That Night With The Rich Rancher. Sara Orwig

ploy.

      She had hoped to entice him, make him see her as a desirable woman, have fun and maybe even share some kisses with him so their battles would not be so bitter and he would stop doing annoying things. Instead, she was breathless around him. An attraction between them that she had not expected had flared to life.

      How could he be so attractive to her? She knew already that it was because of his charm, his seductive ways, his same alpha male that annoyed her with his know-it-all, take-charge attitude, but now it thrilled her. It was aimed at her, like a missile locked on its target, and, incredibly, she found it appealing...and sexy. She was definitely seeing him in a whole new way tonight.

      Still, she couldn’t help feeling her carefully laid-out plan was going off the rails a bit. Now wasn’t the time to analyze her feelings, though. Not while she was in his arms. She knew this could never continue past tonight. Feelings for Tony Milan could complicate her life big-time. But for one night only, she would go where her heart and body led her. She could only tilt her head back and go with them. And right now they were taking her closer and closer to Tony. She wanted his kiss.

      Her heartbeat raced as her gaze lowered to Tony’s mouth, and she closed her eyes when his lips finally touched hers.

      All thoughts fled and her heart slammed against her ribs as Tony’s warm mouth moved on hers. His lips brushed hers lightly, a tantalizing touch that heightened her need for his kiss. Every inch of her tingled as desire electrified her nerves, hot and intense.

      Another warm brush of his lips and she tightened her arm around his waist, sliding her hand behind his neck to wind her fingers in his thick, short hair. Every contact was unique, special, something she’d never expected and would never forget.

      His mouth settled on hers, parting her lips as his tongue thrust deep and stroked hers, slowly. It was a kiss to make her moan and cling to him, to make her want him more than was sensible and beyond what she had set as limits for tonight’s “date.” His kiss set her ablaze with desire, making her quiver for his touch and dare to touch him in kind. How could Tony’s kisses do this to her? How could he cause responses that no other man ever had?

      Her knees felt weak while desire was too strong. Her heart pounded and she moaned softly against his lips. She felt as if she could kiss him for hours and still want so much more from him. As her hand slipped down over his arm, she felt the hard bulge of solid muscle even through the sleeves of his tux and shirt. The feel of that strength, that powerful maleness, rocked her. She felt as if she was hanging on to her senses by a thread.

      What she was doing? Somewhere in her mind the question formed, but her thoughts were too scrambled and hungry with need to articulate an answer.

      Nearby voices dimly reached her ears, barely registering in her thought processes. Tony released her slightly and for a few seconds they stared at each other. He looked as dazed as she felt, his half-lidded eyes smoky and dark, his lips wet and smeared with her lip gloss.

      His voice was thick and deep when he finally spoke. “Damn, Lindsay, there’s another side to you I never knew. You’re a stranger that I’ve never met before tonight.”

      “I think I can say the same thing about you,” she whispered. “All I hoped was to get you to talk to me.”

      He dragged his eyes away from hers and cast a glance to the side of the veranda. He frowned slightly as voices grew louder.

      “We’re not alone out here anymore,” he whispered, still studying her solemnly as if she were the first woman he had ever kissed. But she knew better than that.

      “Logic says we should go inside,” she replied without moving. For seconds they continued to stare at each other until Tony took her arm and led her silently back inside. The small band was playing another fast number and they moved to the dance floor, stepping out in time to the throbbing beat. Still stunned by his kiss, she watched him dance, his black tux jacket swinging open as he moved with a masculine grace that was sensual, sexy, his hips gyrating and making her think of being in bed with him.

      She felt her cheeks flame and looked up to meet his gaze. It was as if he read her mind. Desire was blatant in his eyes.

      The band slipped into a slow ballad and Tony took her hand, drawing her into his arms to dance close. Their bodies were pressed together, his hardness against her curves, and she didn’t know how long she’d be able to stay in his arms like this before she would combust. He pulled back ever so slightly to look down at her, and she was caught in his solemn gaze. For the first time, she realized his eyes were blue, with green flecks in their depths. He had thick dark brown eyelashes, straight brown hair that was neatly cut and short.

      Tony Milan was handsome.

      Down deep she had always thought that, in spite of how annoyed she had usually been with him. But up close like this now, she could no longer view him in any such detached manner. Not after that kiss. Tony Milan wasn’t dime a dozen “handsome.” No. He was drop-dead gorgeous.

      And she wanted him to kiss her again.

      The realization surprised her on top of the other jolting shocks of this night. Was she going to regret her decision to see if she could win him over with enticement and sweetness? It wasn’t sweetness Tony was bringing out in her tonight. It was desire. She wanted to be alone with him and she wanted him to kiss her again. She wanted to kiss and hold him, to run her hands over him. There was no way she was going to bed with him—she’d established that boundary from the start—but she wanted more than she’d originally planned.

      The night had lost its sense of reality and become a moment out of time. Everything had changed. Desire was hot, constant. Tony was sexy, virile, charming, appealing, and tonight he was the most desirable man she had ever known.

      She had never expected or planned on a night like this one. Since she had decided to own a ranch, she had never wanted to date other ranchers or cowboys. She knew them too well and she didn’t want them telling her how to conduct her business on the Rocking L Ranch. She loved her ranch—it was her whole life. No one had the right to come along and tell her how to run it. How many times had Tony done exactly that?

      Tonight was different, though. Tony was different. How much would tonight change their relationship as neighboring ranchers? Or would they go back home with the same attitudes they had always had?

      She knew she wouldn’t and she didn’t think he would, either.

      And then she couldn’t think anymore. Tony moved her hand against his chest and covered it with his own, pulling her even closer, as if wrapping their joined hands in the heat from their bodies. She inhaled the scent of his woodsy aftershave, a musky scent that was all male. She gave herself over to him and let him lead her with his sure steps. They were totally in sync as they moved, their long legs pressed against each other’s. The contact was electrifying. She wanted to keep dancing with him for hours, almost as much as she wanted to be alone with him, in his arms and kissing him. Was that where the evening would lead, or would he follow the auction itinerary and go back to the Dallas country club, kiss her good-night and each of them drive away? To her surprise, that wasn’t the way she wanted to end the evening.

      For the next hour they danced and she realized Tony was fun to be with when he wanted to be. He had her laughing over things he had done with her brothers over the years. She knew he was friends with them even though they were older. She was the only Calhoun who actively fought with him, but she had always blamed Tony for being such a know-it-all and so uncooperative as a neighbor. For tonight, though, she saw none of that. Far from it. He looked as if he was having a wonderful time and he helped her to have a wonderful time.

      There was one rational part of her that cried out a warning: she needed to remember why she bid on him. She couldn’t let her plan backfire on her. When this night was over, she’d still need what she came here for—and that wasn’t a relationship with Tony Milan. A relationship was the one thing she needed to avoid at all costs, because it would vastly complicate her life. She was here only to win his friendship so he would discuss their problems with her. If possible, even talk about their water situation.

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