Page 15 of Texas Made
“Marshall?” She burst out laughing. “Oh, I can’t wait to tell him that.”
“I’m sure he knows,” Ariana said dryly. “Whiskey River has some pretty hot bachelors. Which reminds me, who are you going with Damaris?”
“Nate.”
“Nate Kershaw? I’ve been wondering when you two were going to get together. You’re perfect for each other.”
Damaris looked totally shocked. “We’re not together. We’re just friends. I asked him because Jaclyn threatened to drag me along with her and Marshall.”
“Famous last words. Have you met Nate, Jaclyn?”
“No. And I didn’t know he and Damaris were an item.”
“That’s because we’re not.”
“Is he cute?”
Damaris shrugged. “He’s okay.”
Ariana let out a peal of laughter. “Don’t let her kid you, Jaclyn. He’s a hunk.”
They went on to talk about other things as they shopped but Jaclyn was interested to see what happened between Damaris and Nate. She seemed a bit too positive that there was nothing between them, in Jaclyn’s opinion.
Chapter Six
Marshall knew Jaclynwas gorgeous. Hell, it was one of the first things anyone, especially a man, noticed about her. He’d seen her daily since she came to stay and rather than growing accustomed to her looks, he thought she grew more beautiful every time he saw her.
But he hadn’t seen her in a dress. Especially not one like the number she wore tonight. She wasn’t beautiful. Nothing so mundane. She was absolutely, dazzlingly drop-dead gorgeous. Her hair, a thousand shades of blonde, was free and flowed over her shoulders and down her back in waves of silk. Her eyes were normally a clear green but she’d done something with makeup to make them appear huge and more turquoise than green. Since it was winter, her skin was pale, but a kind of glowing pearlescent hue. Her lips were red, like they’d been the day he’d kissed her. He gave a fleeting thought to hoping this lipstick was smudge-proof. Because he sure as hell intended to kiss her tonight.
Her black dress was plain, with a low-cut bodice and off-the-shoulder sleeves, with a slim skirt that stopped well above her knees. She held a cowboy hat with a beaded band in one hand. The only thing adorning the creamy expanse of skin of her breast and shoulders was a delicate silver necklace with tiny turquoise nuggets scattered along the chain, ending in a larger piece of turquoise that emphasized her cleavage—as if his eyes hadn’t been stuck there like glue without it.
When his gaze finally reached her feet he saw why she wore a turquoise necklace and a beaded turquoise hatband. She had on turquoise cowboy boots with gray embroidered flowers. The boots hit her about mid-calf, so a fair expanse of leg was still showing.
“Marshall? Are you okay?”
He realized she’d been speaking to him but he couldn’t take in a word at first. The blood had roared in his ears and spread heat all over his body. Damn, he’d had no idea she was this dangerous. A man would need to be very careful not to fall absolutely crazy in love with her, not to mention lust.
“Yes, fine,” he managed to say. “You look beautiful.” Well, what a lame-ass thing to say. He didn’t doubt she heard that daily.
But she smiled as if he’d said something novel. “Thank you. You look very handsome.”
Formal galas weren’t his thing. He wore his western tuxedo, the same one he wore whenever he was forced to go to something like this. Black, with a black vest, black cowboy boots, a black cowboy hat, and a bolo tie with silver aiguillettes and a carved silver slide. He’d bought it a few years ago at Damaris’s insistence. Annoyingly, she’d been right. Having it there was a lot easier than trying to rent one every time some fool decided to have a formal function.
Why were charity functions always formal? It made no sense to him. You could take all the money saved on not buying fancy clothes, renting fancy digs, and having things catered and spend it on the charity. Although he admitted Boots & Bangles was one party he liked. The Kelly ranch mansion was huge and amazing, with wings of the house that were each spectacular in their own way. And the food and drinks were always great, which, in his opinion was very important.
And this time he had a date with a gorgeous blonde and there was no way he could resist since she was willing.
“Let me get my wrap,” she said, putting on her hat and picking up a silky, fringed black shawl. He helped her put it around her shoulders. She smelled like heaven, with a side helping of sin. The scent alone made his stomach clench and his imagination shoot into instant overdrive.
Holy hell. Talk about danger. Jaclyn Carson had it going on in spades.
*
The Kelly mansion,what she’d seen of it as they drove up, was awesome. It was a huge Spanish-style limestone and wood house that went on for days. “Wow, it’s so big. And the architecture is beautiful.”
“Yeah, this part doesn’t even scratch the surface. Besides the main house, which isn’t small, it has at least four wings, each with a courtyard and fountain. Each wing is different—the personality of the person it’s named for. For instance, one is named the Longhorn, for Baron Kelly, who was a famous cattle baron. His suite is decorated with cow skulls and longhorn horns, and lots of leather.”
“Sounds um, interesting.”
