It wasn’t that he was a player or ever had been. But his idea of a good time had always been taking a woman to dinner, maybe a little dancing afterward, and seeing where the evening led them.
He suddenly sat up straight as the realization set in that he hadn’t even asked Kiley out on a date. They had spent a week and a half seeing each other as often as he could arrange, shared some extremely passionate kisses and, even though it had been three years ago and due to a case of mistaken identity, they had made love. But he hadn’t taken her out for a night on the town.
Deciding to remedy that oversight, he waited for her to walk back into her living room. “Kiley, come over here and sit down. I have something I need to ask you.”
“What would that be?” she asked, looking as if she dreaded what he might want to know.
When she sank down on the cushion beside him, he put his arms around her. “I know this is short notice, but would you be my date for the TCC’s Christmas Ball on Saturday night?”
“That’s all?” she asked, visibly relaxing.
Nodding, Josh frowned. “What did you think I wanted to ask you?”
She stared at him for a moment before she finally shook her head and smiled. “I…wasn’t sure.”
Pulling her closer, he lowered his mouth to hers to nibble and nip at her lower lip. “As much as I enjoy spending time with Emmie watching the mermaid cartoon, I’d like to take her mother out for dinner and an evening of dancing.”
He felt a shiver course through her. “Josh, I don’t usually…go out.”
“How long has it been since you went dancing?” he asked, kissing his way to the slight hollow at the base of her throat.
“I…uh…before Emmie was born,” she said, sounding distracted.
“You’re joking.” He leaned back to look at her. “You haven’t gone out since your divorce?”
“No.”
“Surely you’ve enjoyed an evening with some of your friends,” he said, having a hard time believing that she hadn’t at least had a girls’ night out.
She shook her head. “All of my friends are married and most of them have children. We’re all too busy. Besides, going to clubs is expensive.”
He pulled her back against his chest for a comforting hug. She had just confirmed his suspicion that she struggled to make ends meet, and he suddenly wanted to find her ex-husband and give him a lesson in facing up to his responsibilities that the man wouldn’t soon forget.
“Having kids doesn’t mean you can’t get out and socialize.” He kissed her forehead. “I’m not an expert by any means, but I think interaction with other adults would be a necessity after dealing with kids all the time.”
“I didn’t say I don’t spend time with my friends,” she said, defensively. “We sometimes get together on Saturday afternoons for shopping trips to the mall. And tomorrow I’m going to lunch with Piper Kindred.”
“I think that’s great, honey.” He cupped her cheek with his palm and, staring into her warm brown eyes, he smiled. “But I want to take you out on a date. I want to hold you in my arms when we dance and remind you of what a beautiful, desirable woman you are.”
“I’d have to find a dress and arrange for someone to watch Emmie,” she said, her tone uncertain. “And I’m not sure that it isn’t frowned on for employees of the Texas Cattleman’s Club to attend special events like the Christmas Ball.”
Frowning, Josh shook his head. “Let’s clear up something right now. Members of the TCC might be affluent, but we aren’t snobs. I can’t think of anyone who would have a problem with you being my date for the evening.”
“Not even Beau Hacket or Paul Windsor?” she asked, arching one perfect eyebrow. “I’m sure one of them would have something to say.”
“Beau Hacket will be too busy bragging about his son Hack’s latest accomplishments to think of anything else. And the biggest issue with Paul Windsor would be him trying to put the moves on you.” Grinning, he shook his head. “That’s an opportunity I don’t intend to give Windsor or anyone else.”
“I don’t know, Josh. It’s been so long since—”
“Just say yes, Kiley.”
“I probably wouldn’t be able to get a sitter on such short notice,” she hedged.
He pulled his cell phone from his shirt pocket and handed it to her. “Call your parents and see if they can keep Emmie for the night.”
“Why?”
“It’s going to be late by the time we leave the ball, then we would have to drive the fifty miles up to Midland and back to get her,” he answered. “I just figured you might not want to disturb her sleep.”