced, laughed, drank and ate, oblivious to the intimate tableau in the cozy courtyard.
How could she possibly have resisted taking advantage of this stolen moment?
Jason could definitely kiss. His lips were firm, warm, skilled. The kisses were thorough, but not presumptuous enough to make her in any way uncomfortable. Though he held her closely, sending a thrill of awareness all the way to her toes, she knew she could step back at any moment and he wouldn’t try to stop her. There was just enough restraint in his embrace that she understood he was leaving the progression to her.
She really should end it soon, but it was so nice to drift just a little longer in the illusion. She allowed her arms to slide around his neck, her fingers dipping into the thick, dark hair beneath his fedora. Her actions brought them even closer together, upthrust breasts pressed to muscular chest. She felt her insides go warm and liquid.
It took her a moment to notice the vibration between them, and then a heartbeat longer to acknowledge it wasn’t the embrace causing the sensation. When she realized Jason’s cell phone was demanding his attention from a pocket in his jacket, she reluctantly conceded that reality was insistently reasserting itself. With a slight sigh, she lowered her arms and took a step backward. Her high heels wobbled just a little on the bricks underneath her feet, but she kept her balance despite the weakness in her knees.
“Maybe you should answer that,” she suggested, keeping her tone even and breezy, as if kissing strangers was something she did on a regular basis. “It could be important.”
“They’re all important,” he muttered, his voice a little gravelly. He glanced at the phone, then shook his head. “It’ll wait. How about that dance?”
“I’d like that.” She walked beside him into the hotel, thinking that a slow dance would be the perfect way to end this unexpectedly enchanted evening. She would bet Jason danced as skillfully as he kissed. And she already knew exactly how good it felt to be wrapped in those strong arms. Heavenly.
The ballroom lights had been dimmed even more while they were outside, maybe to suit the more restrained and romantic music now drifting from the speakers. The dance floor was crowded with costumed hobgoblins and heroes pairing up as the party wound down for the night.
She’d been right when she’d predicted that Jason would be a good dancer. He was. And she further suspected that he would be very good at many other things. Unbidden images swirled slowly in her head, making her pulse flutter in her throat. There was a limit to how reckless she was willing to be tonight—but it didn’t hurt to fantasize a little while she swayed in Jason’s arms.
He smiled down at her. “This is nice.”
“Yes.”
“Are you going to the ranch thing tomorrow?”
She nodded. “That’s the plan.”
Thinking of how early BiBi expected everyone to turn out for the planned day at a local dude ranch, she glanced around at the still-partying crowd, wondering wryly how many would show up with bloodshot eyes and pounding heads. Considering how little sleep she’d had lately, she should probably turn in soon, herself, if she was going to get into the spirit of BiBi’s cowboy celebration.
“You’ll be there?” she asked, telling herself that would be as good an incentive as any to get her out of bed early.
“That’s the plan.” He chuckled as he quoted her.
To her regret, the song ended and she moved reluctantly out of his arms. Almost immediately, BiBi appeared at her side. Though BiBi smiled broadly, Madison knew her friend well enough to sense that she was displeased. Was BiBi annoyed that Madison was dancing with someone other than Allen, whom BiBi had decided was the ideal weekend match for Madison?
“Maddie,” BiBi said a bit too brightly, “Allen was looking for you. I think he wants another dance. And Jason, Carl was just asking about you. He wants to make a few more arrangements with all the groomsmen. He’s over there by the bar.”
“I’ll catch up with him in a few minutes,” Jason promised. “I was just—”
BiBi slipped her hand under Jason’s arm, giving a tug that looked gentle, but Madison suspected was quite firm. “I’ll take you over to him. I know he wanted to make sure he talked to you all tonight. Maddie, I think I saw Allen over by the desserts table.”
BiBi could not have been more transparent in separating Madison and Jason. It seemed a little odd to Madison—why was her friend so intent on setting her up with the groom’s cousin? Jason looked over his shoulder as BiBi towed him away, giving Madison a smile of resignation and mouthing the word later.
It wouldn’t be later tonight, Madison decided abruptly. She was really tired. Certainly not in the mood to dance again with Cousin Allen, not even to keep BiBi happy. Spotting Hannah standing near the exit, she headed that way. She explained to Hannah that she was really tired, having been post-call yesterday and traveling today. She was going to get some rest and be fresh for tomorrow’s early plans. Sympathetically, Hannah promised to relay the message to BiBi, wishing Madison a good night’s sleep.
It wasn’t rude that she hadn’t said good-night to Jason, Madison assured herself as she made her way toward the ballroom exits. It was simply in character for the role she had played tonight. A mysterious gypsy fortune-teller would fade into the shadows without a goodbye, right? The footloose adventurer he portrayed would expect nothing more.
And besides, she thought with a ripple of anticipation, she would see him again tomorrow. She couldn’t wait to find out if he looked as good on horseback as he did on the dance floor. She suspected he would.
The first thing she did after closing herself into her hotel room was to kick off the stiletto sandals and let her poor, aching feet sink gratefully into the carpet. She yanked off the headscarf and threw it onto a chair, pushing a hand through her hair. The purple waist sash went next. Little by little, she was transforming back into herself.
Stripping down to her panties and strapless bra, she tossed the costume over the back of the chair and reached for a nightgown, replaying the evening’s events in her mind. She fancied that her lips still tingled a little from the impetuous kisses, and it was a nice feeling she wanted to hold on to for a while longer. Not that she expected anything serious to come of the flirtation, even if she spent time with Jason again tomorrow at the dude ranch.
Tonight had all been in fun, just a little extra entertainment at the costume party. Yes, he’d been charming and amusing and so darned sexy her toes had curled when he’d smiled at her. She’d been disappointed when BiBi had carried him off, but she hadn’t intended to take their encounter any further tonight; as much as she enjoyed flirting, it wasn’t her style to hook up with strangers.
Tossing the strapless bra onto the chair with the abandoned gypsy garments, she hummed beneath her breath, “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.” Every time she heard that song in the future, she would think of stolen kisses with a sexy stranger. And she was quite sure she would smile in response to the lovely memories.
Tired to her toenails, she crawled into bed a short while later, her teeth brushed, her face scrubbed clean of the sultry makeup, all traces of the gypsy fortune-teller gone now. And if she dreamed of kissing a dashing adventurer in the silvery moonlight—well, that would just be the ideal way to complete a near-perfect evening.
Jason was not particularly surprised to find that Carl’s brief message for him could have waited until later. Nor when BiBi just happened to bring Corinna over to join them before Jason could wander off in search of Madison again.
BiBi wasn’t the only one in the Lovato or D’Alessandro families who had recently decided that Jason and Corinna made a lovely couple. He had lost count of how many pointed hints had been aimed at him from all sides since Corinna had moved back to Dallas after completing pharmacy school in Austin. Even his elderly paternal grandfather had declared that Jason should ask the girl out. She was pretty, she was smart and she was the granddaughter of Vinnie D’Alessandro’s lifelong friend Savio Lovato. Vinnie had been hoping to see a match between his family and Savio’s for the past two generations.
Vinnie was just going to have to keep hoping, Jason thought with a slight shake of his head.
He wondered how much Corinna had been influenced by that family manipulation. Though they had been acquainted since childhood, he was six years her senior and they hadn’t spent much time together, actually. She didn’t even know him on a truly personal basis. Whatever her idea of who he was and what he wanted for the future, he would bet she was mistaken for the most part.
He refused to be nudged and prodded into a relationship with a woman just to please their families. If or when he chose to get seriously involved with anyone—something that hadn’t tempted him since he’d broken up with his last serious girlfriend almost a year ago—he wanted it to be entirely his choice, and based on more than a comfortable acquaintance. He wanted sparks. Sizzle. Magic, he thought, startled by his uncharacteristic musings.
Even as he told himself he was being ridiculously romantic, he found his mind filled with the image of a pretty blond gypsy. Their moonlight kisses had definitely sparked and sizzled. He fancied he could taste her on his lips. It wouldn’t have been hard to convince himself that she did, indeed, have magical powers.
But maybe that was the liquor speaking, he told himself with another shake of his head, setting down the glass someone had just handed him.
“A new song is starting,” BiBi exclaimed with obviously feigned innocence. “Carl, we should dance at least one more time before we call it a night. Jason, have you had a chance to dance with Corinna tonight?”
He had just opened his mouth to say his good-nights, but BiBi had put him on the spot now. He didn’t blame Corinna; there was no mistaking the chagrin in the look she gave BiBi. But because so many people were waiting for his response, he smiled blandly and held out a hand. “Of course. May I have this dance, Corinna?”
She nodded and accompanied him to the dance floor, which was beginning to thin a bit as the hour grew later. “That Old Black Magic” was just beginning to play from the speakers. Great, Jason thought with a sigh. A slow song. Why couldn’t it have been “The Monster Mash?”
Corinna gazed up at him from beneath her long, sparkly green lashes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know BiBi was going to order you to dance with me. This must be very awkward for you.”
“Not at all,” he assured her, lying through his teeth. “Have you had a good time tonight?”
She tossed her head a bit. “I’ve had a great time,” she said a bit too enthusiastically. “I’ve danced so much my feet are numb. And I’ve met some very nice people. Friends of Carl’s, mostly.”
Male friends, she might as well have added. He hoped all her new friends were as nice as she’d said. And that she would fall head over heels in love with one of them, and have her feelings returned.
He still refused to believe Corinna had strong, serious feelings for him—again, she just hadn’t spent enough time with him for that to develop—but maybe she had a little crush. After all, he was somewhat older, and a doctor, which some people found impressive, and their families had probably made him sound like a real catch to her. He supposed he should be flattered, but it was inopportune, especially this weekend with so much of the family milling around watching them. And when he’d already met someone else he would like to spend more time with during the next few days, without worrying about Corinna and BiBi glaring at him every time they spotted him with Madison.
The music ended. He dropped his arms in secret relief and took a step backward. “Your sister has a lot of activities planned for the rest of the weekend. Sounds like she’s going to keep everyone busy until the ceremony.”
Corinna nodded, her expression shuttered. “You’ll be at the ranch tomorrow?”
“Are you kidding? BiBi would track me down if I didn’t show up. I’ve got someone covering for me at the clinic this weekend, so I’m free to do my duties as a groomsman, whatever that entails.”
He was very glad Carl had asked his brother, Curtis, to serve as best man. With Corinna serving as maid of honor, she and Curtis would be the ones walking together during the ceremony. Jason wasn’t sure who he’d be paired with for the ceremony, but he was relieved that he wouldn’t be escorting Corinna down the aisle and making the older family members sigh wistfully at the symbolism.
Now if only she’d tell her older sister to back off.
He hoped it wouldn’t be too uncomfortable for him to spend more time with Madison tomorrow. One way or another, he was definitely going to try.
Accustomed to getting up early for work, Madison was wide awake at six-thirty Friday morning. As tired as she’d been the night before, she was rather surprised to wake fully recharged and ready to go.
The vans to the dude ranch were scheduled to leave at nine. Judging from how quiet the halls were outside her room, she would bet most of the other wedding guests were sleeping off last night’s party, perhaps planning room service breakfasts before gathering in the lobby as BiBi had instructed. A breakfast buffet was served downstairs for hotel guests, but Madison wasn’t hungry yet. She was in the habit of going for an early run before breakfast.
A quick check of hotel amenities let her know a gym was available for guests, along with two indoor pools—one for swimming laps, the other designed for family use. Deciding she’d swim a few laps in lieu of her run, she donned the simple black suit she’d brought with her, covered it with a T-shirt and yoga pants and slid her feet into sandals. Pulling her honey-blond hair into a loose ponytail, she tucked her key card into her smartphone case and carried it with her as she headed for the elevator.
Waiting for the car to arrive, she found her thoughts drifting to the man she had met last night, and whom she would be seeing again on today’s outing to the ranch. Jason had been devastatingly handsome in his dashing costume, but she’d bet he looked just as delicious in jeans and boots. She was definitely looking forward to finding out.
Thinking of spending more time with him filled her with such anticipation that she couldn’t help feeling a bit like a giddy schoolgirl. It was a nice feeling, she decided, one she hadn’t felt in much too long. She was long overdue for a fun flirtation. It was good for her to stay in practice, she thought with a quiet laugh.
Because it was so early, she encountered only a few industrious souls heading for the workout room. The lap pool was across the hall from the gym. She pushed open the glass doors and stepped into the humid warmth. Surrounded by gleaming tiles and inviting chairs, the big pool dominated the solarium-styled room. The scent of chlorine tickled her nose. Glass walls overlooked the parklike grounds of the hotel. Glass panes above revealed the pale blue, early-morning sky of an autumn day that promised to be clear and comfortably temperate.
Only one other person was in the pool, a man swimming laps with strong, steady strokes designed more for fitness than fun. He stayed on one side of the long pool, so she didn’t think there would be any problem with her swimming on the other side. She kicked off her sandals and pulled her T-shirt over her head. Her functional black one-piece was form-fitting, but modest enough that it didn’t bother her to strip out of her yoga pants in preparation for her swim. Maybe the other swimmer would finish soon and she’d have the pool to herself for a while.
Someday, once she settled somewhere to begin her practice, she would have a house with a pool and these early-morning laps would be commonplace for her. She had always enjoyed a good swim.
She stepped onto the pool steps and descended into the waist-deep water. Noticing her, the man completed a lap, pushing a hand through his dark, wet hair as he dropped his feet to the bottom of the pool and stood, beads of water glistening on a beautifully sculpted expanse of chest. She took just a microsecond to admire that attribute before she glanced surreptitiously at his face—and then froze in surprise.
“Jones?”
Chapter Three
The nickname had escaped before she could replace it with his real name, illustrating she still thought of Jason as the fantasy man from last night. She should probably work on that or risk disappointment. Reality couldn’t possibly be as ideal as last night had been—though she had to admit he looked pretty darned perfect standing there all wet and sleek.
He whipped his head around, then broke into a grin. “Esmeralda. Good morning.”
Oh, heavens, did Jason look good naked! Okay, he wasn’t really naked, considering he wore a pair of dark swim trunks, but near enough that her overactive imagination had little trouble filling in the blanks. The pool water was kept at a comfortable temperature, but she felt overly warm as she gazed at him and tried to think of something witty and halfway coherent to say.
“Guess I’m not the only early riser,” he commented, wading in her direction.
“I’m in the habit of getting up early for work,” she admitted, trying to keep her eyes on his face. “Usually I go for a run to wake me up, but I thought a swim would be nice this morning.”
Okay, hardly witty, but at least coherent. Although she wasn’t sure she could remain so if he didn’t stop looking at her that way. The open appreciation in his gaze was definitely flattering.
“I like to start the day with physical activity, myself.”
She wondered if he’d intended the double entendre, or if she was getting carried away with their flirting. Deciding the latter was true in any case, she motioned toward the open expanse of pool. “I hope I’m not disturbing your swim.”
He gave her one of his patented smiles. “Only for the better. Don’t let me keep you from your exercise. I planned to swim a few more laps, myself.”
His grin triggered a renewal of their playfulness from last night. Mischief crowded out self-consciousness as she swept a hand through the water and asked in quiet challenge, “Think you can keep up with me?”
Something flared in his dark eyes as he waded a step closer to her. “I’d certainly like to try.”
“I’ve been told I’m hard to catch.” She reached out to brush a drop of water from his cheek, trailing her fingers along the firm edge of his jaw to the faint indention in his chin. She pressed one fingertip into that shallow hollow and imagined letting the tip of her tongue follow the path her fingers had just taken, ending with a little bite just there… .
As if reading her thoughts in her expression, he shifted closer to her. She snatched her hand away and turned to dive into the water, striking out with firm, steady strokes to begin her first lap. She heard a laugh and a splash behind her, but didn’t stop to look back. She had issued a challenge, after all. And she did not like to concede defeat.
