Love’s Sweet Revenge(69)
She looked up at him, sobering a little. “Do you miss that life, Lloyd?”
“Hell no.” He pulled her close. “I’ve got a beautiful wife and family and a ranch to run. I’ve never been happier.” He took her arm again and led her to the door. “Now, let’s get Evie and Brian and go eat.”
Mike Holt be damned, he swore inwardly. Katie deserved this. So did Evie and his mother. He could handle the Mike Holts of this world. Still, he’d be glad to head home…to the J&L, to peace and quiet…away from the noise and filth and smoggy air of this city. To his own home deep in the hills that looked down on the homestead. To his son and daughter and his own bed where he’d shared so much pleasure with his wife. “I love you, Katie-girl.”
Katie touched his chest. “Lloyd, when you made love to me, it was with such passion, as though it was the last time or something. What’s wrong?”
He shook his head. “Nothing.” He started for the door.
“Lloyd, you are just like your father. When there is trouble around, it’s written all over your face. He can’t fool your mother, and you can’t fool me. It’s that Mike Holt, isn’t it?”
He sighed deeply. “Katie, Denver is a big city with law and order, and we are going only to the best restaurant and staying in the best hotel and will shop in the best district—places where lowlifes like Mike Holt don’t hang out. In a city this size, it would be very hard for Holt to track us down.”
“But that’s why you brought a gun, isn’t it?”
“Don’t worry about it. I can take care of myself, as you well know.”
“Well, guns aren’t allowed at the Cattlemen’s Ball tomorrow night. So we have to be extra careful.”
“With me and Pa there, you have nothing to worry about. It’s a closed-door dance, by invitation only, so we’ll be fine. In a couple of days, we’ll head back to the ranch.”
Katie stepped back, taking his arm. “I love you, Lloyd. I don’t ever want to have to live without you.”
“And I’m not about to let that happen.” He kissed her and headed for the door, almost hoping Mike Holt would show up. After what he did to Evie, he’d like to shoot the sonofabitch and have it over with.
Eighteen
Randy enjoyed wearing something elegant for once, after months of plain cotton dresses or riding skirts for ranch life. The light yellow dress she’d purchased earlier in the day was designed in New York City. Its pleated bodice was set off by a wide yellow satin bow, and the skirt fell in lace-trimmed panels with a flounced hemline of white puffed organdy.
She and Jake whirled around the dance floor, and she was secretly delighted that women were watching her very handsome husband and gossiping behind fans, some of them finding excuses to come and introduce themselves.
“Hugh Draper and his wife are here,” she told Jake as they turned to a waltz. “I think his wife is hoping you’ll ask her to dance.”
Jake grinned. “Why would I ask anyone else to dance when I’m with the prettiest woman here?” His gaze dropped to the off-the-shoulder neckline of her dress. Her ash-blond hair was swept up into curls topped with a tiny satin hat trimmed with white feathers. “You wear that dress like you were a governor’s wife, and I can’t wait to dip my hands into that bodice when we get to the room later.”
“Well, I intend to have several more dances before we do that, Mr. Harkner, so it will be much later. I am truly enjoying myself, especially the fact that I am with the most handsome man at this ball. You look absolutely stunning in black silk tails and that silver waistcoat. You could be the governor! Maybe you should run for office.”
Jake pulled her closer than most men danced in public. “I hardly think people would vote for an old ex-outlaw for governor.”
“Every woman in this city would vote for you if they were allowed, and you are holding me embarrassingly close.”
“You’re my wife.”
“And we aren’t dancing in a brothel, Mr. Harkner.”
“If we were, we’d be having a lot more fun.”
Randy couldn’t help laughing. “Isn’t Katie beautiful in that mint green? Her dress is from Paris, and she’s absolutely giddy over the diamond necklace Lloyd bought her. And Lloyd is absolutely beautiful in that suit. Not handsome. Beautiful.”
“Yeah, well, don’t tell him that. He’d probably leave so fast you wouldn’t see him for dust, and like me, he’d rather be in denim pants and leather boots and riding on the back of a big mustang out on the J&L.”