After more pictures were taken and everyone had had a crack at Dallas and Eric, the wedding party was finally allowed to enter the private dining room. More like a ballroom with tables and chairs for at least a hundred and fifty guests. Fresh flower arrangements, mostly orchids, were everywhere. Two bars were set up on either side of the room, manned by bartenders wearing tuxedos. He couldn’t imagine how much this had set the Sheas back. Of course that kind of money was no sweat to them.

“Hey, where are the balloons?” he asked Dakota.

She gave him a weird look as if she hoped he was kidding but wasn’t sure. And then surprised him by asking, “Do you want a drink?”

“Sure.”

“Come on.”

He followed as she led him around the guests who had already lined up in front of the bars. Several white-gloved waiters stood to the side and she whispered something to the short husky one who nodded and smiled ecstatically as if she’d just agreed to have his children.

Tony watched the guy abruptly turn around and then disappear through a side door that blended with the wall and had been invisible to Tony. “Where’s he going?”

“To get our drinks.”

“Ah.” He nodded. “Come here often, do you?”

She arched a brow at him. “You want to wait in that line?”

“No, ma’am.”

“All right then.”

“Do we stay right here and wait or is there a rendezvous point?”

A smile tugged at her lips. “Don’t worry. You won’t get mobbed. This is a very civil bunch. They’ll only complain to management.”

“That I can handle. By the way, tell me you didn’t order me champagne.”

“I didn’t order you champagne.”

“Not to sound ungrateful.”

“Uh-huh.”

The waiter reappeared holding a small tray in one hand, and used the other to hand Dakota a glass of white wine and Tony a bottle of beer, his usual. Without a glass, too. Obviously she’d noticed what he was drinking last night.

The weekend was starting to look up.

Maybe she planned on taking Dallas up on her offer of a free minivacation with him. Before bringing it up, he glanced over his shoulder to make sure Tom wasn’t around. No, but Wendy was headed their way.

Damn.

The only consolation was that Dakota looked just as disappointed.

Her red hair windblown, Wendy smelled faintly of tobacco as she approached. She looked from the glasses in their hands to the increasingly long line at the bar. “Where did you get the drinks?”

Dakota gestured vaguely over her shoulder. “A waiter was walking around with a tray.”

“Cool.” Wendy wandered off in the direction Dakota had sent her.

Tony chuckled.

“I didn’t lie.”

He didn’t care. She’d gotten rid of Wendy. That’s what counted. Not that he didn’t like Wendy, but he wanted Dakota to himself. He wanted to lose himself in those sexy gray-blue eyes, and bask in the anticipation of tonight. Miles away from here. Alone. Nothing to do but get to know one another. Spend long leisurely hours of exploring each other’s bodies.

That line of thinking had to stop. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other, trying to stop the blood from rushing south. He took a healthy gulp of icy cold beer and then met Dakota’s amused eyes.

Dakota smiled and took another sip, her lashes long and thick resting on her cheeks. She barely wore any makeup, didn’t have to. Her features were almost perfect. High cheekbones, a pert nose, full lips, her skin so flawless it was almost translucent. Her eyes were smaller than Dallas’s, more gray than blue and deeper set, but she was every bit as gorgeous.

Man, he’d like to see the faces of everyone the first time she walked into a courtroom. Not the typical lawyer, that’s for sure. Unless she always dressed for work the way she had last night, conservative and drab.

A trio of violinists in the corner started playing elevator music, but at least they kept it low-key. Up front there were two stages, one slightly elevated with band equipment and the other a parquet dance floor.

“Uh-oh.” Tony saw Mrs. Shea heading toward them with obvious purpose. “I think we’re about to be summoned.”

Dakota looked over her shoulder, immediately tensing. “I have a feeling she wants me.”

Interesting how tense she got at the mention of her mother. He knew a little bit from Dallas about the formidable Mrs. Shea, prominent college professor and demanding mother. The woman had done one really good thing for her girls. She’d encouraged them to go for an education instead of trade on their extraordinary looks. Had to give her credit for that.

Dakota sighed. “I’d better go see what she wants.”

“I have a better idea. Let’s take a walk.”

She looked at him, the disbelief in her eyes slowly fading to uncertainty. “We just got here.”

“So. Do you want to ditch her or not?”

Her lips parted in indignation, but a flicker of excitement sparked in her eyes. She briefly glanced over her shoulder again, caught her mother gaining on them and said, “Let’s go.”

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?”