“Neil doesn’t offer gossip, only facts. Blake would be more frustrated with a, ‘she’s fine’ response.” Carter dipped his voice to mimic Neil’s. Eliza couldn’t help but smile.
“She is fine.” How did one woman instill such a need for these men to coddle her?
“I’ll be the judge of that.”
Eliza shoved a lock of hair that managed to fall out of her loose bun from her eyes. Carter watched the movement, his eyes wandering to the tip of her head. “Let the judge, judge then.”
“I’m not a judge any longer.”
“No, you’re a politician.”
“You say that like it’s a bad thing.”
“Politicians are hated almost as much as lawyers.” Which Carter was. Or had been anyway. At thirty-seven he’d climbed more ladders and overturned more goals than a man twice his age. His sights were now on Sacramento and, according to the polls, his chances were good.
“Ouch.”
“I call ’em as I see ’em.”
He stood aside, his smile never falling from his full lips. “Well why don’t you call ’em inside. It’s hard to judge my ward out here in the heat.”
“She’s not your ward,” Eliza informed him as she walked by. Even in the heat, she managed to catch of scent of the musk rolling off his frame. She shivered, ignoring the pleasure his scent brought over her.
“She’s not yours either, but I didn’t see her driving up here alone.”
“Don’t you have laws to pass or something?”
He chuckled as she passed him on the stairs. “I’m not the governor, yet.”
“I’d think babysitting a grown woman was off your list of judicial duties.” The cool interior of the house was welcome relief from the heat.
“Maybe my political ones, but not my friendship ones. You’d do the same for Sam and don’t even try and deny it.”
He had her there. Not that she’d let him know her thoughts. “Whatever.”
****
Carter followed the lucky bead of perspiration that travel down Eliza’s neck and disappeared down the ‘v’ of her shirt. He shifted on his feet as he thought of where that tiny bit of moisture might have traveled. At five seven, Eliza’s sun kissed skin and sultry, brown eyes had a way of drawing him in.
As if sensing his attention, Eliza tilted her head to the side. Her movement forced his eyes from her br**sts to her face. He didn’t even have the decency to be embarrassed about being caught checking her out. He should be, he knew. But he wasn’t. Carter lowered his eyes to their hostess who stood beside Gwen and Neil and pretended to listen.
Thirty minutes later, they stood on a vast lawn surrounded by split rail fences a few hundred yards away. The smell of horses and heat filled the air.
“We own over five-hundred acres,” Mrs. Hawthorn was explaining.
“How do you keep out unwanted guests?” Neil asked.
“I’ll have extra ranch hands available to head off any wandering spectators. They’ll have to walk a long way to reach us here. And if they drive a car, we’ll see them long before they have a chance to sneak in.”
Mrs. Hawthorn strolled over to the large outdoor entertainment area, complete with fire pits and permanent tables. Bales of straw outlined the area adding to the charming Texas setting.
Eliza walked away from Mrs. Hawthorn toward one of the ranch’s employees. The cowboy wore tight blue jeans, boots, and a Stetson. The man smiled and tipped his hat when she strolled up. Carter walked a couple of steps her way but couldn’t hear what she was saying. The young cowboy glanced over to Gwen and made a couple of hand gestures. Eliza seemed to thank the man and turned back to their tour.
Gwen directed her attention to Eliza. “Why don’t you go on and show Carter the inside layout while I speak with the man in charge of security.”
“Don’t have to ask me twice. It’s hotter than sin out here.” Eliza pivoted on her heel and bee-lined for the house. “Coming?”
Carter picked up his pace to meet her at the door, holding it open while she walked inside.
“Mrs. Hawthorn has offered half a dozen rooms for our use the night of the wedding. For guests who might have too much to drink, or for those who come at the last minute without accommodations.” Eliza walked past a back staircase and pointed. “There’s a balcony overlooking the venue—one where Blake can post extra security who might be able to spot something in the distance, or an uninvited guest.”
Carter followed behind, watching the sway of her butt as she rounded the corner and walked down the long hall.
“You guys can stage in here while you’re waiting on Sam.”
She kept walking and talking. Carter barely heard a word. Much like most of the times he’d been in Eliza’s presence, she numbed his brain to nothing, making it difficult to think. He’d always felt a sizzle when she walked in the room. If he had to guess, he’d say she was as attracted to him as he was to her. Yet neither of them ever acted on it.
Well…almost never.
Christmas the year before while celebrating with Blake and Samantha and about fifty friends, there was their almost kiss under the mistletoe. They’d both been drinking, barely skimming the surface of sarcasm with each other the whole night. Eliza had worn a skintight red dress that was slit half way up her thigh. She’d pulled back her dark hair allowing only small bits of it to swing along her slender neck. Every time she’d passed him that night, her perfume caught hold of him. It was like she’d gripped his neck and squeezed. Sucked in by her light, he’d noticed when she peeled away from the crowd and followed her.