Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-One
Z oey glanced across the table at Chance. Seeing him eat ribs was total arousal. He would hold the rib with his fingers while his mouth went to work, biting, chewing, licking, and then swallowing. Lordy, she was getting hot just watching him.
“Is something wrong, Zoey?”
Her gaze moved from his mouth to his eyes. “What makes you think that?”
“You’re watching me eat.”
She could tell him the truth but decided not to do so. “I can tell you’re hungry.”
“Am I eating too fast?”
Lordy, if he ate any slower, she would become a sensual basket case. “No. And there’s nothing wrong with enjoying your food. I guess I’m not equipped to eat as much as you.” Thinking of all the other things she figured he was equipped to do, certain parts of her got heated.
“The food is delicious, by the way.”
“Thanks.”
To get her mind off him and onto something she wanted to talk to him about, she said. “I picked up the box from the post office yesterday.”
He nodded, pushed his plate aside and wiped his fingers and mouth with a napkin. “Have you opened it yet?”
“Heavens yes. As soon as I got back here. I browsed the photo albums first. The one belonging to my parents was the most emotional. There were pictures of them on their wedding day, on vacations, and pictures of me when I was a baby, as well as numerous photos of the three of us and some with my grandparents.”
She paused a moment and asked, “Do you know what saddens me more than anything, Chance? Knowing what might have happened to these albums and diaries had Sharon not gotten them for me.”
He reached across the table and captured her hand in his. “But your mother’s best friend did get them for you.”
“Yes, she did and I will be forever thankful. I finished looking through the albums and I’m almost at the end of my great-grandmother’s diary.”
“Any revelations there?”
“Yes. Did you know there was a Satterfield and Madaris feud?”
“No, I didn’t know that. Does that mean we’re supposed to be enemies?” he asked grinning.
“Hmm, what do you think?” she asked, chuckling as well.
“I think they obviously got over it. If they didn’t, that’s too bad.”
She nodded. “I have another question. Did you know that, before the feud, my great-grandfather Waylon had been engaged to your great-grandaunt Victoria Madaris?”
He lifted a brow. “No, I didn’t know that either.”
“Ms. Felicia told me about my great-grandparents but never mentioned anything about my great-grandfather Waylon having been engaged to her best friend.”
“Why would she? If he fell in love and married someone else, there was no reason to mention it.”
“But that’s the thing, Chance. Waylon didn’t fall in love with anyone else. He and my great-grandmother Deedra had a marriage of convenience.”
His features showed his surprise. “Are you sure?”
“Yes. Deedra says so in her diary. She needed a husband so she wouldn’t be pressured into marrying her deceased husband’s brother, who was a real ass, and Waylon wanted to get married to move on with his life after Victoria ended their engagement. Waylon and Deedra were up-front and honest with each other. She told him she would always love her deceased husband and didn’t have room in her heart for another man, and he told her he would always love Victoria. Deedra even made him promise that when she died, her remains would be returned to Laredo to be buried beside her first husband.”
“And he agreed to do that?”
“In her diary, she wrote that he did and believed he would. He didn’t marry Deedra for five years after Victoria left for Paris to attend nursing school. He hoped she would return and they would get back together, but that didn’t happen.”
Chance nodded. “I wonder what caused the feud in the first place.” When she didn’t say anything, he stared at her for a long time and added, “You know, don’t you?”
There was a lot she knew about the Satterfield and Madaris feud, thanks to what Deedra had written in her diary. She also knew why Victoria and Waylon hadn’t married. “Yes, I know, but if you want the full details, I suggest you talk to Ms. Felicia.” Deciding to change the subject, she asked, “Are you ready to go canoeing after we clear off the table?”
He smiled at her, and she knew he was aware of what she’d done. “Yes, I’m ready.”
***
Chance couldn’t recall the last time he’d had so much fun with a woman. Granted, he had enjoyed himself that night dancing with Zoey, but today was different. The activities included conversations on various topics. She told him about Lucky and the Andres family and how they’d been there for her while growing up in San Francisco. They talked about her and Lucky’s days in college, attending NYC, and her time in medical school.
She also told him about her work as an orthopedic surgeon, and he told her about his time in the military and the challenges of running a ranch. He’d even expounded on his partnership with his uncle Jake, which was one of the reasons his ranch was so successful.
After a couple of hours canoeing on the lake, she changed into jeans, and they rode the horses to the fruit grove. They had gotten halfway there when it began raining and turned back. After making sure the horses were okay in the barn, they raced to the cabin.
Following her to the mudroom, she handed him some towels. “Dry off well. I don’t want you to catch pneumonia.”
“Would it be okay to take these wet clothes off and toss them in the dryer?” he asked, grinning.
She lifted her brow in a way he thought was cute. “And just what will you wear while waiting for your clothes to dry?”
“I’ll keep on my briefs. You’re a doctor, so I’m sure you’re used to seeing half-naked male patients. And if you are inclined to do so, you can strip down to your panties.”
She grinned and said, “Maybe another time.”
“Is that something I can look forward to, Zoey?” he asked, easing closer to her.
He wasn’t prepared when she eased closer as well. “You can only look forward to us removing our clothes if you accept my conditions, Chance.”
He wasn’t someone who easily accepted conditions; however, he was discovering he could be flexible when it came to Zoey. “What are your conditions?”
“That your one-night-stand and one-and-done policy won’t apply to me. If we become involved, it has to be a summer fling.”
His mind wasn’t the only thing absorbing what she’d said, his entire body was—a spike of heat that had caught him low in the gut just now. “I thought you weren’t into meaningless relationships.”
“There won’t be anything meaningless about it, trust me. What I said was that I don’t sleep with men just to relieve sexual urges. It has to mean more than a tumble between the sheets.”
“And you think a fling with me would mean more than a tumble between the sheets, Zoey?”
“Wouldn’t it?”
He was smart enough to know one night with her would not be enough. But then he wasn’t sure a short-term fling would either. He thought of how much he enjoyed being with her today, so he knew it wouldn’t be all sex. He could see them doing fun things together. Things he hadn’t allowed himself to do in years. “Yes. It would,” he said.
“I’ll be back in a minute.”
He caught hold of her hand and immediately felt an awareness of her in every pore of his body. Deep in his gut he knew she’d felt it, too, the intense heat of attraction they shared.
“Where are you going?” he asked in a voice that he thought sounded deep and husky.
“To my bedroom to get out of these wet clothes.”
“May I come with you?” he asked, still holding her hand and feeling the currents flowing between them.
“What about my conditions?”
“I accept them.” He inched closer still, needing to feel her and wanting her to feel him. He reached up and raked his fingers through her wet hair. She was concerned about him catching pneumonia, and he was concerned about her catching it, too. He could feel her heat through her wet clothing, and a primitive force compelled him to want more.
Leaning in, he took her mouth with greed and hunger that rocked his bones, and she was returning his kiss as if she was all in, stroke for stroke. Following his lead, her tongue was showing just what it could do. It seemed he was tapping a hunger inside of her that had been dormant for a while. He had no problem unleashing it.
Her taste was delicious and unique. It made every part of him crackle with a need he hadn’t felt before. He desperately tried to stay in control but felt his resolve weaken to a point he hadn’t counted on. He deepened the kiss, and in a surprise move, she jumped his bones—literally.
Zoey wrapped her legs around him and clung to him like her life depended on it. He supported her hips, loving the feel of her breasts pressing into his chest. A rush of adrenaline with a huge dose of anticipation was driving him, and when he heard her moan his name, he nearly lost it.
He broke off the kiss and stared at her, staring into the most captivating pair of dark eyes he’d ever seen. And those curvy, full lips that were so damn desirable.
“Are you going to stand here and hold me like this, or will you take me where we both want to go, Chance?” she asked.
“I’m going to take you where we both want to go.” He began moving, holding her tight while carrying her to the bedroom. When they reached their destination, he eased her to her feet, and they began quickly removing each other’s clothing. When she was completely naked, his gaze roamed all over her. “You’re beautiful, Zoey.”
“So are you,” she said, as her eyes scanned over him before leaning in for another kiss.