Keely wore a pair of dark blue, skintight bootcut jeans with deerskin leather fringe running down the outer seam of each leg. The fringe made a cool flap flap noise as she walked. She’d threaded her rainbow crystal b.b. simon belt through the belt loops and tucked in her favorite baby blue camisole to showcase the horseshoe-shaped rhinestone buckle. Lastly she’d donned a vivid blue long-sleeved shirt, embroidered with cornflowers, finished off with pearl snap buttons. Her feet sported scuffed up ostrich skin Ariat boots.
Baxter Ducheyne approached her first and his piggy eyes slowly scrolled over her. She forced herself not to shudder at his leering smile. He thrust out his sausage-fingered hand. “Keely. Lovely to see you again.”
“The pleasure is all mine, Baxter,” she lied. “Have you seen Jack? I didn’t meet many people last night after I left the dinner.” Thanks to your vomit-inducing wife.
“I’m sure Jack’s here someplace. Don’t you worry. I’d be happy to introduce you around,” Baxter assured her.
Keely oozed folksy charm. At one point, she realized a half dozen men surrounded her. A lanky man with a pronounced goiter and Fabio’s flowing hairstyle had spoken to her. “I’m sorry, sugar, what did you say?”
“I-I wondered if you’d like a glass of wine?”
“Actually, I’m more of a beer girl.”
Male chuckles.
“Did the hotel provide a full service cash bar tonight?”
“Umm…no. Sorry. Just wine.”
“Snooty bastards. Nothin’ wrong with beer and we are in Coors country after all.”
More chuckles.
Keely placed her hand on Fabio-aka-Ichabod’s arm. “Thanks for asking. I’d love a glass of ice water.”
He beamed. “Be right back.”
“I disappear for a few minutes and you’ve got someone else playing fetch and carry for you?”
Jack’s sexy husky voice caused a ripple of desire. She turned; Jack’s handsome, perfect face was right there. Green eyes rapt, full mouth curved into a smile. Without preamble, he pressed his soft, warm lips to hers, kissing her soundly.
Keely melted into him.
“You’re stunning as always, cowgirl. Except I’m disappointed you’re not wearing your lasso.”
“I left it upstairs on the bed.” She winked and hip-checked him. “For later.”
More laughter. Man. She was on a roll.
“I see you’ve met some of my colleagues.”
“Baxter was thoughtful enough to provide introductions to the gentlemen I missed last night.”
“Now, Baxter, don’t you be trying to steal another woman from me,” Jack chided.
The guys in the group didn’t know whether to laugh.
Baxter finally grinned. “If I would’ve known Keely was in your future, Jack, I might’ve waited to steal her instead.”
“Nice to know I’m that expendable,” Martine said drolly behind them.
“Martine. Sweetheart. You know we were joking,” Baxter said, drawing her into the circle.
The others in the group scattered, leaving the four of them alone together.
Martine ignored Baxter, granting Keely a head to toe inspection. “How sad you thought this was a costume party, Kelly.”
“It’s Keely, not Kelly, but I’m sure at your age it’s hard to keep names straight.” Keely flashed her teeth. “And thank you for noticing my outfit, although these are my everyday clothes. No point in wearing my best duds when there’s no one here I need to impress.”
“I’m most impressed with you when you’re wearing nothing at all,” Jack mock-whispered.
She half-shoved him. “You are insatiable, Jack Donohue. Behave in public.”
“Always, but never in private. If you’ll excuse us, I need a minute alone with my beautiful bride-to-be.” Jack steered her to an alcove that wasn’t private in the least.
Keely smiled. “Surprised to see me?”
“Very.” He curled his hand around her neck, stroking his thumb along her jawline before smooching her lips with softness and sweetness. “I’m very happy to see you.”
“Yeah? What is on the agenda tonight?”
“Dinner, followed by a long, boring annual meeting. Then I take you up to the room and f**k you until you scream my name.”
“Feeling confident?”
Jack frowned. “Never when it comes to you, buttercup.”
Whoa. Not a response she’d anticipated.
“Let’s mingle so we can get the hell out of here as soon as possible when it’s over,” Jack said.
During dinner they sat with a couple from Chicago, as well as Jack’s other colleagues who’d ragged on him for his hermetic state in the last few years. Keely enjoyed herself more than she’d expected. Jack was attentive, not overtly obvious, but acting as if he genuinely cared for her.
She and Gina slipped out when the business meeting started, intending to hit a downtown toy store.
Since Gina had forgotten her purse in her room, Keely waited in a quiet reception area around the corner from the main bank of elevators.
The quiet didn’t last long.
“Well, if it isn’t the wannabe queen of the rodeo.”
Keely counted to ten before she deigned to glance up from her cell phone. “Well, if it isn’t Mrs.
Ducheyne.” More like Mrs. Douchebag.
“You think you’re brave and cool showing up dressed like that?” A dismissive gaze flickered over her.
“Wow. You really have nothin’ better to do than to try and harass me? Why do you care what I wear if I’m so inconsequential to you?”
“I couldn’t care less. You’re embarrassing yourself again.”
“Sort of like your little pep talk in the bathroom was supposed to embarrass me? Did you believe your lies had the power to send me packing? Wrong. Wyoming women are made of sterner stuff.”
“Tackier stuff for certain,” she sniffed.
“Ooh, and it was so classy to have your jealous rant about Jack…in the crapper?”
“Jealous? I don’t—”
“I don’t know which we laughed about more, your ridiculous yarn about Jack bringing bimbos to this conference, or your bizarre belief Jack’s still carrying a torch for you. Talk about being embarrassed for you, lady. Jack was over you three years ago.”
“And how do you know that?” Martine snapped.
“Because Jack and I ended up together at my brother’s wedding reception in Wyoming a month before you ‘left’ him for Baxter.”