Entice Me Box Set: The Truth About Shoes and Men\Cover Me\My Favorite Mistake (34 page)

“Denise, did you see each other across a crowded room?” Cindy persisted. “Did the world stop?”

“Oh, brother,” Jacki muttered.

But I had to admit that those strange tingling sensations mounted in my chest again. “It was a little awkward, I suppose.” I sighed. “I…I don’t know why I called.”

“Are you in love with him again?” Cindy asked dreamily.

“Of course she isn’t,” Jacki retorted, then added, “Are you, Denise?”

“Of course I’m not,” I assured her. “I guess I’m just feeling a little out of sorts.”

“That’s because he was your first love,” Cindy declared.

Jacki scoffed. “Does your first love happen to be wearing a ring?”

“Yes.”

“What a coincidence, both of you wearing rings.”

“I got it, Jacki,” I said wryly. “Don’t worry, nothing is going to happen.”

“Where is he now?” Cindy asked.

“Buying a new pickup truck.”

They gasped. “Just like that? He got off the plane and is buying a new truck?”

“And he paid sticker price,” I added miserably.

They gasped again.

“Denise, I know that full retail is painful for you to watch,” Jacki said gently, “but it’s more proof that the marriage would’ve never worked.” She sighed. “I know you’ve never quite gotten over Redford, but this audit is the best thing that could have happened. The more time you spend with Redford, the more you’ll realize that getting an annulment was the right thing to do. Besides, he’s married…and you have Barry now.”

My shoulders fell in relief. “You’re right. Of course, you’re right. I knew you two would make me feel better.”

“How’s the bidding on the dress?” Cindy asked.

I frowned. “When I checked this morning, SYLVIESMOM was winning. Will you log on and bid again when you have time?”

“Absolutely,” Cindy said. “You
will
wear that dress when you walk down the aisle!”

I smiled into the phone. “Thanks, girls. I’ll call you soon. Cindy, have fun tonight on your date.”

I disconnected the call and spent the next few
minutes practicing deep breathing and relaxation techniques.

I will not make the same mistake twice. I will not make the same mistake twice
.

A few minutes later, I was feeling slightly more in control. But when the office door opened and Redford came out grinning and, from one evocative finger, dangling the keys to his new ride, my Zen fled.

“Ready to go?” he asked.

I nodded, trying to banish wicked, wicked thoughts from my mind. I followed him toward the monster truck, trotting to keep up with his long stride. He opened the passenger-side door for me and before I knew what was happening, he’d put his hands on my waist to lift me onto the tan leather seat. I gasped and instinctively put my hands on his shoulders. Our bodies connected like a plug and socket—instant voltage. My gaze locked with his; my breath frozen in my chest.

Redford seemed to be having trouble breathing as well, attested by the long, uneven white puffs in the frigid air of the cab. His hands tightened around my waist as he settled me into the seat. The leather must have been cold, but I couldn’t feel anything except the warmth radiating from his body. My knees hit him chest level, my coat and skirt rucked up past my knees several inches to expose my thighs. I had a vision of another time when Redford had set me on a table for the purpose of devouring me. From the slightly hooded look in his eyes, I wondered if he were remembering, too.

I gulped air and gave a little cough, releasing his shoulders and squirming against his hands. He let go of my waist and stepped back, but gave my legs a lingering glance before closing the door. I exhaled noisily and counted to five. Considering our history, it was natural for us to experience a little awkward attraction…wasn’t it? But we were adults…we could deal with it.

By the time I’d righted my clothing, he had tossed his duffel bag into the back seat of the cab and climbed into the driver’s seat, where he began making adjustments to accommodate his long legs. If our brush with flirtation had affected him, he had dismissed it easily enough.

“I hope you don’t mind navigating,” he said, placing his hat on the seat between us. “It might take me a few hours to get my bearings.”

“I don’t mind,” I said, still shaken.

“So, what do you think about my truck?”

“It’s…red.”

“Red is the color of DeMoss Stables.”

I nodded. “Ah. And it’s…big. I’ve never seen a pickup with a back seat.”

“It’s called a quad-cab.”

“Oh.”

His brows knitted. “You don’t like it?”

I laughed and gestured vaguely at the dashboard that looked big enough to belong to an aircraft. “Redford, it’s your truck. But you barely glanced at it before you bought it. Do you always make such rash decisions?”

His jaw tensed and, too late, I realized that in light of our past, my question seemed at once unnecessary
and
judgmental.

“Apparently so,” he said quietly, then turned the key in the ignition, bringing the engine to life. He turned his dark eyes in my direction. “But then I usually know what I want when I see it.”

The moisture evaporated from my mouth. I couldn’t seem to drag my gaze from his. I was mired in confusion, tongue-tied. Was he referring to me? To our marriage? Did I want to know?

“Better buckle up,” he said breezily.

Glad to have something to keep my hands occupied, I tugged on the buckle. But the strap was stuck from never being used.

“Here, let me,” he said, and leaned across the seat, brushing past me to grab the strap, trapping me between the seat and his big body. His face was mere inches from mine, the scent of strong, musky soap tickling my nose. I squirmed, which, to my dismay, resulted in rubbing my chest against his. My cheeks burned as if we were naked, instead of wearing heavy coats. Just having him in proximity was wreaking havoc with my self-control.

A lazy smile lifted Redford’s mouth as he pulled the belt over my shoulder and clicked it home next to my thigh. “I wouldn’t want anything bad to happen to you on my watch.”

I gave him a watery smile of thanks and prayed that he couldn’t tell how much he was getting to me.
I wasn’t in the business of feeding the ego of married men. A glance at the gold band on his left hand was enough to boost my resolve.

He turned on the heater, fastened his own seat belt, then goosed the engine a couple of times before pulling out of the lot. “Which way?”

I looked around to get oriented, then pointed right. I waited until he had pulled into traffic before asking, “Redford, what was that all about back there?”

“What do you mean?”

I wet my lips. “Allowing that guy to think we were…married.”

He studied the road, then made a rueful noise. “Jim and I knew each other when I returned from my leave in Las Vegas three years ago.” He shrugged. “Maybe it was wrong, but since you were with me, it just seemed easier to pretend than to explain that you and I were no longer…together.” He looked over at me. “I’m sorry if it embarrassed you.”

Considering I hadn’t told Barry or my parents the complete truth either, I wasn’t exactly in a position to judge. “No, it’s…okay.” Antsy, I glanced at my watch.

“Am I making you late?” he asked.

“No. I told my boss I’d be taking an extended lunch,” (actually, I had told him I was on the trail of a big account), “but I’ll need to get back soon.”

“Do you still have time to eat?”

I wasn’t the slightest bit hungry, but with some alarm I realized I wasn’t yet ready to leave Redford’s
company. We had so much to discuss, yet so many things I didn’t want to talk about. The audit. His family. My engagement. I guess deep down I knew that talking about those things would put an end to the flirtation that I was enjoying on some very base level.

Plus, I realized in astonishment, it would also put an end to the impossible fantasy I had been harboring in the recesses of my mind: that someday Redford would come for me.

The thought hit me so hard, I blinked back sudden moisture. I had discovered something about myself that I didn’t want to know. What part of myself had I been withholding from friends and potential lovers since I had returned from Vegas three years ago? What part of myself had I given to Redford…and would I ever get it back?

“Earth to Denise.”

I looked over at him. “What?”

His smile was gentle. “I asked if you still have time to eat.”

My throat constricted. “Yes, I have time to eat.”

The sooner we got things out on the table, the better.

The times we had made love on a table notwithstanding, of course.

“Good,” he said. “Afterward I’ll drop you off at your office.”

“No,” I said quickly, then gave a little laugh. “That’s not necessary—my office is close to the restaurant I had in mind.” A lie, but I couldn’t risk anyone
seeing me being dropped off by a good-looking stranger driving a red monster truck. I wouldn’t want word getting back to Barry. My fiancé. The guy who was available and loved my mind. The guy with whom I had so much in common.

Redford winked and slanted a sexy smile in my direction. “Whatever the lady wants.”

I feigned fascination with a passing landmark to cover my traitorous internal reaction. Blast that devilish smile of his! As the interior of the truck warmed I exhaled slowly, settling into the leather seat, forcing myself to relax one muscle at a time. I wasn’t going to think about the days stretching before us—I was going to deal with Redford one hour at a time.

But it’s over a hundred hours until he leaves
, my mind whispered.

I was in big trouble.

9

“T
ABLE FOR TWO
?” the hostess of Rutabaga’s asked me, although she could barely take her eyes off Redford.

“Yes,” I said, slightly irked. The man was like a tranquilizer dart.

She checked a seating chart and smiled past my shoulder at Redford. “It’ll be just a few moments.”

I smirked and stepped back into the knot of people who were also waiting for a table. Redford had removed his hat and was studying the dark, oaky decor, although not as closely as he was being studied by every female in the place…me included.

To say that Redford stood out was an understatement—with his stark good looks, brawny build and Western-flavored clothing, he looked as if he’d just walked off a movie set. My mind flashed to the movie
Crocodile Dundee
, where a bushman visits Manhattan for the first time. Like the character in the movie, Redford seemed oblivious to the attention he attracted.

“Looks like a nice place,” he offered. “Do you eat here often?”

“Sometimes,” I lied.

Actually, I’d chosen the eatery for its proximity to Redford’s hotel, its carnivorous menu, its tucked away location and its high, dark booths…not that I expected to see anyone I knew. For as long as I’d lived in New York, I could count the times I had actually run in to someone I knew—unless it was a regular haunt—on one hand.

“Denise! Fancy meeting you here!”

I froze, then turned to see Sam Long, Kenzie’s veterinarian husband, walking toward me holding a carryout bag. Sam taught at a clinic in the city three days a week to be close to Kenzie, who was holed up in Jar Hollow this week with morning sickness.

I managed a smile. “Hi, Sam.”

He gave me a quick hug. “Hey, congratulations on your engagement—Kenzie’s been talking about it all week.”

I felt Redford’s gaze snap to me and I sensed him inch closer. For reasons I couldn’t fathom, I found myself wishing that Sam hadn’t said anything, although the subject was bound to come up sooner or later. And considering the inappropriate feelings that Redford had resurrected in me, sooner was better.

“Thanks, Sam,” I murmured. “Congratulations to you on the baby.”

A grin split his face. “Amazing, huh? I’m still trying to get used to the idea of being a father. I guess this is a big week for all of us.” He looked around. “Is Barry with you?”

“Er, no,” I squeaked.

“Traveling again? Well, he doesn’t deserve you,” Sam said cheerfully. “But then I married up, too.”

Sam and Barry had never really hit it off, which had concerned me a little simply because I was so close to Kenzie and wanted us all to get along. But Kenzie had assured me that Sam was shy and didn’t normally warm up to people right away.

Redford cleared his throat, and Sam looked back and forth between us, clearly puzzled.

I inhaled deeply. “Sam Long, meet Redford DeMoss. Sam is married to one of my best friends, Kenzie, and Redford is…an old friend.”

Realization dawned on Sam’s face. “Oh, right, Kenzie said something about your ex coming to town, some kind of tax business, right? Nice to meet you,” he said to Redford.

Redford extended his hand. “Same here.”

“You’re from Kentucky?”

“That’s right.”

“Know anything about horses?”

Redford smiled and his stance eased. “A fair bit. You?”

I watched in amazement as the two men fell into conversation like old buddies, throwing around horse terminology, each visibly excited to find a kindred spirit. Sam had specialized in equine research and lived on a farm in upstate New York where he ran a small-town veterinary practice.

“I’m heading up to Valla Farms Sunday to check out a teaser stud,” Redford said.

“That’s only about thirty miles from my place,” Sam said. “I’d be happy to go along and look him over for you.”

“I’d be much obliged,” Redford said.

“Denise, are you riding up, too?” Sam asked. “I know Kenzie would be thrilled to see you.”

I shook my head. “I wasn’t planning to—”

“Come with me,” Redford said, his voice husky…challenging.

I swung my gaze up to meet his and saw something had clouded his eyes—disappointment? Determination? I was thoroughly confused. And intrigued.

“Unless you have other plans,” he added mildly.

Sam gave a little laugh. “I would consider it a personal favor, Denise. Kenzie could use some company.”

Redford lifted one eyebrow in question, and I wavered. In the nearly one year since Kenzie had commuted to Jar Hollow on the weekends, I had never visited her home there. My excuse had always been that I didn’t have a car. But since Redford was going to be stopping there, it seemed ridiculous for me not to go. Besides, it might help to smooth things over with Kenzie.