Dan (Texas Rascals Book 9) Page 8

  “Trust you to bring me down to earth,” Dan said, and the sultry look he gave her zinged hot flashes straight to her groin.

  “Yeah, at this rate I’ll be living on the ranch all my life.” She shook her head ruefully.

  “Sounds heavenly to me.”

  “Well,” she said, purposefully ignoring his last remark and the sudden acceleration of her pulse. “We’re finished here. How about we get started repairing the plumbing in the downstairs bathroom at the farmhouse?”

  Dan consulted his watch. “It’s almost four o’clock. I vote we forget the plumbing and call it a day. We’ve been at this since dawn.”

  “You sure? I wouldn’t mind working for a couple more hours,” Raleigh said.

  “Well, actually...” Dan confessed. “I’ve got a surprise.”

  “Oh?” Pete and Raleigh looked at him expectantly.

  Dan plucked his shirt from where he’d draped it over a nearby fence post and fished in the pocket for an envelope. “Guess what came in the mail today.”

  “I have no idea.”

  “Reservations from a group of four hunters and a deposit check for six hundred dollars. They saw our ad on Facebook.” He grinned big as Texas. “I was hoping somebody might feel up to a celebration.”

  “Sorry, boss. Friday night is my poker night,” Pete said. “But you two go right ahead.”

  Dan wriggled his eyebrows at Raleigh. “What do you say?”

  “Hmm, I don’t think so.”

  “C’mon, what else you got going on?”

  “Washing my hair,” She ticked it off on her finger. “Doing my laundry—”

  “That beats a swanky dinner in Rascal?”

  “Swanky and Rascal is an oxymoron.”

  “Too true.” He laughed.

  She studied him, enthralled by his enthusiasm.

  “Come on,” he wheedled. “I want to do something special for you. You’ve been working so hard, you deserve a treat.”

  Raleigh hesitated. It would be nice to go out for once, but did she dare risk it, considering the way Dan made her feel?

  “What about Caleb?” Raleigh asked. “Can he come, too?”

  “Isn’t this the night he’s supposed to sleep over at a friend’s house?”

  Shoot, she’d forgotten about that. “Yeah, it is,” she reluctantly admitted. With Caleb away, she had no ready excuse to hide behind.

  “So?” Dan waited. “You’re not going to make me celebrate by myself, are you?”

  Since the day she’d issued her ultimatum, Dan had kept a respectful distance, not once stepping out of line or misbehaving. Not counting gathering her into his arms and spinning her around when she’d come up with money-making ideas. That had been spontaneous gratitude, and nothing more. Maybe she could trust him.

  Is Dan really the problem, Raleigh, or is it that you don’t trust yourself? Yeah, well, there was that.

  “I’ll let you pick the restaurant,” he cajoled.

  “Go on, Raleigh,” Pete encouraged. “You deserve a little fun.”

  “All work and no play...” Dan said.

  “The laundry won’t do itself.”

  “It’s just dinner. I don’t want to eat alone.”

  Neither did Raleigh. “Okay, but it’s not a date.”

  “Absolutely not.” Dan smiled and winked. “I’ll give you a ride back to the cabin, so you can get changed, then I’ll pick you up in an hour.”

  The conspiratorial wink blasted a jolt of pleasure up from the bottom of her feet. The man possessed enough charisma to dissolve forged steel.

  But by agreeing to have dinner with him, had she just made a big mistake?

  What on earth was she going to wear?

  Fresh from the shower, a fluffy bath towel wrapped around her, Raleigh inventoried her closet. Nothing swanky restaurant worthy. Her wardrobe consisted of mostly blue jeans and tank tops. The few dresses she did own were hopelessly inappropriate.

  She sighed and slipped into a cotton bra and panties. Then tugged the despondent garments off the clothes hangers and discarded one after the other onto her unmade bed.

  The gauzy blue number she’d worn to the prom with Jack.

  No way.

  A red-and-green velvet Christmas creation Fay had given her five years ago.

  Wrong season. Wrong occasion.

  A rainbow-colored sundress.

  Too casual.

  And the black linen outfit she’d worn to Pa’s funeral.

  Most definitely out.

  She stared at the pathetic pile and threw her hands in the air. “That’s it. I’m not going.”

  C’mon. Keep looking. She searched her closet until she located a gray circle skirt that matched the color of her eyes. Okay, not bad. She slipped it on. The delicate rayon garment flared softly around her legs. Rummaging further, she found a white peasant blouse.

  It would do.

  She’d bought the skirt to wear at Caleb’s eighth-grade graduation. She surveyed herself in the mirror, then added a wide black belt, black dress boots, and some costume jewelry to round out the ensemble.

  This was as girly girl as she got.

  In the bathroom, she peered into the mirror over the sink and applied a light streak of blusher to her cheeks, dusted eyeshadow across her lids, and dabbed on pearly pink lipstick. Usually, she didn’t wear makeup, but as a concession to a trip into town, she even combed mascara through her lashes.

  Simple. Understated. Perfect.

  Removing the rubber band from the end of her braid, Raleigh brushed her hair until it tumbled down her shoulders in a cascade of crimped copper curls. She stared at her reflection and sucked in a deep breath. No way. She looked too good.

  Sexy even.

  This wouldn’t do. Raleigh started to braid her hair back up when a knock on the cabin door stopped her.

  Oh, dear. She wasn’t ready for this.

  Another knock.

  She abandoned braiding her hair and went to answer the door.

  Dan leaned casually against the doorjamb. He was hatless and had combed his thick black hair off his forehead. He wore sharply creased jeans and an azure-blue silk shirt that complemented his dark coloring.

  Her palms sweated, and her stomach flopped up into her throat. Oh gosh, oh wow. She was in troub-le.

  His mouth dropped open, and his eyes grew wide as he stared at her with unabashed amazement. “Excuse me,” he said. “Do I have the right cabin? I’m looking for Miss Raleigh Travers.”

  “Dan,” she said, sounding exasperated and pleased at the same time. “Stop teasing.”

  He grinned. “I’m not teasing. You’re beautiful.”

  A telltale flush started spreading up her neck.

  He’d embarrassed her. Did the woman have any idea how utterly gorgeous she was? She looked like a glorious wildflower in full bloom with her unruly red hair corkscrewing down her back, the dove-gray skirt swirling sexily around her slender but sturdy legs, her natural beauty defined and enhanced by cosmetics.

  His heart skipped a beat. She was a woman to change his life for.

  Nervously, Raleigh cleared her throat and brought a hand to her neck. “I’ve been thinking...”

  “You weren’t planning on backing out on me, were you?” He clasped his hand to the left side of his chest. “It’ll break my heart.”

  That got a faint smile out of her. “We could have dinner at Fay’s. We don’t have to go anywhere fancy.”

  “No,” he said. “We don’t have to, but we’re going.”

  Not giving her time to protest, he took her hand and led her outside into the waning warmth of early evening. He knew if he allowed her even one instant to ponder this date, she’d change her mind and retreat. With a flourish of his arm, he opened the passenger door for her and extended his hand to help her up into the seat.

  But she ignored his hand, stepped onto the running board, and seated herself.

  Independent little filly. What would it take to get her to let someone help he
r?

  He enjoyed squiring her on his arm. It was a feeling he could get used to real quickly. For two months, he’d tried his best to remain distant, detached, but he could no longer deny how attracted he was to her. But how to reach her without scaring her off?

  Surely someone or something in her past had hurt her very badly, destroyed her ability to trust, and Dan was itching to know who or what.

  Climbing into the front seat, Dan started the engine. Awkwardness stole over them. It was only the second time they’d been alone together since she’d moved into the cabin.

  Restlessly, he drummed his fingers on the dashboard, then fiddled with the radio dials until he found a station to his liking. The country twang of Blake Shelton’s guitar eased the uncomfortable silence.

  Well heck, things were off to a bad start.

  Raleigh brushed a lock of hair from her eyes and sneaked a peek at him.

  Dan possessed a stunning profile—long, angular jaw; regal nose; strong chin. The urge to run her hand over his chiseled features tempted her fingertips. Wrenching her gaze away, she stared out over the hood, watching the yellow highway stripes disappear between the pickup’s tires. Blake Shelton gave way to Garth Brooks’ “Two of a Kind, Workin’ On a Full House.”

  Lightly, Dan rested his right hand on her knee. “Relax.”

  Sparks hot as a welder’s torch zoomed up her thigh, igniting a flash fire of desire inside her. Lord, what this man could do to her with a simple touch.

  “Please remove your hand.” Her voice came out in a timid squeak instead of the firm command as she’d intended.

  He jerked back. “Sorry,” he mumbled, keeping his eyes trained on the road. “But you had such a death grip on the door handle, I wanted to make you feel more comfortable. Look, your knuckles are blanched white.”

  “Oh.” Feeling foolish, she released the door handle.

  “I promise, I don’t bite,” he said.

  “I’m not so sure about that,” she replied, struggling to tame her feelings.

  “Do you want to talk about it?”

  “Talk about what?”

  “Your fear of being alone with me. Are you scared of losing control? Is that it?”

  “I’m not afraid...” she started, then realized he was baiting her. “Can we change the subject?”

  “You see me as a threat?”

  “Not at all,” she lied.

  “Then why are you so nervous about a dinner date?”

  “It’s not a date,” she denied.

  “Then what is it?”

  He was right. It was a date.

  Oh, why had she agreed to come? Raleigh twisted a strand of hair around her index finger. A cross between elation and frustration welled up inside her. Concern furrowed his brow.

  “Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Fine.”

  “Raleigh, I’ll never force you to do anything you’re not comfortable with. Do you want me to turn this truck around and go back to the ranch?”

  What to do? Since Jack’s death, she’d cocooned herself, buffering her emotions by ignoring any and all sexual desires. Until Dan, she’d had no trouble resisting temptation. In fact, he was the first man she’d been attracted to since Jack. His power was terrifying, his very nearness inherently dangerous.

  On the other hand, shouldn’t she be able to have dinner with a handsome man without it turning into anything more complicated than a shared meal? This was something she needed to work on. For her own personal growth.

  “Raleigh?”

  “I’m all right.”

  “You sure?”

  “I’m fine. Stop fussing over me like a mother hen.”

  They entered the Rascal city limits and drove to the heart of town. Dan stopped the pickup outside a popular Mexican restaurant. It was just before the dinner hour, but already the parking lot was crowded.

  The sounds of a mariachi band and the smell of corn tortillas filled the air. Neon lights blinked red, blue, and green. Car doors slammed. Raleigh took a deep breath and, for one crazy moment, felt contented. It had been a long time since she’d been to the city or eaten in a nice restaurant. It felt good to get out.

  Turning off the radio, Dan cut the engine and glanced over at her. “Now, please stay put until I get around to the other side.”

  She started to protest, but he’d already leapt out of the front seat and was running around to open the door for her.

  His dark eyes locked on her so tight she could have sworn she heard an audible click.

  A rush of warmth bulleted through her bloodstream. How long had it been since she’d felt this level of heat? What was it about this man that burned her up?

  Face facts, he was hotter than heck. The man could melt Iceland.

  He held out his hand to help her out. She ignored it just like she had when she’d gotten in. She stepped down and promptly caught the toe of her boot in the hem of her long skirt. She lost her balance and barreled forward right into his Dan’s waiting arms.

  She let out a soft gasp.

  “Whoa, there.” He used his body to steady her.

  Her face flamed scarlet. “I-I’m sorry.”

  He held her aloft, inches from the ground. She could feel the power of the corded muscles in his forearm. His face hovered before hers, his dark eyes gleaming. She could smell his minty breath, the spicy tang of his cologne.

  For one spontaneous second, she thought he might kiss her, wanted him to kiss her, but the moment passed, and he set her gently on the ground and shut the door.

  Unexpected disappointment nestled in her stomach.

  “Let’s go inside,” he rasped, and that’s when she realized what supreme effort it had taken for him not to kiss her.

  Meekly, she followed him inside, dazed by the vital undercurrent rippling between them. Blinking, she squinted against the cheerful brightness. A smiling hostess greeted them at the door, led them to their table, and took their drink orders.

  Dan held out a chair for her. Awkwardly, Raleigh sat down and watched him settle in across from her.

  “The Juarez Platter is excellent,” he recommended.

  “Fine,” she said hoarsely. Food was the last thing on her mind. Her body was a seething mess of arousal.

  Dan cracked his knuckles and appeared as flustered as she was.

  The waitress returned with their drinks, setting a beer in front of Dan and a glass of iced tea before Raleigh.

  “You’re awfully quiet,” he said.

  “I don’t know what to say.” She watched him stroke a finger around the rim of his frosty beer mug. He had large, capable hands, the hands of a workman, tanned and callused. She wondered what it would feel like to have those hands caressing her naked skin.

  Raleigh Travers, knock it off!

  “Me, neither,” he said. “You’ve got me quaking in my boots.”

  “I do?” His confession relaxed her a little. Big, strong Dan was nervous of her?

  “Every time I look at you, I get a lump in my throat. You’re just so beautiful.”

  Raleigh struggled to control the heat seeping up her neck and failed miserably. Blushing—the curse of the redhead.

  “I want to propose a toast.” He lifted his mug.

  “A toast?” She followed suit and raised her glass.

  “To the best darn farrier in Texas.”

  “I guess I can drink to that.” She grinned and clinked the lip of her tea glass against his beer mug.

  Their gazes met and held.

  The steady, patient look in his eyes made her think of soft, sensual things—whispered moans, flower blossoms, delicate evening breezes, swaying bodies. In her mind, she saw Dan’s fingertips glide over her skin like wind rustling through mesquite branches.

  She jerked her gaze away.

  The waitress arrived with their food. Relief swamped Raleigh. Keeping her head down, she concentrated on her meal of chicken enchiladas, soft cheese tacos, refried beans, and Spanish rice.

  “I like seeing
you eat so heartily. A woman with an appetite.” He raised an eyebrow, and she knew he meant more than food.

  She didn’t know what to say, but she knew she shouldn’t encourage his behavior. They were only having dinner, period. She would do well to remain mindful of that.

  “Dessert?” their waitress asked, gathering up their empty plates.

  “What I want isn’t on the menu,” Dan said, looking squarely at Raleigh.

  “Excuse me, sir?” asked the puzzled waitress.

  “Never mind.” He held up a palm. “Would you like dessert, Raleigh?”

  She placed a hand on her stomach and shook her head. “Too full.” Truthfully, she wanted to get home so that she could sort out her thoughts and feelings in private.

  “No, thanks.” Dan smiled at the waitress. “We’ll just take the check.”

  They left the restaurant, and Raleigh glanced at her watch. Only eight thirty? It seemed an eternity had passed instead of a few hours. Relieved to have the evening over, Raleigh hurried to the truck without waiting for Dan to catch up.

  Once they were inside the cab, he started the truck and headed out of town. Glancing over at him, Raleigh found herself wondering what thoughts crossed his mind.

  “Where are we going?” Raleigh asked, noticing they hadn’t taken the road back to Rascal.

  “I thought we might drive around lake. It’s a beautiful night.”

  “I don’t think that’s such a good idea. I’d really like to go home.”

  “Why? You chicken to be alone with me in the dark?”

  Oh, yes. Yes.

  “I’m not chicken,” she denied. “I’m tired. I got up at the crack of dawn.”

  “It’s not even nine o’clock yet,” Dan said, slowing down at the cutoff. “I thought maybe we could talk awhile.”

  She didn’t want to discuss feelings or share secrets or get to know Dan better, because she feared where it would lead.

  He parked by the shore. “Please,” he said. “For me?”

  “Dan...”

  “Let’s go for a walk.”

  Raleigh gulped. Her emotions warred. Instinct cried for her to flee, and besides, she hated lakes.

  “Raleigh?”