Hank’s look told me he took it al three ways.
I sat up, putting my elbows behind me, so I was (somewhat) face to face with him. “Whisky, don’t get any ideas. My reflexes are slow. I’m stil not sure about this dinner.”
“You’re sure.”
“I’m not. I’m in Denver on personal business, business with Uncle Tex. I don’t need you complicating matters.”
“What kind of personal business?”
“Business that’s personal,” I said in answer.
He grinned. “Why don’t you walk me to my truck and I’l do some more convincing that you want to carve some time for me out of your busy schedule,” he pressed.
“No more convincing!” I shouted, and everyone looked our way, customers and al . I lowered my voice and hissed.
“You promised, not until tonight.”
“I can wait until tonight.”
Good God, I’d walked straight into that one.
“You’re an arrogant sonovabitch,” I told him, flat out.
What could I say? I was hungover and, at home, there was another man sleeping in my bed. Okay, so maybe Bil y was on the road, looking for me and not sleeping in my bed. And maybe Bil y and I hadn’t had sex in over a year (even though he tried and was beginning to get pretty pissed off about my lack of response). But stil , I had to sort out Bil y before any Hanks entered my future and definitely my present.
“Sunshine, you’re sensational even when you’re bein’ a bitch.”
I gasped.
Then I narrowed my eyes.
“Don’t cal me a bitch.”
“Let me get this straight, you can cal me a sonovabitch but I can’t retaliate in kind?”
“That’s right.”
He smiled again.
I was majorly in trouble, there was no shaking this guy.
Maybe, it was because I didn’t real y want to shake him.
Al right, it was time to get serious.
Al right, it was time to get serious.
“Whisky, you have no idea what you’re getting into with me.”
His other hand came down to the couch and he leaned into me, so close his face was just an inch away. “Roxanne, listen closely. One look at you and I knew trouble was on your heels. I’m wil in’ to give it time for you to tel me. That doesn’t happen, I’m wil in’ to wade in when that trouble catches up. Right now, I’d be doin’ it for Tex and out of curiosity about you. After tonight, I reckon I’l be doing it for other reasons.”
Holy cow.
I didn’t know what to say, so I did the smart thing for once and didn’t say anything.
He went on. “I can understand you protecting yourself, but you have to know, you’ve no reason to protect me. I have my eyes wide open…”
I was beginning to find it hard to breathe.