Chapter 16
16
M argo was having a wonderful time. These women made her feel good. They didn't blame her. They understood. Hanna shared a little bit about what Isaac had been doing while they were married, and she realized they had something in common that other people would never understand.
Not that she was happy that Hanna had gone through that. She was a perfectly lovely woman. But she had someone in her life who knew what it felt like to be betrayed by someone. Someone that you loved. Jace came back to the table with another set of drinks, and she thought she'd better slow down. But he was so handsome. And he was attentive. And Hanna and Grace just couldn't say enough nice stuff about him. And Carley, she was a fan.
The music changed again to a slow, sultry song. Who was it that sang this song? She would have to try to remember. The singer had a low, slow, sultry voice. She'd have to think of it. Jace smiled. "Are you having a good time?"
"I am. These ladies are fantastic."
"That they are." He set her fresh drink in front of her and took the empty glass that she had pushed aside.
She said, "Would you like to dance?"
He bowed low and held his hand out toward the dance area. "After you."
She stood. Knowing the other women were watching, she decided not to turn and look at them. As she stepped toward the dance area, Jace grabbed her hand and held it in his. They walked together to the dance area. When was the last time Logan had held her hand? It had been years. She caught a quick glimpse of the woman she assumed was Sierra, glaring at her as she turned slowly toward Jace and wrapped her arms around his neck. They danced slowly.
He pulled her body close to his. They hadn't danced this close before. But she liked it. She liked it a lot. And he smelled so good. Whatever aftershave he wore, it worked. It really worked for him. She could feel that he was toned and strong beneath his Hawaiian shirt. And he wasn't flirty like he had been before. And he didn't seem to like Sierra. That just made her even more happy. She would like anyone who didn't like Sierra at this moment. They swayed to the music slowly.
And before thinking, she said, "Will you have dinner with me tomorrow night?"
He pulled his head back and looked at her for a long time. "Yeah. I'll have dinner with you."
"Thank you," she said.
He grinned, "How about if I pick you up at your house at, say, six o'clock?"
"Yes. I'd like that."
"Okay, six it is."
He laid his cheek next to the side of her head. They swayed to the song, standing incredibly close, their bodies touching almost everywhere.
She lifted her face to stare into his eyes. "Logan had a seven-year affair with that redhead and her name is Sierra."
His brows rose as he stared into her eyes. "I'm very sorry. He shouldn't have done that. I can't imagine how anyone would want to hurt you, Margo."
She felt brave now. Maybe it was the wine. Or Jace’s company. "Not only that, but he changed his will a couple of years ago and gave her ten percent of my real estate company."
Jace stared into her eyes for a long time. Oh, she liked looking at his. They were sexy. And he stared at her fully. He didn't look away. He continued to give her his attention. After a few moments, he asked her softly, "How does that make you feel?"
She opened her mouth to say something, but wasn't really quite sure what to say. No one had asked her how she felt about anything in a long time. Her heartbeat sped up, and she took a couple of deep breaths.
She shook her head quickly as if to try to shake out cobwebs. Then she responded, "It makes me mad. It makes me sad that he wanted to betray me like that. It makes me sad that we really didn’t have a marriage for seven years, and I was completely unaware of it. Though now as I look back, I see it. I see it all. I just buried myself in work as our marriage became routine and Logan began traveling more. And I feel mad that he will never get my swift. Hard. Kick. Right in the nuts."
Jace stared into her eyes for a long time. Then he burst out laughing. He threw his head back, and she looked at his tanned, handsome neck and his jaw. And when he tilted his head down, his smile was still there, and she couldn't stop staring at him. His tanned face, framed by his short dark hair, was appealing. A slight stubble had grown on his jaw and chin throughout the day, which only added to the darkness of his tone. He was incredibly handsome. Swaying with him to the music, she could feel the firmness of his body. He was strong; she felt it in the way he held her. But he was attentive in a way she hadn't remembered Logan, or anyone, being before.
"Now that's a good one. But, as a guy - ouch!"
Her smile grew slightly as she stared into his handsome eyes. "Well, I need to get the anger out there. If he were standing in front of me right now, I'd probably not do that. But, when I'm sitting still and thinking, that's what I think about."
He nodded slowly. His eyes scanned the area quickly. He was working. And he was the owner here. The responsibility was all his, and she admired his commitment to his business. "I can understand that. Do you have any idea what it will take for you to get over the anger?"
She frowned. "No."
He shrugged his left shoulder. "Fair enough."
He guided her into a simple turn, which wasn't easy on the sand. She'd kicked her shoes off a while ago, finding the curling of her toes in the sand comforting. Like one of those little Zen gardens where you had the tiny rake and could make shapes in the sand. But, instead, she curled her toes and relaxed them. Dancing now with Jace, the sand on her feet was warm. He spun them slowly once more, and then they slowed and swayed. He was a good dancer, and she hadn't danced with a man in a long time. Actually, a very long time. Maybe five years ago, when she and Logan had attended the wedding of a friend in Tampa.
"You're a good dancer," she absently whispered.
He chuckled. "I don't know about that. I love music, though. There's something about allowing the music to seep in. Adding a beautiful woman in my arms while the music is seeping in is a bonus. I don't get a lot of time to dance, as you can imagine."
"You've managed it a few times tonight."
He pulled his head back slightly and looked into her eyes. "Tonight is a special night."
"Why is it so special?" She did want to know, though she was worried about his response for some strange reason.
His smile was pure sexiness. If there was a picture in the dictionary for sexy, this would be it. "The weather is perfect. The music is wonderful. Business is thriving and going to be expanding." He halted briefly, then softly added, "and I have the most beautiful woman in town in my arms."
"I'll bet you say that to all the girls."
He shook his head. "I don't. I have never said it to anyone, actually."
She shook her head. When he flirted, it set off warning bells in her head. "Right."
"I'm hurt you don't believe me."
"I'm not sure my trust levels are at a point of trusting many people these days."
"Fair enough. Do you trust me to kick this dance up a notch?"
She hesitated. The band easily shifted to an upbeat tempo, and Jace's arms tightened around her. He commanded her movements gently but firmly as they skirted the entire area in front of the stage. They moved with such ease she felt as though she were floating. Each turn and step felt effortless, and he never let her go. When the music stopped, he stepped away slightly and bowed. "That was remarkable. And fun. Thank you, Margo Price for such an energetic interlude in my schedule."
Her heart skipped a beat. Man, he was something. "You're welcome. Thank you for spending some of your precious time with one of your customers."
He chuckled and shook his head. "You are so much more than a mere customer."
He took her hand and led her to her table. Her friends stared at her, and finally, Carley said, "You two were on fire out there. We so enjoyed watching you two dance with each other. I didn't know you knew how to dance like that."
"I don't. Didn't. I mean it was all Jace."
He grinned and shook his head. "You don't give yourself enough credit."
A server rushed toward Jace at that moment. "Jace. We have an issue in the kitchen."
He turned to her and nodded once. "Later. Gotta go."