scuttlebutt over the county laying down pipes for waterlines. I don’t remember the details, as I wasn’t the mayor back then. But I think some of the ranchers were upset because they were worried that the county might be tapping into private wells.”
“Okay, well, I’ll definitely look into that.” Patience’s gut was sending her signals again. She just wasn’t sure what they meant.
“I’ve said my goodbyes, I’m off.” Charli leaned down to give her grandmother a hug. “Oh, and I’ll see you at the dance tonight.” She pointed to Patience. “I promise you’re going to have the time of your life.”
“Dance?”
“Yes, and don’t worry, you already have a date,” Cade said behind her.
She twisted around on the bench so she could see him. “Funny, I don’t remember anyone asking me to a dance.”
“Hmm, in that case how about—” An elbow in the ribs from Cade interrupted Logan.
“Patience, will you go to the dance with me?” Cade asked formally.
Teasing him, she glanced at Logan and back at Cade as if she were trying to make a decision. Then she shrugged. “I guess so.”
Logan snorted with laughter. “Doesn’t sound like she’s too excited about the prospect.”
Cade smirked at his cousin, then smiled at her. “I guess I’ll have to do my best to make sure you know just how fun a date I can be.” His voice was lower and had the husky tone it had when they were making love.
Patience held up her hand so he could help her off the bench. He pulled her up to him.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said as she pushed away from his chest. “There’s just one thing.”
“What’s that?” His face had turned serious and she knew he was worried that she was looking for a way out of the event.
“I don’t know how to dance.”
“S LIDE YOUR HAND AROUND TO MY belt loop, and—” Cade stopped as Patience stepped on his toes for the third time. Luckily he’d prepared for their dance lesson by wearing steel-toed boots. They were in the downstairs dining area where he’d pushed the tables and chairs back to make an impromptu dance floor. He’d already taught her an easy version of the waltz. She had rhythm, which helped, but not much experience dancing with a partner.
They were practicing the two-step, and when she stepped on his toes Cade knew it was his fault. He was so entranced by her beauty that he kept forgetting to give her the instructions. Never in his life had he been so befuddled by a woman. She seemed clueless to how gorgeous she was. It was one of the many reasons he found her so appealing.
Tonight she wore a pair of dark jeans with boots that made her legs look eleven feet long. And a wisp of a top that tied around the neck with frills down her front. The distracting part was her upper back was completely bare. Every time his hand moved across the soft skin there his jeans threatened to tent again. Twice he had had to stop and kiss her because he couldn’t go a second longer without doing so.
She’d left her hair down in loose curls, and Cade wasn’t so sure he wanted to share her with anyone at the festival. In fact, more than once he’d thought about pretending to be sick or maybe even a headache so they could stay at the B and B and she could play nursemaid. It was childish, but he didn’t care.
The only thing that kept him from making a complete fool of himself was that he knew his grandmother wouldn’t fall for it. She’d send Logan or one of his other cousins to bring Patience to the dance, and he couldn’t have that. The idea of another man dancing with her was enough to make his hands ball into fists.
Yep. He had it bad for her.
She stumbled slightly. “Maybe I should just stick to the waltz,” she said as he righted her.
“You’re catching on fast. The trick to this one is the same as the waltz—just let your partner guide you. But rather than going up on your toes, keep your feet flat on the ground and shuffle through the
“Okay, well, I’ll definitely look into that.” Patience’s gut was sending her signals again. She just wasn’t sure what they meant.
“I’ve said my goodbyes, I’m off.” Charli leaned down to give her grandmother a hug. “Oh, and I’ll see you at the dance tonight.” She pointed to Patience. “I promise you’re going to have the time of your life.”
“Dance?”
“Yes, and don’t worry, you already have a date,” Cade said behind her.
She twisted around on the bench so she could see him. “Funny, I don’t remember anyone asking me to a dance.”
“Hmm, in that case how about—” An elbow in the ribs from Cade interrupted Logan.
“Patience, will you go to the dance with me?” Cade asked formally.
Teasing him, she glanced at Logan and back at Cade as if she were trying to make a decision. Then she shrugged. “I guess so.”
Logan snorted with laughter. “Doesn’t sound like she’s too excited about the prospect.”
Cade smirked at his cousin, then smiled at her. “I guess I’ll have to do my best to make sure you know just how fun a date I can be.” His voice was lower and had the husky tone it had when they were making love.
Patience held up her hand so he could help her off the bench. He pulled her up to him.
“I’m looking forward to it,” she said as she pushed away from his chest. “There’s just one thing.”
“What’s that?” His face had turned serious and she knew he was worried that she was looking for a way out of the event.
“I don’t know how to dance.”
“S LIDE YOUR HAND AROUND TO MY belt loop, and—” Cade stopped as Patience stepped on his toes for the third time. Luckily he’d prepared for their dance lesson by wearing steel-toed boots. They were in the downstairs dining area where he’d pushed the tables and chairs back to make an impromptu dance floor. He’d already taught her an easy version of the waltz. She had rhythm, which helped, but not much experience dancing with a partner.
They were practicing the two-step, and when she stepped on his toes Cade knew it was his fault. He was so entranced by her beauty that he kept forgetting to give her the instructions. Never in his life had he been so befuddled by a woman. She seemed clueless to how gorgeous she was. It was one of the many reasons he found her so appealing.
Tonight she wore a pair of dark jeans with boots that made her legs look eleven feet long. And a wisp of a top that tied around the neck with frills down her front. The distracting part was her upper back was completely bare. Every time his hand moved across the soft skin there his jeans threatened to tent again. Twice he had had to stop and kiss her because he couldn’t go a second longer without doing so.
She’d left her hair down in loose curls, and Cade wasn’t so sure he wanted to share her with anyone at the festival. In fact, more than once he’d thought about pretending to be sick or maybe even a headache so they could stay at the B and B and she could play nursemaid. It was childish, but he didn’t care.
The only thing that kept him from making a complete fool of himself was that he knew his grandmother wouldn’t fall for it. She’d send Logan or one of his other cousins to bring Patience to the dance, and he couldn’t have that. The idea of another man dancing with her was enough to make his hands ball into fists.
Yep. He had it bad for her.
She stumbled slightly. “Maybe I should just stick to the waltz,” she said as he righted her.
“You’re catching on fast. The trick to this one is the same as the waltz—just let your partner guide you. But rather than going up on your toes, keep your feet flat on the ground and shuffle through the
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