TIS THE SEASON...FOR ROMANCE (WESTMORELAND/MASTERS/JEFFERIES) (22 page)

Cathy couldn’t help but smile at that. Jen was so convinced a makeover would make Orin notice her when she knew better. The man saw her as his administrative assistant and nothing more. “Well, he won’t be seeing me so let’s not discuss it.”

All too soon, to Cathy’s way of thinking, the twins returned with all smiles. Cathy could only shake her head. Jen was loving every minute of the attention Dusty was lavishing on, while Cathy still wasn’t feeling it.

“Stop being a party pooper,” Jen leaned over and whispered. “Live a little. Have some fun.”

Cathy rolled her eyes again. “Whatever.”

The rodeo was about to begin when Jen said, “You know what you said earlier when I complimented you on your outfit about if only Orin could see you now, and you said he wouldn’t so you didn’t want to discuss it?”

“Yes, what about it?”

“Well, I hate to be the one to tell you but he’s seeing you now. Look straight ahead. He’s staring straight at you.”

Cathy followed the direction of Jen’s gaze and stared right into Orin’s eyes. And her heart suddenly skipped a beat.

* * *

“Dad, isn’t that Cathy over there?” Olivia Jeffries Westmoreland leaned over to ask her father.

Orin was glad he’d seen his administrative assistant before his daughter had pointed her out. That had given him time to grab hold of his composure. He pulled in a deep breath and wondered how long he could go on pretending that he was in no way interested in her as a woman.

“Dad?”

“Yes, that’s her,” he said, still holding Cathy’s gaze. Even with the distance separating them he could vividly see the dark color of her eyes, a chocolate brown; as well as the shape of her lips. “Looks like she’s here with her friend Jennifer.”

Olivia chuckled. “And from the way that guy is hanging all over her, I’d say Jennifer isn’t the only one she’s here with. It appears they have dates. And rather young ones,” Olivia was saying. “Umm, I’m not surprised knowing Jennifer, but Cathy never struck me as a person who’d be a cougar.”

Orin broke eye contact to glance over at his daughter. “A what?”

She grinned. “A cougar. Older women who date younger men. Surely you’ve heard the term before.”

He returned his gaze to Cathy. No, he hadn’t heard the term before, and as far as Cathy dating younger men, he hadn’t known she was dating at all and turned back to Olivia and said so.

A smile touched his daughter’s lips. “Come on, Dad. As you’re so quick to remind all of us countless times that Cathy is your administrative assistant and nothing more, did you honestly think she wouldn’t seek out male companionship every once in a while.”

He shrugged. “She never mentioned it.”

“And she tells you everything?”

“No, but…”

Olivia raised both brows at him. “But what?”

Orin let out a long breath. “Nothing.”

He was grateful when the man announced over the PA system that the rodeo was about to begin and was glad his daughter’s attention shifted to the celebrity parade on horseback where her husband was a participant. “Look Dad, there’s Reggie.”

Orin followed his daughter’s gaze for just a minute, long enough to locate his son-in-law. And then his gaze returned to the pair of chocolate eyes that were still staring at him.

* * *

Cathy decided not to wait until intermission to seek some private time for herself. Telling Jen and the twins she needed to go to the ladies room, she quickly left her seat and walked down the stairs to where all the vendors were located while wondering what was worse, one of the twins – Dusty or Rusty she wasn’t sure which – clinging to her like they were an item or glancing over and seeing Orin’s constant gaze on her.

Moments later she stood in front of the cotton candy machine trying to decide should she or shouldn’t she. All that sugar certainly wasn’t good for anyone, but still, cotton candy had always been her weakness and tonight she wanted to indulge in something sinful for a change.

“What will you have, lady?” the bearded vendor with the rough voice asked.

“Some cotton candy please,” she replied, fishing her hand into the pocket of her jacket to get her wallet.

“Keep your money, Cathy, I got this.”

She swallowed, recognizing the sound of that masculine voice as well as the man’s scent. She’d always liked the scent of his aftershave. Taking a deep breath she slowly turned, looked up and met his gaze. She was in tuned to everything about him - the dark coloring of his eyes and the shape of his nose and curve of his lips whether he was smiling or frowning. To be more precise, she loved every single thing about Orin Jeffries.

Drawing in a deep breath she forced a smile on her lips and said. “Orin, I thought that was you I saw on the other side. How are you doing? And you don’t have to pay for my cotton candy.”

“I want to and I’m doing fine,” he said, handing the man a bill and then saying to the man. “And I’ll take a bag of popcorn.”

He then switched his attention back to Cathy and she became ensnarled in the deep darkness of his eyes. He, too, was wearing a hat, although she was certain he hadn’t purchased the one he was wearing from one of the vendors. His was a Stetson, and with his jeans and blue shirt he looked right at home with all the others dressed at the rodeo in their western attire.

“I didn’t know you were coming to the rodeo,” he said, after the man handed him his change and his bag of popcorn.

She shrugged. “I’ve come every year since the boys were small. It’s a wonderful event. When they got older and didn’t need me to come with them, I started coming with Jen and made it a girls’ thing.”

“You decided to make this year an exception?” he asked.

Cathy noted that not a flicker of emotion crossed his face. If there had been then the response she was about to give might have been different. But since Jen was convinced that the reason Orin had never made a move on her was not because he wasn’t interested, but because he’d never been threatened by another man vying for her attention, she decided to put things to the test.

She tilted her head, met his gaze and said. “Yes, I decided to make this year an exception.”

There was no reason to tell him the twins had been Jen’s idea and not hers and that if Dusty or Rusty got in her face again, she would be tempted to smack him. Two people could carry on a conversation without being eyeball to eyeball. Evidently, no one ever told the twins that.

She studied Orin’s features, the same ones that earlier had been emotionless and before her eyes she saw a flicker of anger flash in the depths of his gaze and a frown of annoyance settle around his lips. She recognized that look since he’d displayed it a number of times when one of the company’s competitors had tried testing his patience in the courtroom. He had never directed it at her until now.

And she loved it!

In fact she loved it so much that she smiled up at him. When the frown around his lips deepened, she figured she better not push her luck. But knowing that she had a date had gotten a rise out of him was a start. “I saw Libby sitting next to you. Did she get all her things moved from Paris?” she spoke up and asked, conscious he was still not in the best of moods. Anyone who knew Orin knew that look since he had it down to an art form. Although she would be the first to say he didn’t use it often. It usually took a lot to get him in a tiff.

He held her gaze. “Yes, and she’s looking forward to opening her art gallery here, ,” he said, before his gaze lowered to sweep across her body, taking in every detail of her attire.

She felt the sweep of his gaze like a caress and thickened heat rushed through her veins.

“You look nice, Cathy,” he said, his voice deep and husky.

“Thank you, and so do you.” She had seen him in jeans plenty of times and always thought he looked good in them. In fact he looked good in all his clothes, even the business suits he usually wore into work every day.

She pulled in a deep breath thinking standing here with him felt both familiar and strange. Over the years they had spent many hours together both in and out of the office, and in every situation he’d always maintained a degree of professional decorum. So had she.

“I hadn’t realized you’ve begun dating, Cathy. How long have you been going out with this guy?”

She pursed her lips deciding to give him a mixture of truth and lies. “This is my first date with Dusty. Don’s been dead for over eighteen years, the boys are gone and I have plenty of free time on my hands, so I figured I might as well start enjoying life.”

“And just when did you figure that?”

“This week. About time don’t you think? Considering how long I’ve been a widow.”

She watched the frown move from his lips to the corner of his eyes. “I’ve been divorced a long time myself.”

She nodded. The last thing she would do is suggest that perhaps he should begin dating as well. It would break her heart if she knew he was dating someone. Libby would have mentioned it if he was. Olivia knew of Cathy’s feelings for her father and had pretty much called her out on them one day when she’d dropped by the office. Libby being Libby had told her point blank that she knew Cathy was in love with Orin, and even went so far to say that she hoped her father one day realized it. Cathy doubted he ever would. Women were more astute when it came to matters of the heart than men.

“Yes, I know,” she said and then glanced around. “Looks like they had intermission without us,” she said when people began moving from the stands and heading toward the various vendors.

He glanced around as well, and then returned his gaze to hers. “Yes, it looks that way.” And then as if he wasn’t ready for their company to part, he asked. “So, are you ready for our trip?”

A lot more ready now than I was earlier today, she wanted to say but didn’t. Especially since I know there is some interest on your part, although you’ve tried to deny it. She smiled and said. “Yes, I’m ready. It’s been years since I’ve been to New York and hope there will be sufficient down time for shopping, plays and sightseeing.”

“I’m sure there will be. In fact I promise to make sure of it. You deserve it. You always work hard.”

“Thanks.” She paused for a moment and then said, “Well, I better get back.”

“Yes, you do that. I’d hate for your date to wonder where you are.”

She nodded. “I was thinking the same thing. Goodbye, Orin. I’ll see you back in the office on Monday,” she said moving to walk off.

“Okay. I’ll see you Monday.”

“Bright and early,” she threw over her shoulder smiling.

His features were still serious as a heart attack when he said, “Yes, bright and early.”

When Cathy rounded the corner she would have loved to give anyone a high-five. Orin wasn’t as immune to her as she’d assumed. She felt happy. She felt giddy. And for the first time in years, she felt like a woman capable of sparking a fire in the man she wanted.

The way she saw it, Jen was right. It was way past time to take matters into her own hands. And if she had to be the one to make the first move, then so be it. She loved Orin and it was time she opened his emotionally scarred eyes so that he could see her for the woman she was. One capable of bringing happiness into his life and showering him with love for the rest of his days.

No matter what it took, she intended to conquer Orin’s heart.

“Welcome to New York, Ms. Bristol.”

Cathy smiled at the hotel clerk at the front desk. “Thank you, I’m glad I’m here,” she said, accepting the passkey.

A short while later she was opening the blinds to her room. She then glanced around thinking how nice the room she’d been given looked. It was a spacious suite that included a small refrigerator and microwave, although she doubted she would need either. And there was a huge balcony with a beautiful view of the Hudson River.

But what had surprised her was the vase of fresh cut flowers that were sitting on the desk. At first she’d assumed they’d been compliments of the hotel but when she pulled off the card and read it, she’d smile to see they had come from Orin. And the card had simply said.
Thanks for being so flexible with your time.

Okay, so they weren’t the words of love she would give anything to have gotten, but still, the flowers were beautiful and he was once again letting her know how much he appreciated her. As his administrative assistant. She was more determined than ever for him to both see and acknowledge her as something more than that.

She took a quick minute to set up her laptop and pulled files out of her briefcase. The next two days would be busy ones since most legal matters involving the trade show would arise within the first twenty-four hours. It was essential that Orin be available to address any and all legal questions any of the managers might have.

She had sat down behind the desk in the room to look over a few files when her phone rang. She figured it was either the front desk or Orin. The thought that it might be Orin filled her with an intense degree of warmth. She hadn’t seen him since he left for New York yesterday, a full day before she was scheduled to leave.