“I told you it was.”
A short while later they cleaned up the trash from the table, and were now ready to get the day started. “I’m going to get the boat moving. You might want to join me. The sun will be coming up shortly.”
“All right.”
As he headed up the steps, he was compelled to look back over his shoulder at her. She was sitting at the table, sipping the last of her coffee with what appeared to be a wistful look on her face. Was she thinking about that guy Tanner? Why did it bother him that there was a good possibility that she was?
“Victoria?”
She glanced up and met his gaze. “Yes?”
“I hope Tanner Jamison is worthy of your affections.”
She nodded. “He is. Mama Laverne would not have chosen him for me if he wasn’t. She hasn’t gone wrong yet.”
He came close to telling her that there was a first time for everything, but decided not to. It really wasn’t his business and he refused to think about it any longer. Nodding, he turned and went up top.
* * *
VICTORIA RELEASED A deep sigh when Roman left. It was hard to ignore the thrumming pulse rushing through her and the flutters that went off in her stomach whenever she was around him. That didn’t make sense. How could she be promised to one man, but attracted to another?
She stood, then went to one of the portholes and looked out. It was destined to be a beautiful day and she hoped she wasn’t making a mistake by accepting Roman’s invitation to go fishing. She was attracted to him but that couldn’t be helped. He was such a good-looking man. That couldn’t be helped, either, since he looked a lot like his father, and she would have to say Roman Sr. was good-looking, as well.
She’d heard stories of how much of a ladies’ man Roman’s father used to be before marrying Roman’s mother, Traci, who had been her aunt Marilyn’s best friend while growing up. Did Roman inherit more than his father’s good looks? Did he carry a player card in his wallet like her single brothers and cousins? Like Tanner? What if he did? Didn’t he have every right to do so as long as he wasn’t hurting anyone? He had told her yesterday that he was not looking for romance with anyone.
She figured any woman he did get serious about would come under close scrutiny with the media, because Roman was a well-respected senator. She’d noted during the television interview that Norma had asked about his future plans; more specifically, if those plans included a bid for the presidency. Instead of evading the question like most politicians would have done, he had given her an honest answer by saying that he had given it some thought, and that if he did such a thing it would be a decade or so away. At present, his main concern was the people of Texas and their welfare.
She thought the presidency was an awesome goal for him to aspire to and hoped he would be careful in choosing a mate. There would be women out there who’d want to be his wife, just so they could wear the title of first lady.
The thought of people using others to propel their own agenda made her think of Karl McDowell. He was the guy she’d dated her second year in college. She had loved Karl and he’d been the first guy she’d ever shared a bed with. He was the first and, so far, the last.
After they’d been seeing each other for about six months, he suggested that she take him home to meet her family over spring break. When she told him she didn’t think that was a good idea, trying to spare him the misery of being interrogated by her brothers if she did such a thing, he got upset. In an angry tirade after downing too many beers, he’d admitted his only purpose for dating her was for her family’s name. He said her last name of Madaris would open doors for him.
That’s when it had become crystal clear that Karl was a man with high ambitions and saw her as nothing more than a meal ticket. She had gone home during that spring break with a broken heart. When she’d returned to campus, Karl had had the nerve to seek her out and asked for another chance, saying he hadn’t meant what he’d said to her. She refused to believe him and all his begging and pleading for forgiveness hadn’t moved her one iota. Victoria decided then that she wouldn’t be so quick to give her heart to another man, and that she would make sure whatever she got in life was because she earned it, and not because of her last name. That was the main reason why, after finishing school, she’d sought a job some place other than Texas, where her family’s name was well known.
That’s why she had no problem with Mama Laverne finding her a husband. At least he would be vetted thoroughly, and she wouldn’t have to worry about future heartbreaks caused by guys like Karl.
She knew Tanner’s family—the Jamisons—had just as much money as the Madarises, although they weren’t as well-known. Like her uncle Jake, Tanner was in charge of growing his family’s wealth through investments, and from what she’d heard, he was good at it.
Not wanting to think of Tanner anymore, her thoughts returned to Roman. She had enjoyed sharing both dinner and breakfast with him, and discovered he was someone she could talk to easily. While waiting for Tanner to come around, it would be nice to have objectivity from a male’s perspective, and hopefully, Roman could give her that.
Although she was close to her brothers, she dared not ask them anything—especially any advice regarding a relationship with a man. The less they knew, the better. However, she had felt comfortable enough with Roman to tell him about Mama Laverne’s matchmaking plans for her and Tanner. It had been good talking to someone about it other than Christy.
But then who would give her advice regarding Roman when she knew she was attracted to him? What kind of advice did she really need? She understood the principles of nature. Women were attracted to men and men were attracted to women for different reasons. Roman had a lot of sex appeal, along with a ton of charisma, which made a deadly combination. All she had to do was recall that day when all her female coworkers had surrounded the monitor and drooled.
She decided that if she got to know him better, the attraction would eventually wear off and she would think of him as another big brother.
Victoria glanced at her watch. She had hung back long enough. It was time to go up top. She hoped she would be able to keep the attraction she felt for Roman at bay until it wore off. And she was certain that it would.
CHAPTER SEVEN
FOR THE UMPTEENTH time that day Roman forced his gaze away from Victoria. Had she noticed him staring, she probably would have seen both admiration and attraction in his eyes. Admiration for how well she could handle a fishing rod and bait a hook. She’d caught just as many fish as he had.
Then there was the attraction. He wasn’t sure what had gotten to him most—her looks, her smiles, her movements or her talent for conversation, which showed how well-versed she was in a number of subjects. For someone who didn’t like politicians, she knew a lot about their world, both domestically and internationally. He actually enjoyed being around her.