here?"
"Yes." Kelly was not going to volunteer any information.
Althea flicked another glance at their hands and looked at Kelly. "Maybe you'd like to dance, or something. I can sit with Kit. He and I have a lot to talk about, to catch up on. We were close, did he tell you?"
Kelly looked up in surprised innocence. "No, he never mentioned he was close to another woman. Of course, I know about his wild reputation when he was young, and the groupies that chased him."
Althea drew in a sharp breath, her eyes narrowed at the implied insult. "I didn't chase him! We were engaged."
"That ended years ago, Allie," Kit said, his lips twitching at Kelly's remark. He should have expected Kelly's sassy mouth to come up with something to insult Althea.
"I didn't expect to see you at a dance," Althea said, her eyes running over him.
Kelly turned to look at him, as well. His broad shoulders filled out the Western shirt, and his jeans were new and snug, his boots polished. No one would ever suspect he wasn't still the wild cowboy of his youth. His body was hard, fit, and his legs strong looking. Kelly felt the solid thud of her heart as she assessed him. He was a gorgeous male.
"I came because of Kelly. I didn't want to keep her from the dancing and socializing, but no sense letting the others think they can move in on my claim," he said easily.
The meeting was not going as Althea had wanted, that much was obvious to Kelly. She smiled a broad smile at the older woman and wondered how to get rid of her. While Kit seemed to be handling the confrontation well, she knew he was under a lot of strain. The grip he had on her hand had not eased.
"I'm sure Kelly would like to dance. I'll sit with you." Althea tried once more.
"Kit doesn't need to talk over the old days, Mrs. Kendricks. His best times are now. It was so nice to meet you and see someone from Kit's past. But I'm sure you have other people to visit. Isn't that Annie Carstairs trying to get your attention? Weren't you two in high school together?" Kelly said with false sweetness.
Althea glared at her, then turned back to Kit. "I'll be in town for a while. I'm sure we'll run into each other soon."
Kit chuckled as she walked away and began greeting others at the dance.
"Annie Carstairs is at least seven or eight years older than Althea," he said as he watched her walk away.
"She's well preserved for her age," Kelly said, pulling her aching hand from under his and flexing her fingers.
"She's the same age I am, dammit."
Kelly smiled a teasing grin and cocked her head. "And how old is that, pray?"
"Thirty-three. And it's not old."
"On her it is."
"Meow. What a cat."
Kelly looked as innocent as she knew how. "Excuse me, are you defending her?"
The amusement didn't leave his eyes as he looked at her sitting so close to him. "Not in the least. But you're a little hellcat, insulting her like you did."
"Do you think she caught it?" she asked doubtfully.
He laughed and nodded. "I'm sure. And didn't like it one bit."
"You really wanted to marry her?" Kelly asked, her eyes tracking Althea as she danced in the crowd.
"Yeah. Hard to believe now, isn't it?" His eyes followed her, as well.
"Do you still want her?" Kelly's voice was soft, gentle.
"No. And maybe I'd better make sure she knows it."
He turned to Kelly and slipped his hand up beneath her hair, encircling her neck. Drawing her closer, his mouth closed over hers in a hungry kiss. His lips pressed against hers, moving persuasively until she parted her own and felt the gentle entry of his tongue. She forgot the dance, the townspeople, Althea and their charade as she reveled in the sweet sensations rippling through her at his touch.
His mouth moved and she responded, her whole being caught up with the warm waves of tingling awareness and growing yearning Kit caused. She wished they were alone, and had the whole night ahead of them.
He pulled back a few inches, holding her face close to his, his breath fanning across her
"Yes." Kelly was not going to volunteer any information.
Althea flicked another glance at their hands and looked at Kelly. "Maybe you'd like to dance, or something. I can sit with Kit. He and I have a lot to talk about, to catch up on. We were close, did he tell you?"
Kelly looked up in surprised innocence. "No, he never mentioned he was close to another woman. Of course, I know about his wild reputation when he was young, and the groupies that chased him."
Althea drew in a sharp breath, her eyes narrowed at the implied insult. "I didn't chase him! We were engaged."
"That ended years ago, Allie," Kit said, his lips twitching at Kelly's remark. He should have expected Kelly's sassy mouth to come up with something to insult Althea.
"I didn't expect to see you at a dance," Althea said, her eyes running over him.
Kelly turned to look at him, as well. His broad shoulders filled out the Western shirt, and his jeans were new and snug, his boots polished. No one would ever suspect he wasn't still the wild cowboy of his youth. His body was hard, fit, and his legs strong looking. Kelly felt the solid thud of her heart as she assessed him. He was a gorgeous male.
"I came because of Kelly. I didn't want to keep her from the dancing and socializing, but no sense letting the others think they can move in on my claim," he said easily.
The meeting was not going as Althea had wanted, that much was obvious to Kelly. She smiled a broad smile at the older woman and wondered how to get rid of her. While Kit seemed to be handling the confrontation well, she knew he was under a lot of strain. The grip he had on her hand had not eased.
"I'm sure Kelly would like to dance. I'll sit with you." Althea tried once more.
"Kit doesn't need to talk over the old days, Mrs. Kendricks. His best times are now. It was so nice to meet you and see someone from Kit's past. But I'm sure you have other people to visit. Isn't that Annie Carstairs trying to get your attention? Weren't you two in high school together?" Kelly said with false sweetness.
Althea glared at her, then turned back to Kit. "I'll be in town for a while. I'm sure we'll run into each other soon."
Kit chuckled as she walked away and began greeting others at the dance.
"Annie Carstairs is at least seven or eight years older than Althea," he said as he watched her walk away.
"She's well preserved for her age," Kelly said, pulling her aching hand from under his and flexing her fingers.
"She's the same age I am, dammit."
Kelly smiled a teasing grin and cocked her head. "And how old is that, pray?"
"Thirty-three. And it's not old."
"On her it is."
"Meow. What a cat."
Kelly looked as innocent as she knew how. "Excuse me, are you defending her?"
The amusement didn't leave his eyes as he looked at her sitting so close to him. "Not in the least. But you're a little hellcat, insulting her like you did."
"Do you think she caught it?" she asked doubtfully.
He laughed and nodded. "I'm sure. And didn't like it one bit."
"You really wanted to marry her?" Kelly asked, her eyes tracking Althea as she danced in the crowd.
"Yeah. Hard to believe now, isn't it?" His eyes followed her, as well.
"Do you still want her?" Kelly's voice was soft, gentle.
"No. And maybe I'd better make sure she knows it."
He turned to Kelly and slipped his hand up beneath her hair, encircling her neck. Drawing her closer, his mouth closed over hers in a hungry kiss. His lips pressed against hers, moving persuasively until she parted her own and felt the gentle entry of his tongue. She forgot the dance, the townspeople, Althea and their charade as she reveled in the sweet sensations rippling through her at his touch.
His mouth moved and she responded, her whole being caught up with the warm waves of tingling awareness and growing yearning Kit caused. She wished they were alone, and had the whole night ahead of them.
He pulled back a few inches, holding her face close to his, his breath fanning across her
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