Read Online Lone Star Burn: Taken by Surprise (Kindle Worlds Novella) by Desiree Holt - Free Book Online Page A

you.”
    He wanted to say not only didn’t he expect her to but also he didn’t want her to. But he’d said enough already. He drove away from her house with the windows rolled down, hoping the cool night air would clear his head. But he was sure it would take a whole lot more than that to get it screwed back on straight. He knew the answer to his problem.
    Jessie!
    Plain and simple, Jessie Coford. He wasn’t sure at this moment which was stronger, his anger or his need for her. Because, even at the height of his pain and resentment, the need had never abated. Damn.
    Never in this world had he ever expected her to show up in Fort Mavis. He wasn’t even sure how she knew it existed. He hadn’t wanted to ask questions, but listening to the chatter at the office, he’d heard a great-aunt had left it to her. She had never mentioned any relatives to him, so he had no idea where this great-aunt had come from. And wasn’t it just his damn fucking luck that the woman was from Fort Mavis.
    And Jessie was apparently planning to stay, from what he’d heard. He didn’t want to pull up stakes and relocate again. but how could he find a way to live with this? His pride had been hurt as much as his heart.
    As if his car was on automatic pilot, he found himself cruising slowly down her street. Her house was in the middle of the block, with a nice front porch shaded by two huge ancient trees. Did she know how many nights he’d cruised by here, wondering if he’d catch a glimpse of her? Stupid, stupid, stupid. He was worse than a teenager.
    He wanted to gloat that, instead of the fancy-dancy place she’d expected in Houston, she was here in this little Texas town, running a diner. He imagined she saw this as quite a comedown. Yet, everyone who mentioned her spoke highly of her. In three short weeks, she’d managed to worm her way into the hearts of the town.
    Just like she did mine.
    He supposed he was being a real ass and should figure out how to get past this. He was an adult, right? But it sure would be a lot easier if he wasn’t still in love with her.
    At the end of her block, he turned and decided to make one last pass by her house. Then he’d go home and take a very cold shower. But as he approached her house, he saw a light had come on in one of the windows. He could see Jessie standing there, looking outside. Watching. No doubt seeing him. For one insane moment, he thought about stopping. Then, before he could give in to a stupid impulse, he sped up and drove away. He still had a lot of figuring out to do.
     
    *****
     
    “Now everyone knows what to do, right?” Jessie asked, standing in the kitchen of the diner.
    “Yes, Mom,” Alton teased. “We’ll be good boys and girls until you get back.”
    “And then we’ll be bad.” Rona laughed.
    “I know, I know.” She brushed a stand of hair away from her face. “You all were doing this just fine before I got here. I’m sorry. It’s just my obsessive nature.”
    “It’s okay,” Alton said. “We’re getting used to it.”
    He shocked the hell out of her by giving her a hug. Then, as if realizing what he’d done, he turned back to the grill.
    “You call us when you get there,” Rona ordered, “so we know you arrived safe and sound. And let us know when you start back.”
    “Yeah,” Alton added. “Because we’d hate to lose our new boss just when we’re breaking her in. Never know who we might get next.”
    “I’m bringing back all my recipes,” she warned.
    “Oh, you want a cooking contest? Bring it on, girl.”
    Jessie laughed. Every day she felt more and more at home here. She filled her thermos with Rona’s excellent coffee, gave each of them a last hug, and climbed into her SUV. One last stop for gas and she was on her way. She wished she felt more rested, but last night she’d tossed and turned, good sleep eluding her.
    She’d spotted Jack driving by her house, something she’d discovered he did almost every night. Of course, she