Heaven, Texas (Chicago Stars #2)(19)

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 down, and propped her back against the door. She would just have to spend the night here. Bending her knees, she folded her arms and rested her cheek on top. If only he’d given her a real kiss…Her eyes drifted shut.

With a soft exclamation, she fell backward as the door opened behind her. Scrambling to her feet, she turned to face Bobby Tom. Since he didn’t seem particularly surprised to see her, she suspected he had been spying through the peephole, waiting for her to walk away.

“What do you think you’re doing?” he asked with exaggerated patience.

“I’m trying to sleep.”

“You are not spending the night outside my door.”

“If anybody sees me, they’ll just think I’m one of your groupies.”

“They’ll think you’re a crazy person is what they’ll think!”

For someone who was so amiable with everyone else, he had certainly gotten prickly with her. She knew she sometimes did that to people.

“If you give me your word of honor that you won’t drive off without me tomorrow, I’ll get my own room.”

“Gracie, I don’t even know what I’ll be doing an hour from now, let alone tomorrow.”

“Then I’m afraid I’ll have to stay here.”

He rubbed his chin with his thumb, a gesture that she’d already figured out meant he had made up his mind about something but wanted it to look as if he were still mulling things over.

“Tell you what. It’s too early to turn in. You can keep me entertained until bedtime.”

Even as she nodded her agreement, she wondered what constituted entertainment in his mind.

He set her suitcase inside the suite and shut the door. As she entered the suite, she took in the spacious living room, which was decorated in peach and green. “This is beautiful.”