by Lori Leger
Aubrey’s gaze travelled from Tex, to Niki, and then on to Bo who sat quietly next to his date. “Is there something going on here that I need to know about?”
Tex answered with a flat out “No.”
Niki threw back the last of her drink and placed the empty glass on the tray before picking up the fresh one. “Absolutely not.” She tossed the narrow straw onto the tray and took a sip. “Unless you enjoy a good story.”
Tex turned to Aubrey and grinned, shrugging one shoulder. “It’s all right by me. I’ve got nothing to hide.”
To his absolute delight, Aubrey gave him a brilliant smile before shaking her head at Niki. “The only thing I’m interested in tonight is having a little fun. So, how about it, cowboy? I was told you had some moves on the dance floor.” She nodded toward the band. “That sounds like a Texas two-step to me.”
He shoved his chair back, all too willing to get out of the current situation. He held his hand out to her in what he hoped she’d see as a gallant gesture. “I’d be proud if you’d do me the honor.”
“Gladly.” She accepted his hand and rose, letting him lead her to the throng of dancers. Within seconds, the two of them were spinning and dancing in a counter clockwise circle around the dance floor, at too quick a pace to carry on a proper conversation. When that song ended and switched to a country ballad, he pulled her close to continue their dance, as well as the conversation.
“You’re an exceptionally good dancer, especially if you can manage to keep my big old size fourteens from crushing those pretty little feet of yours.” He grinned as she threw her head back, laughing.
“I wear a size 10 shoe, Tex. That only qualifies as a little foot for a dinosaur—a woman, not so much.”
He glanced down at a pair of russet colored, leather boots, nicely embellished with buckles and at least a three-inch heel. “They look fine to me.” And he meant that, too. There was something he found so sexy about a tall woman with enough self-confidence to wear heels. “You’re what, a couple inches shy of 6’, so you’d look kind of strange balancing on a pair of size 5’s.”
“With these DD’s?”
Tex grunted as she indicated her considerably prominent breasts, another turn-on for a man of his particular tastes.
“I’m so top heavy I’d never be able to stand up straight, much less walk without toppling over. I’d be planting these puppies in the dirt every time I turned around.”
He laughed as she shook her head, her beautiful smile revealing an unabashed sincerity he was beginning to find more and more refreshing.
“My big feet come with the territory,” she said, wincing. “Out of four siblings, I’m the shortest one in my family. My dad and three older brothers are all between 6’5” and 6’7”, and they still call me munchkin, believe it or not.”
“What about your mother?” A shadow passed over her eyes, making him regret the question.
“She was about 5’8” when she passed away a couple of years ago.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Aubrey. If you don’t mind me asking, did the red hair come from her or your father?”
“My mom, definitely. She was a Murphy, and it’s one of the most common surnames in Ireland. Although it’s ridiculous to think all Irish are freckled and redheads, she definitely fit that particular stereotype.” Aubrey lifted a lock of her hair and let it fall. “Lucky me, huh? All this red hair and the fair skin tone to go along with it. If I spend more than thirty minutes in the sun without heavy duty UV ray protection, there isn’t much difference between my skin color and boiled crawfish.”
“I never had that problem. I mean, my hair is blond, but I always tan extremely easy. Is it the same for all redheads?”
“I can’t speak for all of them out there, but for me and my mom it definitely was. She developed melanoma, a spot on the back of her arm she’d neglected.” Aubrey lifted one shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “A year later she was gone.”
“I’m sorry to hear that.” He lowered his face to catch her gaze. “I’m hoping you use the necessary protection when you do go in the sun. I’m sure you know the drill: hats, sunblock with a high SPF, and reapply often…”
She gave him another beautiful smile. “Most certainly, and in conjunction with yearly trips to my dermatologist so he can keep an eye on any suspicious looking spots. You know your preventative measures, Tex.”
“My little sister, Haley, also has fair skin, so our mom stays on her butt about it.”
“And how about Marines stationed in Afghanistan for ten or twenty years? Were you in the mountainous area or the desert region?”
“The desert region most of that time, and sure, I stay on her butt too. I wear hats when I work outside, but I’m afraid my skin is beyond help. It’s damn near turned to leather.”
She surprised him then, by lifting her hand to his face. “Not at all, Tex. It looks good, despite what you and the U.S. Marines have put it through.”
He tipped his hat at her. “Why thank you, ma’am.”
She shook her head, her low chuckle carrying to him. “I probably shouldn’t point this out, but I bet you have women falling all over themselves to get at you. Six and a half feet of solid muscle with blond hair, blue eyes, and those dimples for crying out loud—which totally stacks the deck against all women kind—and dripping with southern boy charm.”
“Ah, but the question of the hour is does it have you falling all over yourself?”
“Nah, I’m immune to stuff like this. I’m here because my boss’s wife wouldn’t take no for an answer. I think Annie was afraid I’d sit at home and cry myself to sleep.”
Tex narrowed his gaze on his dance partner. “Maybe I’m being a little presumptuous, but you don’t seem the type to cry over spilled milk.”
Her eyes widened as one brow arched in amusement. “What makes you think that?”
“You seem too confident. It shows in the way you carry yourself.”
“I’ve had my moments, but my ex has pulled far too much crap for either of us not to suspect this was coming.” Her brow wrinkled in concentration. “We had no business getting married as quickly as we did. You can’t possibly learn what you need to know about a person to marry them in three months. I must have been suffering from a hellacious case of temporary insanity.”
Tex pressed a gentle squeeze to her hand. “I’ve been there, that’s for damn sure. I think it runs in my family, along with the propensity for being a perpetual smart-ass.”
Aubrey gave him a somewhat lady-like snort. “Your condition may be perpetual, but not nearly as devastating as my severe lack of judgment. Mine caused me to fall into a financial hole I’m still trying to claw my way out of. That SOB racked up my credit card, and then emptied our savings account before running off with his ‘soul-mate’. The idiot said I should be grateful, because he gave me the house. Of course, it came with an eleven hundred buck monthly mortgage, which I could only have paid if I never ate again and cut off all the utilities.”
“Equity?”
“Next to zero, but no matter; I should be grateful. Oy, what a guy, huh?”
“What a jackass. No wonder you aren’t crying. The milk in that carton probably soured ages ago. I hope you got some of that savings back.”
Aubrey chuckled low in her throat, a sexy sound that soothed his Niki-bruised ego.
“Some—what he hadn’t already blown in Acapulco with the hussy of the month. I used it to pay off my credit card debt.” Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “And then there’s the nifty little alimony payment to help cover that mortgage.” She gave him a wink. “Men too stupid to cover their tracks shouldn’t commit adultery.”
“Ah, revenge is a dish best served cold.”
“Yep, and it didn’t hurt that my boss is a damn good lawyer.”
“So, you’re able to manage, financially, I mean?” He grinned at her nod. “Good for you. Sounds like you’re on the road to recovery.”
“It’s not paved in gold, but at least it’s pav
ed and the potholes are minimal.” She looked past him and jutted her chin forward. “What’s up with you and blondie—Niki, is it? I’m assuming you two have a history.”
He cleared his throat and tugged at his collar. Her burst of laughter had him sending her a sheepish grin. “Is it that obvious?”
“Oh yeah. Whatever you did, you did it good—or bad—whichever the case may be. She’s still irate with you.”
Tex stole a look in Niki and Bo’s direction. “Ya think?”
“Uh huh—so what’d you do, big man? Stand her up? Dump her because she got too ‘clingy’? What was it?”
“Well, we never actually had a date. I mean I did see her a couple of times, but it was nothing planned.” He gave her a non-committal shrug. “And instead of driving down from Beaumont the next weekend like I told her I might do, I kinda didn’t. And she kinda got wind of the reason I didn’t and, well, it kinda blew up in my face.”
Aubrey’s gaze lingered on him long enough for an acute discomfort to set in, a quirk playing at the edges of her mouth.
“She may, uh—assume you’re an exotic dancer.”
Aubrey’s brow furrowed. “Exotic dancer? Are we talking strip clubs and poles and things like that?” She burst into laughter as Tex answered with a smug grin. “Oh my Lord, would she be so way off base with that assumption. I don’t have nearly the core strength or muscular control it takes to be a pole dancer.”
“See, that’s what I said.” Tex shook his head at her bemused expression. “Not that you don’t, but that pole dancers possess that kind of strength. Once I had the opportunity to check that out, I couldn’t pass it up. You understand that, right?”
She nodded, trying to smother her laughter. “I know this is the part where I should at least try to look affronted and say all guys are pigs. The truth is if I was a guy, I’d probably have to check it out, too, even if only to prove the theory wrong.”
Tex grinned big and bold. “I might be erring on the side of TMI here, but that theory is right on the money.”
Her eyes lit up. “Awesome. I know someone who teaches the classes here in Lake Coburn. It’s mechanics, you know? How to use leverage, three points of your body touching the pole at all times, stuff like that. I may have to look into it. I heard it’s a great way to get into shape, and loads of fun, too.”
He stood back for a moment to cast an appraising look at her curvaceous-ness and shook his head. “It may be a good way for you to stay in shape, but take it from a man who appreciates a woman with curves. You are fine as you are, honey.”
Her grin spread from ear to ear. “Keep talking, Tex. You are so good for my seriously damaged self-esteem. It’s a real shame it won’t get you into these pants.”
His guffaw carried over the music. “Fair enough, but I don’t need to get into your pants to know that I like you, Aubrey. How about we both agree to have fun for now?”
Her eyes narrowed suspiciously. “I don’t have a problem with that, as long as your idea of ‘fun’ isn’t a hand full of meaningless sex-capades. I’m not that type of girl, you know.”
“I never thought you were, and I would love to see you again. As for sex, I’d be a fool to turn it down if you offered, but that call is totally up to you. I’d still like to see you, with or without it.” Her brilliant smile was proof enough that he’d found the right words.
“Oh, yeah. So extremely good for my self-esteem.” She cast a glance towards the end of their table where Niki and Bo sat, deep in conversation. “But even so, I may have some fun with this if it’s all right with you.”
Tex chuckled and gave her a nod. “Knock your socks off, sweetheart.” He finished the dance by dipping her and giving her a friendly hug afterwards before leading her into a Cajun style jitterbug that had them both out of breath by the time it ended.
“I’ve got to rest my dogs,” she pleaded, before heading back to their table. “Ooh, that was fun.” She lowered herself daintily in the chair he pulled out for her. “I wonder if I could work some of those moves into my dance routine.”
Tex chuckled at the sly wink she passed him, quick to notice the easily perceptible stiffening of Niki’s posture. In seconds, she’d speared Tex with a needle-sharp glare then pulled Bo onto the dance floor.
“What the hell was that?” Annie LeBlanc stood over them both, staring toward Niki and Bo. “She looks as though she found a basketful of last year’s hard-boiled Easter eggs.”
Tex cleared his throat, passing his thumb and forefinger over his mustache and goatee. “I have no idea what you’re talking about.”
Annie crossed her arms over her chest and grinned. “Liar.”
Aubrey’s laughter cut through the air. “He is, but it’s only to protect my reputation. The truth is I was having a little fun at Niki’s expense. I’m sure I’ll burn in hell for it.”
“For what? Come on, dish.”
“It seems Nicole is mistaken about my occupation. Somehow, she’s got this idea that I’m an exotic dancer.”
“As in a stripper? Are we talking professional stage stripping, like burlesque?”
“I believe it’s the kind of dancing that involves a pole.” She glanced at Tex, whose face heated with a good mixture of embarrassment and amusement as both women laughed until they were wiping tears from their eyes.
“Go on—give it your best shot,” Tex insisted. “I deserve it.”
Aubrey pulled a tissue from her purse to dab at her eyes, and then gave his shoulder a comforting pat. “Oh, sweetie, I think you’ve suffered enough.”
Tex figured Nicole might be of a different opinion.
Three hours passed quickly in such good company. Determined not to hurt Aubrey’s feelings, Tex made a conscious effort to avoid any and all contact with Niki. Minutes before the New Year, everyone in the bar donned the shiny paper hats or grabbed the noisemakers they’d been given to join in the celebration. The countdown began and still, Tex tried not to glance in Nicole’s direction. As the bar patrons brought in the year with confetti, horns, and rousing cheers, Tex exchanged a brief, though robust kiss with his ‘date’ and wrapped her in his arms for a hug. His gaze fell upon Niki and Bo, caught up in a celebratory kiss. During their after-hug, Niki’s gaze collided with Tex’s. All in the name of good will, he managed to send her a smile and a slight nod. Her response was to lean back and plant another kiss soundly on Bo McAllister’s mouth.
He turned away from the display, sensing it was purely for his benefit.
No matter what Aubrey said, Tex had a slightly different opinion. As far as Nicole Reeves was concerned, he had years of suffering left to endure.
CHAPTER 9
Failed Mission, Loss of Love and Life
Ben slipped into the M-dub and dropped heavily onto a seat in front of a computer. Stifling a yawn, he signed in and connected, anxious for a visual of his girl. Within moments, he saw the face that filled his dreams—when he wasn’t too exhausted to dream. He found her, sitting on her bed, looking antsy as hell. He could tell the instant her eyes focused on him that his appearance shocked her. Her gasp accompanied a furrowed brow, lined with worry.
“Oh Jesus.” Her hand flew to her mouth for a moment, until she managed to recover. “Ben—hey. I’m sorry, but is there a food shortage or something?”
He sent her his best smile. “Aw, come on, babe. It’s not that bad. It’s not the US Marine’s fault that I find MRE’s about as appetizing as bat guano.”
“Appetizing or not, you need to eat—something—for Christ’s sake. Benjamin …”
He clamped his jaw at the telltale tremble of her chin. “I’m fine, Haley, really. I’ve been busy, that’s all. How’re your folks and Tex doing?
Oh and how’d that last race go with Dakota? Where was that, in Lafayette, I think?” He’d learned early on that the best strategy for a weepy Haley was to change the subject and keep her talking.
Never had he regretted the clean shave rule at Delhi quite as much as today. A full beard, or even
a scruffy one, would have done wonders to hide the fact that he’d dropped another couple of pounds since their previous Skype session. He released his breath in relief as she began to answer his questions, knowing she did so for him.
“Mom and dad are fine, and so is Tex. They say hello, by the way. Tex is dating a paralegal or legal secretary now—something like that.”
“He’s not with Meagan’s roommate anymore?”
“No, he blew it with Niki.”
“I thought you said they were perfect for each other?”
“They were, but I somehow underestimated my brother’s propensity for making bad decisions when it comes to women.”
Ben reached out, touched the monitor, wishing he could hold her for a minute, but forced himself to smile and listen to her talk about her brother’s escapades with women. Not that he cared, but the sound of her voice soothed him, as long as she wasn’t fighting back tears or lost in a full blown cry session.
Damn, he was crazy about this girl.
“Dakota and I placed first at the Lafayette event. It was worth about four hundred bucks, so that’s good.”
“That’s awesome, babe. When’s the next one?”
“There’s one up in Vernon Parish next week, but I don’t think I’ll be able to make it.” Her screen wobbled as her red terrier jumped up on her bed. “Paisley, no.”
He laughed as Haley moved her dog off to the side, fussing at it to get out of the way. “She wanted to say hi.”
Ben waved. “Hi Paisley, now get the hell off the keyboard before you cut us off.”
He crossed his arms and sat back, studying her. She’d worn her hair loose, and down around her shoulders. He knew that was for his benefit, otherwise, she’d have it pulled back in a ponytail. Boy, did he appreciate it.
He couldn’t help but smile when she caught the ends of one long, reddish brown lock and twirled it around her finger. The simple act caused his heart to ache with longing.
She stopped and sat up quickly. “What’s wrong?” she asked, somehow alert to his shift in mood.