Cougar in Texas: 3 (Rugged and Risque) (15 page)

She held it against her body. The one-shouldered gown had an artistic scoop above the right breast. The bodice appeared to be formfitting but the skirt flared slightly just below the hips and swirled around her feet.

Liza said, “Perfect choice.” She retrieved the appropriate shoes. “Size eight.”

Reese frowned. “I wear an eight and a half.”

“Not tonight.” She set the shoes on the long bureau of drawers lined up in the center of the room. “I have jewelry for that dress. Let me get everything from Jack’s gun safe. They’re real diamonds.”

“Whoa! No, no, no!”

With an exasperated look, Liza said, “You can still be yourself and wear Valentino and diamonds.”

She disappeared out the double doors. Reese started to panic.

Trying to slow her breath that came in staccato beats, she told herself, “It’s just a party. Be cool.”

While Liza raided the safe, Reese tried the dress on. She stood in front of the full-length, three-way mirror and couldn’t deny she’d selected the right gown for the evening. Liza returned and set a box on top of the bureau. Then she clasped her hands together as she eyed Reese.

“You are going to make jaws drop and tongues wag.”

“That’s not exactly the impression I’m trying to make. I just don’t want to look like a country bumpkin.”

“Trust me, you were meant to shine. Now for some added bling.”

She pulled out a wide, diamond-encrusted bangle and snapped it closed around Reese’s right wrist, over the long black sleeve. Then she added a gorgeous rock to the middle finger of her left hand. Chandelier earrings followed, along with a very simple necklace with a tear-shaped diamond. All of the settings were platinum.

“Holy Moses,” Reese said. “Exactly how much money am I wearing?”

“Don’t worry about it. Every piece is insured and besides, they were gifts from Peter, my asshole ex. Trust me when I say they have no sentimental value. In fact, I put them away because I never wear them, but now I’m thinking I may as well sell them.”

“I don’t know about this, Liza. I’m going to be worrying all night whether I’ve lost an earring.”

“Stop.” She waved a hand in the air. “I know the society types too. They’ll at least be impressed by the effort you put forth. That’ll make them interested in knowing more about you. Once they start talking to you… Well, you’ll win them over in a heartbeat.”

“You really are a good friend.” She hugged her. “Delusional, but a good friend.”

“Just keep your chin up and look everyone in the eye. That’s crucial.”

“Why do I feel as though I’m covered in fresh blood and sharks are circling?”

“They may very well be. But word around town is that you and Caleb are super-hot for each other. He’s worth the trouble, right?”

“I’m sure that word was spread by Tommy.” She shook her head. “If only he’d stayed in Corpus Christi.”

“No sense in wishful thinking. Just ignore him and focus on what you have. From what I’ve seen when you and Caleb are together, he must’ve fallen the moment he laid eyes on you.”

Reese’s toes curled in her too-tight shoes. “Don’t say that. You’ll jinx us.”

“Not a chance.” She paused, then something seemed to occur to her. “Oh! I forgot…” She rooted through the endless supply of purses and produced a black satin-covered clutch with decorative rhinestones on the latch. “Carry this in your left hand. The black accent at the end of your bare arm will balance out the black sleeve on the right arm. Little trick I picked up from a celebrity stylist.”

“I can’t thank you enough for all of this.”

“Oh please. It’s absolutely ridiculous that I keep all this stuff.”

“You wear some of it.”

“Yes, and get the sideways glances that make me feel as though I’m an extraterrestrial who’s invaded Wilder.”

Reese laughed. “That’s sheer jealousy from the women and pure lust from the men.”

“Or I’m just a fish out of water.”

“Being misplaced suits you fine. I hope I can say the same about me, just in the opposite vein. I’ll be the non-society girl in this scenario.”

“It’ll be okay. Caleb doesn’t strike me as the type who’d invite you if he didn’t think you could handle it. Clearly he wants you with him.”

“He is very sweet,” she said, her stomach fluttering at the thought of him. “I swear I was convinced I’d had my one shot at love with Tommy—and obviously wasn’t meant to enjoy it for long. Then Caleb came to town and… I don’t know. He’s better than a fresh, summer breeze blowing through the house. He just lights up every room, every part of my life, really.”

Liza whistled. “You’ve got it bad. Good for you.”

“Oh sure. Apparently when it comes to his family, there are huge odds stacked against us. And that’s a good thing?”

“Overcoming the obstacles is what makes it all worthwhile. I almost left town because of Lydia, remember? But I didn’t have the heart to leave Jack.”

Reese considered how dramatically her life had changed in a little over a month. She’d met Caleb after Thanksgiving, yet it seemed as though she’d known him forever. And were he to not be in her life… It would be a much emptier and darker place.

“You’re right,” she said to her friend. “I hear what you’re saying to me. I know what I want—it’s Caleb. So I have to weather whatever storm to make it work. Even if it means finding some sort of common ground with his family.” If only they were all like Caleb and Sam, that’d be helpful. But obviously the brothers were unique in this family dynamic.

“Just follow your heart, Reese. You can’t wrong if you do.”

Chapter Nine

Caleb paced the floor before the stairs and checked his watch again. “Reese, darlin’,” he called up to her. “Shake a leg, sweetheart. We should’ve left five minutes ago.”

“I’m coming. I’m just…
Ugh
. Caleb, this is too much.” She came out of her room and stepped into the light at the top of the staircase.

His breath caught. “Holy hell.” He took a few steps up, then came to an abrupt halt. “Jesus, Reese.” She was absolutely stunning. His heart nearly stopped. “Sorry I rushed you. I’d wait all night for this if I’d have known.”

He took her in from head to toe, completely mind blown she could actually be more beautiful than what he’d already grown accustomed to.

With a smile, she asked, “Okay for the party?”

She had to know she was showstopper.

“Darlin’, if I let you out of my sight for two seconds at the party, I’ll lose you to every man there.”

“Right.” She descended the stairs, joining him on his step. “Liza lent me the clothes and jewelry. Lydia did my hair and makeup and Ginger picked out the lingerie to ‘work with the dress’.”

“I’ll be thanking them all tomorrow.” He fought back a groan. She truly was sensational. Her dark hair was swept back away from her sculpted face and held in place with sparkly clips. Her makeup was neutral-colored and understated enough to show off her crimson-colored lips. The dress she wore hugged her curves and was elegant, yet damn sexy. Everything about her made his heart thunder and his cock throb.

“Whoa, Reese.” This from Sam as he entered the living room. “That is you, right?”

“Yes,” she said, her voice soft and alluring. “Am I presentable?”

Sam checked her out, which would have put Caleb on edge were it any other man. Then again… He told himself he’d better get used to it. She’d be the belle at this evening’s ball.

“I have to apologize,” Sam said. “I gave you all that advice this morning, as though you didn’t have a clue as to what you were getting yourself into. But you have so much more intuition than I gave you credit for.”

Her gaze narrowed on him. “It’s just a dress and some diamonds.”

“No,” he said with a shake of his head. “It’s so much more than that.”

She slid a glance toward Caleb, then said, “One of the first things Liza told me when she heard you’d come to town is that you have money. That turned me off instantly. I don’t want to have anything to do with that. The fact neither of you do, either—with the exception of the very honorable business you’re interested in starting—is a huge relief to me. But I understand you still have family to contend with. Expectations placed on you. Aspirations for your future that are significantly different from what you want for yourselves.”

Caleb nodded.

She continued. “I don’t want to create strife for you. I suspect you have enough family issues to deal with and if I stand out like a sore thumb tonight, it’s only going to add to the pressure you’re already under. I know what you’re trying to do at the ranch and it makes me practically melt at your feet. So if I can keep from creating additional tension for you tonight, I am more than willing to play along. I’m still me. But maybe your parents will see past their idea of a B&B owner from Wilder and get to know me.”

Sam turned away. Caleb didn’t say a word.

The room fell deathly silent. Emotions stronger than anything he’d ever felt churned inside him.

Reese finally spoke again. “Okay… So I’m wrong.”

Sam whirled around, his handsome face a mask of hard angles. “No, you’re not.”

Caleb said, “He’s right.” Taking the hand not holding the black clutch, he added, “You understand appearance is everything when it comes to people like this. But when it comes to what lies beneath the surface… They won’t bother trying to get to the heart of who you are if they don’t deem you worthy of getting to know from the very start. That’s where everything falls apart. The first impression is crucial in this scenario.”

Sam nodded. “I hate to say it, but it’s a fact. We inadvertently steered you wrong initially. If you hadn’t pulled off this look…” He let out a long breath of air. “Christ, you were correct, Caleb. It would have been like leading her into the lion’s den. But looking like this,” he said with another nod, this one of approval, “Judith will see how much effort you put into impressing her. Even if that’s not your ultimate goal, Reese. Like you said, you’re playing along. But you’re still you.”

She stared up at Caleb. “So let me stand on my own two feet.”

With a grin, he said, “You clearly don’t need any help from me.”

“Or me,” Sam added. He collected his overcoat hanging on the railing.

Caleb offered his arm to Reese and they descended the remainder of the steps. A thick black wrap draped over the back of a sofa and he asked, “Will this be warm enough?”

“Your body heat’s sufficient.”

He groaned. Placing the wrap around her shoulders, he said, “Let me know if you need my coat.”

After slipping into his full-length one, they left the B&B. They took Reese’s sedan to Austin, since it was more conducive for formalwear than the trucks.

On the drive to the private airport, she twisted in the front passenger seat and asked Sam, “What happened to Charlotte? Did she marry?”

“No. Not yet. Though I hear she’s engaged to a farmer in Iowa. That’s where she’s from.”

“Are you two in touch or do you get information through the grapevine?”

“Grapevine.”

Reese settled back in her seat.

Caleb said, “She never stood a chance with the family. They weren’t nice. She was too simple for their taste and they thought she was all wrong for Sam.”

“What happened?”

Sam told her, “They were cruel. Vicious, even. They’d snipe at her or cut her down at functions, in public, until she was almost in tears and spent the majority of the evenings in the restroom.”

Reese swiveled around again. “Why didn’t you stand up for her?”

Caleb said, “He did. We both did. Repeatedly. But what it really came down to was the fact Sam should’ve just stopped bringing her around.”

“Why didn’t you?”

Sam sighed. “Because I really wanted her to fit in. My fault entirely. I don’t particularly like how my family behaves, but…they are my family. And, as is the case with Caleb, there’s this small, idiotic part of me that thinks I can somehow make them see past their snobbery. It’s inherent and I can’t shake it. I want them to see someone like Charlotte or you in real, honest terms. It’ll be the death of me, I’m sure, but damn it. Someday they’ve got to see the writing on the wall and accept people for who they are and what they want to be. We’re not all Society Stepfords.”

“Exactly,” Caleb said. “We’ve never really talked about this, but he’s hit the nail on the head.”

Reese stared out the window toward the double-laned road to Austin. She seemed to give everything they’d said ample consideration, then shifted her attention to Caleb.

“So what if they don’t like me?”

He laughed. “It’s not exactly a do-or-die situation, darlin’.”

“Really?” Her gaze landed on Sam in the backseat.

Caleb’s teeth ground together. Yes, his family could make life hell for him. And for her. He’d witnessed it with Sam and Charlotte. As much as he wanted to reassure her, he actually didn’t have any proof it could work out between them if his family disapproved of her.

The more disconcerting thought was that, despite her appearance, they likely would disapprove…

* * * * *

Reese barely resisted the urge to bite her newly manicured nails as the car passed through a security gate and drove onto the tarmac at the private terminal. The Lear jet sat in wait, a red carpet leading to the short flight of stairs. The two pilots stood on either side of the steps.

Sam got out of the car and opened her door for her. Walking in Liza’s shoes was painful on so many levels. The pointy tips pinched her toes, but the most agony came in figurative terms. Although she appreciated how Caleb looked at her all spiffed up, she regretted having accepted his invitation. Something about what both men had said earlier gnawed at her. If it took an over-the-top appearance for his family to invest in getting to know her, wouldn’t they just be disappointed when they found out she wasn’t a flashy person at all?

Actually what really made her nervous as hell was they’d likely discover she wasn’t the least bit interesting.

What would she discuss with them? The B&B? They’d scoff at her little establishment. Not to mention her small town and simple ways.

As they approached the red carpet, she whispered to Caleb, “I’m having second thoughts. I can take the car back to Wilder, then pick you two up when you return.”

He squeezed her hand. “We scared you with all the over-analysis. I just wanted you to be prepared.”

She thought of Charlotte. Her gaze slid to Sam. Had he chosen to be an eternal bachelor because it was easier than bringing a woman around when he knew how difficult it would be with his family? If that was the case, they’d obviously done a number on the couple.

The threesome reached the steps and Caleb introduced her to the pilots. Then he gestured for her to enter the plane. She took a deep breath to steady herself before gathering her long skirt and carefully ascending the steps.

Inside, a woman in a flight attendant’s uniform stood at the burl wood galley and smiled. “Welcome. I’m Sheryl.”

“Reese. Nice to meet you.”

She made her way to the back of the plane and settled on the taupe-colored leather sofa. Caleb joined her. Sam sat across from them in the single seat. Sheryl delivered bottled water and then they were off, taxiing down the runway.

When they reached their cruising altitude, the attendant returned with a tray and glasses of champagne. She handed the first one to Reese.

Staring at the vibrant flower in the bottom of her crystal flute made something poignant snap in Reese’s mind.

Sheryl said, “I think it adds a nice touch.”

She nodded. “It’s beautiful, thank you.” The men’s glasses were devoid of the flower.

Caleb asked, “You want to switch?”

“No, absolutely not. I love this. It just reminds me of something.” Jess had handed her a bright red hibiscus stem on the same day Caleb had come to town. Was the flower in her glass a sign?

She gave him a smile and said, “This is perfect.” They clinked their rims together and Sam added his.

“Cheers,” he said.

Reese’s nerves finally settled… Until they landed at the Dallas FBO where a limo awaited them. Forty minutes later the vehicle pulled into a long drive lined with tall oaks dripping Spanish moss from their limbs. White twinkle lights wrapped around their trunks, sparkling in the dark night.

“Good Lord,” she mumbled under her breath, her anxiety returning. “This
is
Southfork.”

“Not quite. We don’t have that much acreage, nor is it a working ranch,” Caleb told her. “No cattle or horses. Just a mansion.”

The driver dropped them off at the steps of an enormous veranda running the width of the central portion of the house that jutted out. The east and west wings were set back a ways. One look at the guests milling about with expensive-looking champagne glasses in their hands made her glad she’d sought out Liza’s style advice. Nothing in her own closet would have done for the grandiose occasion.

The men escorted her into the house, which would put any five-star resort to shame. She wondered if the governor’s home could compete with all the chandeliers and marble flooring and gilt-edged banisters.

Caleb took her directly to his parents. They were amidst a small conglomeration in the far corner. He lightly touched a woman on the arm, impeccably dressed in a glittery, silver gown. She turned and her face lit up.

“Caleb,” she said as she did the fake double-cheek kiss thing Reese had always deemed pretentious. “Samuel.” She repeated the gesture.

“You look lovely as always, Mother,” Caleb told her. “Nice necklace.” Then he said, “I’d like you to meet Reese Middleton. She owns the bed and breakfast in Wilder where Sam and I temporarily reside.”

Reese was pleased he’d addressed the pertinent details upfront and had left off the “girlfriend” tag. She held her hand out. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Bennett.”

The other woman regarded her for a moment, taking her in before giving a very slight nod of approval. She delicately placed her hand in Reese’s. “Please, call me Judith.”

“Reese is a visionary,” Sam jumped in. “She took one look at the house on Caleb’s property and saw an inn with an event lawn overlooking the lake.”

“She’s going to manage it,” Caleb added, a hefty dose of pride in his voice.

Reese hoped his mother would immediately latch onto the fact she had a business arrangement with Caleb and Sam, but the expression that crossed the older woman’s nearly flawless face suggested she had a very good idea of what Reese’s association was with the two men. Well one of them, at least.

Judith’s jaw tightened briefly, a telltale sign she wasn’t particularly pleased with the news. “That’s quite an undertaking.” To Caleb, she said, “You never mentioned wanting an inn.”