She blinked several times, her mouth agape. “Why should I?”
“Because I’m the guest of honor, and I asked you.” He didn’t like pressuring her, but people had gathered and were watching them. If he was to show everyone that things between Coralee and him were over, he needed her to agree.
She inclined her head and looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Your father put you up to this, didn’t he?”
“I make my own decisions.”
“You can’t fool me, Houston. You’ve evidently come back to secure your share of your father’s ranch. And in order to do so, you’ll need to take a wife, won’t you?”
“What gave you that idea?” Did the whole town know about Pa’s proclamation?
“I’m observant. The Hart brothers, who’ve had nothing to do with women for ages, are suddenly marrying up with remarkable speed. It stands to reason you’re here to find a bride, too. Or did you find yourself a wife out in”—she spoke through pursed lips, as though the word tasted bitter—“California?”
“I’m not married.” Yet. If he wanted to claim his share of his father’s ranch, he would have to be by New Year’s Eve, but he’d never considered any woman before, other than Coralee. Not that he had any intention of renewing his offer. If getting her to dance with him was this much of a challenge, he’d be an utter fool to think about asking her to do anything more.
“I hope you don’t consider me a candidate, because if that’s the case, you’re sadly mistaken.”
“No. I don’t. I mean…” He removed his hat, raked a hand through his hair, and mashed the Stetson back in place.
Coralee said nothing, just watched him with a puzzled expression on her face.
“Why did you come?” he asked. “Evidently, you weren’t even going to talk to me.”
“I was being neighborly.” She moistened her lips the way she had earlier—soft, supple lips he’d kissed a number of times in his youth.
Focus, Houston. “Then how about sharing a neighborly dance? Just the one. You can go home after that, and I won’t trouble you again.”
She started. “Calvin was supposed to be here by now, but I haven’t seen him. Have you?”
He shook his head.
“His best bull was ailing. That must be what’s keeping him. A man can’t leave an animal in distress.”
“Does he need any help? I could send someone over if he does.”
“He’ll be fine. My brother is quite capable of tending his herd.”
Coralee had never been this prickly before. “I’m sure he is. I was just being neighborly.“
“Shh.” She cast a glance at the growing crowd of onlookers. “People are watching.”
It had taken her that long to notice? “I’m aware of that. If you’ll do as I asked, we can satisfy their curiosity about where things stand between us. They’ll go on about their business, and we can go on about ours—separately.”
“They think we’re together?”
“I’m sure they’re wondering. But we can let them know otherwise. So, how about it? Shall we share a neighborly dance before you storm off?”
Indignation straightened her spine. She spoke in a heated whisper. “I was not storming off. I’d done my duty.”
“I’m sorry if attending my welcome-back barbecue was such an onerous task.”
“It wasn’t. The party actually gave me an opportunity to visit with a number of folks and discuss plans for the Christmas Eve Ball.” She paused, her eyes wide. “Oh. I hadn’t thought about how difficult it must have been to come home after your loss. My condolences. Your mother was a sweet woman. She was also quite talented. The other members of the committee and I have done our best to host balls on par with those she organized.”
Coralee might want nothing to do with him, but her consideration of others was bone-deep. “It’s different not having her here, but Pa seems to be doing all right.”
A flicker of pain clouded her dark brown eyes, but it passed quickly. She gave a single, decisive nod. “One dance, Houston, and then we’ll part as … friends.” The way she’d uttered the word with her mouth tense and her voice firm said she considered them anything but.
“Very well. After you.” He held out a hand toward the dance floor.
They reached the edge of the wooden surface that had been laid out and waited for the dance in progress to end. She stood next to him but left several inches between them. With her arms folded and her upper body angled away from him, anyone looking their way would have no trouble figuring out that she wasn’t enjoying his company.