Chapter 9
When the song finally ended, Dax stood with his arm firmly around Liliana’s waist, swaying to the beat. “See,” he said, “I can sway.”
She laughed, leaned back and smiled up into his eyes. “That was amazing. Where did you learn to dance like that?”
He grinned. “From a woman I met at McP’s bar in San Diego.
She happened to teach ballroom dancing. I was so inept that she took pity on me and gave me lessons for half price.
At first, I saw no point. Then she took me to a local dance hall.
Because I could lead decently by then, all the women wanted to dance with me.
” His grin widened. “I don’t think I sat once that night.
Like everything I set out to do, I gave it my all, learning as much as I could until I deployed.
That was my last deployment with the Navy.
I never made it back to McP’s or to that dance instructor. ”
“Were you in love with her?” Liliana asked before she could think better of it.
He laughed. “I loved her like an older sister. She must’ve been in her fifties.
Because she danced so much, she didn’t look her age.
She liked to hang out at McP’s to talk with the bartender, who happened to be an old gunnery sergeant from the Marines.
I think he had a thing for her.” Dax tipped his head to one side.
“Sandy was a great gal. I need to look her up and see where she is now.”
The band started another song, this one with a Latin beat. Dax led her in a salsa, making it seem easy as well when it was all Dax’s doing.
When the song ended, Liliana was flush with exertion and smiling. She’d never had so much fun dancing. “It’s too bad your father didn’t meet your dance instructor before his wedding to your mother.”
“He wouldn’t have taken any lessons from anyone.
My old man swore he’d never wanted to dance and never would.
Now he couldn’t dance, even if he wanted.
” Dax shook his head. “He didn’t know what he was missing.
” He stared down into her eyes. “I’m glad I learned.
I love the way you fit in my arms and the way you move with me, not against me. Dancing is a partnership.”
Liliana could listen to him talk about dancing all night long, but the band had stopped playing, and its members were packing up their instruments.
Rachel met them on the dance floor. “You two were amazing.” She wrapped her arms around both of them and brought them in for a bear hug.
Then she let go and stepped away. “I got some great shots for your social media. I’ll post them tonight, then I’m going to bed.
See ya in the morning, bright and early. ”
“We’re headed that way, too,” Liliana said. “In a few minutes.” She wanted Rachel to get a good head start before they followed, giving Liliana more alone time with Dax in a more neutral environment. Back in the room was like sitting on a powder keg with a short fuse.
“Want to have a drink?” Dax asked.
Liliana let go of the breath she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. “Yes. I’d love that.”
They returned to their table. After the waitress took their order, Liliana looked everywhere but at Dax, trying to come up with some interesting conversation and failing miserably.
The waitress delivered their drinks, and still, Liliana couldn’t come up with anything interesting. “What do you think of Wyoming so far?” she asked.
“This side of the state is amazing.
Liliana laughed. “The eastern side of the state is flat and arid, full of big farms and ranches with little water and bitterly cold winters.”
“I can imagine how brutal the winds are with little to slow them down,” Dax sipped his beer and glanced around the room as if noting every entry and exit point.
Liliana glanced around at the people sitting quietly, talking over a glass of wine or whiskey. Not one of them looked like someone who was keeping tabs on her with the intention of eliminating her as a candidate. “Do you think the person who targeted me could be in this room watching me?”
“The thought crossed my mind. Jason had an accomplice who has yet to be identified. For that matter, they both could’ve been hired by someone else calling the shots.”
Liliana’s eyes narrowed as she glanced around the room again, studying each guest carefully. “That someone would have the money to pay guys and keep his own hands clean of the dirty work.”
“Right,” Dax said. “Someone with something to lose if you get that seat in congress. What programs or initiatives are you proposing to shut down?”
Liliana frowned as she thought back through her campaign promises and some of the litigation she’d been involved with protecting her state from big business taking advantage of loopholes.
“I promised to enforce the clean-up of old mines and to stop land development encroachment on national park and reservation lands. Water rights can be tricky and important to downstream locations dependent on them.”
“Do you recall any big businesses in particular that might benefit from one of the other candidates winning instead of you?” Dax asked.
“Ten Mule Mining Corporation has been fighting with the Wyoming supreme court and the EPA over funding the restoration of one of their open pit mines,” Liliana said. “I was on the litigation team to enforce the restoration.”
“Do you know the owner of that mine?”
“It’s a corporation with a board of directors.”
“What about the CEO?”
“Robert Davis. They pay him huge bonuses for keeping expenses down.” Liliana frowned. “You think he might be so motivated by the money that he would kill me to keep me from passing legislation that would impact the mining company?”
“The C-4 explosives came from a mining operation near Gillette. Is the Ten Mule Mining Corporation near Gillette?”
She nodded, still frowning. “It is, but that would be too obvious, don’t you think?”
Dax shrugged. “Davis could’ve gotten sloppy or paid someone else to take the fall by making it look like a robbery.”
“Maybe.”
“What about the land developer?” Dax asked.
“THEnterprises is the company I mentioned to Stone and Swede—the one pushing to build a mega-resort bordering Yellowstone National Park and the Wind River Reservation.”
“Have you had any run-ins with their owner or CEO?”
“I’ve met Tate Harris in court. He’s a high-powered, big-money guy who’s used to getting his way.
He didn’t like that I put his project on hold until the full scale of it could be reviewed.
He liked it even less when the state of Wyoming put the kibosh on the proposal for roads cutting through the park and the rez. ”
“I’ll put in a call to Swede to see if THEnterprises or Tate Harris have contributed to the other candidates. I’ll also have him check and see if he can find anything on the mining company where they got the C4 as well as the Ten Mule Mining Company.”
“Could it just be Jason Monahan out for revenge? He could’ve gotten a friend or hired someone to steal the C-4.”
Dax nodded. “True. The fact that he’s not talking makes me think he might be protecting someone else.”
“And he doesn’t want to say anything that will put him back in jail,” Liliana said. “Although, the evidence found in his trailer is enough to put him back behind bars all by itself.”
Dax finished his beer and set the mug on the table. “We should call it a night. You have a busy day tomorrow campaigning and a speech to give tomorrow night at the fundraiser.”
Liliana’s heart skipped several beats and raced ahead to the thought of sleeping in the same suite as the handsome man sitting across from her.
He stood and held her chair as she rose.
Her shoulder brushed against his, sending electric shocks through her body. She took a quick step away, catching her toe on the chair leg. Liliana stumbled.
Dax caught her around the waist and pulled her against him to steady her. “Careful,” he whispered against her ear.
Her hands rested against his chest, her pulse pounding so hard she was sure he could hear it. “Thank you.”
He didn’t let go of her immediately but held her so gently she could move anytime she wanted.
The problem was she didn’t want to move. She liked how warm and strong his arms were around her and didn’t want him to let go.
Ever.
The thought shocked her almost as much as the electric current his touch generated inside her body.
Liliana stepped back. “We should go to bed.” Her eyes widened when she realized what she’d said.
“I mean, we should go to the suite and sleep. Not that we should go to bed together. That’s not what I meant at all.
After all, you’re only there to protect me, not to sleep with me.
I wouldn’t want you to feel like you had to do anything.
We’re just together for the campaign, nothing more, right?
Then you’ll go your way, and I’ll go mine, and we’ll never see each other again. Will we?”
He touched a finger to her lips and chuckled. “Do I make you nervous, Miss Lightfeather?”
Her cheeks on fire, Liliana closed her eyes and resisted the temptation to kiss the finger touching her lips.
When he removed it, she opened her eyes. “I’m sorry. I don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
“It’s been a long day,” he said and pulled her arm through the crook of his elbow. “You need rest.”
“That’s right. That must be it.” She walked alongside him to the elevator and stepped inside. The mirrors reflected a man—a very handsome one—only doing his duty and a woman who could pretend she was all right but, deep down, was on the verge of insanity.
She wanted to throw caution to the wind and take Dax to bed with her.
When the elevator door opened on the top floor, Liliana stepped out, concentrating on the mantra going through her head.
He’s the protector. You’re the client. Hands off.
She took her room key card out of her clutch and ran it through the door scanner. The door opened.
“Me first,” Dax said. “Wait here.” He made a quick check and returned. “All clear.”