The drive to Fredericksburg was not a very long one, and when they arrived she thought the town was charming. The main street had been restored and the old stone buildings, with their tin roofs, looked cozy and hospitable in the warm afternoon sun.
"What a wonderful place, it almost feels like an old Western town."
"It is an old Western town as I'm sure your will discover during your research tomorrow." Rainer turned the large truck down a little dirt road, stopping in front of what looked like an old log cabin.
"You wait here while I check-in," he insisted as he exited the truck. Alice took the moment to look at him without getting caught, and she couldn't help sighing at the sight of him.
"Get it together girl, next you'll be drooling just like every other female in his company," she reprimanded herself aloud. Hearing the words made her feel more confident that she could follow her own advice.
The truck was starting to get a little warm. He had left the air conditioning on but without the forward movement of the vehicle the air was not reaching her. She closed her eyes and leaned forward in front of the side air vent.
What was taking him so long? Knowing him, he probably found a pretty girl to flirt with.
She closed her eyes against the sun, she really needed to buy a pair of sunglasses; she pulled at the collar of her shirt so that the cold air shot directly down her shirt and across her heated skin, and she was startled when the door to the truck opened and Rainer was eyeing her from behind his sunglasses.
"What! It's hot as Hades in here."
Rainer didn't say anything as he got into the truck and put it into reverse. "You realize that it is only a little over ninety degrees right?" he asked after a moment.
"Are you saying that for dramatic effect or are you trying to make a point?" She felt a little bit embarrassed that she had been caught with her shirt down so to speak.
"I knew you didn't eat enough lunch." He seemed amused by her ill humor.
"I am not hungry, I'm hot." she insisted through gritted teeth.
"The average daily temperature for this time of year is the low nineties. If it were really hot it would be above the century mark."
Alice realized that she could continue a pointless argument or just let it go, but arguing was directing her nervous energy.
"Well bully for Texas!" She all but shouted, not having a ready comeback handy.
"O.K. Teddy, here we are," Rainer said pulling up to the little cabin that was similar to the one he had checked in at.
Alice's decent from the truck was a little less awkward but no less slow than the last time.
"Come on slow poke, let's get changed, we have places to be."
That surprised Alice, she thought they would be spending the evening in, working.
Rainer had grabbed both of their bags and opened the cabin door before she had closed the truck's door, appearing to no longer be bothered in the least by their close quarters situation.
When Alice caught up to him he was unloading his pockets on top of a small dresser. "Close the door Alice, your letting all the cold air out."
Alice slammed the door behind her, letting it ease some of her frustration.
"Where are we going?" she asked in her sweetest voice.
"Dancing." He turned to her with a wary eye.
"I don't dance."
"Lord woman you're grumpy. If you don't want to dance then don't dance, but I promise some good food and good music at the very least."
Alice looked around the room. It was very rustic. The log cabin walls were bare and the wooden floor boards had old rugs scattered across them. The bed was a huge old fashioned iron one that had been distressed. She almost sighed with relief when she noticed a love seat and a few chairs that were arranged around a pair of French doors. Wanting something to do she walked over to the doors and looked through them. They were on a hill overlooking a small valley below, and the low sun was casting long shadows over the sea of trees which stretched as far as the eye could see. It was a stunning view, and she couldn't help opening the doors and walking out onto the deck. She was surrounded by nothing but silence.
She felt Rainer behind her. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"
She just nodded her head silently as a hawk flew in the distance. She watched it as it caught the air currents and slowly descended into the valley below. They just stood there in companionable silence, taking in the scenery. All of Alice's earlier anxiety seemed to lift as the peacefulness descended on her.
"Texas is a stunning place," she whispered, not wanting to break the spell.
"Yes, it is," Rainer agreed before moving back into the room. "Now come in and close the door before you let all the cold air out."
Alice smiled at his poor attempt at sternness.
They quickly took turns changing since Rainer seemed to be in a rush all of the sudden. He was all business, talking on the phone as they prepared to leave, but she still found the actions of them preparing to go out for a night on the town personal and intimate. There was that word again, intimate, she had never thought of that word as much as she had since she had met Rainer. Even with Frank she had never felt all that intimate. It was crazy but Alice felt as if she and Rainer were a team, it was definitely not something she should be feeling having only met the man forty-eight hours earlier.
She paused as she looked at herself in the mirror. Had they really only known each other for two days? He seemed like such a huge part of her life. Shaking her head, while realizing that she was indeed crazy, she finished dressing.
When Alice exited the bathroom in her white sundress Rainer barley looked up from his computer that he had flipped open while he was on the phone. He was buttoning the cuffs of his white button down shirt, the phone tucked under his ear, while he was reading something on the screen.
She was digging through her bag looking for her sandals when Rainer ended his phone call. "That's it for tonight. No more work. Now we have fun."
Alice moved to sit in the chair across from him, putting on her sandals, and when she looked up he was watching her. "You look very nice Alice."
"Thanks," she murmured as she blushed.
"The way you blush, one would think that you don't get very many compliments."
"Not very many and definitely not from such a handsome man." As soon as the comment left her mouth she wished it back. She looked down pretending to adjust the strap on her shoe.
"Ready?" he asked, standing up and grabbing his keys.
Alice nodded, shocked that he hadn't teased her about her comment.
When Alice got to the truck, she looked down at her dress then up at the seat. This was going to be challenging, no wonder he had told her to wear jeans.
She could feel Rainer watching her while he held back a laugh.
"It's not funny."
"Yes. it is," he said, waiting and not bothering to try to help her at all.
With a scowl over her shoulder, she reached for the handle above the door and put a sandaled foot up onto the running board.
She managed to keep her knees together but couldn't help the way her dress slid up her thighs, exposing almost all of her legs. She did her best to pretend that it hadn't happened as she looked up at Rainer, whose gaze was hidden behind his sunglasses, to see if he noticed. If he did he didn't say anything but he was no longer smiling.
When he closed the door she quickly adjusted her dress, watching him as he moved around the truck. She had noticed his appearance but was trying to do her best not to. He was wearing a tight pair of well-worn blue jeans with a button up white shirt and a pair of old dusty cowboy boots. The boots looked like they had seen better days.
"You need a new pair of boots, those are looking a little worn," she said as he started the engine.
"That's blasphemy." He shook his head. "These are my old friends. We have worked many a hard day together on the ranch."
"The ranch?"
"I come from a long line of ranchers."
Alice mulled this over as he drove, remembering he had mentioned a family ranch earlier that day. Ranching seemed to somehow fit him.
They both remained silent on the short journey to wherever it was Rainer was taking them.
"Welcome to Luckenbach, Texas." Rainer grinned as the truck stopped. Alice slid out of the cab of the truck before Rainer could reach her side in order to save herself more embarrassment.
They walked into what looked like a large hall with a stage at one end and trestle tables and benches set up in the center. The music was already playing as they entered and Alice had to admit that it was toe tapping worthy. They found a seat towards the dance floor where couples were already dancing to the fast paced music.
Rainer excused himself and came back a few minutes later with two cold beers and two plates laden with bar-b-q. Alice's stomach growled at the smell and she closed her eyes in appreciation.
"Wait until you taste it." He pushed her plate towards her.
Alice needed no further encouragement as she dug into the steaming pile of food.
*******
Rainer watched Alice as she moaned in appreciation at the food on her plate. That little moan did something to his gut. He was on the edge, and the idea of staying in the room and working this evening had seemed impossible. She really had no clue that she was a sexy little thing.
He had been fighting an ill temper since he had been unable to book a separate room for her. She had been honest about her attraction to him but she was still doing her best to hide it. He had not been honest about it, and it was taking all he had not to act on it.
The only thing saving him was that she seemed completely oblivious to his feelings.
There had been a few times during the day that had nearly been his undoing. When he had caught her staring at him in the restaurant as he was pretending to take his shirt off, thank goodness she had stopped him. The look in her eyes had been pure desire. Then, when he had caught her with truck's air conditioning shooting down her shirt, he had caught the sight of the white lace of her bra against her pale skin and it had taken everything he had to tease her about it.
So here they were, and he would keep them here as long as possible, and hopefully they would both be exhausted when they returned to the room and they would both be immune.
As he watched her small white teeth bite into the beef brisket he knew he was kidding himself.
*******
Alice watched as Rainer escorted another beautiful lady around the dance floor. He had asked her to dance and she had declined. Just the thought of being that close to him was so nerve wracking that she couldn't imagine what actually being that close to him would do to her. She was even convinced she saw a little bit of relief in his eyes when she refused.
It was almost amusing to think that Rainer was nervous about her attraction to him. Did he really think that she was going to be unable to control herself and attack him, and why did he find that idea so unappealing? She realized she was not the beauty he was currently dancing with, but she was not unattractive.
She sighed as she watched him twirl the blond in a fancy dance step. To top it all off he had to be a good dancer too. If she looked closely at what she was feeling she would realize that it was jealously, but she once again refused to look.
Her headache had returned, and all she wanted was a nice and dark room to think it all though and gear herself up for another day. Looking at her watch she noticed that it was after midnight.
"Is it past your bedtime Cinderella?" Rainer asked, sitting back down across from her with a grin.
"Yes, actually it is, so can we go now?"
Rainer eyed her closely. "You haven't had a very good time, have you?"
"The music and the food have both been very good."
Rainer shook his head. "See, you should have been dancing," he said grabbing her hand and pulling her up from her seat.
"Rainer, I don't-,"
"It's an easy two-step, come on I'll teach you." Rainer was not letting go of her hand which felt small and helpless in his. The song was an old Patsy Cline standard that she had heard before, but it had never sounded as romantic as it currently did.
"Here," he said picking her up a few inches off the ground as if she weighed nothing. "Put your feet on mine." He perched her on his boots.
She tried to move. "Rainer, your boots, and what if I break your toes?"
"As you already noted, these are working boots, and you won't break my toes." She could hear his voice deep in his chest.
He started to move with the music and because her feet were on his it meant that her legs were wedged against his and she was forced to angle her upper torso away from his just for breathing space.
He held one of her hands in his and his other hand was resting on her waist just above her hip. All of her nerves had moved to that one spot and were slowly sparking. When he flexed his fingers she had to bite her lip to keep from moaning.
What was wrong with her? It was just a simple dance.
Her head came up only to his chest so unless she looked directly up she had no clue what he was thinking. Her hand was on his shoulder as they maneuvered their way across the dance floor, and she felt small as his body surrounded hers. She was never so glad to hear a song come to an end since her heart was about to beat out of her chest.
"Can we go now?" she asked as they clapped.
"Sure Al, we can go." His voice was oddly bland, but she didn't notice as he put his hand in the small of her back and led the way to the door with people shouting their goodbyes as they went. Rainer had a talent for making friends wherever he went.
The ride back to the bed and breakfast was a quiet one, and their arrival at the hotel sent the awkwardness up tenfold as they entered the silent room. Someone had been in to turn the bed down and turn on the light next to the bed.
"I'll take the couch," Alice insisted, moving to her suitcase to grab her night shirt.
"I should be a gentleman and insist but I gotta say Al, I don't think I could handle a night on that thing."
Alice smiled as she looked over at the small couch which was meant to be decorative more than comfortable. "Why do you think I'm insisting?" She pulled out her vanity bag and night shirt. "I'll only be a few minutes."
*******
Rainer watched as she closed the door behind her, thinking that tomorrow had to be better.
He had no clue why he had asked her to dance. Yes he did, he had been testing himself. He had danced with all of those other pretty ladies and felt nothing but the usual admiration for how well put together they were. They looked good, they smelled good, and they had, for the most part, been fun to talk to. He had thought that if he could dance with all those women and not feel anything other than a mild interest he could do the same with Alice.
He had never been so wrong in his life. From the moment he had picked her up... he shivered at the memory, even her smell had been different from all of those other women. When she had asked if they could leave his heart had leapt because he had thought she was suggesting more than she was, and when he realized she had honestly wanted to leave he had cursed himself.
He could, he knew, kiss her and they would both be gonners, but for some reason Alice was different, and he didn't want to use her and then hurt her. He wasn't a relationship guy. Yvonne had taught him a few hard lessons in that department and he was not about to teach them to somebody else.
Rainer walked out onto the deck looking out over the darkness. The air was so still and quiet, nothing like the big cities where he normally spent his time. It was peaceful which made him want to laugh because he was feeling anything but peaceful.
At least in San Antonio they would have different rooms; of that he was sure.
*******
Alice left the steaming bathroom turning off the light behind her. The door to the deck was open so she knew where Rainer was, and when there was a sudden knock at the door to their room and it startled Alice, causing her to jump.
Rainer turned and saw her, his eye running up her length, his thoughts hidden. She knew she was not dressed to seduce. She had on a baggy t-shirt that was the same length as her sundress had been and fresh from the shower, her very short hair was slicked back and what little make-up she had applied was long gone.
The moment was broken by another knock on the door and Rainer walked past her, opening it to reveal a beautiful brunette who had obviously taken time over her appearance.
"I thought you might need more towels." Her voice was soft and warm, and despite the tension coiled in her Alice couldn't help but laugh because Rainer looked like a deer caught in the headlights.
"Um...thank you," he said, reaching out to take the towels. After a moment of strained silence, while they were waiting for each other to speak, Alice decided that she couldn't take anymore.
"Yes, thank you. I just used most of the ones in the bathroom so that was very thoughtful of you," Alice said, walking up to Rainer and taking the towels. "Wasn't that thoughtful of her, darling?"
Rainer looked at her, blinking, stunned at the endearment.
"Um...yes...thanks," he said, closing the door in her face.
Alice was silently laughing, and it took Rainer a moment to recover.
"Oh come on Rainer, like that has never happened to you before?" She watched as he blushed a little.
"You're actually blushing. Where is the smart aleck that I have come to know?" and love she finished silently.
No way! Her brain shouted. You have only known him two days. Love does not enter into it.
He picked up the extra pillow from the bed and threw it at her, cutting off her thoughts. "Enjoy your night on the couch."
"There he is... I had thought he had disappeared." Alice caught the pillow easily then moved to grab the blanket off of the end of the bed.
"Bathroom's all yours my friend." That's what she needed to emphasize, friendship. There was no love involved, she was tired and he was attractive, nice, and fun to spend time with, that was all. She made her bed on the sofa while turning off all thoughts of Rainer, thankfully she didn't have feign sleep when he exited the bathroom because the pill she had taken put her right to sleep.