Page 51 of Tempest

Her sapphire eyes flashed up at him, and he noticed a small smile start to fall across her lips. “I haven’t had much of a chance to go.”

“Doesn’t your boyfriend like to take you?” Okay, points could be deducted for the obvious volley. He didn’t care. It was the fastest way to find out if he stood a chance.

Her hands coiled together and she twisted them. “Oh, I don’t have a boyfriend.”

His heart kicked against his chest, and he wanted to punch his fist in the air. Instead, he leaned back and tried to appear nonplussed. “Let me take you dancing tonight at Mercer Hall. They always have a great band, and I can teach you how to two-step. Can’t come to Texas and not dance.”

Her hand moved to a strand of hair, and she twirled it around. “Oh, you don’t have to do that. I should probably work tonight. There’s lots of information to uncover.”

“Sorry, can’t take no for an answer. As co-owner of Bellows Energy, I insist that you come out and have some fun. Can’t work around the clock.”

“Well, all right. But I have to warn you that I’m not very coordinated and I might step on your toes…a lot.”

He stuck his foot out and showed off his boots. “Doesn’t matter. That’s what boots are for. If things get dicey, I can just pick you up and swing you around the dance floor.”

Leaning in, she looked up at him with a worried look. “I don’t have anything to wear to a dance hall.”

Her scent surrounded him, and he swore that whatever flowery shampoo she used was meant to drive him crazy. “You’re about the same size as Ivy, so I’m sure she can set you up. She has enough clothes for five people, so you’ll have a lot of choices.”

“Thank you, Colin. I think it will be fun.”

He lifted her hand and held it. “I promise to make sure you have as much fun as you can stand while you’re here. After all, Texas has a lot to offer.” When her pink tongue slipped out and she licked her lips, he felt an instant reaction. Shiiit. Pull it together, man. His friends had always commented on how cool he was and how he never got flustered. Well, he just found someone who flustered the shit out of him. “If you’re ready to go, let’s get on the road back to Dripping Springs.”

“Should we wait for Ivy and Ryan?”

Waving his hand in dismissal, he snorted. “No. Those two are probably kissing somewhere, and from what I’ve seen over the last couple of days, they’re not stopping anytime soon.”

“Let me just pack up my computer and I’ll be ready.”

“Great. I should stop by my condo and pick up some more clothes. It’s not far from here, so it shouldn’t take long.”

“Did you get a job after graduation, or are you going back for graduate school?”

Colin cleared his throat. This could be the moment of reckoning; she might not want to have anything to do with a professional athlete. “I got drafted by the Rangers, and I’m playing with the Round Rock Express my rookie year.”

Her hand flew to her heart and she smiled. “Congratulations, Colin. That’s a major accomplishment. Did you know that only ten percent of college players are ever invited into the draft?”

“So, you like baseball?” he asked with more hope than he thought possible.

“I love baseball. My dad is a huge fan, and it was a way for us to connect and hang out. The game has a lot of math, so it was easy for me to get interested. What round where you drafted in?”

“Uh…the first round. I was the third pick this year.”

“Holy smokes, Colin. You have a sixty-six percent chance of making it to The Show.”

“I’ll invite you to the first game next year. I don’t officially start until next spring.”

“Are you working out with the team now?” she asked excitedly.

“I’m supposed to go in a couple of weeks.”

“Well, if I’m still here, then I would love to see you play.”

“There’s a lot to do for the company, so I imagine you’ll be here for a while.” He would make damn sure of that. Ivy said she wanted to help, so the first thing she could do was make sure that Phoebe had work to do that would keep her in Texas for a good long while. It wasn’t a proud moment, but he didn’t care. He’d do just about anything to keep this smart, beautiful woman who loved baseball close at hand. “Let’s go, and maybe we can have a swim before we go out dancing.”

“That sounds great,” Phoebe responded.

Yes, it does, Colin thought as he led her out of the house. He and Phoebe in the pool together sounded about perfect.

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