Love was staring her in the face in the form of Chance Marcus Steele.
“Yes, I’ll dance with you.” His hand on hers tightened gently and she felt the warm strength of his touch as he led her toward the dance floor.
Once there he pulled her into his arms, close to the solidness of his form, the heat of his body. She wondered how long she could continue to stand and not melt at his feet with all the sensations overtaking her. Finding out at thirty-one that you had the ability to love again was definitely a shocker.
“You look beautiful tonight, Kylie,” Chance said, claiming her absolute attention. “Without a doubt you are the most gorgeous woman here.”
Kylie lowered her gaze to study the Rolex watch on his wrist. “Your date might have a problem with you thinking that.”
“I didn’t bring a date.”
She raised surprised eyes to his. “You didn’t?”
“No. What made you think I did? Or even more important, what made you think I would?”
“Your brother’s fiancée mentioned to Lena that some woman in her family was coming to town and that you would be bringing her to the ball.”
He shrugged. “Cassandra did call and try convincing me to escort her cousin tonight but I refused.”
“Why?” she asked swiftly, then regretted doing so. It was really none of her business.
“Because the only woman I want to be with tonight was going to be here, although she didn’t ask me to be her date.”
Kylie couldn’t help but smile, elated he’d come alone. “Oh, what a pity,” she commented teasingly.
“Yes, I thought so as well. But now that she’s here, right where I want her to be, which is in my arms, I’m declaring myself her date for the rest of the night.”
Kylie didn’t have a problem with that. “Are you?”
“Yes. That’s one sure way to protect you from the Derek Petersons of the world.”
The contempt she heard in his voice proved her earlier assumption had been correct. There was no love lost between Derek, Chance and Morgan. “You and Morgan don’t like him,” she said, stating what had been so obvious. “Why?”
“Let’s just say we don’t exactly appreciate the way he’s been known to treat women.”
Not wanting to talk about Derek Peterson any longer, Chance brought Kylie’s body closer to his. He drank in her softness, her nearness, her scent—everything that was woman about her. After seven years of doing without a woman in his life, the one he was holding in his arms made him feel complete.
“Why did you pretend that the two of us hadn’t met before?”
Kylie’s question invaded Chance’s thoughts. He gazed at her, thinking that her question was easy enough to answer. “Something you said a few weeks ago made me want to prove you wrong.”
She arched an eyebrow. “And what did I say?”
“You said that we had only met because of our kids and chances were if we’d been at any function together that I would not have given you a second look. It was your opinion that you’re not the type of woman I would have shown interest in.”
Kylie nodded, remembering she had said that. “And?”
“And I’ve proven you wrong, Kylie,” he drawled.
She gave him a bemused look. “How?”
“By being here with you tonight, seeing you walk through that door for the first time. Tonight has nothing to do with our kids. It’s a function where we are both in attendance, and I did give you a second look. You are definitely a woman I would be interested in. And to go even further, you are a woman I am interested in, Kylie. The only one I’m interested in.”
His words touched her more than he would ever know and Kylie didn’t think she could feel more desired and more wanted than at that very moment. The way he was looking at her made her feel hot, feverish. The intensity in his eyes made her pulse flutter and a heat wave consumed her, sending blood thrumming through her veins. She felt her nipples puckering against his chest. What was passing between them was too arousing for a dance floor.
The music ended and she felt him curl his fingers around her upper arm to lead her toward the exit doors. “Where are we going?” she asked breathlessly, trying to keep up with his long strides.
“Outside to get some fresh air.”
Kylie swallowed. She had a feeling that fresh air wasn’t the only thing Chance intended to get.
When Chance finally came to a stop beneath a cascade of low-hanging branches, he turned to Kylie and gently pulled her to him. And when his lips creased into that sexy smile that could automatically turn her on, she didn’t think twice about tilting her head back for his kiss.