by Leanne Banks
She glanced at her watch. “About three hours. You?”
Troy blinked. “I don’t know. I had some peanuts a few minutes ago.”
She smothered a smile and nodded.
“You still look a little tired around your eyes. Are you sure you got enough rest today?”
Sin stifled a groan and leaned closer to him. She should have known Troy Pendleton’s protectiveness instinct would go ballistic once he learned her secret. “You’re hovering,” she said, and walked toward the kitchen.
Troy followed her. “I’m not hovering.”
“Oh?”
“Just asking a few questions.”
“Uh-huh.” She stopped at her office door. “Well, I answered them. Are you happy now?”
Troy sighed. “You know, Sin, you have a big problem with people being concerned about you.”
His statement jabbed at her. Her dietician had once said something similar. “Ever thought it might be your problem? That you might be a little too protective?”
“No.”
Damn his self-assurance, she thought. “Well, if you’ll excuse me, Troy, it’s time for my insulin. Despite the fact that you don’t think I can take care of myself, I’m managing quite nicely. And before you ask, I’ll be eating a sandwich and some fresh vegetables in about thirty minutes. Would you also like to know how many squares of toilet paper I use when I go to the bathroom?”
He looked down his nose at her. “You got a smart mouth, Sin.”
She stretched her mouth in a suggestive smile. “After last night, you certainly oughta know.”
A couple of hours later, Senada closed up the bar. Troy followed her home, left his nagging protectiveness at the door, and made the stars fall again.
Senada technically didn’t invite Troy to stay with her every night after that, but he did sleep with her, and he did stay with her. Every morning when she went to take her insulin, he asked if he could watch. And every time, she said no.
“I’m gonna go get some groceries for Maria and the kids,” Troy told her a few days later.
Senada shook back her damp hair and looked at him. “Let me go with you.”
He shrugged, fighting the secret delight he felt just being with her. “Okay.”
They went to the grocery store and argued.
“Marshmallow Crunchies,” Troy said. “You can’t expect kids to eat that other stuff. Tastes like bark.”
“You’re not the one who’ll have to deal with the sugar fit they’ll have once they eat it.”
“Okay. Compromise.” Troy took the box of cereal from her hand and tossed it into the cart. “One box of bark. One box of Marshmallow Crunchies,” he said with a grin, and tossed his box into the cart too. “Wonder which box will still be here at Christmas.”
They rounded the corner and Troy brightened. “Cookies!”
Senada groaned.
They negotiated down from four varieties to two, then tackled meat, produce and dairy products. Troy counted it a major victory that he managed to get the Fudgsicles past her. He accomplished that by finding some sugar-free Fudgsicles made by the same company and buying them for Senada.
“We bought way too much,” she said as they stopped in front of Maria’s house.
“Negotiations can be expensive.” He got out of his car and grabbed four of the six bags.
“If you hadn’t been such a nag about nutritious stuff—”
“You would have ended up with three bags of Twinkies,” she retorted, picking up the other two bags and following him to the door.
“Nag, nag, nag,” he said, and bussed her with a quick kiss. He grinned at her stunned expression. “I never knew grocery shopping could be such fun.”
Her eyes softened slightly. “Me neither.”
She could have knocked him over with her little finger. He almost asked her to repeat herself, but Maria came to the door.
“Troy!” Maria’s face lit with pleasure. “What have you done?”
“Senada and I picked up a few things for you at the grocery store. Can we come in?”
Sin saw just a tinge of disappointment come and go in Maria’s eyes when the young mother turned to her. “Senada, how kind. Gracias. Please do come in. The children will be delighted to see you.”
The children barely gave Troy time to put down the groceries before they climbed on him.
Senada helped Maria put the groceries away.
“The kids love him,” Maria said, nodding in Troy’s direction. “They haven’t really had a man around in years. Especially such a good man.”
Senada watched Troy get down on the floor with Rocky and Angel. “Sometimes, I think he’s a boy, just bigger.”
Maria shook her head. “Oh, no. Troy’s all man.”
Senada did a double take. Did Maria have a little crush on Troy, or was it a case of hero worship because he’d given her family a place to live? “Did you know he has six brothers?”
Maria’s eyes rounded. “Six! And do they look like—”
Sin nodded. “All over six feet tall, dark hair, violet eyes and killer bodies.” She laughed at the look of dismay on Maria’s face. “Yeah, I know. If they weren’t such good guys, it would have been enough to make all the daddies in Tennessee lock up their daughters when they saw the Pendleton boys coming.”
“They’re all good?” Maria sounded doubtful.
“For the most part,” Senada conceded. “If you put aside their chauvinistic overprotectiveness and domineering attitude.”
“Ohhhh,” Maria purred. “I think I could. Troy is the kind of man I wished I’d met when I was younger. Before I got involved with Rocky’s father.” She gave a sad forced smile. “How different I was then. Surely I couldn’t have ever been that young, that carefree.”
Concern washed over Senada. “How is your job at the hotel going?”
“It’s okay. I’ve got enough money saved up for two months’ rent. Mrs. Rodriguez takes care of the children and doesn’t charge me. So generous, I don’t know what to say.” She shrugged. “In another month, Rocky will go to school and Angel will start kindergarten. As long as no one gets sick, we might have a shot at staying here.” She smiled again, this time more sincerely. “All thanks to Troy.”
Senada nodded and looked at the man responsible for her state of emotional upheaval and for Maria’s good fortune. He was one of the good guys.
A little later, they left and made sure Senada’s new Fudgsicles made it into the freezer. Sin was thinking about what Maria had said.
Troy fiddled with a lock of her hair. “You’re quiet.”
“Have you noticed that Maria has a crush on you?”
He looked taken aback. “No, she doesn’t.”
“Yes, she does.”
He moved his shoulders as if relieving a muscle cramp. “She told you that?”
Sin laughed. “No, but—”
He shook his head. “There you go. You’re jumping to conclusions.”
“The woman couldn’t keep her eyes off you. She practically drooled on the counter.”
When he sighed, she continued. “You’re a man. That’s why you didn’t notice. Men don’t really notice when a woman is interested unless they’re interested too.”
He sifted his hand past her hair to the nape of her neck. “Then how do you explain us?”
“I wouldn’t even attempt it.”
“Aw, c’mon. Give it a try,” he coaxed, pulling her closer.
She felt the tug toward him inside her as much as she did on the outside. Sighing, she wondered what she would eventually do about it. “I really don’t know. It’s very strange.”
He nibbled at her lips. “Strange?”
“Yeah. Strange.” She closed her eyes and rubbed her mouth from side to side over his. “You’re a good man, Troy. Why don’t you go back to Tennessee and get yourself a good girl?”
Troy chuckled low and deep and pulled her against him. “I don’t want a good girl, Sin. I want you.”
A couple of nights later,
they lay in bed. Troy had spent an excruciating amount of time kissing her and undressing her. She tried to pull him closer, but he evaded her.
She sighed in frustration and pleasure. “You are an incredible tease,” she said.
“Nah, I just don’t like to rush. Too many nice places to stop on the way.” He lowered his mouth to her breast and swirled his tongue around and around her nipple.
Budding under his lavish attention, Senada couldn’t decide whether to close her eyes or look away. As if he had all the time in the world, he switched his mouth to her other breast and suckled gently. She threaded her fingers through his hair. “Oh, Troy.”
He gently twisted one beaded tip as he continued to mouth the other. “You’ve got such responsive breasts, Sin. I could do this for hours.”
Achy arousal stirred inside her. “You do it for hours, and I’ll die,” she muttered.
He chuckled. “Relax. I’ll take care of you.”
“You’re full of it, Pendleton. You don’t want me relaxed. You want me totally crazy. And you do your best to get me there.”
“If you weren’t so sexy, this wouldn’t be half as fun.”
“Flattery will get you—” She broke off when he gently bit her, sending her nerve endings into a frenzy.
“I have a question for you,” he said, continuing his caresses.
“Ask,” she said. Then please be quiet and make love to me.
His hand drifted down between her thighs. “Have you thought about getting together with your father again?”
She swallowed, and his fingers slid into the wet secrets of her femininity. “No.”
He pulled his hand back slightly. “No?”
She stifled a groan. “No about my father.”
“Oh.” He touched her intimately again. “Why not?”
“I don’t know.” Of its own accord, her body arched toward his. She licked her lips. “It was such a disaster.”
“Wasn’t really well-planned,” he said, kissing her lips. “Neutral territory might help too.”
“Maybe,” she murmured, feeling her mind and body separate. She wasn’t paying as much attention to what he was saying as she was to his voice and his hands.
“Would you meet with him again?”
“I don’t know. I—” He slipped one of his fingers inside her, and her arousal jumped up the scale.
“So you’re not totally against the idea,” he continued in a smooth, sensual voice.
“I—uh—” She tugged his head closer and tried to show him the depth of her desire with a long, wicked French kiss.
His quick, short breaths matched hers. He shook his head. “Right?”
Senada knew the time was right for them to make love, felt it. “Right,” she agreed.
“Good,” he said, and took her mouth again. Minutes later, she called out his name as he took her body, and she took his.
“This is very nice,” Senada said to Troy as the maître d’ seated them at a table with a crisp white tablecloth, sterling silver and crystal.
He tugged at his collar, drawing her attention to his tie. The last time she’d seen him wear a real tie was at Lisa and Brick’s wedding. “I’m glad you like it. Would you like some wine?” He hesitated. “Can you have wine?”
“A little every now and then. Yes, I believe I’d like some wine tonight.” She took a deep breath and caught the scents of fresh-cut flowers and lighted candle on the tabletop along with Continental cuisine.
She glanced at Troy and found his slight uneasiness endearing. “When you said you wanted to take me out for dinner, I didn’t expect this.”
He gave a wry grin. “The taco grill?”
“Well, perhaps,” she admitted, matching his grin with one of her own. “Or the new barbecue place.”
“You like it,” he said, more clarification than question.
“Yes. You surprised me.”
His grin faded. “More to come,” he muttered, and the waiter arrived at the table for their beverage order.
More to come. Senada felt a dart of apprehension. She wondered what he meant by that little comment. Why would Troy bring her to an exquisite restaurant thirty miles from town? What was with the suit and tie and slightly nervous manner?
More to come.
If she were a different woman, she might read something into this situation.
The waiter served the wine. Troy lifted his glass and cleared his throat. “I guess now’s a good time to tell you why I brought you here.”
Chapter Ten
A lump formed in Senada’s throat. He wasn’t really going to ask her to ma— She couldn’t even think it. “I know the reason. You brought me because the food is supposed to be wonderful.”
Troy shook his head. “No, it’s more important than food. It’s—”
“Atmosphere and service,” she interjected nervously. Her heart was pounding. She couldn’t let him say this. She didn’t know why, but it would ruin everything.
His eyebrows drew together as he viewed her quizzically. “No. This is one of those life-changing—” He broke off and swore. “He’s here early. I wanted to prepare you.”
“Prepare me?” she asked, perplexed.
Troy swore again. “Your father’s coming.”
Senada gaped at him. “My father?”
“Yeah.” He lowered his voice. “And your, uh, stepmother.”
Her stomach felt like lead. She didn’t know whether to cry in relief or disappointment. She shook her head. “I—”
“Heads up,” he said. “They’re right behind you.” Troy stood and extended his hand.
“How are you, Rex? And Sheree?”
Senada turned her head and felt the room go out of focus. “Daddy,” she murmured, then quickly corrected herself and nodded. “Rex. Sheree.” She gave Troy a quick glare of displeasure. “What a surprise.”
“Surprise?” Rex bellowed. “Pendleton here told me you wanted to see me.”
“Of course she does,” Troy interjected. “She’s just as excited about getting together with you as you were when I called.”
Sheree gave a little wince. “How nice. Good evening. Shall we all sit down?”
“Sure, honey,” Rex said, helping his wife into a seat. “Did I hear something about you being a farmer from Tennessee?” he asked Troy. “Have you thought about expanding with livestock?”
Senada shut off her listening device and looked over her new stepmother. Troy and Rex went on and on with ranch talk while Senada studied the woman who’d finally captured Rex.
“You gonna tell me, or am I gonna have to wait forever?” Rex asked her. “Are you ignoring me, Missy, or do you have fuzz in your ears?”
Senada glanced up at him and gave a little shake of her head. “Pardon me, I was just wondering if I’m older than Sheree or not.”
Dead silence followed.
Out of the corner of her eye, Senada caught Troy’s sigh.
Her father glowered at her. “Now see here, young lady, you—”
Sheree cleared her throat and put her hand over Rex’s. “I’m thirty-three.”
Senada nodded. “Oh. Not quite twenty years younger than Dad.”
Troy groaned. “I need some air,” he said, standing. He dragged Senada to her feet. “She does too. Excuse us.”
She frowned at him. “I don’t want—”
“Yes,” he insisted. “You do.”
With a firm hand, he led her to the patio in the back of the restaurant. As soon as they walked through the archway, he turned toward her. “Why are you being such a witch?”
Sin looked at him in surprise. “I haven’t said hardly anything.”
Troy shoved his hands in his pockets and shot her a look of disbelief. “You’re making digs about the difference between Sheree’s and your father’s ages.”
“I thought it was a valid question,” she said innocently. “Especially if I’m supposed to call her Mom.”
Troy looked up at the ceiling as if he were searching for
help. “Oh, Lord.”
Sin stepped directly in front of him. “I think I’ve been extremely reasonable. I didn’t tell my father he is still the most insensitive person ever to walk the earth. I didn’t ask if he’d knocked up his pretty young wife before the wedding. And I didn’t tell you to go to hell for pulling this rotten trick on me.”
Troy took a deep breath, and Sin could practically feel him count to ten. “Listen,” he said through gritted teeth. “This may be difficult for you to comprehend, since you’re so determined to be Ms. Independence until the day you die. But meeting your father tonight and attempting to be nice is for your own good. You don’t have any other relatives, Sin. Don’t you think you should make a little effort with the one you have?”
She resented his interference. It was presumptuous for him to assume he knew what was best for her. Presumptuous, controlling, domineering. She looked at him darkly, thinking she could just walk out and leave him holding the bag. The bag being her father. Troy almost deserved the punishment of her father’s company for the next two hours without her to take the heat. Almost. Despite her irritation with him, she suspected he was right. God, how she hated that.
“Quit pouting,” he told her.
“I’m not pouting.”
“Your bottom lip could catch a baseball.”
She sucked in an indignant breath. “You and my father have something in common.”
“What’s that?” he asked in a wary tone.
“You both need to go to charm school,” she told him, and turned away from him.
“Oh, yeah.” He snagged her hand and pulled her back around. “Well, it seems to me you’ve been a little charm-free yourself tonight.” He gave her a quick kiss on the lips. “C’mon, Sin, give the guy a chance.”
She stared into his eyes. She really liked his honest violet eyes. “Okay. Let’s go, but we might want to make dessert to go.”
They placed their orders, and Troy was relieved to watch Sin adopt a more gracious attitude. “The ranch looks great,” she said to Rex. “You’ve expanded.”
“Every year,” he said with a nod. “I’m trying to buy some neighboring property right now.”
“Bet your horses are terrific.”