Maybe you should throw caution to the wind and forget the motel, stay at his house. And not in separate bedrooms, either. You’re both consenting adults, no harm would be done...and it would be one night to remember once you’re gone.
Chapter Seven
“Hey, Damian, where ya been?” Micah greeted him as he and Kerry entered the Lonesome Steer.
“Out of town for a couple days. Everything okay out at the ranch?”
“Yeah. Don and your old man kept it together.”
Damian slapped the long-time ranch employee on the shoulder and continued on to a table in the back corner. He held out a chair for Kerry and they sat. Her stiff posture was telling, as was the tightness of her features, like she held herself together with no more than Scotch tape.
“I wonder how Bev and the baby are doing.” She used her fingernail to trace the name “Blinky” carved into the worn wooden table.
“Hey, Gus,” Damian called, “how’s Bev and the new little one?”
The man beamed, and flung a bar towel over his shoulder. “She’s fine. The hospital released her the same day. They don’t keep you long in them places anymore. In and out.” He snapped his fingers in emphasis. “What can I getcha?”
Damian glanced at Kerry, his eyebrows raised.
“I’ll have a rum and Coke.”
Damian wrinkled his nose. “Too sweet.” He turned toward the bar. “Bring us a rum and Coke, and a beer.” He grinned in her direction. “Oh, and make sure you give the little lady here her own check.”
Gus laughed and retrieved a bottle of beer from under the counter.
She bristled. “Was it necessary to shout that over the crowd?”
“What?” He held his hands up in surrender. “I’m only doing what you asked.”
Within minutes, their drinks sat in front of them on the table. “Y’all gonna eat?”
“Yeah. I’ll have a burger and fries.” Damian glanced in Kerry’s direction.
“I don’t suppose you have salads?”
Gus made a face as if he’d stepped into something nasty. “You gals and your salads. Sorry, with my nephew, Win, not here this week, we only got burgers, dogs, chicken strips, fries, wings.”
“All right. I’ll have the chicken strips.”
“And don’t forget the separate checks.” He mouthed an ‘ouch’ when Kerry kicked him under the table.
He loved teasing her. While he could respect her desire for independence, why did she have to crave it now? They seemed to be at cross purposes. He finally met the woman he’d been waiting for, and no matter how hard he tried, couldn’t fight the tug to claim this woman for his own, for always. Unfortunately, just getting away from her smothering in-laws, Kerry needed time to be her own woman. He understood that, but there had to be a way to make it work for both of them. Unfortunately, he needed more than one night.
Damian took a sip of his beer. “You play pool?”
“I do.” She hesitated. “Well, let’s say I like to play pool. I’m not really very good.”
He stood and reached for her hand. “Let’s shoot a game while we’re waiting for our food.”
All three pool tables stood empty. Damian pushed two quarters into the slot on one table, and the balls dropped down. He selected a cue stick, and picked up the blue chalk, rubbing it on the cue tip. “Oh, I’m sorry. I put both quarters in.” He held out his hand. “You owe me one.”
“Very funny.” She rolled her eyes.
He tugged on the brim of his hat. “Trying to stay with the program, ma’am.” One thing he could say for Kerry—she took his teasing just fine. One of the many things that drew him to her.
Damian’s mouth dried up as he watched her stroke the cue stick before she broke and announced she’d play low balls. Her first shot went wild, and she winced.
If he shot like he normally did, the game would be over in a few minutes. “Try another one.”