Claire worried that she’d be underdressed for the ranch party when she took a simple little dark green dress from the closet, but it was the fanciest thing that she’d brought with her from Randlett so it would have to do. It skimmed her knees and had a scooped neckline, so she added a necklace with red and green stones. Then she slipped on a pair of red high heels and took a final look in the mirror. It looked like Christmas, but she would have far rather worn her jeans and a sweatshirt with Rudolph on the front.
Zaylie was already dressed in the red dress that Claire had designed and sewn for her to wear to the church Christmas dinner. She twirled around several times to show off how the full skirt swirled out to show the gathered tulle petticoat underneath.
“We look like Christmas,” she declared when she stopped and plopped down on the sofa and watched Claire put on red stud earrings. “I love parties. When can I have pierced ears like you do?”
“When your daddy says you can. Maybe when you are thirteen or maybe thirty,” Claire told her.
“That’s forever and ever.” Zaylie sighed.
“Yes it is, but time goes by fast.” Claire didn’t know if she was talking to Zaylie or to herself. She wondered where she’d be and if she’d have children of her own when Zaylie was thirteen. That was eight years down the road, and a lot could change in the course of a single day. She’d proven that when she lost control of the car and wound up on the Longhorn Canyon Ranch for the past few weeks.
She thought that she was early, but the house was already full when she arrived. The caterers had charge of the kitchen, and the dining room table was full of finger foods, eggnog—both with and without rum—and platters of homemade cookies. Zaylie zeroed in on a gaggle of little girls that she’d sung with at the nursing home and joined them.
Claire recognized a few of the hired hands she’d seen on the ranch and some of the folks she’d met at church. Then she saw Levi standing over by the Christmas tree, and everyone else disappeared. His green western shirt hugged his broad chest, and his jeans had been pressed and creased. Black boots were almost as shiny as his silver belt buckle. His eyes drew her to him like a magnet, and she wasn’t aware of anyone as she made her way around the perimeter of the living room to stand beside him.
He slipped her hand into his and said, “You are gorgeous.”
“You clean up pretty good yourself, cowboy,” she told him.
“I do the best I can with the little I have to work with.” He kissed her on the forehead.
“Don’t give me that line. Modesty doesn’t fit you,” she told him.
“Well, beautiful sure does fit you, darlin’. Shall we go get some eggnog?”
“Love some,” she said.
He led her to the table. “Spiked or plain?”
“You better give me some with high octane. With all these people around me, I need a little liquid courage,” she answered.
“Don’t give me that line.” He poured two cups and handed one to her. “You’d take on a crowd twice this size and never break a nervous sweat.”
“How did you figure me out so quickly in only a few weeks?” The eggnog had just the right amount of kick for her taste.
“Honey, I figured you out the first five minutes I was in the cabin. You had a pistol pointed at my heart, and I’ve never doubted you for a second since then,” he said. “I’d rather spend this evening in the tack room with just you as around all these people.”
“You don’t share well with others?” she teased.
“Not when it comes to you.” He led her by the hand across the foyer into the office. He kicked the door shut and set their cups on the end of the desk. Then he picked her up and set her on the other end. She wrapped her legs around his waist, and his lips found hers in a series of searing-hot kisses. His fingertips trailed up the inside of her leg to the rim of her lacy bikinis.
Her hands splayed out on his chest to feel his heart go from first to second gear and then kick it right up to third. They were both panting when they heard a knock on the office door. She hurriedly slid off onto the floor.
“Who is it?” Levi called out.
“Me,” Zaylie’s little voice said. “Is Aunt Claire in there? I can’t find her.”
Claire covered the distance from the desk to the door in a split second. “What’s the matter, baby girl?”
“Benjy is going to the barn to see Little Bit. Can me and the girls go?” she asked.
“I don’t think so. Not in your fancy dress. You can go see him tomorrow.” Claire slipped through the door, leaving it ajar. “Does Mavis know that Benjy is going to the barn?”
Zaylie folded her arms over her chest. “Skip is goin’ with him.”
“And you are wearing your pretty dress that has to be nice for the Christmas program in Randlett. The answer is no.”
Zaylie stomped her foot.
Levi’s soft whisper came through the open space. “What if I went with her? I can’t stand to see her disappointed.”
“What does no mean, Miss Priss?” Claire asked.
“When you say no it means no, but sometimes Daddy changes his mind.” She grinned. “Can I have some chocolate milk? I don’t like that stuff in the punch bowl.”
Levi stepped out into the light. “I’d kind of like some chocolate milk too. I could mix us both up one if it’s all right with Claire.”
“That will be fine,” Claire said. “Mix three and I’ll have one too. Nothing like chocolate milk with Christmas cookies. You think your little friends would like some too?”
“I’ll ask them.” She took off for the living room.
Levi slipped his arms around Claire’s waist from behind and kissed the top of her head. “You’re going to make a wonderful mother.”
“You’re goin’ to make a horrible father, especially if you have daughters.” She put her hands on his.
“Probably so.” He chuckled.
Levi brought out a pitcher of chocolate milk, and immediately Zaylie and her little friends surrounded him, holding up empty cups. He poured for all of them and then filled a plate with a variety of cookies. Five cute little girls of varying looks and sizes were all lined up against the wall in the foyer, pretending to have a tea party when he left them.
Justin caught up with him and pulled him to the side. “You’d better get in there and protect your interests. Buddy is about to make off with your woman.” He nodded toward the other side of the room where Buddy had a hand on a wall and the other one on Claire’s shoulder.
She caught his gaze, said something to Buddy, and then crossed the room to tiptoe and kiss Levi briefly on the lips.
He slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Someone tryin’ to steal my girlfriend?”
“Strange, isn’t it? When no one wants a person, then she’s a wallflower. But let someone show a little interest and suddenly she’s a whole lot more desirable.”
“Darlin’, you were never a wallflower.” He planted a quick kiss on the top of her head. “What did you say to him?”
“Nothing much. Actions speak louder than words, and I just kissed you,” she answered. “Where’s Zaylie?”
“Havin’ a chocolate milk tea party with her friends in the foyer,” he answered. “Let’s start makin’ the rounds. Should’ve done that first and then Buddy wouldn’t have hit on you, but I just had to kiss you.”
He started at the edge of the room and introduced her to everyone that was there. Pretty soon that bunch cleared out and was replaced by a second round, and he repeated the introductions, leaving no room for doubt that he was with Claire that evening and they were an item.
The third group of people had arrived when Retta stole Claire with the excuse that she needed her help with replenishing the cookies. Suddenly Levi felt alone, as if part of him was gone.
“Hey, where’s your arm candy?” Buddy elbowed him in the side.
“She’s a little more than that,” Levi answered.
“I can tell and I’m jealous as hell.” Buddy chuckled. “You’re one lucky cowboy.” Buddy walked away, shaking his head.
“Don’t I know it,” Levi whispered.
Retta led Claire into the spare bedroom and turned on the light. She sank down on the edge of the bed and rolled her eyes. “I needed to get somewhere quiet for a few minutes. Hope you don’t mind me stealing you from Levi.”
Claire kicked off her high heels and crawled up into the middle of the bed. “How long does the party last?”
“Until midnight or after. It’s come and go and there’s several parties going on in the area, so folks kind of hop from one to the other. My face hurts from smiling.” She fell back on the pillow. “It’s my first ranch party, and I knew it would be a big thing. I just didn’t realize how many people would arrive. I miss the beach where it was just me and Cade.”
“I’d rather be out in the barn with Little Bit and Nomie,” Claire admitted.
“Couple of fine ranchin’ women we are.” Retta closed her eyes. “Can’t even make it through the first party.” She laid a hand on Claire’s knee. “Thanks for stickin’ around, my friend.”
Claire patted her hand. “We can get through this together.”
“Amen, sister!” Retta managed a grin. “But for five minutes let’s hide out in here to gossip. Did you see that woman who’s been hanging all over Justin?”
“I sure did. I asked Levi about her, if she was Justin’s date. He said that she’d come with one of the other ranchers and zeroed in on Justin,” Claire said.
“Well, at the rate of sounding bitchy, her dress is way too tight, and she’s wearin’ too much makeup,” Retta said.
“And she’s not used to wearing heels that high. She can barely walk in them.” Claire nodded.
Retta giggled. “I bet she’s really a hardworkin’ ranch woman, used to wearin’ jeans and boots, and here we are judging her.”
“Probably so.” Claire put her shoes back on. “But we should get back out there before Cade misses you and comes lookin’ to make sure you’re not sick.”
“Or Levi misses you,” Retta said.
When they went back out, it was with smiles pasted on their faces. Cade met Retta in the doorway and led her toward a new couple. She shook hands with them and was her old cordial self.
“So where’ve you been?” Levi whispered right behind her.
“We had to have a few minutes to recharge,” she answered honestly. “This is all a little overwhelming.”
“I thought you’d tackle a forest fire with a cup of water,” he said with a laugh.
“Maybe if it was going to burn up my family or loved ones. But I’m basically a hermit. I like one-on-one better than big crowds,” she told him. “I can drag out my social skills for an evening, but if I had my way, I’d be sitting in the bunkhouse having a beer with you.”
“Then if I was to ask you to go dancin’ with me at the Rusty Spur after Grant picks up Zaylie, you’d say no?” he asked.
She rolled up on her toes and pulled his ear down to her lips. “I’d rather play some music out in the barn or in the bunkhouse and dance naked with you.”
“If we did that, there wouldn’t be much dancin’ goin’ on,” he said.
“Now you’re beginning to understand me.” She smiled. “Shall we have some more eggnog and then meet some of the people who’ve just arrived? I thought this was a small rural community.”
“It is and a lot of them work for the Longhorn Ranch. They look forward to this party all year and the bonus they’ll all take home tonight. That’s why we have the party early in the month. The bonus gives them extra money for their Christmas shopping,” he told her.
“That’s really kind and generous,” she said.
“It’s the Longhorn way.”
“As in the ranch or the football team?” she asked.
“Both.” He grinned.
The rest of the evening went by in a blur, and Claire decided that the most beautiful sight in the world was the taillights as the last of the folks left the party. Zaylie had curled up on the end of the sofa an hour before and was sleeping soundly, so Levi draped a throw over her and carried her back to the bunkhouse. Together, he and Claire changed her from her fancy little dress into pajamas and put her to bed.
Then they collapsed on the sofa together. Claire kicked off her shoes and put her feet in Levi’s lap. He massaged the right one for five minutes and then the left one an equal amount of time.
“It’s time to kiss the most beautiful woman in Texas good night now.” He covered a yawn with his hand. “Or else I’m going to fall asleep right here and your brother will insist that I make an honest woman of you.”
“Or Mavis will bring a shotgun and haul us to the preacher for me to make an honest man of you,” she told him.
He cupped her cheek in his hand. “I loved having you beside me tonight, Claire. It felt right.”
“It really did. Good night, Levi.” The touch of his rough, callused hand on her bare skin sent another shiver down her spine.
“Night, darlin’. Want one naked dance before I go?” His green eyes twinkled even if they did look tired.
“I’ll take a rain check.” She walked him to the door and got one more good night kiss before he left. “But I will cash it someday,” she called out as he left.
“I’m lookin’ forward to it.”
She didn’t even take time for a shower but slipped out of her dress and into a nightshirt that came halfway to her ankles and fell into bed. In six hours she had to be up to help get breakfast ready, and then they were going to Randlett for church.
Levi was in her dreams all night, and she awoke feeling worse than when she’d gone to bed. She took a shower and remembered every detail of the recurring dream. Levi was walking away from her, and she was angry about something. She knew if she didn’t go after him she’d lose him forever, and she also knew that she’d caused the argument. But pride kept her from saying a word.
You’ve got to fight for what you want. Franny’s voice was clear in her head.
“I know,” she said out loud. “And I will. Levi is worth it.”