Yes, he’d been charming and amusing and so darned sexy her toes had curled when he’d smiled at her. She’d been disappointed when BiBi had carried him off, but she hadn’t intended to take their encounter any further tonight; as much as she enjoyed flirting, it wasn’t her style to hook up with strangers.
Tossing the strapless bra onto the chair with the abandoned gypsy garments, she hummed beneath her breath, “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.” Every time she heard that song in the future, she would think of stolen kisses with a sexy stranger. And she was quite sure she would smile in response to the lovely memories.
Tired to her toenails, she crawled into bed a short while later, her teeth brushed, her face scrubbed clean of the sultry makeup, all traces of the gypsy fortune-teller gone now. And if she dreamed of kissing a dashing adventurer in the silvery moonlight—well, that would just be the ideal way to complete a near-perfect evening.
Jason was not particularly surprised to find that Carl’s brief message for him could have waited until later. Nor when BiBi just happened to bring Corinna over to join them before Jason could wander off in search of Madison again.
BiBi wasn’t the only one in the Lovato or D’Alessandro families who had recently decided that Jason and Corinna made a lovely couple. He had lost count of how many pointed hints had been aimed at him from all sides since Corinna had moved back to Dallas after completing pharmacy school in Austin. Even his elderly paternal grandfather had declared that Jason should ask the girl out. She was pretty, she was smart and she was the granddaughter of Vinnie D’Alessandro’s lifelong friend Savio Lovato. Vinnie had been hoping to see a match between his family and Savio’s for the past two generations.
Vinnie was just going to have to keep hoping, Jason thought with a slight shake of his head.
He wondered how much Corinna had been influenced by that family manipulation. Though they had been acquainted since childhood, he was six years her senior and they hadn’t spent much time together, actually. She didn’t even know him on a truly personal basis. Whatever her idea of who he was and what he wanted for the future, he would bet she was mistaken for the most part.
He refused to be nudged and prodded into a relationship with a woman just to please their families. If or when he chose to get seriously involved with anyone—something that hadn’t tempted him since he’d broken up with his last serious girlfriend almost a year ago—he wanted it to be entirely his choice, and based on more than a comfortable acquaintance. He wanted sparks. Sizzle. Magic, he thought, startled by his uncharacteristic musings.
Even as he told himself he was being ridiculously romantic, he found his mind filled with the image of a pretty blond gypsy. Their moonlight kisses had definitely sparked and sizzled. He fancied he could taste her on his lips. It wouldn’t have been hard to convince himself that she did, indeed, have magical powers.
But maybe that was the liquor speaking, he told himself with another shake of his head, setting down the glass someone had just handed him.
“A new song is starting,” BiBi exclaimed with obviously feigned innocence. “Carl, we should dance at least one more time before we call it a night. Jason, have you had a chance to dance with Corinna tonight?”
He had just opened his mouth to say his good-nights, but BiBi had put him on the spot now. He didn’t blame Corinna; there was no mistaking the chagrin in the look she gave BiBi. But because so many people were waiting for his response, he smiled blandly and held out a hand. “Of course. May I have this dance, Corinna?”
She nodded and accompanied him to the dance floor, which was beginning to thin a bit as the hour grew later. “That Old Black Magic” was just beginning to play from the speakers. Great, Jason thought with a sigh. A slow song. Why couldn’t it have been “The Monster Mash?”
Corinna gazed up at him from beneath her long, sparkly green lashes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t know BiBi was going to order you to dance with me. This must be very awkward for you.”
“Not at all,” he assured her, lying through his teeth. “Have you had a good time tonight?”
She tossed her head a bit. “I’ve had a great time,” she said a bit too enthusiastically. “I’ve danced so much my feet are numb. And I’ve met some very nice people. Friends of Carl’s, mostly.”
Male friends, she might as well have added. He hoped all her new friends were as nice as she’d said. And that she would fall head over heels in love with one of them, and have her feelings returned.
He still refused to believe Corinna had strong, serious feelings for him—again, she just hadn’t spent enough time with him for that to develop—but maybe she had a little crush. After all, he was somewhat older, and a doctor, which some people found impressive, and their families had probably made him sound like a real catch to her. He supposed he should be flattered, but it was inopportune, especially this weekend with so much of the family milling around watching them. And when he’d already met someone else he would like to spend more time with during the next few days, without worrying about Corinna and BiBi glaring at him every time they spotted him with Madison.
The music ended. He dropped his arms in secret relief and took a step backward. “Your sister has a lot of activities planned for the rest of the weekend. Sounds like she’s going to keep everyone busy until the ceremony.”
Corinna nodded, her expression shuttered. “You’ll be at the ranch tomorrow?”
“Are you kidding? BiBi would track me down if I didn’t show up. I’ve got someone covering for me at the clinic this weekend, so I’m free to do my duties as a groomsman, whatever that entails.”
He was very glad Carl had asked his brother, Curtis, to serve as best man. With Corinna serving as maid of honor, she and Curtis would be the ones walking together during the ceremony. Jason wasn’t sure who he’d be paired with for the ceremony, but he was relieved that he wouldn’t be escorting Corinna down the aisle and making the older family members sigh wistfully at the symbolism.
Now if only she’d tell her older sister to back off.
He hoped it wouldn’t be too uncomfortable for him to spend more time with Madison tomorrow. One way or another, he was definitely going to try.
Accustomed to getting up early for work, Madison was wide awake at six-thirty Friday morning. As tired as she’d been the night before, she was rather surprised to wake fully recharged and ready to go.
The vans to the dude ranch were scheduled to leave at nine. Judging from how quiet the halls were outside her room, she would bet most of the other wedding guests were sleeping off last night’s party, perhaps planning room service breakfasts before gathering in the lobby as BiBi had instructed. A breakfast buffet was served downstairs for hotel guests, but Madison wasn’t hungry yet. She was in the habit of going for an early run before breakfast.
A quick check of hotel amenities let her know a gym was available for guests, along with two indoor pools—one for swimming laps, the other designed for family use. Deciding she’d swim a few laps in lieu of her run, she donned the simple black suit she’d brought with her, covered it with a T-shirt and yoga pants and slid her feet into sandals. Pulling her honey-blond hair into a loose ponytail, she tucked her key card into her smartphone case and carried it with her as she headed for the elevator.
Waiting for the car to arrive, she found her thoughts drifting to the man she had met last night, and whom she would be seeing again on today’s outing to the ranch. Jason had been devastatingly handsome in his dashing costume, but she’d bet he looked just
