Burning Desire

by Marie Harte

  “Makes sense.” He nodded. “Probably why you’re so good at your job now.”

  Pleasure made her smile. “I hope so.”

  “Yeah, you did a killer good job on the calendar for Pets Fur Life. And it ain’t easy to make Hernandez and Wash look good,” he teased. “Hell, you even made Reggie look human.”

  “Oh, stop.”

  He laughed. “Okay, now I’m ready for more food.”

  He polished off any leftovers she’d hoped to leave him for the next day then fed Bubbles, who only nosed at her meal, more interested in watching them. They did the dishes together, which annoyed him because he insisted the guest, who had cooked, shouldn’t be dirtying her hands with dishes.

  She really wanted to meet his mother to thank her. Tex might still be a playboy with a lot of exes, but he was courteous when it counted.

  The sun had set, the dishes sat in the drying rack, and Bree needed to figure out how to gracefully go home. Especially because she didn’t want to. Her traitorous body kept trying to figure out how to get in Tex’s way so he’d have to touch her. Or, maybe, to somehow trip and fuse mouths so she could finally get that kiss she was dying to take.

  But she wouldn’t, because that would be the surest way to screw up their working relationship. Not to mention send mixed signals, considering all she’d said and done to convince him to be “just a friend.”

  “Well, Bree, that was super.” Tex stood very close to her, drying off his hands at the sink. “I can’t thank you enough for that meal.”

  “S-sure.” She blinked up at him, thinking his eyes had never seemed brighter.

  He took a step closer, looked as if he meant to reach out and touch her, then shoved his hands in his pockets instead. “Um, well, I, uh, should probably go get changed out of my uniform. And, uh, let you go to finish up your night.” He gave a weird laugh, a shaky chuckle that turned into a cough. “I doubt you want me to take up all your Saturday.”

  “No.” I want you to kiss me. “I mean, thanks for today. And for dinner.”

  “You cooked it.”

  “You paid for it.” She couldn’t stop staring at his eyes.

  He leaned closer, his gaze fixed to her mouth.

  She felt the heat between them, the feather of his breath over her lips.

  Bubbles whined, and they both jumped back.

  Tex shoved his hands deeper in his pockets.

  She gave the dog a thankful glance and moved to her camera bag. “Oh, you have to drive me home.”

  He nodded. “Sure thing. You mind if I change real quick?”

  “Sure.”

  And he meant quick. Tex returned to her in a blink wearing a pair of sweats and a T-shirt that clung to his broad chest.

  “You must lift weights a lot. You look huge.”

  “If I say that’s what she said, are you gonna crack me one?” He bit his lip to keep from laughing.

  And that easily, the sexual tension that had been building eased into something not as hot, but something deeper and more confusing. “Okay, Romeo. Drive me home.”

  He hurried to grab his keys and wallet, then opened the door for her and Bubbles, whom he brought along on her leash.

  “She’s coming?”

  “I don’t want to leave her all alone in a strange place.”

  She watched him.

  He flushed. “What?”

  “Nothing.” God, what a nice guy. And he’d hate for me to say that.

  “I don’t trust that look.” He stomped over to the truck, scooted Bubbles in, then opened the passenger door for Bree.

  “Why, thank you, kind sir.”

  “Cut it out.” Tex’s mouth quirked. “I ain’t no sir.”

  “You mean you’re no gentleman.” Though she wasn’t so sure on that. He’d been gentle and kind as could be with Bubbles. And with her.

  “Potato, po-tah-to. Let’s get you home.”

  He dropped her off, and not content to leave her at her walkway, he left the truck to walk her up to her door. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Ten okay?”

  “Sure.” On impulse, she suggested, “I usually meet my friend Carrie for Sunday breakfast. Would you like to join us, and we could get to work after that?”

  Tex watched her, looking for what, she couldn’t guess. “Sounds good.”

  “Okay. I’ll text you the place. See you then.” When he made no move to leave, she frowned. “I’m okay. You can go now.”

  “I will, just as soon as you get inside. I’m not leaving until you’re behind a locked door.” He waited while she looked for her keys. “And before you say I’m being all protective, I do the same for Mack when I take him home.” Tex grinned. “He’s all fragile and stuff, not like you though. I’m watching out for you so the chief doesn’t chew me a new one. With Mack, it’s out of pity because the boy can’t hold his liquor.”

  She wanted to be annoyed that he wouldn’t do what she said, but he made her want to laugh. “Stop talking, and go home.” She patted his cheek, because she couldn’t help herself. To her delight, he froze. “And I’ll see you tomorrow, Roger.”

  His eyes narrowed, but he still smiled. “Sure thing, Miss Gilchrist. Ten o’clock. I’ll be there. No doubt waiting for you to be five minutes late.”

  She unlocked her door, walked through, and closed it behind her.

  A quick peek out the dormer showed Tex strolling away.

  Just as easy as you please.

  She sighed, watching those buns until he left the glow of her porchlight. Then she swore, realizing she’d have to tell Carrie who would be joining them for breakfast tomorrow.

  But watching Carrie try to get Tex to crack before he charmed her into a smile would be worth the fallout from her BFF. She just had to make sure she kept her wavering feelings for Tex in check. Let Carrie even get a hint that she was starting to feel affection in addition to any sense of lust and Carrie would give her a huge lecture Bree could do without.

  Carrie could be brutal that way.

  Nope. Not gonna happen. Because Bree didn’t feel anything but physical attraction to Tex. And maybe a small case of the likes. Yeah, very small.

  Chapter Seven

  Sunday morning, Tex spent his time in church praying he could keep his feelings for Bree in his pants. The previous night, he’d had to take himself in hand, so worked up from being near Bree, he’d been horny and miserable until he’d taken care of things. Twice.

  The church service went well, and he took a selfie of himself after it ended and sent it to his mother, who swore he’d be losing his soul in a city of sin like Seattle. But she just said that stuff to get a rise out of him, he knew. His mother had never been a holy roller. More like a hell-raiser who thought she hid her past behind Southern manners. Ha. As if his daddy would have married a nice girl.

  He grinned, feeling the love of his family as she texted back a picture of Oliver and Wyatt behind her, making faces.

  He signed off and left to meet Bree and her friend, trying to calm his nerves. But it was important that Carrie like him. If Bree’s friend liked him, Bree might be more inclined to let him into her world. As it stood now, they were associates and close to being real friends.

  Last night he could have made a move. He’d seen her response to him, had felt the mutual attraction. But he’d stuck to his guns, wanting her to make the first move. She had to like him as a person and not just the extraordinary lover he knew himself to be.

  A stroke of luck that she’d softened after seeing him with Bubbles, the poor thing, though that hadn’t been his intention. He’d just wanted her to know he wasn’t lying, and his focus had been to rescue the dog from a bad situation.

  Last night, Bubbles had followed him everywhere in the house, looking so hopeful. He’d paid her attention and tossed a ball for her that she’d expressed little interest in. So, he’
d simply let her follow him everywhere. Into the garage while he lifted weights. Sitting on the floor with him while he’d watched a movie on TV before going to bed. Then, of course, she’d snuck up on the bed, at the very edge, and just watched him with those soulful eyes until he fell asleep.

  The little darlin’ had looked so dang sad when he’d left her that morning. He had no idea how he was supposed to keep a dog, even for a few days, until Oscar and Gerty found her a home. She needed love and attention, more than he could give her. But after just a day, he started to feel attached. Not good.

  Yeah, and not just about the dog either.

  Tex knew this fixation on Bree would be a problem. He wasn’t good at relationships. Her father didn’t want her dating him. And Bree frazzled him. He had a tough time being smooth and cool in her presence, feeling more like a dippy teen wanting a shot at the prom queen.

  He ran a hand over his face, silently apologized to God and his momma for being so hung up on sex, and talked himself into being relaxed as he charmed the hell out of Bree’s best friend.

  But when he got to the restaurant Bree had texted him, he realized Carrie was going to be a huge pain in the ass. She sneered his way, not smiling, and clearly had intimidation down to a science with that stare. Like a snake that didn’t blink, was all he could think, feeling like a field mouse.

  “I still can’t believe you won that settlement. I should have been a lawyer,” Bree said to her friend as he approached their table at a popular diner in Queen Anne.

  She practiced law. He now understood the scare factor. Woman had brass balls…and a familiar face. He knew her from somewhere. Good-looking, stern, and icy. Now where had he met or seen her before?

  “Ladies.” He sat across the booth from the pair. Even seated, Carrie looked tall. “Well, how tall are you? I gotta know.”

  “I’m six-two. Want my weight and other stats?” Her husky voice surprised him, coming from a woman who seemed comfortable being aloof.

  Oh, yeah. Now he remembered her. He smiled, recalling her being competitive…and a lawyer, like his sister-in-law. He knew exactly how to handle Carrie.

  Bree looked lovely as usual, her hair resting over her shoulders, a honeyed yellow with streaks of burnished gold. Her light-blue eyes laughed at him while her full lips curled in a smile.

  Carrie raised a brow and said to Bree, “I thought you said he was charming.”

  “Oh, I am. Just after a cup of coffee goes down.” He smiled, putting his all into the expression.

  Carrie didn’t blink.

  Tex waited for Bree to introduce them. When she didn’t, he held out a hand across the Formica table. “Howdy. Carrie, is it? I’m Tex McGovern, Bree’s chauffeur for the next two weeks. Nice to meet you.”

  Carrie met his handshake with a firm grip. “You too.” Her sly smile warned him to be wary. “I’ve heard so much about you. It’s good to put a face to the name.”

  “Heard what about me, exactly?” he aimed at Bree.

  Carrie answered, “Well, first there was the ex-girlfriend. Then ghosting Bree when she gave you a second chance. And of course, your legendary charm, which has been clearly shown to be less than successful.” She glanced at Bree. “Or not, since you did wrangle an invitation to brunch.”

  “But is it brunch? It’s only ten in the morning, so technically this is breakfast.”

  Her eyes narrowed, and he could see her scenting the opening of an argument. Hell, she really did remind him of Liam’s wife, an assistant DA back home. Nothing made that woman happier than to argue.

  Carrie had been cut from the same cloth.

  A waitress came by to fill his cup. He’d barely taken a sip of coffee before Carrie insisted it was brunch and proceeded to list several reasons as to why she was right.

  “Well, I’ll tell you something else,” Tex said once she’d wound down. “It’s not brunch in Germany right now, is it?” She frowned at him. “But hell, it’s after five somewhere, right? So, keep on drinking your cocktail. Who am I to judge?”

  “Cocktail? You mean my mimosa.”

  Bree glanced at her glass. “Second mimosa.”

  “That’s obvious, isn’t it?” Carrie handed her empty glass to their approaching waiter.

  He left after taking Tex’s order and confirming the usual for the ladies.

  Bree’s eyes widened. “Are you really going to eat an omelet, three pancakes, and two sides of meat?”

  “I’m a growing boy, Bree. I need my protein.” He looked over the ladies. “You two look like you’re in shape. What are you getting?”

  “Our standard order,” Carrie said. “Bree gets French toast, and I get the classic benny.”

  “Good choice for you. But Bree… French toast?”

  Carrie turned on her. “See? Too much sugar.”

  “Hey. Be on my side.” Bree frowned.

  “Now hold on.” Tex held up a hand. “I was just going to say that you should have ordered the chocolate chip pancakes if you want sweet. French toast is pretentious.”

  The ladies blinked.

  “That’s a pretty big word, Tex.” Carrie snorted.

  He sighed. “Let’s not with the stereotypes, Miss Legal Eagle.”

  “Say what you want, I solve problems and put out fires.”

  “I put out actual fires,” he reminded her.

  “Oh, right.” She waved him away. “That’s important, I guess.”

  Tex met Bree’s amused gaze and winked.

  Carrie raised a brow. “But have you ever made a grown man cry?”

  “Yep.”

  “I, oh.” Carrie frowned. “When?”

  “I don’t suppose we could talk about something nice?” Bree suggested. “The weather’s amazing, isn’t it?”

  Tex leaned forward. “I’ll tell you when. When I bet my friend the Ducks would overtake the Beavers in a long-ago basketball game. Ha. 72–57 win for me. Beavers bit it big time, and I made a hundred bucks.”

  Carrie glared. “That had to have been a lucky win.”

  “But was it really?”

  Bree frowned. “You like Oregon basketball?”

  Tex shrugged. “It’s okay. I just wanted to get her goat, is all.” To Carrie he said, “You played center for OSU ten years ago, right? I was a sophomore dating a girl who went to Oregon State, and I visited for a bit. I swear I saw you play.”

  Carrie blinked. “You saw me play basketball?”

  “I never forget a pretty woman, especially one who can dunk.” Tex chuckled. “Sexiest thing I ever seen.” He glanced at Bree. “I mean, back then it was. Not now or anything.”

  Bree was flabbergasted. “You really saw her play?”

  She looked at Carrie, who seemed nonplussed.

  “Yep. I don’t think you can forget a six-two woman who dunks through her opponents. It was poetry. Absolutely amazing. You guys lost, but not on account of your playing. And, like I said, I won a hundred bucks off that game, so thanks.”

  “Are you seriously saying you saw me play, and you remember me today?”

  Tex nodded. “Carrie, I never forget a face. It’s a gift.”

  “Wow. That’s some gift.” She seemed intrigued, and that chip on her shoulder seemed to slide, slowly, to the wayside. “Do you play basketball? Or I should say, did you play?”

  “Some when I was in high school. A little in college for fun, but I left my studies to enlist in the Corps. Sometimes the guys and I play a little ball. But I lean toward soccer or football as favorite sports. Now watching college and professional basketball, on the other hand, is something I love to do.”

  “Yeah?” Carrie’s eyes glowed. “Who’s your favorite team?”

  ***

  Bree watched and wondered what had happened. Carrie had sworn she was going to grill him, to make Tex realize how ridiculous it would b
e to think he might have a chance with Bree. Even though Bree wasn’t at all interested… Carrie hadn’t seemed as if she believed Bree on that score, but Bree would rather have Carrie focused on Tex—the enemy—than her, so she hadn’t protested overmuch.

  But to see Carrie so animated, talking about basketball with a man who’d complimented her play… Wow. Tex was good.

  They ate while talking about sports, including Bree in on what she liked to watch, which oddly enough was soccer, but mostly for the women’s skill and the men’s lovely bodies, until Tex excused himself to use the restroom.

  The moment he was out of sight, Bree poked Carrie in the arm. “What the hell?”

  “Ow. Sorry.” Carrie rubbed her arm. “God, he’s good. I mean, really good. He charmed me, and I was on my guard! Bree, you didn’t tell me about the dog.”

  Tex had mentioned Bubbles in between references to the Trailblazers and greatly missed Supersonics.

  “I know. But you like animals, and I didn’t want you softening toward him. Weakling.”

  “Yeah. I don’t know how you’re holding out. The first two times with you two were legit misses. But rescuing an older dog? Liking basketball? Looking like a stunt double from Magic Mike?” Carrie grinned. “And Bree, he likes my dunk. I have to say, I like him.”

  “You disgust me.”

  Carrie sighed. “I know. I disgust myself. And I’m not even into guys. But I like him.”

  Bree gaped. “Seriously?”

  Carrie frowned. “What? Oh, gross. No, not like that. I mean, I think he’s a lot better than his first impression. That or he’s really good at bullshitting. Tex seems genuine. Nice.”

  “Too nice.” Bree looked back at the restroom. “We had dinner together last night, after he saved Bubbles.”