Page 30 of The Soldier and the Cowboy

“I’d say you do, too, but I’ve never seen you messy,” she said.

“See that kind of sounds like a put down coming from you,” he said.

“It’s not, I promise.”

“I don’t know you well enough to know what a promise is worth,” he said.

“I’m a marine; it’s worth everything,” she said.

“Are you flirting with me?” he asked.

“About as much as you’re flirting with me, never more,” she said.

“Well then I’m definitely going to have to step it up,” he said.

“I can’t promise I’ll follow suit,” she said.

“A chance I’m willing to take,” he said, easing her a tiny bit closer.

When that dance ended, they paused to grab something to drink. Sully ran into someone else he knew and became ensnared in a conversation. After the initial greeting, Bailey stood beside him, bored and trying not to show it. It was hard for her to relax, even at a dance. So when the environment of the room shifted, she noticed. She straightened and turned, expecting to see danger. What she saw instead was Calhoun Ridge, tall, dark, foreboding, and impossibly handsome, wearing a suit and making his way toward her. She told herself to turn around, to look away, but she couldn’t. She remained rooted to the spot, staring at him as he stared at her, easing closer and closer, winding his way through bodies until at lasthe was right beside her. He clasped her hand.

“Sully, you mind if I have this dance?”

“I’ll say yes, seeing as how I don’t seem to have much of a choice,” Sully replied.

A waltz began to play. Bailey had the suspicion it was on purpose, as if whoever controlled the music was doing them a favor. Cal was a good dancer, and he made no pretense of keeping a space between them, as Sully had done. He tucked her close and clasped her hand, resting it on his chest between them.

“Thought you weren’t coming,” she said.

“Sully rightfully pointed out I haven’t been to one of these in a while. I don’t want people getting the mistaken impression I’m standoffish,” he said.

“I don’t think anyone watching you right now would think that,” she said.

“Plus I needed to tell you somethin’ and ask you somethin’.”

“Go on,” she urged.

“You’re beautiful. You’re beautiful when you’re like this, and you’re beautiful when you’re not.”

“Thank you,” she said, the words a croaky whisper. They danced in silence a few beats before she spoke again. “What did you want to ask me?”

“Do you ever think you want to settle down and have children, Bailey?”

The question was so close to the conversation she’d had with Sully it felt eerie. “Yes.”

“How many?”

“Four or five ought to do.”

The corners of his mouth tugged slightly. “That ought to do just fine.”

She glanced at his left hand, the one holding hers, andnoted he was still wearing his ring. He followed the line of her gaze as the dance came to an end. “I should go.”

“So that’s it? You drove an hour to show up at a dance, tell me I’m beautiful, ask me about children, and drive away again?”

“I’m only human, Bailey, and I wanted one dance with you in that dress.”

She stepped out of his embrace. “You’ve had it. Goodnight, Cal.”

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