From Texas, With Love. Cathy Thacker Gillen

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СКАЧАТЬ and frustration. “Be honest, man. She hates my guts.”

      “Yeah.” Will sank down in the battered chair behind his equally beat-up metal desk. “But she loves you, too, otherwise she wouldn’t have come this far.” She would have grabbed her mouse and told Will to take a flying leap back to Texas, instead of allowing him to coax her into coming.

      Too wound up to sit, Howard paced across the small, square space. He paused in front of the window overlooking the runway. “My sister’s right about one thing.” He shoved his hands through his hair, then clasped the back of his neck. “I let her down.”

      A veteran of all sorts of domestic difficulties, Will propped his boots on the edge of his desk. “It happens, even in the best families. It doesn’t mean you can’t make it up to her.”

      Howard turned away from the view of the dark Texas sky, his expression bleak. “In the course of one reluctantly-consented-to breakfast?” he asked skeptically.

      Will gestured for him to take a seat in one of the military-surplus chairs. “She’ll end up staying however long it takes.”

      Howard sank down with a sigh. “She’ll never agree to that.”

      Oh ye of little faith. “I’ll soften her up and keep her entertained while she’s in Laramie,” Will promised.

      His friend perked up a bit. “You’d do that for me?”

      “Even more.” Will grinned. “I owe you for helping me get my business off the ground.”

      Feminine footsteps sounded on the concrete floor. Seconds later, Samantha strode in. She looked composed again, but her eyes were rimmed with red, as if she’d been crying. Will felt for her. He knew this had to be hard. He also knew it had to be done.

      “It’s late,” she said, before either man could speak. “And I’m exhausted. If one of you could point me toward the closest hotel…”

      Will and Howard exchanged uneasy looks.

      “What?” she demanded.

      Howard risked her wrath and informed her reluctantly, “The state agricultural extension service is holding their spring workshops here in Laramie for the next two weeks. People come from all over West Texas to attend them. All the hotel rooms for miles around are booked. But not to worry,” he assured her. “I’ve got the guest room made up.”

      She should have been trapped, albeit nicely, into spending more time with the only family she had. Will had to hand it to Samantha; she didn’t miss a beat. “Thanks,” she said with a breezy smile, “but I’m staying the night with Will.”

      He looked at her, making no effort to hide his surprise.

      Howard frowned. “You can’t do that,” he argued.

      She tilted her head to one side. “Want to bet?”

      Doing his best to help his friend, Will murmured, “Your brother is right, Samantha. His place is so much nicer. You’ll be a lot more comfortable there.”

      She dug in her heels. “I don’t require fancy digs. Your place is fine.”

      Will decided to let her have her way—temporarily. It wouldn’t take her long to cry uncle, once she realized what she had done. “My place it is, then.”

      The glint in Howard’s eyes said he had an idea what Will was up to.

      Playing along, Howard turned back to his sister with a poker face. “I’ll see you in the morning at my house then,” he stated, cordial as ever.

      Distracted, Samantha nodded her assent.

      Once again, Howard started to hug his little sister, then decided against it and just walked out.

      Will and Samantha were left facing each other.

      “Let’s go, then,” she said. She slung the small carry-on bag over her arm. “Like I said, I’m exhausted.”

      Curious as to what her reaction was going to be, Will gestured toward the metal stairs just outside his office door. “After you.”

      Samantha blinked in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

      He pointed to the closed door above them. “That’s where I live.”

      SAMANTHA WOULD HAVE thought Will McCabe was joking, had it not been for the way too innocent, I’m-just-giving-you-what-you-asked-for expression on his face.

      I can handle this. It’s just for one night. Then I’ll have met any last-ditch familial obligation. I can go back to New York City and get on with my life. Determined not to let Will McCabe’s shenanigans get to her, Samantha turned and headed up the stairs. He followed lazily behind, and his shoulder brushed hers when he unlocked the door and swung it open.

      Samantha stared at the sparse decor.

      “Not too late to change your mind,” Will told her. “I bet Howard is only a mile or so down the road by now. You can call him on his cell, ask him to double back and get you.”

      Which was clearly what the two men had planned all along, Samantha thought. No wonder they had sent each other those indecipherable looks! They had to have known how shocked and dismayed she would be.

      “This is fine,” she fibbed. So what if it was one large room with a cement floor and walls? Technically, it had everything she needed. A hot plate, small fridge, microwave. Television with satellite receiver. Stereo. Adjoining bath, with shower stall. She pivoted back to Will and tossed him a devil-may-care smile. “Just one question. Where are you going to sleep?”

      Will locked eyes with her. He hooked his thumbs through the belt loops on either side of his fly. “Here.”

      Right.

      “I hate to break it to you,” Samantha replied dryly, “but that’s a metal army cot.”

      He turned to look, as if he had never seen it before. “Uh-huh.”

      Aware that he was being deliberately dense just to get under her skin, she elaborated, “For one.”

      A sexy grin spread across his face. “Then I guess we’ll be real cozy, huh?”

      Samantha gave him a look that let him know they would not be hooking up, tonight or at any other time. “Surely you can sleep on the plane,” she said.

      His expression gave away nothing. “Surely you can sleep at your brother’s place.”

      Beginning to lose patience despite herself, Samantha jabbed a thumb at her chest. “Then I’ll sleep on the jet.”

      He vetoed her idea. “It’s either here—in that bed—with me,” he told her flatly, “or at Howard’s.”

      It seemed Samantha had been searching her whole life for a man every bit as stubborn and strong-willed as she was. Finally, she’d found one. The only trouble was they had very different ideas about what should happen next.

      She СКАЧАТЬ