Heaven, Texas (Chicago Stars #2)(75)

Buddy cleaned out the last of the potato chips. “Luther says Michael Jordan’s playing in the celebrity golf tournament for sure.”

Bobby Tom got a vague look in his eyes that made Gracie suspect he still hadn’t invited the athletes as he’d promised. Since very little slipped his attention, she knew it wasn’t an accidental oversight. She tried unsuccessfully to wiggle away from the delicious stroking on her neck.

“Not for sure,” he said. “Pretty sure.”

“If Jordan comes, that’ll bring in a lot of tourists. How many of the Cowboys did you get besides Aikman?”

“Still waiting on the final count.” Bobby Tom withdrew his hand from the back of her neck and slipped his hat on. As he rose to his feet, he pulled her up with him. “Gracie and I have to be goin’. I promised her we’d pick out names for all our kids tonight. Right now she’s favoring Aloysius for our first boy, and I’ve got to nip that one in the bud.”

Gracie nearly choked on the potato chip she’d been swallowing.

Terry Jo made an unmistakable gesture of friendship by telling Bobby Tom she thought Aloysius was a perfectly good name. Good manners made it necessary for Gracie to thank her, much to Bobby Tom’s amusement. He patted her bottom, and she started blushing again. His hand lingered there, and she could barely manage to say good-bye. The small amount of food she’d consumed that evening had settled into a jittery lump in her stomach.

Silence stretched between them as he backed out of the driveway and headed toward Main Street. She twisted her hands in her lap. The seconds ticked away. He began fiddling with the radio.

“Are you in the mood for country or rock? Or maybe you’d like to hear some classical?”

“I really don’t care.”

“You sound a little testy. Is something wrong?”

His inquiry was so innocent, so completely lacking in guile that she knew he was deliberately provoking her. She gritted her teeth. “Classical would be fine.”

“Sorry. That signal doesn’t come in too well at night.” Her temper snapped. Knotting her hands into fists, she screeched at him. “What are you trying to do to me? Are you deliberately trying to make me crazy? Never mind. Don’t answer that. Just take me home. Right this minute!”

He gave her a satisfied smile, as if she’d done something that pleased him enormously. “Man-ohman, Gracie, you are one bundle of nerves tonight. Sweetheart, I don’t think there’s going to be any pain, if that’s what you’re worried about. Now I’m no gynecologist, but you’re thirty years old, and whatever barrier might have been there when you were a youngster has got to have evaporated from old age by now.”

“That’s it! Let me out of this truck right now! I am not putting up with you a minute longer!” Although she’d never been a yeller, it felt so good to yell at him that she yelled some more. “You might think you’re funny, but you’re not! And you’re not sexy, either, no matter what all those women tell you. You’re pitiful, that’s what you are. Ugly and stupid and pitiful!”

He chuckled. “I knew we were going to have a good time tonight.”

She propped her elbows on her bare knees and lowered her forehead onto the heels of her hands. Her shoulders slumped.

He reached up under her sweater and patted her back. “It’s going to be all right, sweetheart. Part of the fun’s in the anticipation .” He ran the pads of his fingers over the bumps of her spine.

“I don’t want to anticipate,” she moaned. “I want to get started so we can get it over with.”

“Honey, we got started a couple of hours ago. Haven’t you figured that out yet? Just because we still have our clothes on doesn’t mean that we haven’t been going at it ever since you climbed into my truck tonight.” He drew little circles in the small of her back.

She turned her head to look at him. He withdrew his hand from beneath her sweater and smiled at her. She imagined she saw tenderness in his eyes, but that was probably just wishful thinking on her part. The truck began to bounce and she straightened.

“Where are we?”

“By the river. I told you that’s where we were headed, just like we used to in high school. We’re taking this step-by-step, sweetheart, so you don’t feel cheated. Now if I was being real strict about this, we’d have stopped by the Dairy Queen first for a cone, but to tell you the truth, I don’t think I can keep my hands off you a second longer.” He brought the truck to a stop, turned off the ignition and headlights, then lowered the window. The cool night breeze drifted in, and she heard the sound of rushing water. Through the windshield, moonlight sparked on the leaves of the pecan and cypress trees that lined the riverbank.

She swallowed. “Are we going to…You know. Here. In the truck?”

“You want me to give you an agenda?”

“Well, I . .”

He smiled and took off his hat. “Come here, Gracie Snow. Right this minute.”





15




Gracie slid into Bobby Tom’s arms as easily as she’d ever done anything in her life. He tucked her under his chin and slipped his hand beneath her sweater. With her ear pressed to his chest, she could hear the strong, steady beat of his heart.

He stroked her hair while he caressed the skin on her back with his thumb. “Gracie, sweetheart, you know this isn’t forever, don’t you?” His voice was gentle and more serious than she’d ever heard it. “You’ve been a good friend to me, and I wouldn’t hurt you for anything, but I’m just not a settlin’ down guy. It isn’t too late for you to change your mind if you don’t think you can handle something temporary.”