The Fantasy Factor Read online

  “I can’t. I mean, I don’t. I don’t soften up anymore. Haven’t you heard? I’m not like that anymore.”

  “I heard, but I didn’t believe it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because it’s pretty far out, don’t you think? I mean, you, sexy Sarah, a prude? That’s like saying Santa Claus is really the Easter Bunny. It’s just not natural.”

  “It’s true.”

  “Like hell. Santa wouldn’t be caught dead hopping around in a furry white suit with big floppy ears and big floppy feet. Santa’s way too cool. He’s got the whole black biker boot thing going on.” She saw the teasing light in his eyes and found herself back in the past, charmed by his smile and soothed by his teasing voice.

  And for a split second, she actually forgot that things had changed. That she’d changed.

  Her hands crept up the hard wall of his chest, her arms twined around his neck and she leaned closer. His heart beat against her breasts. His warm breath sent shivers down the bare column of her neck. His hands splayed at the base of her spine, one urging her even closer while the other crept its way up, as if reacquainting itself with every bump and groove, until he reached her neck. A few deft movements of his fingers and the tight ponytail she wore unraveled and her hair spilled down her back. His hand cradled the base of her scalp, massaging for a few blissful moments, making her legs tremble.

  For the next few moments, she forgot all about the game and her friends and the all-important fact that no self-respecting lady would be caught dead with Houston Jericho, much less pressed up against him on a crowded dance floor for everyone to see.

  She tilted her head back and found him staring down at her. The past pulled her back, to a moonlit night when he’d looked at her just this way, as if he wanted to take slow, sweet bites and savor every inch of her.

  He’d done just that and she had the sudden thought that she wanted him to do it again. Right here. Right now.

  Don’t do this, a voice whispered. You can’t do this.

  She was different now. At least, that’s what she wanted everyone to think. And they weren’t going to think any such thing if she lost her head right in the middle of the dance floor and pressed herself up against him. And rubbed this way and that. And touched him just so—

  A loud whistle ripped through the air and shattered the seductive spell she’d been lost in. She jerked around to see Maddie, Eileen, Janice, Brenda and Cheryl Louise. They waved and gave a thumbs-up.

  “What’s that all about?”

  “Just a game.”

  “What kind of game? To see who gives the loudest wolf whistle?”

  “Actually, it’s about dancing.” She forced her fingers to let go of his collar and she pulled away. “And I just won. If you’ll excuse me…” She didn’t wait for a response. She darted away from him and left him staring after her.

  His gaze drilled into her back, and it was all she could do to keep from turning and running back and begging him to take her to bed.

  Or, more important, straight into a nice warm shower. Because that’s what he did in her fantasies. What they’d planned on doing for their fourth encounter so long ago. What he’d never had the chance to do because she’d changed and he’d left and life had come between them.

  She said a quick goodbye to her friends before heading for the rear exit. Out in the parking lot, she climbed behind the wheel of her car. As she shoved the key into the ignition, her arm bumped a giant cardboard box filled with vases for the centerpieces she was going to put together tonight for Cheryl Louise’s reception tomorrow. Glass clinked and the engine groaned.

  She gave one last look at the exit door, half expecting, half hoping that he would come after her. He didn’t, and a swell of disappointment went through her, quickly followed by a wave of relief.

  The last thing, the very last thing she needed in her life was to have Houston Jericho running after her. He wasn’t her type and she wasn’t his.

  Even if he did suit her perfectly in her dreams.

  This was real life, not some hot, erotic fantasy.

  More important, this was her life now—her calm, conservative, boring life, and she wasn’t about to spice it up and ruin her image by losing her head, or her hormones, over Houston Jericho.

  It was all about keeping her perspective the next time she saw him.

  If that didn’t work, she would just have to keep her distance.

  “MY, MY, BUT THAT WAS a beautiful ceremony.” Miss Marshalyn sighed and finished penning her name in the guest book. “Marriage is such a blessed union,” she told Houston as she wrapped an arm around his and started inside the VFW Hall for the reception. “Don’t you think, dear?”

  “For some, I’m sure it is. But for others—”

  “Nonsense. It’s blessed for everyone. Oh, look, there’s Jennie Mayfield.” She pointed to a petite blonde oohing and aahing over a small baby. “That’s her new niece. She has nine of them, and seven nephews, and she dotes on them.”

  “Good for her.”

  “No, good for you. If she thrives on her nieces and nephews, she’s sure to dote on her own children, and you most certainly want a wife who adores her children.”

  “I’m sure she’ll make a great wife. Not for me, but for someone—”

  “There’s Darlene Davenport. She’s the secretary over at the bingo hall. She knows everything about gardening.”

  “That’s good.”

  “You’re darned tootin’ it is. A man deserves fresh vegetables with his dinner, and since you’ll have one hundred acres of your very own, you can devote plenty of room to a nice garden.”

  “About the land—”

  “No need to thank me, dear,” she cut in, waving him silent.

  “I wasn’t going to thank you. I was going to tell you that I really can’t—”

  “Why, there’s Margie Weston!” Miss Marshalyn blurted. “I haven’t seen her in ages. I must go say hello. We’ll chat later, dear.” Before Houston could blink his eyes, he found himself standing alone. But not for long.

  It seemed that the old woman wasn’t just pointing out prospects to him. She seemed to be pointing him out to all of her prospects. In a matter of minutes, he found himself surrounded by a handful of women talking about everything from muddy diapers to various species of tomatoes.

  “I like the cherry ones, myself, but they do require extra care to grow. What about you, Houston? What’s your favorite tomato?”

  “I don’t eat tomatoes.”

  “How about cucumbers?”

  “Never liked them.”

  “What about squash? I’ve never met a man who didn’t like squash.”

  “Can’t stand the stuff. Wow, there’s Darcy Waters. I haven’t seen her in ages.” He tried Miss Marshalyn’s avoidance tactic. “I have to say hello.”

  He left the group staring after him, muttering about what a loosey goosey Darcy Waters used to be.

  They were right. She’d been loose back then, and she was still going strong, he quickly discovered after saying hello. Five husbands, an equal number of divorces and three kids later, she still found time to keep the dance floor hot over at Cherry Blossom Junction and every other honky-tonk in the surrounding counties. She liked astrology and Marlboro Lights and he quickly discovered that he didn’t like her half as much as he liked Sarah Buchanan.

  Even if Sarah was wearing a hideous orange bridesmaid’s dress and doing her best to avoid him.

  He shifted his gaze to the woman currently straightening the bride’s lengthy train. She busied herself behind the scenes rather than out front the way he remembered.

  She’s different now, a voice whispered. Last night proved what everyone said about her—namely, that she kept a low profile, walked the straight and narrow and conducted herself like a bona fide lady. At the same time, he couldn’t forget the wild light in her eyes when she’d stared up at him for those few moments on the dance floor, as if she’d wanted more from him than just a dance.
/>   Maybe. And maybe it was just wishful thinking because he wanted more from her than just one dance.

  He couldn’t help but wonder if she tasted as good as he remembered, if she felt as soft, if she sounded just as breathless when he nibbled at her neck and stroked her nipples.

  And Houston had never been a man just to sit around and wonder about anything. He went after what he wanted and found out for himself.

  He started toward her.

  “I DON’T BITE.” The smooth, silky voice came from behind, followed by a firm, familiar touch on her shoulder. “Except for that one time, but it was only because you wanted me to.”

  Sarah’s hand faltered on the cup of punch she’d just poured. Raspberry sherbet mixed with ginger ale sloshed over the side and trickled over her fingers. She set the cup aside, next to the dozen or so others she’d poured in the past few minutes and did her best to calm her pounding heart.

  Pounding, when she’d promised herself just last night that she wasn’t going to get nervous. Or excited. Or turned on.

  Especially turned on. She had a reputation to protect and salivating at the first sign of the town’s hottest bad boy was not in keeping with her goody-goody image.

  “Hello to you, too.”

  “I didn’t walk clear across this room to say hello. I tried to do that more than two hours ago when I first arrived. But the minute I started toward you, you turned and bolted for the kitchen.”

  “I didn’t bolt. I simply moved very swiftly. I had to help arrange the vegetable trays before everyone arrived from the church.”

  “That’s what I told myself, so I waited a little while, until I saw you over by the cake table. I started toward you again, but you took off for the kitchen again.”

  “I forgot the fresh flower bouquets to decorate the groom’s cake table.”

  “That’s what I told myself, so I waited again until you finished setting up the flowers and I started over. I even called out and waved that time, too.”

  “Really? I didn’t see you.”

  “I could have sworn you did, but then you headed off to the kitchen again.”

  “I had to get the bag of fresh rose petals to sprinkle on the bride’s cake table.”

  “That’s what I told myself, so I waited until you finished and then I started over again. I even called out that time.”

  “Really? I didn’t hear a thing.”

  “I didn’t think so. Otherwise you wouldn’t have headed for the kitchen again.”

  “I had to help with the punch. The lady who was supposed to man the table came down with a bad stomach virus a half hour ago so here I am.”

  “And here I thought this was just another reason to avoid me.”

  “I’m not avoiding you. I’m simply busy.” To illustrate her point, she reached for the ladle and served up another cup of punch. “Thirsty?”

  “Actually, I’m hungry.”

  “There’s everything from pigs-in-a-blanket to mini pizza rolls.” But she knew by the look in his eyes that he wasn’t talking about food. She tamped down on her own growling stomach and reached for another empty cup.

  “The wedding is over.” His hand closed over hers. He took the cup from her hand and set it to the side. “It’s time to have some fun.”

  “I promised I would serve the punch.”

  “No one wants any punch. They’re too busy dancing.” He indicated the dance floor overflowing with couples two-stepping to an old George Strait tune. The only person who wasn’t dancing was Wes Early, the town’s only videographer. Cheryl Louise had hired him to record her wedding memories and he was currently walking from couple to couple, zooming in for close-ups and capturing good wishes and advice with his camcorder. “Let’s dance.”

  “I can’t. I mean, I don’t want to. I promised my grandma Willie that I would keep her company.”

  His gaze followed hers to the old woman who sat at one of the large round tables. A half dozen other white-haired ladies surrounded her. A maze of dominoes covered the table.

  “I don’t think she needs you.”

  She stared at her grandmother. The old woman lifted her head, caught her granddaughter’s gaze and smiled before turning her attention back to the game and her last domino—a double six—which she slid into the center of the table before letting loose a loud “I win!”

  “That’s her domino club. They get together every Saturday night. I guess they didn’t see the wedding as an excuse to call off tonight’s game.”

  “She looks happy.”

  “She is happy.”

  “And what about you? Are you happy?”

  “I don’t mind serving punch.”

  “That’s not what I’m talking about. Are you happy here? In Cadillac?”

  No. “Yes,” she blurted. “I’m very happy. I’ve never been so happy. I’ve got my business and my grandma. Life is all right.”

  “All right?” He eyed her. “What happened to amazing? Awesome? Explosive?” He named off every adjective she’d ever used when talking about the future and the life that waited for her beyond the city limits.

  “I’m not the same irresponsible girl I was back then.”

  “Because…”

  Because she’d barely survived last night’s close encounter. If she had to feel his arms around her again, or smell his intoxicating scent, or stare into his eyes, she wasn’t so sure she could make it through with her cover still firmly in place. “Because I can’t.”

  “Why?”

  “Because it’s late.” She glanced at her watch, her brain scrambling for an excuse to step away from him. To run away before she did something really outlandish like throw her arms around him and kiss him right here and now with everyone looking on. “And I’ve got to get up early for work.”

  “Tomorrow’s Sunday. The nursery is closed.”

  “But I’m still working. I’ve got a full greenhouse to inventory before my new deliveries on Monday. It’ll take all day, so I have to get a very early start. Nice talking to you. If you’ll excuse me—”

  “Not this time.” He caught her hand and tugged her after him, to the far side of the room and a small, private corner behind several large potted palms draped in white tulle and twinkling white lights.

  “What are you doing?”

  “Trying to figure out why you won’t dance with me.” He hauled her in front of him and backed her into the corner. “Other than the fact that it’s late and you have to be up early. I know there’s more to it, Belle.”

  Belle. As in Jezebel. “Nobody calls me that anymore.”

  “As I recall, no one else ever did. It was just me. I also recall that you liked me calling you that, almost as much as you liked dancing with me.”

  “Maybe I don’t like to dance anymore.”

  “You liked it just fine last night.”

  “I wanted to win a game last night. I needed to dance with a hot guy to beat Maddie, and you were the only hot guy there.” When he didn’t look the least bit convinced, she added, “You were hot and I needed hot. It wasn’t because I wanted to dance, certainly not that I wanted to dance with you. I didn’t. Not last night, and not now.”

  “Is that so?”

  “Look, things are different now. I’m different.”

  “Really?” He fingered the conservative neckline of the hideous orange bridesmaid’s dress. “You mean your heart doesn’t pound when I do this?”

  She managed to shake her head despite that he could undoubtedly feel the frantic thud thud against the pad of his finger.

  “And your blood doesn’t rush when I do this?” He trailed his fingertip over the edge of the dress, over the material until he brushed her nipple through the fabric.

  “Not at all.”

  “And you don’t get even the slightest bit wet when I do this?” His touch swept south until she felt the press of his fingertip at the vee of her legs. He traced a little circle and heat fired low in her belly.

  “I…don’t.”

 
; “Why?”

  “Because…” She licked her lips and tried to ignore the sensation sweeping along her nerve endings. It felt so good and he felt so good and she wanted nothing more than to close her eyes and simply feel. “This is a bad idea.”

  “Because you don’t want me?” He leaned down, his warm breath brushing the sensitive shell of her ear. “Or because you do?”

  “Because…” She tried to think of an explanation, but then her gaze caught his and she couldn’t think. She could only feel. The warmth of his body so close to hers. The throb of her nipples. The tightening between her legs. The tingle of her lips. “I really want to kiss you,” she blurted. And then she did.

  He didn’t seem the least bit surprised to feel her lips against his own. His mouth was wet and warm and welcoming.

  He plunged his tongue deep, tangling with hers in a fierce kiss that made her thighs quiver and her nipples ache and her hormones chant yes, yes, yes while her brain screamed no, no, no! She tasted him, licking and exploring in a fast and furious rhythm that quickly calmed into something a little less frantic and a lot more dangerous.

  But Sarah Buchanan didn’t do fast or furious or dangerous, especially dangerous. Not anymore.

  The truth echoed in her head, but it wasn’t enough to make her stop. It was the voice that did that.

  “Say something to the bride and groom.”

  Sarah pulled away to find a video camera trained on her.

  Reality hit her as Wes Early grinned and said into the mini microphone attached to his camcorder, “Weddings aren’t just about forming new relationships, folks. They’re about renewing old ones, as well. Houston and Sarah were once the hottest couple in high school and it seems they’re still heating things up—”

  “Thanks for the suggestion,” Sarah cut in, with the only excuse her frazzled brain could come up with. “I’ll definitely give some thought to replacing the chamber’s annual bake sale with a kissing booth.”