Chapter 4 #2
Needing something to do, Skye twisted her napkin in her hands.
The body-hugging dress with an asymmetrical hemline wasn’t that low-cut, and the hem landed just above her knees.
She’d bought it on a whim over a year ago but hadn’t had a chance to wear it.
That is, not until Laylee found it in her closet.
She’d surprised Skye by choosing simple silver earrings and a delicate necklace as jewelry, much more in line with Skye’s style than her own. To finish the outfit, Skye wore strappy sandals with a two-inch heel.
After all the praise she’d gotten from her sister and Ford, she truly felt beautiful.
Of course, he’d easily charmed everyone, including the Montgomery family, who’d hosted the dinner to celebrate the retirement of one of their own. Ford’s manners were impeccable, his smiles engaging, and his conversation witty.
While the others chatted, he leaned close again. “Am I doing okay with the bosses?”
He was kissing close—and looking at his mouth, she was oh-so tempted. “What do you mean?”
“This dinner is important to you, I can tell. I’ve been on my best behavior—it helps to be successful with a sales pitch.”
How could she not smile at that? “You’ve impressed me.
” Mostly just by being himself. Yes, she’d noticed a little of his slick maneuvering, but she doubted anyone else had.
No wonder he was so good at his job. “And in case I didn’t mention it, you look .
. .” Delicious. Indescribable. Like temptation defined. “Very handsome.”
Green eyes glittering, he whispered, “Your mouth said one thing, but your eyes said something else.” Into her ear again, he breathed, “I’d love to know what you were really thinking.”
Suddenly, from behind her, Clyde said, “She’s always had expressive eyes.”
Skye started, but Ford merely took her hand, unsurprised. He gave a single nod. “Clyde.”
While everyone at the table greeted Clyde, Ford brushed his thumb over her knuckles. “Relax.”
Easier said than done.
As Clyde turned back to them, Skye could almost swear she felt the tension arcing between the two men. Thankfully, the meal was over and even better, there were no empty seats at their table, so Clyde couldn’t join them.
“Cocktails in the lounge,” one of family members announced. “I hope you can all stay for a few drinks and some dancing.”
Choking back a groan, she allowed Ford to tug her to her feet.
With a telling smile, he said to Clyde, “See you around,” in clear dismissal.
To her, what was even more telling was that other than his initial hello, Clyde kept his distance. Oh, he watched her—often. But he didn’t intrude again. Half an hour went by peacefully.
“Should I be insulted?”
The teasing words regained her attention. She and Ford were in the middle of a slow dance, and she’d been distracted. Hard to believe, with her oh-so aware of his nearness. “What?”
His hand on her back brought her marginally closer. “You left me, and here I was doing my best to behave.”
His best was pretty darned good. “Behave?” He certainly didn’t have to do anything special to get and hold attention. Nearly every woman in the room had checked him out multiple times. “We’re only dancing.”
“But there are so many ways to dance. Only I’m not Clyde, so I’m honoring your wishes.”
Meaning . . . what? Tipping her head back to study him, she admitted, “I don’t understand you.”
“Want me to explain? I will, as long as you keep in mind that you’re in charge, so no matter what I say, you don’t have to worry about me overstepping, not in any way.”
From the beginning, everything with him was different. The only thing that worried her was her own reaction to him. “Okay, let’s hear it.”
“You’re nearly irresistible. A hundred times, I’ve thought how easy it would be to kiss you.”
The flush seemed to start from her heart and expand everywhere until she was suddenly too warm.
“Like now,” he said low. “With you looking like that.”
Her gaze strayed to his mouth again. She could almost feel his kiss. Taste it.
Of course, his lips curved in acknowledgment. “Anything you want, Skye, just say so. You set the parameters, not me.”
Bull! Staring up at him, she said, “You don’t want involvement any more than I do.”
“I didn’t,” he conceded.
That clarification rang like a bell in her brain. Breath held, she waited.
“Now?” One muscular shoulder lifted to let her know he was rethinking the situation. “I don’t mind being honest . . . if you want to hear it.” His attention went beyond her, and a chill replaced the heat in his eyes. “But I want no comparisons to your ape.”
Maybe she should be honest, too. “I never completely trusted Clyde.”
He ended the dance, right there in the middle of things. The intensity of his gaze boring into hers kept her pulse galloping. “Come on.” Taking her hand, he led her off the floor and to a quieter corner. The second they stopped, he asked, “You trust me?”
It was such an enormous concession, and yet, after seeing him at the shelter, everything had changed. “I do. Is that alarming?”
“No.” Muscles in his face shifted, indicating some type of struggle, until finally he said, “Thank you.”
Those simple, heartfelt words got her, making an enormous difference—in everything. Stepping closer, her hands on his shoulders, she went on tiptoe . . . and kissed him.
Too soft. Too fast. Such a tease.
But kissing him had been somehow necessary.
An inferno of heat returned to his gaze, but his tone remained quiet. “There will be more of that?”
“I hope so.” From the start, their relationship—first as neighbors, then as cohorts in her scheme to fend off other men—had been shallow and meaningless, the only type of relationship she’d accepted lately.
Until she’d seen Ford with her sister. Laylee hadn’t beguiled him as she did so many men. Ford had joked with her, was amused by her, and seemed to understand her. But he hadn’t instantly fallen under her spell.
And then with Maybelline and her tiny buddy. The love he felt for that massive, sadly unattractive dog had been as obvious as his green eyes. She sensed patience, affection, longing, and a sort of kinship with the unwanted creature.
He clearly loved his friends, giving them not only loyalty but room to grow and love, whether their new lives included him or not.
Nothing about Ford was the norm in the men she usually encountered, so she couldn’t feel the usual way about him.
“Good.” He leaned back on the wall, the epitome of a man at leisure, except now she sensed an alert readiness. “Yet you keep glancing at Clyde, like you did during the dance.”
Such a dolt. She’d probably offended him, and she’d never want to do that. “Sorry. It just . . . It surprises me that Clyde is keeping his distance.”
“You made it clear you’re not interested in him, and he can see I am interested in you. That’s a losing combo for him, no matter how he looks at it.”
Was he interested? With Ford, it was hard to tell. He wasn’t acting overly enthusiastic about her kiss. “When it’s only the two of us, you don’t have to say things like that.”
“I don’t have to do anything.” The music ended, and while people returned to their tables, they moved to the bar. “I’m enjoying myself.”
“Really? This doesn’t seem like your usual scene.”
“Mingling for business? It’s half of what I do.” He ordered a cola for himself. Skye chose the same. Elbows back on the bar, he glanced around the room. “This time is different though.”
“How so?”
His eyes cut to hers, easily capturing her gaze. “Because you’re here.”
Those words settled on her heart, in her heart. Did he mean them? “That’s one of those things you don’t have to—”
“To say. I know.” Accepting the ice-filled glass handed to him, he frowned thoughtfully, then took a sip. “It’s true. You’re good company.”
That particular compliment had substance. It mattered, far more so than a comment on her looks. “It should be obvious that I’m enjoying your company, too.”
“That tiny kiss?” he scoffed, clearly egging her on, making it sound like a challenge.
Just wait until she got him alone. Fighting a grin, she caught his hand and drew him to a more private table that was currently unoccupied. People glanced their way, but no one could hear them, so she felt safe saying, “Keep in mind that we’re at a company function.”
“Hmm. So once we’re away from here, you’ll offer more, with added intensity?”
The way he asked, she had to laugh. “Want me to spell out my intentions?”
He set his drink on the table, then took hers as well and put it aside. His warm palm settled on the side of her neck, and he stepped so close that she breathed in his scent. “I want to know what the chances are that I can be myself now, interest and all.”
What a thrill to finally understand him. “I’d say one hundred percent.” She rested a hand on his chest. “And I look forward to your best efforts.”
Just like that, Ford changed from gracious wingman to sexy next-door neighbor, giving her the full impact of his appeal. Tone pitched low and seductive, he said, “Good to know. Holding back hasn’t been easy.”
So he had been? She stepped closer, too. “I promise, you don’t need to. I’m not fragile.”
His lips brushed her ear as he murmured, “You’re red-hot temptation.”
Oh, how she liked hearing that—from him.
Right beside them, Clyde said, “Well, I guess this time it is different.”
The bottom dropped out of Skye’s stomach. She’d momentarily forgotten where she was, and she’d most definitely forgotten about Clyde.
Ford tucked her into his side. “This shit,” he said mildly, “is starting to annoy me.”
To her surprise, Clyde chuckled. “Yeah, I’m sure I’d feel the same if I was you.”
“You’re not me.”
“No, that much is clear. For the record, Skye, I’m glad.”
Hearing his sincerity, she relaxed.
“Also for the record, if anything goes wrong, if he hurts you in any way, I’m still around. All you have to do is call.”
She said, “I won’t.”
He acknowledged her words with a nod.