Page 115 of The Honorable Texan
“Before that, I had crushes on boys who never noticed me, except to ask me to help them with math or chemistry.”She searched his eyes.“Of course, I didn’t exactly look like this until last year.”
“How did you look?”he asked curiously.
She got off the bed, went to get her purse, and took out a plastic insert.She pulled a photo from behind a credit card and handed it to him.
His eyes widened.“Good heavens!”
She winced.“I was sixty pounds overweight, and I couldn’t lose it at all.I guess I tried every diet known to man.Then I took nutrition classes and learned how to get it off the sensible way.That’s why I know so much about low-fat cooking.”
He looked from the photo to her face and smiled.“You were pretty before, too,” he said slowly.“You know, Meredith, it’s not the outside that attracts people.It’s what you are, how you treat other people, that makes friends of them.You risked your life to save my brother, then you stayed with him until his family came.I wasn’t very flattering to you when we first met, but I’ve had a lot of time to think about what you did.You’re good people.Really good people.”
She flushed and cleared her throat.“Thanks.”She gave him a mischievous look.“So, would you like to get married Friday, or is Monday better for you?”she added with a grin.
He chuckled.“Sorry, I have to wash my dogs.”
She sighed.“Rejected again.”
He pursed his lips and let his eyes run over her slowly.“You could lie back down and we could discuss it again.”
“Absolutely not.I only have so much willpower.You shouldn’t throw yourself at women that way unless you’re asking to be seduced.It’s unfair.”
“You’re not bad yourself, kid,” he murmured with a warm smile.He got up.“I’ve got to go back to work.Come here.”
She went to him.“Changed your mind?”she asked.“I can get a ring today…”
He put a finger over her mouth.“How do I smell?”
“Is that all you want?”she exclaimed.“Good Lord, you got me all the way over here tosmellyou?”
He bent and kissed her hungrily, pulling her so close that she could feel him against every cell of her body.But before she could cling, he put her away.“How do I smell?”he persisted.
She sniffed him.“You smell like aftershave.”
He bent and sniffed her, and frowned.“You’re not wearing perfume, are you?”
She shook her head.“I’m allergic to most strong fragrances.”
“You smell like flowers.”
She smiled.“Herbal shampoo.Flowers don’t bother me.Well, real ones do sometimes, but not flowery scent.I can use scented shampoos and wear one or two colognes, but no perfumes.They’re too strong.”
“At least I don’t smell womanly,” he said with mocking relief.“I’d never live that down.”
She cocked her head and stared up at him.“There goes the shower,” she sighed.
He tapped her nose.“Now, cut that out.”His fingerstraced the fading bruises on her cheek and jaw and his eyes narrowed.“He’ll never touch you again, I swear he won’t,” he said in a low, dangerous tone.
Her heart lifted at the look on his face.“Oh, my, aren’t we getting possessive?”she teased.
He didn’t smile.“Careful,” he told her quietly.“I’m not teasing.”
Her eyes widened with something like wonder.
“Hasn’t anyone ever stood up for you?”he asked curiously.
“Just my brother.But he never had to protect me from Daddy.I know it looks really bad, but my father was the most gentle man on earth until we lost Mama and Mike.He goes crazy when he drinks, and he never remembers what he did.”Her eyes fell to his chest.She toyed with his shirt buttons, wondering absently how it would feel to smooth her fingers over his bare chest.“I miss my brother terribly,” she added simply.
“I’m sure you do.And your mother.”
