LITMIR.BIZ

       3

      DAKOTA LED Tony out of the banquet room to a side patio, knowing she’d pay hell for the disappearing act. In fact, she wouldn’t put it past her mother to hunt them down. Except it was getting cold outside, with nothing on the fairway to block the biting wind, enough that it might insure them some privacy.

      She swallowed. Was that what she wanted? To be out here alone with him? This was foolish. She knew how it would turn out. They wouldn’t just talk. Facing him, she smiled. “Bad idea. It’s a little too cool.”

      “Here.” He shrugged out of his jacket, the white dress shirt straining against his broad chest. “Put this on.”

      “No, really, that’s okay. Then you’ll be cold. Let’s go back—”

      He slipped the jacket over her shoulders, and then turned her to face him. Unfortunately, she couldn’t see his expression. The patio was very dimly lit by a pale blue glow, courtesy of the parade of solar lights staked along the perimeter. The thought infused her with a dangerous excitement that made her nipples tighten and her resolve weaken.

       “This should keep you warm.” He pulled the lapels together and she stumbled toward him, steadying herself with her palms against his chest.

      “Sorry,” she whispered and straightened, reluctantly letting her hands fall away.

      He released the lapels and cupped her shoulders, then ran his palms down her arms. “You smell good.”

      She shivered when his warm breath fanned her cheek, and he took her cold hands, sandwiching them between his slightly callused ones. She’d never been with a man with work-roughened hands. How would they feel touching the tenderest part of her body? Stroking the area around her nipples? The soft skin between her thighs?

      He lowered his head and her breath caught when his lips brushed hers. But only briefly before he whispered, “I can’t wait for later.”

      “Later?”

      The sound of the French doors opening had them guiltily jumping apart. Thankfully it was Dallas, the long white gown obvious even in the dim light.

      “Hey, you guys, dinner is going to be served in twenty minutes.”

      Dakota sighed. “You came out here to tell us that?”

      “Better me than Mother. Anyway, Dakota, I need to talk to you.”

      “Now?”

      “Yep. Sorry, Tony. I need her for five minutes.”

      He gestured with his hand. “I’ll see you inside.”

      “Here’s your jacket,” Dakota said, pushing it off her shoulders and then handing it to him.

       “Keep it while you’re outside.”

      “I’m not staying out here. It’s cold.”

      “Trust me,” Dallas said, “it would be better if we talked out here.”

      Dakota didn’t like the sound of that. Even Tony frowned as he tried to give her back his jacket. She shook her head. “I’m okay.”

      After shooting Dallas a curious look, he left them alone. Dakota was pretty curious herself. “What’s going on?”

      “I have a favor to ask of you.”

      “Okay.”

      “It’s kind of big, but I really, really need you to do this for me,” Dallas said. “Okay?”

      “Well, what is it?”

      “Promise me you’ll do it first.”

      Dakota snorted. “Right.”

      “Come on, Dakota, have I ever asked you for anything? You’re my sister. It’s my wedding, and I need this favor badly.”

      “What already?” She waited, but Dallas’s chin stubbornly went up, and the truth was Dakota would never refuse her sister anything. “All right. I promise.”

      “I need you to play decoy for me tonight after the reception.”

      “Why?”

      “You know how Eric’s friend Tom likes to play practical jokes. We’re pretty sure he’s going to try and sabotage our honeymoon.”

      Dakota shook her head at her sister’s paranoia. “He wouldn’t do something so juvenile.”

       “He’d think it was hilarious. I know him, and you need to help me out.” Dallas rubbed her bare arms. “It is cold out here.”

      “So you want me to do what exactly?” Dakota asked as her sister linked an arm through hers and steered her toward the entry into the banquet room.

      Dallas opened the door and the light inside illuminated her smile. “Go on my honeymoon for me. With Tony.”

      DAMN THAT Dallas. As soon as they got inside someone called to her sister and she was off with no further explanation other than she’d already packed a bag for Dakota. As if the matter were settled.

      Dakota headed straight for the bathroom, her thoughts spinning so quickly she literally felt dizzy. Or maybe it was the excitement of what lay ahead? The whole idea was crazy. And perfect. A weekend with Tony? She couldn’t have come up with a better plan herself. Except she had a lot going on at work, and it wasn’t as if she could just not show up on Monday.

      Two older women, colleagues of her mother whom she vaguely knew, stood at the mirror talking and applying lipstick. Dakota smiled at them and then hurried into a stall, put the seat down and sat on the john. She hadn’t even asked her sister if Tony knew about the plan and if he’d agreed to go. Is that what he’d meant by “later”? She straightened. If he’d known about this before she had that would really tick her off.

      She took a deep breath. Dallas had purposely waited to tell her. Just so she wouldn’t have time to come up with an excuse not to go. She was a coward. She admitted it.

      Dallas was the independent one. She did as she pleased. Dakota, however, was the good little lamb. Always doing what she was told.

      She still didn’t like it that Dallas had conspired with Tony. For that reason alone she ought to tell her sister to find some other flunky. Yeah, right. Like she wasn’t

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