Page 81 of Texas Hold Em'
It all happened so quickly.
Jackson climbed the porch steps and pulled Sam aside. In the corner near the patio doors, they bowed their heads together and spoke quietly. He held her hands in his and ran his thumbs over her knuckles while she nodded to what he was saying. She looked rigid and tense, her expression drawn, but she understood the toll of being a Devil’s woman. She’d understood since the very beginning.
Mason did the same with Suzie. He led her down the porch steps to the lawn, where he held her face in his hands and kissed her like he might never see her again.
And he very well might not.
She clung to his shirt, whispered for him to be safe, and fell into his arms for an embrace.
Carrie stood from where she sat up on the porch and ran her palms down her thighs. She looked good in her skintight jeans and white T-shirt. I climbed the porch steps, my ribs protesting slightly, and took her hand. She followed me back down the steps and onto the gravel where we could have a moment of privacy.
She gnawed her cheek and looked around. “Are you really going to leave me here with the girls while you guys go off and get Bates?”
“It has to be this way. Bates doesn’t fight fair. You know that. And if you were close by, you’d be a target he’d want to hit, especially since he’ll know you betrayed him.”
Carrie sighed. “I’m the best shot out of all of you. You’re basically benching your best player.”
I chuckled. “I know how badly you want to help, but you’ve already done your part. We can take it from here.”
“Tex, come on.”
“I want you as far away from him as possible,” I said firmly. “Leave it to us. We’ll put an end to all this tonight, and you can… you can go home after.”
She searched my eyes. “Home?”
“Austin.”
She smiled sadly. “Austin has felt less and less like home every day.”
What did that mean? Did it mean she was thinking about staying? My heart fluttered in my chest in a way I’d never felt before.
Carrie smiled and wrapped her arms around my waist. She was careful of my ribs as she rested her cheek on my chest. “Please be careful. Don’t do anything too reckless. You’re still hurt. You did your part last night. Let the others show up for you tonight.”
I slid my fingers into her hair and held her to me. “I’ll come back to you.”
“You’d better.” Carrie stepped back and wrapped her arms around herself. “Call me when it’s done.”
“I will.”
“Keep your head on straight.”
“Promise.”
“And don’t get shot,” she added as she smoothed out my leather jacket, running her hands down the front of the collar.
“I’ll do my best. And you,” I said, hooking my thumbs in the belt loops of her jeans and pulling her back to me, “stay put. Stay right where I left you because when all this is done I know exactly where I’m riding to and exactly whose lips I’m going to kiss. I need you waiting for me on the other side of this mess.”
Her bottom lip trembled. She took a deep breath to steady herself and keep her emotions at bay. “I’ll be here.”
“Good girl.” I kissed her forehead.
Right on cue, Jackson hit the porch stairs and bellowed at us that it was time to leave. Mason gave Suzie one last kiss, and she watched him go with her arms wrapped around herself. Sam came down from the porch as the men moved to their bikes parked in the gravel. She took Suzie’s hand and held it tightly.
I caught Sam’s eye and nodded to Carrie, who stood alone off to the side as I made my way to my bike.
Wordlessly, Sam knew what I was asking. She and Suzie came up behind Carrie. The three women slid their arms around each other’s waists and watched as we got on our bikes. We were about to ride off when Jackson held up a hand for us to wait. He dismounted and jogged back over to the women.
I thought he was going to steal another kiss from Sam, but instead he clasped Carrie’s hand in his and spoke to her.
