Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com

Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com Dancing in the Moonlight - Harlequin.com

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RAEANNE THAYNE 171 and refuse to go with him. The mood he was in, he almost wanted her to, just so he could vent some of the raging emotions inside him by the physical act of hauling her to his SUV. He turned off his engine and sat for a moment trying to let the soft beauty of the Luna seep through his turmoil to calm him. The ranch was lovely in the gathering twilight, with its breathtaking view of the Tetons’ west edge, the stately row of cottonwoods lining the creek, those unique silver-gray cattle quietly grazing in the fields. It was a perfect evening for what was in store, he thought as he climbed out, unseasonably mild for late April with the lush smell of growth and life in the air. Hoping his exhaustion didn’t show in his eyes, he climbed the stairs and rang the doorbell. He could hear her slow steps approaching the door, and a moment later it swung open. In an instant the breath seemed to leave his chest in a rush. She wore a loose, flowing pair of pants and a gauzy white shirt that made her dusky skin look sultry and exotic. Her hair was a mass of soft curls that instantly made him want to bury his face in them, and she wore several bangle bracelets and long, dangly earrings. It was the first time in recent memory he’d seen her dressed as a girly-girl. She looked as lovely and intoxicating as the spring evening, and with a little start of surprise, he realized all the dark memories of the day had started to recede. They were still there but they seemed suddenly as distant as the moon that gave her ranch its name. When he said nothing, only continued to stare,

172 DANCING IN THE MOONLIGHT Maggie squirmed. “You said wear something comfortable. This is comfortable.” Her belligerent tone finally pierced his daze. Beneath her truculence, she seemed apprehensive, and he wondered at it. “You look perfect,” he murmured, then couldn’t seem to help himself. He twisted her fingers in his, leaned forward and kissed her cheek. She smelled divine, some kind of perfume that reminded him of standing in his sister-in-law’s flower garden, and he wanted to dip his face into her neck and inhale. He forced himself to refrain, and as he stepped back he had the satisfaction of seeing she looked even more adorably flustered. “Is your mother around?” he asked, knowing perfectly well she wasn’t. Maggie frowned and tried to withdraw her hand. He held firm. “No. She left a few hours ago. She said she was visiting a friend, though she wouldn’t tell me who. I wondered if it was Guillermo, but she wouldn’t say. She’s been acting very strange today. All week, really.” It took a great effort to keep his expression blandly innocent. “Really?” “Taking phone calls at all hours of the day and night, running off on mysterious errands she won’t explain, accepting package deliveries she won’t let me see.” “Maybe she has a boyfriend.” Her jaw went slack as she processed that possibility. “Why on earth would you say that? Do you know something I don’t?”

RAEANNE THAYNE<br />

171<br />

and refuse to go with him. The mood he was <strong>in</strong>, he<br />

almost wanted her to, just so he could vent some of <strong>the</strong><br />

rag<strong>in</strong>g emotions <strong>in</strong>side him by <strong>the</strong> physical act of<br />

haul<strong>in</strong>g her to his SUV.<br />

He turned off his eng<strong>in</strong>e and sat for a moment try<strong>in</strong>g<br />

to let <strong>the</strong> soft beauty of <strong>the</strong> Luna seep through his<br />

turmoil to calm him. The ranch was lovely <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> ga<strong>the</strong>r<strong>in</strong>g<br />

twilight, with its breathtak<strong>in</strong>g view of <strong>the</strong> Tetons’<br />

west edge, <strong>the</strong> stately row of cottonwoods l<strong>in</strong><strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong><br />

creek, those unique silver-gray cattle quietly graz<strong>in</strong>g <strong>in</strong><br />

<strong>the</strong> fields.<br />

It was a perfect even<strong>in</strong>g for what was <strong>in</strong> store, he<br />

thought as he climbed out, unseasonably mild for late<br />

April with <strong>the</strong> lush smell of growth and life <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong> air.<br />

Hop<strong>in</strong>g his exhaustion didn’t show <strong>in</strong> his eyes, he<br />

climbed <strong>the</strong> stairs and rang <strong>the</strong> doorbell. He could hear<br />

her slow steps approach<strong>in</strong>g <strong>the</strong> door, and a moment<br />

later it swung open.<br />

In an <strong>in</strong>stant <strong>the</strong> breath seemed to leave his chest <strong>in</strong> a<br />

rush. She wore a loose, flow<strong>in</strong>g pair of pants and a gauzy<br />

white shirt that made her dusky sk<strong>in</strong> look sultry and exotic.<br />

Her hair was a mass of soft curls that <strong>in</strong>stantly made<br />

him want to bury his face <strong>in</strong> <strong>the</strong>m, and she wore several<br />

bangle bracelets and long, dangly earr<strong>in</strong>gs.<br />

It was <strong>the</strong> first time <strong>in</strong> recent memory he’d seen her<br />

dressed as a girly-girl. She looked as lovely and <strong>in</strong>toxicat<strong>in</strong>g<br />

as <strong>the</strong> spr<strong>in</strong>g even<strong>in</strong>g, and with a little start of surprise,<br />

he realized all <strong>the</strong> dark memories of <strong>the</strong> day had started<br />

to recede. They were still <strong>the</strong>re but <strong>the</strong>y seemed suddenly<br />

as distant as <strong>the</strong> moon that gave her ranch its name.<br />

When he said noth<strong>in</strong>g, only cont<strong>in</strong>ued to stare,

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