Read Online Heaven, Texas by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Susan Elizabeth Phillips
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odds.”
Bobby Tom waved him away. “No need to get your hair messed up, Shag. These boys are looking for a little exercise, and so am I.”
The Neanderthal swung. Bobby Tom's reflexes didn't seem to have been affected by his bad knee. He ducked and caught his opponent in the ribs with his fist. The man doubled over, just as Warren pitched forward and drove his shoulder into Bobby Tom's side.
Bobby Tom staggered, righted himself, and delivered a hard punch to the abdomen that sent Trish's ex to the floor. He showed no inclination to get back up.
The Neanderthal hadn't had as much to drink, so he lasted a little longer. He even managed to connect with a few punches, but in the end he couldn't overcome Bobby Tom's lethal quickness. Finally he'd had enough. Bleeding from the nose and muttering under his breath, he staggered toward the exit.
Bobby Tom's forehead crumpled in disappointment. He looked around at the crowd, a vaguely wistful expression on his face, but no other challengers stepped forward. He picked up a cocktail napkin, pressed it to the small cut at the side of his mouth, and leaned down to murmur something in Warren's ear. The man turned even paler, leading Gracie to conclude that Trish wouldn't be having any more trouble with her ex-husband. After he'd set Warren straight, Bobby Tom looped his arm around Trish and led her over to the jukebox.
Gracie breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to phone Willow with the news that she'd lost their star in a barroom brawl.
Two hours later, she and Bobby Tom stood at the desk of a luxury hotel located twenty minutes away.
“I hope you know I'm not used to turning in this early,” he grumbled.
“It's two o'clock in the morning.” Gracie had lived most of her life going to bed at ten so she could get up at five, and she was light-headed with weariness.
“That's what I'm telling you. It's still early.” He finished registering for the suite he had requested, and, waving away the bellman, slipped the strap of his bag over his shoulder while he picked up the laptop computer he'd set on the desk. “See you in the morning, Gracie.” He set off toward the elevators.
The desk clerk looked at her expectantly. “May I help you?”
Blushing to the roots of her hair, she stammered, “I'm, uh, with him.”
She picked up her own suitcase and hurried after him, feeling like a cocker spaniel trailing its master. She slid inside the elevator just as the door was gliding shut.
He regarded her suspiciously. “You'registered already?”
“Since you—uh—requested a suite, I thought I'd sleep on the couch.”
“You thought wrong.”
“I promise that you won't even notice I'm there.”
“Get your own room, Miz Gracie.” He spoke softly, but the veiled threat in his eyes discomposed her.
“You know I can't do that. The minute I leave you alone, you'll drive off without me.”
“You don't know that for a fact.” The doors slid open and he stepped out into the carpeted hallway.
She hurried after him. “I won't bother you.”
He looked at the door numbers. “Gracie, pardon me for saying this, but you're getting to be a real pain in the butt.”
“I know that, and I apologize.”
A smile flickered across his face and disappeared as he stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway and slid the magnetic key into the lock. It blinked green, and he pushed on the handle. Before he stepped inside, he leaned down and brushed a swift kiss over her lips. “It's been nice knowing you.”
Dazed, she watched the door shut in her face. Her lips tingled. She pressed her fingertips to them, wishing she could seal his kiss there forever.
The seconds ticked by. Her pleasure in the kiss faded, and her shoulders slumped. He was going to drive off. Tonight, tomorrow morning—She had no idea when, but she knew he intended to leave without her, just as she knew she couldn't let that happen.
Exhausted, she rested her suitcase on the carpet, sat
Bobby Tom waved him away. “No need to get your hair messed up, Shag. These boys are looking for a little exercise, and so am I.”
The Neanderthal swung. Bobby Tom's reflexes didn't seem to have been affected by his bad knee. He ducked and caught his opponent in the ribs with his fist. The man doubled over, just as Warren pitched forward and drove his shoulder into Bobby Tom's side.
Bobby Tom staggered, righted himself, and delivered a hard punch to the abdomen that sent Trish's ex to the floor. He showed no inclination to get back up.
The Neanderthal hadn't had as much to drink, so he lasted a little longer. He even managed to connect with a few punches, but in the end he couldn't overcome Bobby Tom's lethal quickness. Finally he'd had enough. Bleeding from the nose and muttering under his breath, he staggered toward the exit.
Bobby Tom's forehead crumpled in disappointment. He looked around at the crowd, a vaguely wistful expression on his face, but no other challengers stepped forward. He picked up a cocktail napkin, pressed it to the small cut at the side of his mouth, and leaned down to murmur something in Warren's ear. The man turned even paler, leading Gracie to conclude that Trish wouldn't be having any more trouble with her ex-husband. After he'd set Warren straight, Bobby Tom looped his arm around Trish and led her over to the jukebox.
Gracie breathed a sigh of relief. At least she wouldn't have to phone Willow with the news that she'd lost their star in a barroom brawl.
Two hours later, she and Bobby Tom stood at the desk of a luxury hotel located twenty minutes away.
“I hope you know I'm not used to turning in this early,” he grumbled.
“It's two o'clock in the morning.” Gracie had lived most of her life going to bed at ten so she could get up at five, and she was light-headed with weariness.
“That's what I'm telling you. It's still early.” He finished registering for the suite he had requested, and, waving away the bellman, slipped the strap of his bag over his shoulder while he picked up the laptop computer he'd set on the desk. “See you in the morning, Gracie.” He set off toward the elevators.
The desk clerk looked at her expectantly. “May I help you?”
Blushing to the roots of her hair, she stammered, “I'm, uh, with him.”
She picked up her own suitcase and hurried after him, feeling like a cocker spaniel trailing its master. She slid inside the elevator just as the door was gliding shut.
He regarded her suspiciously. “You'registered already?”
“Since you—uh—requested a suite, I thought I'd sleep on the couch.”
“You thought wrong.”
“I promise that you won't even notice I'm there.”
“Get your own room, Miz Gracie.” He spoke softly, but the veiled threat in his eyes discomposed her.
“You know I can't do that. The minute I leave you alone, you'll drive off without me.”
“You don't know that for a fact.” The doors slid open and he stepped out into the carpeted hallway.
She hurried after him. “I won't bother you.”
He looked at the door numbers. “Gracie, pardon me for saying this, but you're getting to be a real pain in the butt.”
“I know that, and I apologize.”
A smile flickered across his face and disappeared as he stopped in front of the door at the end of the hallway and slid the magnetic key into the lock. It blinked green, and he pushed on the handle. Before he stepped inside, he leaned down and brushed a swift kiss over her lips. “It's been nice knowing you.”
Dazed, she watched the door shut in her face. Her lips tingled. She pressed her fingertips to them, wishing she could seal his kiss there forever.
The seconds ticked by. Her pleasure in the kiss faded, and her shoulders slumped. He was going to drive off. Tonight, tomorrow morning—She had no idea when, but she knew he intended to leave without her, just as she knew she couldn't let that happen.
Exhausted, she rested her suitcase on the carpet, sat
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