Chapter Four #3
For tonight, she intended to enjoy life, enjoy the Texas barbecue and enjoy Blake.
After one more dance, he said, “We should have our dinner.”
“I can’t wait,” she answered, smiling at him, aware of her hand still enclosed in his. He took her arm as they walked back to their table where their meals waited.
The inviting smell made her mouth water in anticipation. Taking the first bite, she closed her eyes. She opened them to find him watching her. “Blake, that is the best barbecue. I didn’t think any could be as good as in Kansas City, but that’s right there with it. It’s fantastic.”
“So now you have a brand new experience—the night I introduced you to Texas barbecue.”
She laughed. “Thank goodness you did.”
“Hey, bro,” came a deep voice as a tall, dark-haired man slid into their booth beside Blake.
They shook hands while the newcomer looked at her and smiled with a flash of straight white teeth.
“Sierra, meet my half brother Cade. Cade, this is Sierra Benson, the fabulous interior designer.”
She laughed as she shook hands with Cade Callahan. “I don’t know about fabulous, and that isn’t my career now. I’m with a nonprofit, Brigmore Charities.”
“Very good, Sierra. Maybe you can reform this guy.”
She laughed with him, thinking there was a strong physical resemblance in their black hair, straight noses and prominent cheekbones.
Cade’s broad-brimmed black hat was pushed to the back of his head.
He wore black boots and a black shirt, the top buttons undone.
His wavy hair was a tangle, falling onto his wide forehead, and he had a streak of mischief in his blue eyes that made her feel he might be more fun loving and less serious than Blake.
“Have a beer with us,” Blake urged.
“Will do,” Cade said, smiling at Sierra. “I hear you’re the best interior designer in the USA.”
She laughed, and he grinned along with Blake, who shrugged. “Yes, she is. She’s modest, so I’ll answer for her. Wait until you see the new wing on my house and you’ll agree with me. We can make a bet on it now,” Blake said. “Best interior designer out there.”
“Will both of you stop,” she said, smiling at them as they grinned. “I’ll tell you what’s best—it’s this barbecue and these curly fries.”
“We’ll all agree on that one,” Blake said. “Where’s our baby brother?”
“He’s around here someplace. He’ll join us. Ah, here he is,” Cade said, and stood to face another tall, dark-haired Callahan who also had blue eyes.
“Sierra, meet our baby brother, Gabe Callahan. Gabe, meet the famous interior designer, Sierra Benson.”
“I’m glad to meet you, Gabe Callahan,” she said, smiling at him as he shook her hand. She noticed that she didn’t have that same volatile reaction to any other Callahan that she’d had with Blake, which was a relief.
They sat and talked, including her in their conversation until Cade stood. “It’s dance time. Sierra, would you care to dance?”
She nodded, and she and Cade slid out of the booth.
On the dance floor, she turned and they began circling, doing the two-step.
She danced the next time with Gabe, and then Blake was her partner again.
He danced her around the floor and gazed into her eyes.
She was caught and held, her heartbeat accelerating, desire fanning to life.
She wanted to be in his arms. She wanted his kisses, even when she shouldn’t.
This was her last night with him for a while.
She’d be going home and then to New York; he’d be leaving the ranch for Dallas. This was the last time for kisses.
It was after midnight when they climbed back into his truck. She turned slightly to watch him drive. “I had fun tonight, Blake. I haven’t been out like that in a long time. And dinner was fabulous.”
“I thought you’d like that barbecue. It was fun.
It’s unusual that both my brothers were there.
I think they wanted to meet you. They didn’t want to miss the opportunity to meet one of the world’s best interior designers.
Particularly the opportunity to dance with you after they found out you are definitely the world’s best-looking interior designer. ”
She laughed. “That is all ridiculous, but I was glad to meet them. I’m amazed how much alike all of you look, having different mothers. It’s great you’re so compatible.”
“We weren’t always. Before Cade and I became friends we used to fight.
Then we both realized how ridiculous that was, because we really didn’t have any reason to dislike each other.
Cade doesn’t have any more control over how our father treats him than I do.
He’s just fortunate to be in better favor than I ever was. ”
“I’m amazed they’re understanding about your competition with your father in the hotel business. I looked up some information on the web about your hotels and about his. You have more of them, plus they’re bigger, fancier and definitely more luxurious.”
“I intend to run him out of the hotel business,” Blake said in a quiet voice that carried a cold tone.
“I told you, Cade, Gabe and Nathan understand, and they don’t object.
It won’t really hurt our father, but it’ll annoy the hell out of him because he’s competitive. He doesn’t like me and never has.”
“You said he abandoned you when you were a baby. How could he not like you when you were so young? That doesn’t make sense.”
“It was my mother he didn’t like, and I was part of her,” Blake answered flatly.
She stared at him in the darkened pickup and thought again about how different their lives were.
She couldn’t understand his drive to get even for something during his childhood, something that seemed behind him now.
All his efforts were such a waste of energy and talent.
She couldn’t keep from thinking about all the people he could help if he put that energy and those resources to good use.
With the money he used for hotels to compete with his father’s, he could instead build shelters, start reading programs and hire tutors—so many easy, constructive ways to help less fortunate people.
Blake couldn’t understand her way of life, and she couldn’t understand his.
He parked at the rear of his house and stepped out of the pickup to come around and open her door.
His hands closed on her waist, and he swung her out of the truck.
For an instant he held her up easily as she looked down into his eyes, and the moment changed.
Desire ignited, hot and intense, as Blake lowered her, pulling her close and wrapping his arms around her.
They walked into the wide entryway together, moving into a sitting room. Light spilled into the darkened room from the hallway, and through the floor-to-ceiling glass they could see the lighted swimming pool. But all she was aware of was Blake, who drew her closer.
Her heart thudded. Her hands were light on his shoulders as she gazed up at him. She was held by a look that made her pulse race. Locked into another electric moment with him, she wanted his kiss.
“This is crazy, Blake.”
“It’s been a fun night, and it doesn’t have to end yet. There’s more I want, and so do you,” he said softly, his arm circling her waist and pulling her close against him. She slipped her arms around his neck even as she knew she should be pulling away.
All evening Blake had been sexy, fun and appealing. Desire had tugged on her senses for days. Each night their kisses made it impossible to avoid thinking about sleeping with him.
His appeal was physical. They didn’t have an emotional connection. With his drive for revenge, he was a man so much the opposite of all she believed in, she couldn’t imagine an emotional connection forming between them.
She could have this one night and not lose her heart.