please him. She liked Drew, liked him a lot. But was she ready for what he might be leading up to?
They drove the few blocks to the last corner in town, where the cheap neon sign cast a blueish glow over the customers who wandered in and out. Late on a weeknight, the place wasn’t crowded. The big-screen TV above the bar was turned off, the classic country music muted and mellow with a throbbing underbeat.
Drew guided Tori to a quiet corner booth, his hand warm and possessive on the small of her back. They took their seats and ordered two Coronas from the tired-looking blond waitress. The girl came right back with their drinks. She looked too young to be working in a bar, but nobody seemed to care.
Tori studied him across the table. He was a handsome man, with regular features and light brown hair that almost matched his good-natured eyes. He wore a brown cashmere sweater under his fleece-lined wool jacket. Flawless conservative style.
“I had fun tonight,” she said. “Thanks for talking me into this.”
He reached across the table and captured her hand. “I’m hoping the night might get even better,” he said. “I’m falling hard for you, Tori. But before I crash and burn, I need to know where we’re headed. Are we ready for the ‘My place or yours’ question?”
Tori had sensed what was coming, but his words had still caught her off balance. Scrambling for a reply that would put him off, without driving him away, she averted her gaze for a moment and glanced around the room.
In the shadowed space behind the bar, a figure stood, holding a glass and a towel—a woman with a buxom figure and flame-red hair. Everybody knew who she was, of course. But what startled Tori was that Stella Rawlins was looking straight at her, those green eyes blazing with pure, murderous hatred.
CHAPTER 6
Chilled by Stella’s look, Tori shifted position, turning inward in the booth. Seated at an angle, she could no longer see the woman behind the bar. But she still felt the prickling awareness of those eyes, like a spider crawling up her back.
For the first time, she realized how wise Will had been to insist on keeping Erin safe at the ranch. Stella Rawlins was capable of anything, and now her hatred was focused on the Tylers.
As Will’s ex-wife and his lawyer, was she in danger, too? Maybe. But she refused to let that make a difference. She had her life and her work, and nobody, not even Stella, was going to intimidate her.
“Tori?” Drew’s polite voice broke into her thoughts. “Did I say the wrong thing?”
She pulled her attention back to him, choosing her words with care. “No, you said the perfect thing, Drew. I appreciate your honesty. I like you a lot—more than a lot. I like the way you make me feel and the way you always seem to be here for me.” She licked her lips, a nervous gesture. “When you kiss me, I feel all the right tingles. But I hope you’ll be patient a little longer. Right now, while I’m under so much stress, isn’t a good time to be swept into something new—not even if it’s something wonderful.”
Had she been tactful enough? He looked disappointed. But he managed a smile. “If you’re under stress, I can think of a great remedy,” he joked. “But I understand—at least I’m trying to. Since I happen to think you’re a woman worth waiting for, I’ll try to be patient. But don’t expect me to wait forever, Tori.”
“I know better than that. Just a little more time, that’s all I’m asking.” She nodded toward her half-emptied glass. “I think I’d better leave the rest. Too much beer has an unflattering effect on me.”
“Ready to go, then?” Fishing out his wallet, he left a couple of bills on the table. Then he rose, gave Tori his hand, and ushered her outside. The wind had risen to a howl. It whipped Tori’s coat around her body as they walked to the car. The air carried the earthy scent of a coming storm. She filled her lungs with it, breathing away the stale, smoky odors of the Blue Coyote and the memory of those hate-filled eyes, watching her from the shadows.
They drove back to her house, saying little. It isn’t too late to reverse course and invite him in, Tori reminded herself. She had little doubt that Drew would be a good lover, tender and