Page 28 of Midnight Rider

He chuckled. “Why?”

“I’ve always wanted to learn. It’s so beautiful to watch. I went to an exhibition in New York City when I was in school. It was so graceful.”

“Your father would have a heart attack.”

“My father doesn’t have to know,” she pointed out. “After all, you’re not marrying him.”

“No, I’m not.” He searched her rapt features with more interest than ever. “What other accomplishments have you?”

“I can do needlepoint and knit and crochet,” she said. Her eyes danced. “And I can also ride a horse, shoot a rifle and discuss politics.”

“Useful skills in these parts,” he murmured drily. He whirled her around again and laughed as her eyes sparkled. “I like your hair that way,” he said unexpectedly. “You should wear it down more often.”

“At least one of our female guests thinks it’s brazen and scandalous,” she confided. “Like wearing pants!”

His gaze fell to her long skirts. “You can wear pants when we ride together, if you like, and shock every hand on the ranch.”

She grinned. “Oh, Eduardo, it’s going to be such fun being married!”

He was beginning to feel that way himself. It was unexpected. His first marriage had been dull and cold and unfeeling. Consuela had left him with scars that had never healed. But Bernadette was fiery and outrageous. She appealed to him as other women never had, and her innocence had a special appeal. He was glad that he’d started off right with her. He could never have courted her with false passion or pretended love. It was better to have their feelings for each other out in the open. That way, they could deal honestly with whatever difficulties they encountered.

Bernadette saw his somber expression and wondered at it. “You aren’t having second thoughts?”

“About marrying you?” He smiled. “Of course not. I was only thinking how wise we are not to pretend love for each other. Honesty is always best.”

She mumbled her agreement, but she couldn’t look him in the eye. It wouldn’t do to tell him that she was head over heels in love with him and had been for as long as she could remember. He’d find it out one day. And hopefully, by then, he wouldn’t mind. He might even learn to love her...a little.

She followed his intricate steps with ease, but it was a relief when other couples began to join them on the dance floor. She found herself breathless all too soon, and she hated the idea of people staring at her as she struggled to breathe.

He noticed when she began to pant softly. He also noticed that she never complained. She smiled at him and would have continued. But he stopped in midstep and took her hand, placing it gently in the crook of his arm.

“And that’s enough for now,” he said with genuine affection. “We can sit on the sidelines and watch the others. Would you like some cold punch?”

“I would indeed!”

“You have a stubborn streak, Bernadette,” he mused as they walked through the crowd of dancers. “I’m not sure it’s a good thing. You push yourself too hard sometimes.”

His voice was soft with concern and her heart lifted. He had to care for her a little, just a little. Her face brightened and became radiant. He glanced down at it and couldn’t look away. Those eyes, those soft green eyes, had him all but hypnotized.

She was breathless all over again, but not from exertion this time. His eyes went from her face down to her white shoulders to the delicate cleavage between her pretty breasts.

It seemed that neither of them could forget those exquisite moments in the desert when he’d touched her in forbidden ways. It was in his face that he wanted that again.

Her fingers contracted on his sleeve, conveying her own inclinations.

He glanced at the patio doorway and back down at her. His face was hard, his black eyes glittering. He caught her gloved fingers in his.

“Shall we get a breath of air?” he asked evenly, surprised that his voice could sound so perfectly normal when he was churning inside.

“Yes, let’s,” she agreed at once.

He led her through the dancers again, smiling politely and not seeing a single face they passed.

The patio wasn’t deserted. There were two couples dancing very close together. Eduardo gave them a wide berth and led Bernadette to the rose garden that was her pride and joy. There were high hedges and two large shade trees just beyond it, with a stone bench under one.

He seated her there. In the soft moonlight, her face looked lovely. She was a little flushed, and her breathing was strained, but she was smiling.

“The scent of the roses isn’t too overpowering for you?”

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