****
Later that night, Leila climbed onto the stage at the fair organized for cowboys in the rodeo and sang her heart out. She was wearing a sheath leopard skin gown that accentuated her curves and clung to her so tightly it seemed she had been poured into it. She also had a very large sunhat perched atop her head that added to her air of mystery and made her feel even sexier than ever.
Her voice was a lilting soprano as she crooned, tantalizing everyone and drawing them in. She sang about unrequited love and loss of innocence and betrayal in such haunting tunes that by the time she was finished, there wasn’t a dry eye in the room. Her gaze met Jason’s once across the crowded room, but she simply looked through him as though he didn’t exist.
She bowed low, accepting the praises and whistles from the gathered crowd, painfully aware that in a corner of the room, Jason sat, silently watching her. His eyes roved languorously over every inch of her body with such bold intensity it was almost as though he had touched her physically.
Leila felt a flush work up her cheeks as she pretended not to notice that her breasts had beaded into hard little points of desire beneath the thin lace of her bra.
So that was what she meant when she said she was going to ‘perform’ to make up for broken furniture, Jason realized as he watched her drink in the adulation of the excited crowd. She was a country singer, and a damned good one!
His heart thudded loudly in his chest as he watched her accepting praises from several patrons at the bar. She was the most beautiful woman he had ever met; he decided to try to ignore a surprising stab of jealousy as he watched her grin at a gap-toothed octogenarian. Heck, the man was old enough to be her great-grandfather and here he was, wanting to knock the old man’s teeth out for smiling at Leila.
He had fallen for her, he realized. It didn’t even make sense since he hadn’t gotten to know a lot about her, but he felt strongly attached to her. Before he was even aware of moving, he was standing in her path.
He saw her green eyes narrow with a flash of intense hatred and he knew genuine sorrow.
“You sing very well,” he said. “You have an amazing voice.”
Leila didn’t say anything, just regarded him in wary silence. What more does this jackass want from me? she wondered.
“I’m sorry,” he got out before she could escape him. “I’m a monster. I feel sick about this situation, and I haven’t eaten in days. I’m so sorry I hurt you, Leila.”
Cold anger darkened her eyes and he realized he was digging his hole deeper.
“Leila—” he began.
Without a word, she yanked her arm from his grasp and melted into the crowd.
Jason bowed his head in defeat, but this time, he didn’t try to stop her. He let her go.
The fair had opened up into a party of sorts with dancing and drinking going on. Rock and rolled strummed from the speakers as different cowboys shuffled with their partners on the dance floor.
Jason sipped his beer, sitting in a corner of the room as his eyes scanned the crowd for signs of Leila’s leopard skin dress.
He heard a throaty laughter and looked in that direction; Leila was being twirled about by one brawny cowboy with his hat pulled low over his forehead as he dimpled down at her. They look so perfect together, he thought feeling something suspiciously like jealousy eat away at his insides.
He watched as Leila’s laughter turned into girly giggles as the wonder-cowboy bent her backwards over his strong arm. Impatience strummed along Jason’s veins and in a flash, he was beside the laughing couple. His heart constricted in his chest as he watched Leila’s happy smile dry on her face as she caught sight of him.
“Mind if I cut in?” he said gruffly, his eyes daring the other man to challenge him.
“As a matter of fact, I do!” Leila spat.
Jason grinned at her. “I was talking to the man darlin’. Jesse?” he asked.
Jesse Catalona grinned and quickly released Leila into Jason’s arms.
“That’s not even remotely funny,” she growled.
“Tell me about it. How did you manage to keep your toes intact? Catalona is notorious for having two left feet!”
“That’s not what I meant,” she said, her eyes flashing fire at him as she stiffened in his arms. “I like Jesse!”
“As do half the gay men in Texas! He’s gay,” Jason lied baldly.
He watched the confused expressions play across Leila’s features and he hid a grin. Jesse, who also happened to be a good friend of his, would skin him alive if this got back to him. Jesse was straight, and unless Jason missed his guess, was as interested in Leila as he was.
“You have an amazing voice,” he told her softly.
“Thanks,” she muttered, ducking her head as she hid a blush. Her eyes sparkled at him, lively and vibrant.
“You’re so beautiful,” he breathed.
His head descended slowly and his mouth melded with hers. Passion sparked immediately and with a groan that was part-triumph, part-longing; Jason deepened the kiss. His tongue stroked hers, sending shivers of excitement down her spine, and without thinking, Leila arched into him, her breasts shoving against the hard wall of his chest.
Jason’s hands tightened around Leila’s waist and the feel of his wide palm caressing her ass drew her back to Earth with a thud. She jerked out of his arms and glared at him as she furiously rubbed the back of her hand across her lips.
“Stay the hell away from me,” she spat, her eyes glittering angrily at him.
She spun around, and for the second time that night, melted into the crowd.