new cowboys Daddy hired this week. They’re standing over there in the corner. They’re brothers and they’re both blond-haired like you said you were going to hitch up with before Sage and Creed got here,” April said.
All the eyes in the group went to the corner where April was looking. Sure enough, two tall cowboys were talking in a group of five other men. It was evident that they shared the same genes but one was slightly shorter than the other. The tall one had brown eyes and the short one had green eyes.
The one with brown eyes smiled at Sage and started across the floor.
Willa Sue tossed her long black hair over her shoulder. “Looks like we done attracted one.”
The cowboy stopped right in front of Sage and extended a hand. “Hello, ma’am, I’m Rocky, newly hired on the Canyon Rose. The band is just gearing up for the first dance. You’d make this old cowboy real happy if you’d dance with me.”
Sage shook it firmly and businesslike then let it drop. “I’d love to but I’ve already promised the first dance to someone else.”
His head barely bobbed and he turned his attention to April. “I see. Well, how about you, darlin’?”
“Daddy always gets the first one. Tradition, but I’ll save you one for later.”
His brother had joined the group by then and he was cozying right up to Willa Sue. When the band broke into the first Christmas song of the season the dance floor cleared out and Lawton left his group to claim his daughter’s hand for the first dance.
Lawton knew his business. If there was a stranger in the mix, he’d learn real quick that she was the owner’s daughter and to tread lightly. Sage wondered if the protective father instinct came the day a man held his child or if it grew along with them. She remembered Creed talking about what his daughter would or would not do after he’d seen April in her revealing dress.
Evidently some men just had the instinct to take care of their womenfolk.
Rocky held out his hand to Willa Sue and she graced him with a brilliant smile. His brother was already on the dance floor with Maria.
Sage was so deep in thought that she didn’t even see Creed making his way around the perimeter of the enormous room until he slipped an arm around her waist.
“Can I have this dance, ma’am?” Creed asked.
She slung both arms around his neck and he looped his arms around her waist. Creed Riley didn’t just two-step to the country beat. His feet floated six inches above the floor and she felt as if she floated with him.
“You weren’t honest with me,” she said. “You said you couldn’t dance. You’re an expert, Creed Riley.”
“Aww, shucks, ma’am, you’re just bein’ nice to this rough old cowboy. Woman gorgeous as you makes me look like a bumbling fool.”
Her stomach fluttered at his deep drawl and she wanted to drag him away from the party. She hadn’t even wanted to like him in the beginning and now his voice made the zipper on her dress itch to slide down.
What about all the other women watching and waiting for their turn to dance with him? They’d fall backwards on the nearest bed or haystack and drag him down on top of them without blinking an eye. And he would forget all about the Amazon he’d brought to the dance.
He glanced toward the ceiling. “Look there. I believe these folks rustled up some mistletoe.”
She looked up and there it was, hanging from the bottom of a huge crystal chandelier. She started to say something but didn’t get the first syllable out before his lips were on hers right there in the middle of the dance floor in front of Lawton, all the other ranchers, April, and even the Almighty.
She felt like a mule had kicked her in the ribs, knocked the breath out of her, and stopped her heart between beats. Then her heart gave a lurch and took off like a steam engine.
“I ain’t got a no trespassin’ sign to hang around your neck, but I wish I did.” He breathed into her hair when the kiss ended.
The dance ended and a woman was suddenly glued to Creed’s side so tight that air couldn’t get between them. She had a thumb hooked in his belt at the small of his back and gazed up at him with adoring big brown eyes.
Interior decorators could say what they wanted about