Million Dollar Cowboy (Cupid, Texas #5)(45)

"Well, thank you for not beating me with a bullwhip. I feel so blessed."

Duke closed his black eye, rubbed a palm over the cheek Ridge had punched. "You got your shot in."

"Excuse me," asked a sweet voice. "May I have this dance?"

Ridge looked over, and there was Kaia smiling at him and holding out her hand. How many times had she held out her hand to him since he'd been home? Open, accepting, welcoming.

"Sorry," Ridge told Duke. "I have a lady to dance with." He swung Kaia out onto the dance floor in time to "My Silver Lining."

Damn if she wasn't his silver lining. His throat tightened as he looked into her kind eyes. His chest squeezed and all he could do was hold on to her.

They moved as if they'd been dancing together their entire life. They fit. Hand in glove.

"You okay?" she asked.

"If you keep rescuing me, I'm going to have to turn in my man card."

Her smile was gentle as a light blanket on a cool desert night. "Everyone needs a helping hand now and again. Even the most independent men."

The phone in his pocket buzzed.

He was so busy staring into Kaia's eyes that he almost didn't register that his cell had vibrated, shouldn't have answered it, but upon the third buzz, he couldn't resist. He'd been waiting on news from his staff about the pending contract with a silver mining company in China. If this deal went through, he would be twenty times richer than his father.

And that felt good. Damn good.

"Just a sec," he said, waltzing her over to one side of the dance floor and reaching for his phone.

She glared. "Seriously?"

He held up one finger, motioning for her to give him a minute. Yep. It was from his lawyer. There were several missed calls. Apparently, Phil had tried to phone him, couldn't get through with the spotty cell reception, and ended up texting him a novella. Not a quick read.

A you-gotta-be-kidding-me-right-now expression crossed Kaia's face and she sank her hands on her hips. "Are you seriously phubbing me?"

"Phubbing?"

"Phone snubbing."

"I don't mean to be rude, but my employees and customers expect me to answer texts and emails right away." 

"Even at night?"

"Yes."

"Even on the weekends?"

"Yes."

"Even when you're attending a wedding?"

"Yes."

"Bad habit."

"I know."

"You need to set boundaries."

"Boundaries?" he teased. "What are these things you speak of?"

She chuffed out a breath, shook her head ruefully. "I can see I'm not going to change you. Go ahead. Take care of business."

Then she turned and walked away.

Dammit! He switched off his phone and ran after her.



"Wait, wait." Ridge grabbed her elbow.

At his touch, Kaia's pulse quickened. If there was one thing her accident had taught her, it was how to set boundaries and stick to them. Phubbing was unacceptable behavior in her book. Yes, he was a busy and important man.

But this was a wedding and he'd been dancing with her. It wasn't prima donna behavior to expect his full attention in the moment.

"I'm sorry," he apologized.

Although she insisted on being treated with respect, she wasn't a hard-ass. Turning toward him, she dialed up an all-is-forgiven smile. "Apology accepted."

Relief filled his eyes, and he held out an inviting hand. "Come back and dance with me."

"Did you finish reading your texts?"

"No. That can wait."

"Because of me?"

"Because of you."

She took his hand and he wrapped his right arm around her waist, spun her back out onto the dance floor with the rest of the dancers bopping to a bouncy beat.

"When did you learn how to dance?" she asked.

"Took lessons," he said.

"To meet girls?"

"For business functions. Learned to play golf too."

"Should have guessed. With you, it's all about the job."

Not denying it, he shrugged, as if to say, what else is there? "You're cutting a pretty good rug yourself."

"Dancing was part of my rehab."

"I hate you went through that."

"That's life. Bad things happen sometimes."

"But you made lemonade."

"I'm not a whiner. Whining doesn't change things and dwelling on the negative just makes you miserable. No point."

"Casey might be the bride," he said, admiration combed through his voice, "but to me, you're the most beautiful woman in the room."

"That's out of context," she said, struggling not to be charmed.

"I've been thinking it all night."

"I'm sure Archer doesn't agree."

"We're not talking about Archer."