Harmony and High Heels (Fort Worth Wranglers 2)

The camera switched back to the studio. “It does seem that they’re headed for divorce,” Haley agreed. “One can’t help wondering if Lyric’s strange behavior is a cry for help. Let’s hope she gets that help before she hits Amanda Bynes territory. Some people just aren’t cut out for life in the spotlight, no matter how dim it is.” She shuffled her papers. “And now we turn to our special guest, a psychiatrist who specializes in mentally unstable celebrity marriages—”

Harm turned off the TV and barely resisted the urge to put her fist through the wall. What in the holy hell was happening here?

“Harmony, are you okay?” Before Dalton could say anything else, her cell phone rang. She picked it up off the nightstand, knowing who it was before she even glanced at the number. Of course, she was right. It was her mother. She thought about not answering, but she knew Livinia would just keep calling until she did. Her mother had the persistence—and the temperament—of a pissed-off porcupine on the best days. On days like today, well … Harmony slid her finger across the screen. “Hello, Momma.”

“What on earth is going on up there in Fort Worth? Is your sister off her medication?”

“Lyric doesn’t take any medication.”

“Well, she should be taking some. Go get her and put her on the phone right now. I need to talk to her and she isn’t picking up her phone. She’s gone too far this time. Is she trying to give your father another heart attack? He’s barely recovered from the last one.” Livinia was in an even worse state than Harm had expected.

Seriously? No one believed it could be her. She’d been playing the good girl for so long that no one could imagine her behaving in a way that was anything less than perfect. It was now or never. “It wasn’t Lyric. It was me. I was the one in the gold bikini strutting around the front yard.”

There was a long silence, and then Livinia said, “You? Don’t be ridiculous. And don’t try to cover for your sister. Lyric needs help and I’m going to make sure she gets it. You can’t let her lose Heath. He’s the best thing that’s ever happened to her, and now he’s probably going to leave her.” Her voice turned breathy, and the tears started. Harmony could hear it in her tone. Another mother might be crying because she feared for her daughter’s mental health. But Harmony was pretty sure her mother was crying because she feared for her own social status. Lyric wasn’t the only one Heath was the best thing to ever happen to. “You’ve got to get her under control.”

“You’re not listening to me. It was me, Momma. Not Lyric.”

“You can lie all you want, Harmony Marie, but we both know you would never deface your body like that. How many tattoos does your sister have? Doesn’t she know you can get AIDS that way? And hepatitis? It’s a miracle Heath hasn’t kicked her out already.”

“Right. Whatever. I have to go.” Then Harmony did something she’d never done before; she hung up on her mother.

“What am I going to do?” She threw the phone on the bed and started to pace. “If she doesn’t believe it was me, how am I ever going to convince her to sell the bakery? And what about Lyric? At this rate I’m going to end up getting my sister committed, when all she’s done is try to help me. This is hopeless.”

She was a little shocked to realize tears were burning in the back of her eyes. She never cried.

“It’s not hopeless. We just need to find another way.” Dalton massaged her shoulders. “Maybe you and Lyric need to get caught on camera right next to each other so that everyone will know there’s two of you. If you’re both wearing clothes that show off your shoulders and midriffs, everyone will be able to see that you’re the one with the fantastic tatts. And the personality disorder.”

She chose to let the last comment go, because his idea was a pretty good one. And because he’d given her seven orgasms last night. A guy with a tongue as talented as Dalto

n’s couldn’t be overrated.

She sank down onto the bed next to him, and he reached for her, pulling her against him so he could slide his hands underneath her shirt to massage her lower back. As he did, his fingers kept tracing the lines of her tattoos like he couldn’t get enough of them. “Your tatts are incredible,” he said in between the soft kisses he was pressing into her neck and shoulders.

He really liked them, she realized. The last guy she’d dated hadn’t liked them, which was why he’d only been the last guy she’d dated and not the last guy she’d slept with.

“I guess Lyric and I can take some photos together and post them on social media. If we make sure Heath is in them, right next to her, that should convince everyone that Lyric isn’t one step away from the loony bin.” It was so easy. Why hadn’t she thought of it herself?

With that big worry off her mind, she was in the mood to reward Dalton for his suggestion—by letting him give her another orgasm or three. She lifted the hem of the T-shirt and yanked it over her head.

“Now that’s what I’m talking about.” Dalton pulled her on top of him.

“Don’t you have to go to work? I know for a fact that there’s at least one media circus for you to deal with this morning.” Yet even as she said it, she relaxed into him for a second, relishing the heat and the strength of him against her.

God knew she hated to give him points for anything, but the fact that he was still here—giving her a massage and considering making love to her—when he should probably be running to the office to put out this latest fire she’d started had endeared him to her in a way she couldn’t explain. All she knew was that she wasn’t ready to let him go yet.

His hands slid up her rib cage to cup her breasts while his fingers toyed with her nipple rings. It was more than enough to have her reaching over to the nightstand and opening the drawer where she’d stashed a box of condoms when she’d decided two days ago that she was going to seduce Dalton. She pulled out the condom box. She shook it. Nothing rattled around. It was empty. “We’re fresh out.”

He grabbed the box and looked inside. “We went through an entire box. Wow, I’m amazing.”

“A legend in your own mind.” She sat back and reached for him. “It was a small box. Don’t get too cocky.”

“Too late,” he said with a smirk.

She’d obviously let him get away with too much already, so she slid her hand around his very hard length and began to stroke.

“I can think of a few things we can do that don’t require a condom.”

“Hot damn. I do love a woman with imagination.”