Second-Chance Seduction(80)

                She looked like a sexy angel, and never more beautiful than at this moment. And that was saying a lot, Connor thought, because she always looked beautiful to him.

                Connor continued to watch her as he sauntered across the ballroom to meet her. As he got closer, his insides constricted at the memory of her moaning in pleasure as he filled her completely last night. His jaw tightened as he tried to estimate exactly how long he would have to endure this party before he could take her back to their bed, where he would soon have her naked and whimpering with need.

                “Glad you could make it,” he said when he finally reached her.

                “I’m sorry I’m late,” she said, tiptoeing up to kiss his cheek. “Forgive me?”

                The orchestra began to play a jazz standard, and without another word, Connor took her hand and led her out to the dance floor, where he pulled her into his arms and began to sway to the music. When Maggie rested her head on his shoulder, he was certain that nothing had ever felt more right.

                After a full minute, he leaned his head back and gazed down at her. “It was worth the wait, Maggie.”

                * * *

                An hour later, Connor felt trapped by his own success. Maggie hadn’t stopped dancing, not once. It seemed that every man Connor had introduced her to during the week now wanted to dance with her. First it was Jonas, then his son, Paul, then big Johnny from the judges’ room. Hell, even Pete from Stink Bug Brewery had claimed a dance.

                Connor had danced, as well, with Lucinda and Paul Wellstone’s wife, Dana, and two women he barely knew who were friends of Jake’s.

                He was so ready to blow this party off, grab Maggie and go back upstairs. But it was not to be. No, instead he got caught up in some off-the-wall conversation with Jonas about fruit-flavored ales. The old man was waxing on about boysenberries and ten minutes had passed before Connor noticed that Maggie was standing on the sidelines talking to someone. He couldn’t see the man’s face, so he shifted his stance until he could get a look at the guy. And he didn’t like what he saw.

                “Damn it,” he muttered. “What’s that about?” Maggie was talking to Ted Blake. It couldn’t be a good thing.

                “Something’s wrong,” Jonas declared. “You suddenly look like you just ate a bad-tasting bug.”

                “I’m sorry, Jonas,” he said, “but I think I’d better go rescue Maggie.”

                Jonas’s eyes scanned the room and then narrowed in on Maggie and Ted. He nodded slowly. “Good idea, son. That boy’s nothing but trouble.”

                Connor’s stomach tightened all over again as he watched her laughing and joking with the guy who had tried to destroy MacLaren. When Ted leaned in and whispered something in her ear, Connor’s vision blurred in anger.

                He thought he’d warned her about Ted Blake after he saw her talking to him the other day on the convention floor. But now he realized that he’d simply glossed over it at the time. And after that one time, he hadn’t seen the guy all week. It was another reason why he’d had such a good time at the festival this week. No Ted Blake to deal with.

                “Maggie.”

                She whirled around. “Oh, Connor, there you are. You’ve probably met Ted before, but we were just—”

                “Yeah, we’ve met,” Connor said curtly, and grabbed her hand. “Come on, babe, time to go.”