the dance floor, stepping out in time to the throbbing beat. Still stunned by his kiss, she watched him dance, his black tux jacket swinging open as he moved with a masculine grace that was sensual, sexy, his hips gyrating and making her think of being in bed with him.
She felt her cheeks flame and looked up to meet his gaze. It was as if he read her mind. Desire was blatant in his eyes.
The band slipped into a slow ballad and Tony took her hand, drawing her into his arms to dance close. Their bodies were pressed together, his hardness against her curves, and she didn’t know how long she’d be able to stay in his arms like this before she would combust. He pulled back ever so slightly to look down at her, and she was caught in his solemn gaze. For the first time, she realized his eyes were blue, with green flecks in their depths. He had thick dark brown eyelashes, straight brown hair that was neatly cut and short.
Tony Milan was handsome.
Down deep she had always thought that, in spite of how annoyed she had usually been with him. But up close like this now, she could no longer view him in any such detached manner. Not after that kiss. Tony Milan wasn’t dime a dozen “handsome.” No. He was drop-dead gorgeous.
And she wanted him to kiss her again.
The realization surprised her on top of the other jolting shocks of this night. Was she going to regret her decision to see if she could win him over with enticement and sweetness? It wasn’t sweetness Tony was bringing out in her tonight. It was desire. She wanted to be alone with him and she wanted him to kiss her again. She wanted to kiss and hold him, to run her hands over him. There was no way she was going to bed with him—she’d established that boundary from the start—but she wanted more than she’d originally planned.
The night had lost its sense of reality and become a moment out of time. Everything had changed. Desire was hot, constant. Tony was sexy, virile, charming, appealing, and tonight he was the most desirable man she had ever known.
She had never expected or planned on a night like this one. Since she had decided to own a ranch, she had never wanted to date other ranchers or cowboys. She knew them too well and she didn’t want them telling her how to conduct her business on the Rocking L Ranch. She loved her ranch—it was her whole life. No one had the right to come along and tell her how to run it. How many times had Tony done exactly that?
Tonight was different, though. Tony was different. How much would tonight change their relationship as neighboring ranchers? Or would they go back home with the same attitudes they had always had?
She knew she wouldn’t and she didn’t think he would, either.
And then she couldn’t think anymore. Tony moved her hand against his chest and covered it with his own, pulling her even closer, as if wrapping their joined hands in the heat from their bodies. She inhaled the scent of his woodsy aftershave, a musky scent that was all male. She gave herself over to him and let him lead her with his sure steps. They were totally in sync as they moved, their long legs pressed against each other’s. The contact was electrifying. She wanted to keep dancing with him for hours, almost as much as she wanted to be alone with him, in his arms and kissing him. Was that where the evening would lead, or would he follow the auction itinerary and go back to the Dallas country club, kiss her good-night and each of them drive away? To her surprise, that wasn’t the way she wanted to end the evening.
For the next hour they danced and she realized Tony was fun to be with when he wanted to be. He had her laughing over things he had done with her brothers over the years. She knew he was friends with them even though they were older. She was the only Calhoun who actively fought with him, but she had always blamed Tony for being such a know-it-all and so uncooperative as a neighbor. For tonight, though, she saw none of that. Far from it. He looked as if he was having a wonderful time and he helped her to have a wonderful time.
There was one rational part of her that cried out a warning: she needed to remember why she bid on him. She couldn’t let her plan backfire on her. When this night was over, she’d still need what she came here for—and that wasn’t a relationship with Tony Milan. A relationship was the one thing she needed to avoid at all costs, because it would vastly complicate her life. She was here only to win his friendship so he would discuss their problems with her. If possible, even talk about their water situation.
From her earliest memories she had been taught by her grandparents not to trust Milans. Now her brother had married one and he was blissfully happy. She had to admit that she liked and trusted her sister-in-law Madison. And a distant Calhoun cousin—Destiny—had married a Milan—Wyatt, who was sheriff of Verity. Wyatt had been a shock because he proved untrue everything Lindsay had been taught by her grandparents and mother about Milans. In all her dealings with Wyatt, she had found him to be honest, friendly, fair and definitely trustworthy.
She gazed at Tony’s handsome features and wondered if he could be trusted, as well. As they danced, he constantly touched her, looked intently at her. He paid her compliments, got her whatever refreshment she wanted. All his attention, his casual touches, increased her awareness of him, as well as her desire for him. She fought the temptation to tell him that she wanted to go someplace where they could be alone. She had a hotel room in Dallas for the night provided by the auction board. She could invite him back for a drink.
As much as she told herself she wanted to kiss him again, she knew where the kissing might lead. And she couldn’t make love with Tony. Difficult as it was to curb her desire, she had no other choice.
Finally, as the band took a break, Tony turned to her. “It’s time for us to meet our chauffeur so we can take the plane back to Dallas. It’s all arranged to get us back by midnight, so we should go now.”
“Let me pick up my purse,” she said.
On their flight home, Tony embodied the perfect gentleman, continuing to surprise her. She’d known he had to have a good side to him, but she’d never expected to be charmed by him or even find him such enjoyable company. Certainly not once had she thought she would be attracted to him or see him as a sexy, exciting man whose kiss set her heart pounding.
As they flew back to Dallas, Tony reached for her hand, holding it in his. “The evening will still be young when we get home. We can go dancing or just go have a drink and talk. Better yet, I have a condo in Dallas. Come back with me. I’ll take you to your hotel whenever you want. We can have the place to ourselves.”
Eagerness to draw out the evening made it easy to answer. “Let’s go to your place,” she said. “I don’t want tonight to end yet. It’s been fun, Tony. I know things will go back somewhat to the way they were because that’s reality, but this has been a special night.”
“You have no idea how special it has been. Things may go back to sort of like they were, but they won’t ever again be the same as before. You’ll no longer have an antagonistic neighbor. I promise.”
“Dare I hope,” she gasped, clutching her heart, making him laugh. Shaking her head, she smiled. “There’s no way this truce is going to last.”
“I’ll try if you will,” he said, his eyes twinkling with mischief, and she had to laugh in return.
“I promise I’ll try, too,” she said, looking into his eyes and again feeling an electrifying current spark between them.
“I keep waiting for a pitch from you to get me to agree to something. You all but admitted that’s the purpose of your bidding for me tonight.”
“Maybe I’ve delayed that original agenda,” she said in a sultry voice. “I’m having
