Page 72 of Chasing a Second Chance
Matt saw Candy Sumlar cross the room toward him, a smile on her face. He really wasn’t in the mood to deal with the woman tonight or any night. Suddenly, he felt a pull in the pit of his stomach followed by a tightening in his chest. He glanced beyond Candy and saw Iris entering the ballroom.
His breath caught in his lungs. She had come! And she looked gorgeous, radiant, totally captivating. He watched as she gazed around the room, and when she saw him, their eyes held. A wide smile touched his lips, and she smiled back. His lady was here.
Candy obviously assumed his broad smile was for her since she beamed even more. Boy, was she wrong. His smile had been for Iris. Candy finally reached him. “Hello, Matt. We meet again, and I’m glad you’re as happy to see me as I am to see you.” She then leaned in closer and added, “I’m also glad that this time, you’re alone.”
She was wrong about that as well. “Hello, Candy. Sorry, but I’m not alone. In fact, my date just arrived. Now, if you will excuse me.” After placing his glass on the high-top table next to him, he crossed the room to Iris.
* * *
From the look of things, Iris figured she had arrived just in the nick of time. Candy had crossed the room to get in Matt’s face, but not for long, since he was now headed toward Iris. It had taken her several days to think about what he’d said. She did want quality over quantity, and she wanted it with him. Being away from him this weekend, when he’d been so understanding about her fears, had proven it to her. Now her most ardent wish was that he wanted quality with her, too.
One thing in her favor was that he’d already said he wasn’t opposed to something permanent. In fact, he had forewarned her of the possibility of pushing for more. She hoped he still wanted that now that she was on board. Heck, she was more than on board since she had fallen in love with him.
As she saw him moving toward her, on legs that had wrapped around her while they’d made love, and a body she now knew as intimately as her own, she couldn’t help but move toward him as well.
They met in the center of the room, and he extended his hand to her. “Please dance with me, Iris.”
He hadn’t asked why she was there or why she had decided to come. As if he could read her thoughts, he said, “I need to hold you in my arms.”
And she needed to hold him in hers as well. The only person who knew she had changed her mind about coming was Pam. They had talked that morning when Iris was rushing to the airport. Two connecting flights later, she arrived in time to check into her hotel room and get dressed.
She placed her hand in his, and he led her onto the dance floor. When she’d entered the ballroom, several people had been on the dance floor doing the electric slide. Now a slow song played. When Matt pulled her closer to him, their bodies swayed to the music and to each other.
“Thanks for changing your mind and coming, Iris,” he said, leaning in. His voice was soft, husky against her ear.
Her arms rested on his chest, and his on her back. “Thanks for giving me a reason to change my mind, Matt. I decided on quality instead of quantity. Thanks for reiterating the difference. I want to make every day I spend with you count. I want them to always be special.”
He stared at her for a moment and then asked, “You know what that means, right?”
“Yes. The nature of our relationship will change.”
He nodded. “I want us to continue to get to know each other, enjoy being together and let things develop at a steady yet gradual pace. I have no problem being in this for the long haul.”
Iris wished she could say the same. “I’ll be encroaching into new territory, Matt.”
“And I’ll be there to help you along the way, sweetheart. You’ve taken your first steps. Now let’s continue the rest of those steps together.”
Together… She nodded, liking the sound of that.
* * *
“Thanks for handling the switching of the hotel rooms, Matt.”
He smiled as he pulled her closer to him in bed. “There was no way we would have separate rooms in the same hotel.” When she told him she had checked into the same hotel as him, he had the front desk cancel her reservation. It didn’t take her long to repack her belongings and move into his suite.
Once Iris arrived at the ball, he was no longer bored. They had shared dances, hung out with friends and eaten the good food the hotel staff had prepared. Everyone had been glad to see her, especially Deena and Shauna. And just like she had the last time, Candy Sumlar had disappeared for the rest of the night. All in all, he would have to say it was a great night, and he could not think of any other way to end it than by making love to Iris.
Tomorrow was a big day with the car races beginning at noon. The Sponsors’ Lap would be first, followed by celebrity races. Afterward, there was a dinner party planned for six o’clock. He liked Charlotte and always enjoyed his visits.
“I was looking forward to more sex talk with you tonight,” he said when Iris snuggled even closer to him and ran her fingers through the hair on his chest.
She laughed. “We can still do it, but in person.” Iris then got quiet and said, “So many people are rooting for things to work between us, Matt. They think we look good together and make a nice couple. All the Westmorelands, Deena, Shauna…”
“We do make a nice couple and look good together. And as far as them rooting for us, we won’t disappoint them. We should continue to do what we’re doing now, and when we’re ready for the next move, you and I will both know it and we’ll take it.”
She nodded. “Are you nervous about tomorrow’s race?”
He shook his head. “No. Are you worried about tomorrow’s race?”
