“This is Durward,” he said, introducing her to a tall, heavyset man with snow-white curly hair and light blue eyes. “Durward, our houseguest, Meredith Grayling.”
“Nice to meet you! Knew some Graylings once. Nice woman. Not impressed with her husband, though. There’s Angie! Come here, honey, and say hello to Ren. Be nice,” he added in a loud whisper.
The woman was brunette, absolutely gorgeous, with lips so red they seemed stained, and a face that could have graced fashion magazines. Her complexion was flawless, her blue eyes vivid and pretty. The one thing that ruined the picture was the smirk on her face when she came up to Ren, who stiffened visibly.
“Well, hi, Ren,” she said in a soft purr. “Found somebody to replace me, huh?” She laughed. “She won’t last long. You’re no dream lover,” she added.
Ren stiffened. His face was like stone.
Merrie curled her fingers closer into his and looked evenly at the other woman. “It’s very sad.”
“What is?” she asked haughtily.
“That you have so little self-esteem that you have to pull other people down to build yourself up.”
Angie sucked in her breath. “I’ll have you know that I’m a model! I can have any man I want!”
“Except Ren,” Merrie said with a cool smile. She moved closer to him and looked up at him adoringly.
He smiled at her.
Angie turned on her heel and glared at her uncle. “I’m going home! Have Billy drive me to the airport right now!”
“Of course, honey,” her uncle, flustered, agreed.
“You little...!” she began, glaring at Merrie.
“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me,” Merrie interrupted, purring in a singsong voice.
Angie made an exasperated sound and stomped out of the room.
Ren put his arm around Merrie and pulled her close.
Durward sighed. “Never could understand her. She’s so like her mother. Strange.” He glanced at Meredith and smiled. “You handle yourself pretty good.”
“Thanks.” She moved closer to Ren, who was brimming with pride.
“Go have fun,” Durward said. “Don’t let my rude niece spoil things for you. There’s a live band. Playing music from the forties. You’ll fit right in, Miss Grayling. Gorgeous dress.”
She laughed. “Thank you.”
Durward turned away from them to greet a couple behind Merrie and Ren, and Ren led her into the next room.
“Full of surprises, aren’t you?” he teased as he led her onto the dance floor.
“I’m not easily intimidated,” she returned. She was nervous. “Ren, I’m not sure about this.”
“It’s easy. If I can do it, it’s easy,” he emphasized. He slid his arm around her, cradled her right hand in his and began to move. “Just follow my lead. No, don’t look down. Look at me, Meredith.”
She lifted her eyes to his and felt swallowed whole. As if the two of them were connected, in some strange way. As if they belonged together. She’d never experienced anything like it in her life.
Ren felt something similar. He’d been apprehensive about coming to the party. He knew if he didn’t come, Angie would say he was afraid. No, he was just uncomfortable. They’d been very close, but it had all been an act on her part. He couldn’t have known how vindictive she’d be when he had discovered she’d cheated on him and broke up with her. The Facebook fiasco had been very painful. No man liked having a woman ridicule his lovemaking skills. Ren had been embarrassed and angry. But the pretty little rose in his arms had defended him like a lioness. He wasn’t used to having a woman protect him. He shouldn’t like it so much. But he did.
“That’s it,” he said at Merrie’s ear. “Slow and easy, honey.”
It sounded as if he was talking about something more than just dancing, and Merrie felt an unfamiliar swelling in her body. She tingled all over. Her breath was catching in her throat as he drew her even closer and she felt the press of his muscular body so close to hers.
She’d never been held like this. She’d never known it would feel so... She wasn’t sure what she was feeling, but certainly it was arousing. That had to be what the odd swelling was, the frantic beating of her heart, the breathing that sounded like someone was running a race.
She peered up at Ren, only to have her eyes captured yet again, held in an intimacy that she’d never known. It took them a minute to realize that the music had stopped and they were about to be alone on the dance floor.
Ren cleared his throat, took her hand and led her to the buffet table.
“Some food and drink might make this easier,” he said in a deep, rough tone.
“Yes,” she agreed, still vibrating.
“Want punch?” he asked.
“Please.”
He ladled some into a crystal cup and handed it to her. But her hand was trembling. He had to steady it with both his own hands.
“It’s all right,” he said softly. “There’s nothing to be afraid of.”
But there was. She looked at him and knew, for the first time, that he was what she’d been waiting for all her life.
She was falling in love.