Married by Monday (Weekday Brides) (2 page)

“
I’m not as naive as you think I am,” Gwen chided.

“
Hmmm.”
Ya, right.

“
I’m not.”

Eliza glanced over and met Gwen’s scowl. Her porcelain features and perfect makeup, along with the accent, added to the innocent poster child image.

“
I may have gone to boarding school, and lived most my life at Albany behind locked gates, but I’ve done some traveling on my own.”

“
Let me guess, with a bodyguard the size of Neil hanging around?”

“
Hans isn’t nearly as big as Neil.”

Eliza rolled her eyes. “Hans? His name is Hans?”

“
He’s from Sweden. His specialty is in martial arts.”

Eliza would have laughed if Gwen wasn’t so serious. “So where is Hans now?”

“
At home. I didn’t think he needed to accompany me here. I knew I’d be with you and could call on Samantha or Blake anytime. Besides, you don’t seem to need anyone holding your hand to keep you safe.”

That’s because I know how to take care of myself.
“You’re not me.”

“
No, but I’m capable of staying out of trouble without a bodyguard.”

Unaccredited confidence could lead to trouble. “You know I’m leaving the day after the wedding.”

“
I know.”

Eliza put the car in park and kept it running to keep what cool air they could blowing on them as they talked. “When are you flying home?”

“
I haven’t decided. Mother wants me to fly home with her, but I think I might stay here for a while longer.”

“
I think you’d be better off going home with your mom.”

“
I’m not a child.”

“
Didn’t say you were.”

“
I think you did.”

Gwen’s defenses were up. Eliza placed a hand over the other woman’s. “How old are you, twenty-five?”

Gwen’s jaw dropped. “I’m thirty-one.”

Too old to be walking around with a babysitter. “I tell you what. Tonight we’ll put on a pair of jeans, find a couple of hats, and look for that honky-tonk. Maybe I can give you a few tips so you can stay out of trouble.” Not exactly the environment to recruit new customers, but leaving Gwen to her own defenses was kinda like leaving a kitten with a dozen pit bulls.

“
What if I
want
to find some trouble?”

“
Then it’s best you have someone to keep you from getting hurt. Hence, you’ll need someone like Hans.”

“
Fine, no trouble. I’d like to keep myself safe, have some fun, and leave un-accosted.”

“
Fine.”

Gwen smiled and pushed the door open.

The sweltering heat sucked the energy from every pore of Eliza’s body. Maybe a cool bar and a beer would help knock her out of her current funk.

Eliza hiked her purse over her shoulder and rounded the front of the car.

“
Oh, Carter, how nice of you to come.” Gwen’s voice pierced the air with her greeting.

Eliza skidded to a stop.
Carter?

Gwen reached the steps to the ranch house and greeted Carter in the classic European style, kissing both of his cheeks. Dressed in casual slacks and a cotton button up shirt, Carter Billings tossed on his easy smile. As usual he said exactly the right things, at exactly the right times. “Don’t you look lovely. You’d never know it’s a thousand degrees out here.”

Eliza’s heart pounded in her chest. Here stood the real reason for her unease. Carter Billings was everything she’d ever wanted in a man, but completely out of her reach. Something inside her ignited every time she saw him. Sadly, that response usually ended up in a snarky remark or defensive battle. He walked with more confidence than a tomcat in a dark ally in Brooklyn, charmed everyone he met with only a smile, and oozed sex appeal like syrup dripping off a double stack of pancakes.

Carter ran his hand through his sandy blond hair and caught her gaze when Gwen walked past him and into the house. Eliza watched his chest rise and fall with one deep breath before he started down the stairs to greet her.

“
Hello, Eliza.”

“
Hey, Carter. What are you doing here?” Damn, that sounded snotty. The heat was frying her brain.

“
I take it you’re not happy to see me.”

“
Didn’t say that. Wasn’t expecting you is all.”
Is all?
The locals were sliding into her speech.

He crossed his arms over his chest, tucking his fingers under his arms. “Gwen asked Neil to come, Blake asked me to give a report on Gwen.”

Eliza glanced over Carter’s shoulder to the empty doorway. “Why doesn’t Blake ask Neil about her?”

“
Neil doesn’t offer gossip, only facts. Blake would be more frustrated with a, ‘she’s fine’ response.” Carter dipped his voice to mimic Neil’s. Eliza couldn’t help but smile.

“
She
is
fine.” How did one woman instill such a need for these men to coddle her?

“
I’ll be the judge of that.”

Eliza shoved a lock of hair that managed to fall out of her loose bun from her eyes. Carter watched the movement, his eyes wandering to the tip of her head. “Let the judge, judge then.”

“
I’m not a judge any longer.”

“
No, you’re a
politician.”

“
You say that like it’s a bad thing.”

“
Politicians are hated almost as much as lawyers.” Which Carter was. Or had been anyway. At thirty-seven he’d climbed more ladders and overturned more goals than a man twice his age. His sights were now on Sacramento and, according to the polls, his chances were good.

“
Ouch.”

“
I call ’em as I see ’em.”

He stood aside, his smile never falling from his full lips. “Well why don’t you call ’em inside. It’s hard to judge my ward out here in the heat.”

“
She’s not your ward,” Eliza informed him as she walked by. Even in the heat, she managed to catch of scent of the musk rolling off his frame. She shivered, ignoring the pleasure his scent brought over her.

“
She’s not yours either, but I didn’t see her driving up here alone.”

“
Don’t you have laws to pass or something?”

He chuckled as she passed him on the stairs. “I’m not the governor, yet.”

“
I’d think babysitting a grown woman was off your list of judicial duties.” The cool interior of the house was welcome relief from the heat.

“
Maybe my political ones, but not my friendship ones. You’d do the same for Sam and don’t even try and deny it.”

He had her there. Not that she’d let him know her thoughts. “Whatever.”

****

Carter followed the lucky bead of perspiration that travel down Eliza’s neck and disappeared down the ‘v’ of her shirt. He shifted on his feet as he thought of where that tiny bit of moisture might have traveled. At five seven, Eliza’s sun kissed skin and sultry, brown eyes had a way of drawing him in.

As if sensing his attention, Eliza tilted her head to the side. Her movement forced his eyes from her breasts to her face. He didn’t even have the decency to be embarrassed about being caught checking her out. He should be, he knew. But he wasn’t. Carter lowered his eyes to their hostess who stood beside Gwen and Neil and pretended to listen.

Thirty minutes later, they stood on a vast lawn surrounded by split rail fences a few hundred yards away. The smell of horses and heat filled the air.

“
We own over five-hundred acres,” Mrs. Hawthorn was explaining.

“
How do you keep out unwanted guests?” Neil asked.

“
I’ll have extra ranch hands available to head off any wandering spectators. They’ll have to walk a long way to reach us here. And if they drive a car, we’ll see them long before they have a chance to sneak in.”

Mrs. Hawthorn strolled over to the large outdoor entertainment area, complete with fire pits and permanent tables. Bales of straw outlined the area adding to the charming Texas setting.

Eliza walked away from Mrs. Hawthorn toward one of the ranch’s employees. The cowboy wore tight blue jeans, boots, and a Stetson. The man smiled and tipped his hat when she strolled up. Carter walked a couple of steps her way but couldn’t hear what she was saying. The young cowboy glanced over to Gwen and made a couple of hand gestures. Eliza seemed to thank the man and turned back to their tour.

Gwen directed her attention to Eliza. “Why don’t you go on and show Carter the inside layout while I speak with the man in charge of security.”

“
Don’t have to ask me twice. It’s hotter than sin out here.” Eliza pivoted on her heel and bee-lined for the house. “Coming?”

Carter picked up his pace to meet her at the door, holding it open while she walked inside.

“
Mrs. Hawthorn has offered half a dozen rooms for our use the night of the wedding. For guests who might have too much to drink, or for those who come at the last minute without accommodations.” Eliza walked past a back staircase and pointed. “There’s a balcony overlooking the venue—one where Blake can post extra security who might be able to spot something in the distance, or an uninvited guest.”

Carter followed behind, watching the sway of her butt as she rounded the corner and walked down the long hall.

“
You guys can stage in here while you’re waiting on Sam.”

She kept walking and talking. Carter barely heard a word. Much like most of the times he’d been in Eliza’s presence, she numbed his brain to nothing, making it difficult to think. He’d always felt a sizzle when she walked in the room. If he had to guess, he’d say she was as attracted to him as he was to her. Yet neither of them ever acted on it.

Well…almost never.

Christmas the year before while celebrating with Blake and Samantha and about fifty friends, there was their almost kiss under the mistletoe. They’d both been drinking, barely skimming the surface of sarcasm with each other the whole night. Eliza had worn a skintight red dress that was slit half way up her thigh. She’d pulled back her dark hair allowing only small bits of it to swing along her slender neck. Every time she’d passed him that night, her perfume caught hold of him. It was like she’d gripped his neck and squeezed. Sucked in by her light, he’d noticed when she peeled away from the crowd and followed her.

She’d turned unexpectedly, colliding into him. They stood there for a moment, appraising each other. Eliza broke eye contact and glanced at the ceiling. She’d mumbled something under her breath and he’d looked up.
God bless mistletoe.
He placed a hand on the side of her face and fanned his fingers to the back of her neck. He remembered the need to kiss her slowly.

So much for that plan.

Just as he leaned in to taste, one of the party guests called his name from across the room. Eliza jumped back and out of his arms.

Neither of them ever spoke of it. In fact, they went on as if it had never happened.

He supposed it was because both of them were such good friends with Sam and Blake that neither of them wanted to screw that up.

Carter went on to date, or at least be seen with other women, and Eliza did whatever she did for the company she and Samantha ran.

“
So what do you think?” Eliza was talking to him, but he didn’t have a clue about what.

“
Excuse me?”

“
The house?”

“
What?”

You’ve not heard a word I’ve said.”

“
No, no you told me about the room we’ll be in, about the balcony.”

She perched her hands on her hips and offered a haughty look. “I went over that fifteen minutes ago. I don’t know why I bother,” she said turning away.

“
I’m distracted,” he admitted. “Lot of things on my mind.”

“
I have better things to do with my day, too. Tell you what, why don’t you just tell Neil you approve, and we’ll be on our way.”

Carter smirked. “Trying to get rid of me?”

Her eyes shot to his faster than lightning strikes a stormy sky. “Wanting you gone would imply I care that you’re here.”

She was trying hard to keep a disinterested look on her face, but she started to nibble on her fingernail and broke eye contact.
You
care. You might not want to, but you do.

“
Ouch.”

She glanced at her fingernails and fisted her palms. “Oh, forget it. Let’s get out of here before I melt.”

“
Sounds good.” Because standing here fantasizing about her wasn’t doing anyone any good. Besides, last time Carter checked, he had a date for this wedding and it wasn’t with the woman in front of him.

Eliza strolled off and followed way behind. He really should be thinking about the Texas millionaires attending this “renewal of vows” ceremony and not about the maid of honor.

“
I’ve thought of everything, Neil. You can tell my brother he’s perfectly safe and the only media pictures being taken will be from the one reporter he’s invited to attend.” Gwen waved Carter’s way. “Be a love and appease him, will you?”