Raye Morgan - A Gift For Baby

“I see.” He frowned, not liking the sound of that. What had happened to this woman? It was pretty obvious there was pain behind those beautiful eyes. Funny. It was hard to picture anyone this attractive with a broken heart. But broken hearts did come in all shapes and sizes.

“You sound like someone who’s had a bit of experience with this leaping and yelling stuff,” he said softly. It was not part of his nature to inquire into things like this, but he wanted to find out more about her, what made her tick—at least that was what he told himself.

She managed a small smile. “The leaping and yelling may be a bit of an exaggeration,” she admitted. No, there hadn’t been much leaping and yelling, but there had been enough lying and hiding of true feelings to last her a lifetime. Why was it that men seemed to think beautiful women were trophies, that they didn’t have any value other than as prizes to be won and bragged about? She’d had her share of heartache over that sort of thing when she was very young and it had taught her life’s lessons early. You couldn’t believe what a man said, especially when he said he loved you. The word love was a tool he used to get what he wanted. The word no was a tool she used to make sure he didn’t reach his goal.

“Anyway, I don’t worry about things like that any longer,” she said airily. “I leave that to others.”

“But not you.”

“No, not me.” Her eyes were guileless. “I’m very careful.”

He cocked one dark eyebrow. “How’s that?”

“I don’t date unless I am absolutely certain…” She paused and bit her lip, wondering how to explain it in terms he might understand.

“Until you’re absolutely certain he’s crazy about you?” he asked idly.

She looked at him, amused at how far off the mark he was. “No. Until I’m absolutely certain there is no romantic feeling between us. I only date men who don’t fall for me. It’s the only way to be sure.”

He shook his head, not sure he’d heard right. “Wait a minute. That’s crazy,” he said.

The music had stopped and they were standing at the edge of the crowd, still together but not touching, not doing anything that might commit them as a couple. They were both being very careful of that.

“That really doesn’t make any sense,” he stated flatly, ready to go on.

But before he had a chance to launch into his reasons for bewilderment, a handsome, clean-cut young man broke from a nearby group and smiled at Hailey. “Are you… would you like to dance?” he asked her shyly before he noticed Mitch.

Hailey smiled at the young man and began to shake her head. At the same time, as he glanced over her black wig, Mitch could see Pauly disappearing out the front door of the establishment. Pauly was gone, and the reason for dogging her every move left with him. He looked down at her. It had been fun, but it was over now.

“She’d love to,” he told the startled youth. Giving Hailey a wink, he began to turn away. “Listen, you came to dance and to have some fun. I guess I ought to let you do that.”

“Oh, but—” She put out a hand, as though she were about to reach for him, and then drew it back quickly. His abrupt change of plan was startling. Men rarely turned and ran from her. She was going to need a moment or two to adjust to shifting sands.

“Here you go.” He practically handed her off to the other man, but before he left, he gave her a bittersweet smile. “Treat her gently,” he told the young man. “She’s a special lady.”

Hailey watched him turn on his heel and melt into the crowd. A part of her resented him saying that. And another part was glowing in response. What on earth had made him leave her so suddenly? Had he recognized her? But no, if he’d recognized her, he would have said something. He was a strange man. But she couldn’t say she was sorry they’d met tonight.

Still, this was ridiculous. She didn’t act like this. She didn’t ever let a man get to her. And she wasn’t about to start now.

“Excuse me. Miss?”

“Oh.” Turning, she smiled at the young man she’d forgotten about. “Sorry. Let’s dance, shall we?” Taking his hand, she joined him as the fiddles began a wild country song.

She did a lot of dancing after that. She danced to slow tunes, she danced to fast tunes, and she spent most of the time hopping around to protect her feet. She danced with a college boy who’d had too much to drink and a truck driver who told dirty jokes and a cop who talked in a very gruff voice and a large, very handsome man who held her too close and wanted to take her out to see the moon, and a short, funny man who tried to trick her into revealing her telephone number. And every once in a while, she caught sight of Mitch standing along the edge of the crowd, watching her.

That was strange. Why didn’t he dance? Was he trying to figure out who she was and where he’d seen her before? No, she didn’t think that was it.

That wasn’t the look she saw in his eyes. Just what that look was, she couldn’t quite pin down. But she knew it wasn’t puzzled inquiry. No, that wasn’t it.

He was certainly a different man here than the cowboy she’d had the run-in with that afternoon. She’d felt she knew him, after their confrontation and then all the sketching she’d done of him. She knew his face, knew his long, muscular body, but she obviously didn’t know him at all. And as he watched her but refused to come close, her curiosity grew.

Now and then she ran into Jen and they exchanged greetings, but every time her friend was in the arms of the same blond cowboy, and from the smitten look on her face, Hailey figured Jen thought she’d found what she’d come for.

It was getting late, and her feet were getting tired. The wig was itchy and she was ready to go home. The dancing had been fun, but she’d had enough now, and she slipped away from the crowd and looked around the room for Mitch.

He’d disappeared. She wandered the edges of the group, then looked in the pool table room and the card room, but she didn’t see him. Disappointed, she made one last try and peeked into the bar area. There he was at the end of the counter, nursing a shot glass full of something dark and evil looking. Her spirits brightened immediately, and she headed straight for him.

Mitch was having his first and last drink of the night, and he wasn’t sure why he’d felt he needed it. But when he saw her coming across the room, he was glad he’d fortified himself. Something told him she wasn’t just going to say goodbye and head out the door. Chances were, he was in for another session with this bewildering woman.

He didn’t know what he was still doing here. He should have left long ago. At first he’d told himself he was watching Hailey in case Pauly came back. But as time went by, that had worn thin, and he’d had to admit it was more than that. He had to watch her because he couldn’t stop watching her. Not a good sign.

But he was surprised that she’d searched him out this way. After all, it had been obvious from the beginning that she was very anxious that he not realize who she was. The more contact they had, the more chance that he would put two and two together. Still she’d come looking for him. He wondered why that was.

“Hi,” she said, plopping down on the bar stool beside his. “Wow, I’m about danced out.”

He gave her a long, slow stare. He was getting used to the short, cropped look. She would be beautiful shaved bald, but he hoped he’d never have to see it. “Hey, pretty lady,” he said softly. “May I buy you a drink?”

“I’d love one,” she responded without hesitation. “I would be forever in your debt.”

An intriguing prospect. He raised an eyebrow. “What would you like?” he asked her.