Page 4 of Rose's One Night to Forever
When the third song dropped to a ballad pace, he adjusted his firm grip to a more cradling embrace. His fingers widened on her lower back, and the gentle caress was enough to set the lightning zaps flaring again.
His gaze danced over her face, amusement in his eyes. “You’ve left me breathless. What’s your name?”
“Rose.”
His grin widened. “It suits you. I’m Chance. Pleased to meet you.”
The fact he didn’t start reciting Romeo and Juliet after hearing her name was another plus on the list.
No one should reference lines from that story when trying to pick up a woman.
“You’ve got an amazing accent.” Rose stroked her fingers over his shoulders and watched his pupils dilate as they swayed together. “Are you travelling?”
“From Ireland. Travelling for work. Art studios, galleries. That sort of thing. You?”
She noted in passing that a man who worked in art galleries was not a candidate to move to Heart Falls. Which meant his response to her answer was the final test.
“I own a flower shop.”
Heat flared in his gaze. He dipped his chin then twirled her. When she came back into his arms, he caught her even closer. “Impressive. That’s an art form in itself.”
Every muscular inch of his body was pressed to hers. He hadn’t made a smart-ass comment about Rose selling roses. He knew how to dance. He knew how to move.
He smelled amazing. Check off another box on her list.
Rose tossed her hair over her shoulder and focused directly on his eyes. “Want to kiss me?”
Another flash of heat. “More than you can imagine.” He glanced around the room. “Here? Now? Go on, but I wouldn’t mind some privacy either.”
Torn between throwing caution to the wind and enjoying the moment, Rose decided having a bevy of past dance partners come to her rescue might put a damper on her evening plans. “Come with me.”
She grabbed him by the hand and went for broke. Her impulsive one-night stand officially started now.
The incredible woman currently leading Chance Gabrielle into temptation had not been on his agenda, but moments like this were what made life exciting and fresh.
From the moment he’d spotted her across the room, a sense of absolute rightness had flooded his system. His stepbrother might have teased Chance about living in a fantasy world, consumed by the art he surrounded himself with, yet this seemed a perfect example of fantasy becoming truth. As if this evening, and more, simply had to be.
Destiny? Fate? Some benevolent being offering him exactly what he’d always longed for?
It wasn’t only that she was a beauty and attracted him on a physical level—although she totally was. Light-brown skin that glowed in the golden light of the pub. Dark hair that hung straight down her back and swayed as she turned her head to examine the room. A tall, lithe body that curved and flowed and begged for a man to explore it thoroughly as he brought her to ecstasy.
Her eyes, though. They were what made his feet move of their own accord in her direction. Deep brown in colour and snapping with intelligence. So damn mesmerizing, Chance had decided right then and there that he wasn’t leaving without finding out more.
He’d thought more might involve a few dances and asking for her contact information so he could ring her when he returned to Heart Falls in the summer. Being close to Cody was one goal. Having someone like Rose to spend time with in the future?
The thought was beyond motivating.
She appeared to have more on her mind than a few dances and an exchange of numbers, though. Hell if he would argue with a woman who knew her own mind.
He held her hand and followed as she paced from the dance floor toward a dark corner of the room.
Still not his favourite place to take things up a notch physically, but he’d have a better chance of convincing her to come back to his temporary digs at the Red Boot ranch after a few kisses.
Confident? Hell yes. He was going to bring his A game.
When she paused, he reached for her then stalled as she opened a nearly invisible door and slipped through, gesturing for him to follow.
Even as she closed the door, Chance took in their surroundings. They briefly stood on a small landing under a pale-yellow light before she led him up a narrow staircase along the outside wall of the building.
