She took a few more bites, then dared a personal question. “How did you afford him?” She loved the horse, but she didn’t want Alec going out on a limb financially.
He stared levelly at her.
“I’m sorry,” she quickly apologized. “Was that too personal?”
“No. It just hadn’t occurred to me that you didn’t know.”
“Know what?”
“Anything about my financial status.”
“Or your family. Well, except for that little bit about your parents.”
“Where I know pretty much everything about you.”
She set down her fork. “More than me, as it turns out.”
He gave a rueful smile.
The waiter reappeared, removing their salad plates and replacing them with chicken and pasta before disappearing once again.
“Financially I’m perfectly comfortable,” said Alec.
Stephanie wasn’t sure what that meant.
“I didn’t have to borrow money to buy Blanchard’s Run,” he elaborated.
“So, you didn’t marry me for my money?”
He smiled at her. “I didn’t marry you for your money.”
She cut into the tender chicken. “You know, we never signed a prenup.”
“Are you worried?”
“Not anymore,” she deadpanned.
“You could come out ahead on this,” he speculated.
“Good to know. Since I have very expensive taste in horses.”
Alec coughed out a laugh, and she smiled along with him. His slate eyes reflected the glint of the candlelight, and the flicker of the flame bounced off the planes and angles of his face. He was a spectacularly handsome man.
Her gaze was drawn to his open collar, pushing her thoughts to his muscled chest and impressive shoulders. She couldn’t help but remember him naked, in the pale light of her bedroom, his touch, his scent, his taste.
She moved on to his hands, stilled now on the silverware that rested against his plate. The things those hands had done to her.
“Is Madame finished?” The waiter’s voice startled her.
“Yes, please.” She drew a ragged breath, shifting in her chair as she became aware of the prickled heat chafing her skin.
“We’ll skip dessert,” Alec told the man. “Thank you for your time.”
“Very good, sir.” Once more, he disappeared, this time leaving the suite. They were alone.
A full minute of silence ticked by while the breeze freshened, and candlelight flicked across the planes and angles of Alec’s face.
“You bought me a horse,” she sighed, still not quite believing it could be true.
He shrugged. “I know most guys go with flowers.”
“But you’re not most guys.”
“I guess not.”
“
He bunched his napkin and tossed it on the table. “So, what did you get me?”
“I was supposed to buy a gift?” She feigned alarm.
He nodded. “It
“What anniversary is that?”
“Fifteen days.”
“Ahh,” she nodded. “The little known fifteen-day horse-themed anniversary.”
“Celebrated from Iceland to Estonia.”
“We’re in Kentucky.”
“So, no present for me?”
She tucked her hair behind her ears. “I saw a ten-gallon hat in the gift shop downstairs.”
He grinned. “Not my style.”
“A silver, long-horn steer belt buckle?”
He rose from his chair. “Try again.”
“I’ve got a nice riding crop in the trailer.”
“Did you mean that to be sexy?”
“Noooo,” she chuckled as she shook her head.
“Thank goodness.” He made his way around the table. “I mean,
“You’d prefer sexy underwear to leather?”
He held out his hand. “Sexy underwear would definitely be my first choice for a gift.”
She placed her hand in his, taking a deep breath and screwing up her courage. “Had to go without a bra tonight,” she confessed.
His gaze dipped down. “Guess that saves me some unwrapping.”
She rose to her feet, heart pounding, perspiration beginning to glow on her skin. “Yes, it does.”
“I’ve missed you,” he said.
“I’m right here,” she parroted.
He smiled at the joke. “That’s not what I meant.” And his gaze did a tour of her body. His eyes darkened to pewter, going molten with desire.
“It’s not what I meant, either,” she whispered, zeroing in on his lips, coming up on her toes, while his hand wrapped around to the small of her back and drew her close.
She stroked her palms up the length of his chest, reveling in the play of muscles beneath the thin cotton. She curved over his shoulders, to the back of his neck, into the rough texture of his hairline, while his mouth slowly descended to hers.
She parted her lips, her entire body softening in reaction to her nearness, his touch.
He stopped, lips a fraction of an inch from hers. “Tell me this isn’t gratitude.”
“Would it matter?” she couldn’t resist asking.
“I know I should say yes.” He sucked in a breath. “But, honestly. Maybe.”
“It’s quid pro quo,” she teased.
“Sex with you is worth a million dollars?”
She drew back. “Sex? I thought we were talking about a kiss.”
“We can stop at a kiss,” he assured her, settling his arms more comfortably around her waist.
“I think we should do that,” she responded.
“You’re lying.”
“Absolutely.” She inched back, pasting a sultry smile on her face and sliding one of her straps off her shoulder. Then she pushed down the other. The slinky fabric caught on her hardened nipples, clinging there in the candlelight.
Alec glanced around, obviously confirming they had privacy. Then he drew her into the shadow of the overhang.
“For a million dollars,” he whispered, as his lips finally came down on hers in an explosion of taste and texture. He kissed her deeply and thoroughly, and her body nearly melted when his fingers found her zipper and pushed it down.
Her dress fell away, the breeze of the night caressing her skin. He surrounded her near naked body with his strong arms, hands roaming everywhere as he pressed her against the smooth, warm concrete wall.
She squirmed against him.
And his breathing rasped. “For a million dollars, I think we’re going to have to do it twice.”
Twice turned out to be essential for Alec. Because the first time was over far too fast. And he was convinced he could make love to Stephanie all night long.
