Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Eighteen
A grin tugged at the corner of Zoey’s mouth. She was enjoying herself and especially liked the company she was with. After a delicious meal at Clem’s, a restaurant known for their delicious BBQ ribs, Corbin took her to Vance’s Tavern, a place known for dancing.
Within minutes, they were joined by some of Corbin’s cousins—Luke, Blade, Slade, and Reese—and their wives, MacKenzie, Samari, Skye, and Kenna. Getting to know everyone was fun. The group had already taught her a few of the popular Texas line dances and complimented her on being a quick learner.
She enjoyed listening to the couples tell how they’d met. They had joked about how much Kenna liked to dance, and told her that, before the night was over, she would have partnered with every male sitting at their table. They shared photos of their kids on their phones, and it was obvious they were proud parents.
Zoey immediately knew that Luke, a former championship rodeo rider, was Chance’s oldest brother. Although Corbin and Chance favored each other, Luke reminded her of a slightly older Chance. He had the same dimples and eye coloring, and except for the shape of their noses, their features were nearly identical. Luke said Chance had their mother’s nose, whereas he had their father’s. Reese, who was also Chance’s brother, favored them as well. All the Madaris men were handsome.
Zoey accepted the women’s invitation to lunch next week and looked forward to joining them.
“Well, damn. I don’t believe it. Look who just walked in,” Blade said. “I wonder what he’s doing here on a Saturday night.”
All eyes went to the entrance of Vance’s Tavern, and Zoey was convinced her heart skipped a beat. It was Chance. She couldn’t stop the emotions filling her chest upon seeing him. “Maybe he has a date,” she heard Mac whisper to Luke.
“Baby, nothing has changed. Chance doesn’t date,” Luke whispered back.
Chance didn’t date ? What did Luke mean by that? And he’d said it as if he hadn’t done so in a while. Could she have been wrong in assuming he was involved in a serious relationship with someone? If that was the case, why had he fought the attraction between them?
Chance scoped the place, saw them, and headed toward their table. He looked good in his Stetson, shiny belt buckle, and Western shirt. And then there were his jeans. She was trying really hard not to notice how good his firm, tight thighs were in motion as he walked toward them. As always, she thought he was the epitome of a sexy cowboy, all the way down to his boots. Was she mistaken, or was his gaze trained on her?
Her heart skipped a beat with every step he took, and she could feel a degree of heat curling inside of her. There was just something about his walk. It wasn’t a stroll but a sensuous swag. Yes, he was definitely tall, hot, and handsome.
“Evening, folks,” he greeted, stopping at their table and tipping his Stetson. He was standing right next to where she sat, and she could inhale the manly scent of his cologne.
“Well, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes. What brought you off the ranch on a Saturday night?” Reese asked his brother.
“A better question is, what brought you off your ranch, period?” Slade then asked.
Zoey was confused by their questions. Did Chance rarely leave his home?
“Thought I’d come here and dance a bit tonight,” Chance answered.
“Dance? You?” Blade asked, surprised.
Chance looked at Blade with an unreadable expression on his face. “Yes, dance. Me.”
The entire table got quiet, and Zoey didn’t miss the look of disbelief on most faces. However, she noted that neither Luke nor Corbin seemed stunned by what Chance had said. When she shifted her gaze back to Chance, she saw how his dark, mesmerizing eyes had zeroed in on her.
“Will you dance with me, Zoey?” he asked, extending his hand to her.
Zoey’s breath caught in her throat. All she could do was nod. Standing, she took his outstretched hand. The moment she did, a sensuous shiver flowed down her spine. Her pulse quickened, and she hoped the loud music had drowned out the moan she was certain she’d just made.
“We’ll be back,” Chance said to those sitting at the table.
“I should hope so. Need I remind you that Zoey is my date, Chance?” Corbin asked, placing emphasis on the word my .
Zoey glanced at Corbin. Was he trying to shield amusement behind his frown?
Chance didn’t respond to his cousin’s question. Instead, he led her toward the dance floor. As if on cue, a slow song began playing. He pulled her into his arms, and when he did, she felt her senses aligned with everything about him. That made her intensely aware of him even more.
Gazing into his eyes, she studied his features: the dark, penetrating eyes staring at her beneath his Stetson, his chiseled jaw, nostrils that seemed to flare with every breath he took, and lips that could be her downfall if she were to let them.
“How have you been, Zoey?”
Her gaze moved from his lips back to his eyes. “Other than being annoyed there’s still strong sexual chemistry between us, I’ve been doing fine.”
If her honesty surprised him, he didn’t show it. “Why are you annoyed?”
“Because it’s a first for me.”
He lifted a brow. “You’ve never been attracted to a man before?”
“Not of this intensity and not when the man seemed to be on the same giving and receiving end as I am.” Even now, her body was heating something fierce under his concentrated stare. From the moment he’d entered the establishment and captured her gaze, he had focused on her like she was the only woman in the room.
“I must admit such a thing hasn’t happened to me before either. However, unlike you, I’m not annoyed by it. I will accept it as just one of those wonders of the universe. By the way, how did your meeting with Mama Laverne go?” he asked.
He had smoothly changed the subject, which was okay with her. “I thought it went well. I wanted to call to thank you for setting it up and to tell you how things had gone.”
“Why didn’t you call?”
Was she imagining things, or did he sound salty that she hadn’t contacted him? “You never gave me your number, Chance.”
He held her gaze and didn’t say anything. Then he said, “You will have it before tonight ends.”
She frowned at him. “Why now? Have you broken up with your girlfriend?”
“My girlfriend? Was I supposed to have a girlfriend?”
“I assumed you did,” was her comeback.
“Well, I don’t.”
She’d overheard the whisper about him not dating but wanted to hear it from him. “You might not be in an exclusive relationship, but you do date, don’t you?”
He focused on her for a long moment and then said, “No, Zoey. I don’t date.”
“Why not?” she asked as if she had every right to know. In a way, she did. The same intense sexual attraction they were experiencing now had emitted between them from the first. They had both put a lid on it—or at least, they had tried—for various reasons. She’d known her reason for doing so. Now she wanted to know his.
“My life is complicated, Zoey.”
She tilted her head back to study his gaze, then said, “Your life can’t be any more complicated than mine, Chance.”
***
Chance stared at Zoey. She was so damn right it wasn’t funny. So why did he choose that moment to grin? From the frown on her face, she undoubtedly was wondering the same thing.
“You find what I said amusing, Chance?”
“No. I found what you said so brutally correct that I could kick myself in the ass for what I said. What I found amusing was the fact you are one of the few women gutsy enough to call me out on my foolishness.”
“I don’t consider what you said as foolish since I know nothing about your complicated life. However, I did find your statement insensitive.”
“I apologize, Zoey. That wasn’t my intent. What I said was both insensitive and thoughtless.”
She didn’t say anything for a minute, but he could see it in her eyes. Those alluring brown eyes that were staring back at him. The same ones that had been inflamed with passion while he’d made love to her in his fantasy dream last night. Only now, what he saw was a curiosity she couldn’t hide. For that reason, he wasn’t surprised by her next question.
“You already know about my complicated life, Chance. So, what’s yours?”
At first thought, it was on the tip of his tongue to say his complicated life wasn’t any of her business. But then, hadn’t he just admitted to being thoughtless where she was concerned? “Some might not see it as a complicated life, per se. My family sees it as issues.”
She shrugged her attractive shoulders—shoulders that had been naked in his fantasy dream. Tonight, she was wearing jeans with one of those off-the-shoulder tops. It was blue. Why did that particular shade of blue do something to those brown eyes? It made them look more sensual than usual.
She looked hot. Desirably so. When he’d led her to the dance floor, he’d seen how men stared at them. Mainly her. She fit in his arms. She felt good in them. He wasn’t surprised. Sexual chemistry had been there between them from the first. Tonight, it was obvious that nothing had changed. Although he’d done his best to suppress his desire for her when he’d reached the table where she’d sat, he’d failed miserably. There was no way his perceptive relatives hadn’t picked up on all that heat emitting between them.
“A complicated life or issues that need dealing with all mean the same. So, what are yours?” she asked again.
Again, he thought about telling her what she was asking was none of her business. But for some reason, he couldn’t do that. He realized for the first time in years he felt comfortable enough with a woman to be forthcoming and not a total ass when it came to his business.
“It would take me longer than this dance to define them,” he heard himself saying.
She nodded. “Any reason you can’t invite me to dinner tomorrow to discuss them?”
He nearly missed his step. Invite her to dinner? Hell, he could think of several reasons. He didn’t even invite members of his family to dinner. “Yes, there’s a reason I can’t invite you to dinner.”
That curious look in her eyes was back. “What’s the reason?”
“I don’t do that.”
“You don’t to what?” she asked.
“Invite women to my place for dinner.”
“Why? Can’t you cook?”
He frowned. “I can cook very well. I don’t like people in my space. I’m a loner.”
She studied him for a moment before asking. “Why are you a loner, Chance?”
He sighed profoundly, thinking he had it bad when following the movement of her tongue while she talked was a total turn-on. Then there was her scent. A luscious aroma that was Zoey. His focus was on her. All of her. She felt good in his arms, and the slow dance made him ache each time her thighs brushed against his.
Chance knew at that moment he’d made a mistake coming here tonight, dancing with her, letting her get all inside his head. He much preferred her in his bed. Even if it had been nothing more than a fantasy dream. After drawing in a deep breath, instead of answering her question, he said, “I think I should leave.”
“Why did you even come?”
If he told her the truth, she would really think he was an ass. But then maybe that was good. Letting her know the real him, issues and all. “I’m into one-night stands.”
She tilted her head. “And?”
“And the one-and-done kind. I make it my business to never sleep with the same woman twice. I came here tonight thinking I’d hook up with someone.”
She nodded, staring at him. Was that disappointment that flashed in her eyes? “Some woman you’ve never slept with before?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, I see.”
“No, I don’t think that you do, Zoey. The woman I wanted to hook up with tonight was you.”
He saw the heat in her eyes, and then he watched the heat turn into a glare. “You honestly thought I’d be your one-night stand? Your one and done?” she asked. “Why would you assume such a thing?”
“Because we’re intensely attracted to each other.”
“No matter how attracted I am to you, Chance, I don’t sleep with anyone to relieve sexual urges. For me, it has to mean more than a tumble between the sheets. You would have known that if you had gotten to know me instead of passing me off to Corbin.”
He shouldn’t be surprised she had figured that out. The music ended, and she walked off without waiting for him to escort her back to the table.
Damn. He’d messed that up big-time and knew he owed her an apology. The second one that night. He followed her back to the table, and when his relatives began shifting in their chairs to make room for him to sit down, he said, “Don’t bother.”
He turned to Zoey. “May I speak with you privately for a minute?” It would have served him right if she’d refused in front of everyone.
She pushed her chair back and stood, and Chance released the breath he’d been holding. He was tempted to take her hand but figured it was best not to press his luck. Instead, they walked outside to an area away from prying eyes and nosy ears.
“What do you want to talk to me about, Chance?” The glare was back in her eyes.
“I want to apologize.”
“Again? Why? Obviously, you were being you. A person I’m beginning not to like.”
Her words were like a kick in the gut. Over the years, he’d prided himself on not caring what anyone thought about him or his attitude. However, now it mattered. “We need to talk, Zoey.”
“No, we don’t.”
“Yes, we do, and here is not the place. Will you join me for dinner tomorrow at my ranch?”
She crossed her arms over her chest. “Did you not tell me earlier that you don’t invite women to your place for dinner?”
“Yes, but I want to share a few things about myself. Then you’ll understand why I am the way I am.”
She didn’t say anything for a long moment, then uncrossed her arms and said, “Okay, Chance. I will join you for dinner tomorrow. But like I said before, I’m not into meaningless sex.”
He nodded. “I got that. Now, may I give you my phone number?” he asked.
She pulled her cell phone out of the back pocket of her jeans. He did the same, and he called her. It then occurred to him this wasn’t the first time he’d called her from his cell phone. However, this was the first time he’d invited her to use it to call him. Any other woman would have done so regardless. That once again proved how different she was from other women. He appreciated she didn’t make a pest of herself.
A short while later, while walking Zoey back to her table, he noticed Ravena sitting at the bar, staring at him. When he and Zoey reached the table, he was about to bid everyone good night, but impulsively, he reached for her hand before she could take a seat. “Another dance? Okay?”
“It’s a Texas line dance, Chance. It’s been a long time. You think you’re up to it?” Blade asked jokingly.
“I’m a Texan. I’m also a Madaris. Watch me.” He led Zoey to the dance floor, and the line dancing began. A full hour of it.
His family joined in with the line dancing, and he figured they were surprised he knew the steps. There was no need to mention dancing was a great form of leg exercise. Therefore, for years he’d subscribed to one of those line dance channels.
When the line dance marathon was over, it was followed by several slow dances. He danced every one with Zoey. If his cousins found it odd that although Zoey was Corbin’s date, Chance was dominating her time, they didn’t show it.
When the DJ took a break, and everyone returned to the table, he knew it was time to leave. It had not been his intent to stay. Nor had he assumed he would have such fun. He came close to offering to drive Zoey home but knew that wouldn’t be a good idea. Not when every slow dance with her had stoked his desire for her even more. Besides, he would see her tomorrow and was looking forward to doing so.
“Good night, everyone.” He smiled over at Zoey. “And I’ll see you tomorrow for dinner.”
“Dinner?” several voices asked in shock, nearly sounding like an echo. Then Reese, who still seemed stunned, said. “I can’t believe you’re inviting someone to your ranch for dinner.”
Instead of commenting on his brother’s statement, Chance turned and walked away. Although he was tempted to look back at Zoey, he didn’t.
***
“Did you see how Chance held that woman while they slow danced, Ken?”
Ken Cox eased off Ravena while rolling his eyes. “Why do I get the feeling there’s another man in this bed. Namely, Chance Madaris. When will you get it through your head that he doesn’t want you?”
“Just answer the question,” she said, glaring at him.
He let out a frustrated breath. “Not only did I see how he was holding her while they danced, Ravena. I also noticed how taken he was with her when they weren’t dancing. He’s smitten as hell and probably doesn’t even know it. Happy now?”
“No, I am not happy. I’m angry as hell,” she said, exiting the bed to begin pacing the room. “I want to know who she is and where she came from.”
Ken rested his hands behind his head and watched Ravena angrily pace the room naked. “Someone that gorgeous would be known if she was from around here, so she must be new to the area,” he said. Shifting in bed, he then added, “I did find something odd, though.”
She stopped pacing. “What?”
“I arrived a good hour before you. She came with Corbin Madaris and left with him, but Chance, not Corbin, was the one who claimed all of her time tonight. The one thing I do know about those Madaris cousins is that they don’t share women. So, I wondered which of the cousins she’s really interested in.”
“I need your help to find out everything I can about her.”
“You can count me out on that, sweetheart. The Madarises obviously like her, and I don’t intend to get on that family’s bad side. They’re our best customers since the men in that family love buying jewelry for their wives. Especially the expensive pieces.”
Ravena knew that to be true. She hadn’t given Chance back her engagement ring. Instead she had sold it back to Cox Jewelers the day before leaving Houston. That’s when she met Ken. She’d discovered that day just how valuable her engagement ring had been.
“There was something I did find interesting other than the woman’s beauty,” he interrupted her thoughts to say.
“What was that?”
“That necklace she was wearing. I got a good look at it during one of the line dances. It’s one of ours from many years ago, a good sixty or so. I recall seeing a sketch of it in one of our old binders a while back. Since vintage jewelry pieces are making a comeback, I thought it would be a good one to remake and sell.”
“And?”
“And Dad said since it had been custom-made for someone, with the understanding that it would be the only one of its kind, it couldn’t be duplicated. It’s an heirloom handed down for at least four generations. Pure gold, and that diamond is of the highest quality. I can imagine how much it’s worth now.”
Ravena came back to bed. “That means if she’s not from here, some past family member was. Since your great--grandfather ran the business when that necklace was made, he probably designed the necklace himself, right?”
“Yes, why?”
“The woman is my competition, and I want to know everything about her.”
“Chance Madaris proved tonight he is definitely over you, Ravena. You need to leave well enough alone and move on.”
“I can’t, and I won’t.”
“Well, count me out of any of your shenanigans. You’re only headed for trouble if you mess with those Madarises. Why are you so obsessed with trying to get him back? You had your chance and blew it. Chance doesn’t like you.”
Ravena refused to answer She didn’t say anything for a moment and then said, “At least your great-grandfather likes me.”
She watched Ken roll his eyes and knew he assumed she was trying to change the subject. “Gramps likes anyone who sneaks anything sweet into his room at that senior living facility,” he said, glancing over her naked body. “I’m tired of talking. Come back to bed and leave Chance Madaris out of it this time.”
Ravena eased back in bed between the sheets, feeling much better now that she’d devised a plan to visit his great-grandfather.