Country Courtship (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 2) (17 page)

It was a good thing Davis was such a skilled pilot. He managed to circle the tiny bit of plastic and metal they were skittering around in and approach the runway for a second time to make a graceful, albeit breathless, landing.

The four of them cheered as they taxied to the hangar rented by the Nelson Ranch.

Davis stopped the plane just outside the hangar and Bobby Gray helped Kelli get out, which required exiting on top of one wing. As she stepped off the wing, she was tempted to kiss the tarmac. Since she'd dressed for Dallas rather than South Texas weather, she decided to pass.

It had been clear, daylight and hot when they'd left. Here it was dark and inches of rain covered all the surfaces. One of Kelli's feet landed in a small pothole. She wasn't injured, but her foot was soaked.

Charlie came off the plane just behind Kelli. "Do you need some help?"

"No. I'm fine." From mid-calf downward she was covered in brackish water. Bits of black soil, leaves and debris clung to her foot. The sandals she wore had been white fabric. The fabric definitely wasn't white now. "I ruined my shoes, though."

"What size do you wear?"

Kelli told her, and Charlie said, "We wear the same size. I have an extra pair of shoes in the plane." She turned around to call out to the plane. "Davis, can you bring out my overnight bag?"

A muffled response evidently meant agreement.

"Thanks," said Charlie. She turned back to Kelli. "I keep it on the plane just in case. I've been caught without a change of clothes too many times. There's an extra pair of shoes in the bag. They're kind of unusual and I hope you won't hate them. They're red, but it looks like they won't totally clash with your outfit."

"I'm sure the shoes will be perfect. Anything dry." Kelli wore a multi-colored shirt, mainly in hues of blue and white, but with some bits of red, over a slinky blue satin skirt. "You're a life saver. Thanks."

"You're welcome. But don't thank me until you see them. They're humdingers."

Bobby Gray brought down the bag and Charlie dug out the shoes. "Here they are."

Charlie was right. Kelli hadn't seen shoes like these outside the Victoria's Secret runway or perhaps the movie
Pretty Girl
. Looking at them made her wonder about Charlie. Either she had the most dreadful taste in shoes or she was a little kinky.

The heels were so high Kelli was certain she'd teeter over head-first. Still, anything had to be better than her drenched, dirty sandals. "They'll do. Thanks."

Charlie must have picked up on the uncertainty in Kelli's tone, because she said, "These are magical shoes."

"Oh, yeah?" Maybe kinky wasn't the right word. Was there a leakage of gray matter in Bobby Gray's family?

But Charlie didn't seem nuts as she shot a grin at her brother. "I was wearing them when Davis fell for me."

Davis joined them on the tarmac. "As I remember it, you were the one who fell and sprained your ankle. I was just the guy who got to lug you around."

The group began walking toward the small airport lobby.

"Well, while you lugged me, I was wearing these shoes," said Charlie with a tender smile.

Davis took Charlie's hand in his.

As the four entered, Kelli saw more of a counter than an airport office. She glanced at Charlie. "Restroom?"

"This way." Charlie led her into a small restroom, where Kelli cleaned up her foot and leg, and changed into the red shoes.

"Wow. I feel tall."

"You look great in them. Maybe they'll help in the true-love department."

Charlie still seemed just as sane as the next person, so perhaps the shoes did have something special about them. "You think they'll help me?"

"They can't hurt." Charlie pulled a hairbrush from her handbag and began brushing. "Bobby Gray won't know what hit him."

"Maybe I shouldn't wear them."

"What do you have to lose?"

"I'm worried about coming between Bobby Gray and my sister."

Charlie's face froze in shock. She opened her lips and closed them once, twice, before finally saying, "Don't you think it's way past that?"

"What do you mean?" Surely Charlie couldn't tell how Kelli felt about her brother.

"I think the moment of coming between Bobby Gray and any other woman must have happened awhile back."

A deeply buried cavewoman in Kelli's psyche let out an ancient, yet silent, victory cry, but Kelli refused to let her come to the surface. If she didn't acknowledge her growing attraction to Bobby Gray, then she wouldn't later be hurt. While she wanted Charlie to be right about Bobby Gray's feelings, she wasn't completely convinced. He hadn't said that he cared. She could just be one more notch on his rodeo buckle.

Her face must have expressed her skepticism. "You
did
kiss him," Charlie added to drive the point home.

"He shouldn't have told you." While she wouldn't have missed his kiss for the world, Bobby Gray was a charmer. He'd probably kissed dozens, maybe even hundreds, of other women. "I doubt it meant anything."

"How can you be so sure?"

Kelli didn't know how to answer Charlie's question. Sure, Kelli wanted it to mean something, but that didn't mean it did, did it? Yikes, she was confusing herself, as if she weren't confused enough already.

"Whether you like it or not, your kiss deeply affected my brother. He's never been as crazy about a girl as he is about you."

"What makes you believe that?"

"I know my brother. I've watched how he's talked about you. I've seen how he looks at you." Charlie reached out and touched Kelli's hand. "Don't you think he's seriously interested in you?"

Kelli bit her lip, but her heart soared. "I hate to admit it, but I hope so."

"Well, let's go eat dinner. Maybe some good food will help clear your head. Eat plenty of carbs—they're brain food." Charlie grinned and good naturedly grabbed Kelli's arm to guide her back into the lobby where the menfolk awaited them.

"We're starving," she announced.

Which was good because, after taking one look into Bobby Gray's eyes, Kelli knew she'd bitten off far more than she'd been planning to chew tonight. He had an avid light in his green eyes, warming her to her toes. His gaze toasted every inch of her, bringing up memories of the emerald pools of water she'd once visited on the island of Maui.

She was in way over her head.

Charlie was right. The man appeared to be crazy about her.

Hope bubbled inside, threatening to break through her restraints. She gave him a tremulous smile, one that she knew showed her heart in a way she hadn't done before.

Chapter 13

If the suit makes the man, thought Bobby Gray, then shoes certainly enhance the woman. Kelli looked exceptionally pretty in the twilight lit only by the blue airport lights. The sparkly red shoes added to her allure.

He helped her into the limo and slid into the seat next to her. The bright light shining in her eyes made him wonder if she was excited about something. She seemed different tonight. More receptive. More eager.

Things were definitely looking up.

As he leaned back in the seat, his leg brushed against hers.

She didn't immediately pull away. Actually, she gave him a look so heated he wanted to take her in his arms right then and there. But with his sister watching so avidly, he restrained himself.

He couldn't keep his eyes off Kelli as they exited the limo at the steakhouse where they were meeting Monty Joe and Ed Juarez, the Nelson Ranch banker. The restaurant was located a half-block from the street and they had to cover it by foot.

Although the night was dark and cloudy, the rain had stopped and there was no chill in the air. Suddenly, a burst of humid wind sent the women's skirts flying and nearly bowled them all over, as if some angry weather god had turned his judgmental eye on them.

Kelli, who had been chatting with his sister, screamed and the two of them tore up the sidewalk toward the restaurant entrance, holding tightly to their skirts. Davis bolted behind the women and temporarily blocked Bobby Gray's view of Kelli. Wanting to keep an eye on her, he hurried to catch up and nearly ran into a street sign as a result of ogling her rather than watching where he was going.

Get a grip, he told himself.

At least he'd kept his head straight enough to make arrangements for after dinner. The limo driver would pick them all up and drop Charlie and Davis at the airport. The driver would take Kelli and Bobby Gray back to Dallas. Alone.

It was going to be a romantic drive that neither of them would ever forget, giving them some badly needed time by themselves. During the leisurely drive, he'd tell Kelli exactly how he felt about her. His plan called for showing her that, too.

The idea made his palms moist and he wiped them on a handkerchief from his jacket pocket.

It was time to bring his relationship with Kelli to the next level—which basically meant that it was time for Kelli to admit a relationship existed between them and it wasn't platonic.

The thought of going through life without her by his side seemed dull and lackluster. She was sweetness and kindness personified. She brought out the best in him, making him more conscientious about other people's and even animals' feelings. Because of her he'd examined his bond with his family, and particularly his brother.

His family, he now acknowledged, thought he was a carefree slacker, and maybe at one time he had been. He didn't want to be that man anymore. It was past time they recognized him as an experienced partner to Monty Joe in their family business.

He wanted to make a difference in this world and he'd come to that conclusion only because of spending time with Kelli, who lived life the way it should be lived—giving of yourself and making the world a better place.

And it couldn't be a better place for him without her by his side.

To make that possible, he just needed to get them through dinner tonight, and he needed Ed to be impressed enough by Kelli to cough up sufficient cash without Kelli learning she was there as banker lubricant. Then he'd persuade her to hitch her wagon to his horse.

"You coming?" His sister stood with the others at the restaurant entrance.

Bobby Gray stopped musing, pocketed the handkerchief and rushed to join them. "Monty Joe here yet?"

"No, but the hostess said our table is ready."

Tonight Monty Joe would see things Bobby Gray's way. Life was going to be different. Bobby Gray's happiness swelled. At last the day, the night, the hour he'd been planning for weeks was at hand.

Within minutes the four of them were seated at a table for six, with Charlie and Davis to Bobby Gray's right and Kelli to his left. Two empty chairs waited for Monty Joe and the banker. Bobby Gray hadn't told her a non-family member would be joining them, and he was relieved Kelli hadn't asked who the second chair was for.

He hoped she wouldn't be unhappy once the banker arrived, but didn't think it would be that big of a deal with her. She was a very reasonable person, which was one of her best traits. That and the way she made him feel as though he was special.

The maitre d' provided them with menus. While the others studied the food choices, Bobby Gray glanced around, imprinting on his mind the details of a night he'd remember for a lifetime.

The restaurant was dimly lit and furnished to resemble an old-world gentleman's den, with floor to ceiling burled oak paneling, deep red draperies and trim and touches of dark green. Each heavy, round table was covered by a crisp white tablecloth and lit by a lone candle.

They were seated in substantial chairs made of heavy wood and maroon leather. His stomach clenched with anticipation at the aroma of steaks grilled to perfection, fresh bacon and a hint of garlic and shrimp.

A young couple was seated nearby table, their hands entwined across their table for two. He heard another couple mention celebrating their thirty-eight years of marriage. The wife was probably a few pounds heavier than when they'd married and the husband was balding—but they both looked as happy as if they'd just chosen each other. They reminded Bobby Gray of how happy his parents had looked when they were still alive.