High Octane (Texas Hotzone 2)

In avoidance mode, Ryan headed to the lobby of the Hotzone, determined not to speak to anyone, feeling fouler than foul and he knew it. But before he made it down the narrow hallway, he heard his name.

It was Bobby, and he could hear Caleb mumbling in the background.

Groaning inwardly, Ryan called over his shoulder. “Whatever it is has to wait. I’m outta here.” The last thing he wanted right now was to talk business, which had been all the Aces had been about for a month. Which was cool and all, but not now, not tonight.

“What if we said dollar beer on draft was involved?” Caleb shouted.

Ryan stopped walking. Turned on his heels. “I’d say…what are we waiting for?”

***

SHORTY’S WAS A COUNTRY BAR complete with cowboys, women in tight jeans and lots of loud talking and laughing. Eyeing the couples sashaying around the dance floor near her table, a memory of dancing with Ryan, all close and cozy, assailed her. Why, oh, why, had she agreed to this?

The two-dollar happy-hour margaritas that she and Jennifer had ordered appeared on the table, and Sabrina’s eyes lit. “Oh, yeah. That’s exactly what I need right now.” Sitting at a high wooden table next to Jennifer, she sipped long and deep.

A tall cowboy with sandy-brown hair appeared in front of the table. “Howdy there, ma’am,” he said. “Wanna dance?”

Sabrina looked at Jennifer. Jennifer laughed. “He’s talking to you.”

“Me?” she silently mouthed, and jerked her gaze to his. “Oh, no. No. I mean, thank you, but I came to drink. No dancing.”

The guy gazed at her with a bit of a wounded look and then turned tail. “Jeez,” Sabrina said. “I need to make a sign that says Unsafe On The Dance Floor.”

“What fun is that?” Jennifer said. “Dancing makes the world a better place.” She snickered. “Or maybe it’s margaritas.”

“Hear, hear,” Sabrina agreed, taking a big swallow. “And I don’t get this ‘ma’am’ stuff. How is making me feel old going to get me to dance? Or anywhere else for that matter.”

“This is Texas, Sabrina,” Jennifer said. “Ma’am is just part of the culture. It’s not about age.”

Jennifer’s cell phone buzzed with a text message. “Oh, good,” she said after reading it, pushing to her feet to wave through the crowd. “Bobby!” He appeared through the crowd and Jennifer motioned him forward before sitting back down. “I’ve barely seen him all week. The Hotzone just landed a contract to train small groups of soldiers for the Army. The guys worked darn near around the clock all week.”

The guys, meaning Bobby, Caleb and Ryan. So Ryan had been consumed all week. A tiny part of Sabrina lit with that news, clinging to an excuse as to why he might not have come by to see her.

Suddenly, Caleb appeared in the crowd, directly behind Bobby, both men striding across the room with that same confident, dominant vibe that Ryan possessed. Sabrina held her breath, wondering if Ryan was about to appear, her heart thundering in her ears.

But Ryan was nowhere to be found. Sabrina told her self it was relief she felt, though the ball in her stomach screamed of disappointment.

Bobby appeared by Jennifer’s side and gave her a hug and kiss. Caleb took up command on the opposite side of the table, giving Sabrina a quick “hello” before flagging a waiter. Soon, the beer was flowing, and the laughter with it.

Caleb offered her his hand. “Hi. Caleb. I think we were supposed to jump together, weren’t we?”

“The timing wasn’t right,” Jennifer said. “Ryan was going to take her up for you, but then Marco showed up.”

“So when are you coming back out?” Caleb asked. “I’ll take you up.” He smiled, friendly rather than flirtatious. “I’m nicer than Ryan.”

Probably true, but not more interesting and definitely not hotter. Her cheeks flamed instantly with the thought, and Sabrina quickly sipped her drink and tried to hide the reaction. Then she replied, “I think I’ll pass. It was one of those fleeting, daredevil things that I talked myself out of.”

Caleb tipped his drink back and studied her. “Ryan didn’t scare you away, did he?”

No. She’d scared him away. “Jumping was Jennifer’s idea. I shouldn’t have listened.”

“She’s a control freak,” Jennifer chimed.

“Ryan would have scared the crap out of you, then,” he said, and then frowned, eying Bobby. “Speaking of Ryan. Where is he? He said he was coming.”

“He pulled off at the gas station a few miles back,” Bobby said. “He’ll be here.”

“What’d he do?” Caleb asked. “Use a water hose to fill his tank?”

Sabrina felt every nerve-ending in her body come to life. She’d said nothing to Jennifer about Ryan. Told her nothing beyond the ride with Marco. Ryan was her little secret.

“There he is!” Bobby shouted, and then whistled. “Ryan! Over here!”

Sabrina wasn’t prepared for this. Hadn’t counted on this. She leaned into Jennifer. “Restroom break. Be right back.” Sabrina didn’t wait for an answer, quickly weaving into the crowd, careful to avoid Ryan’s path. The restroom was behind the DJ booth, on the other side of the room, which was good because it gave her more time to figure out how to get out of this mess. She wasn’t up to facing her one-night stand that wasn’t really a one-night stand, but a night of embarrassment.