Hot Cowboy Nights Read Online Free PDF Page B

gone but I had a wicked hangover. I knew redheads were firecrackers, but I had no idea she could drink me under the table.”
    Toby chuckled. “Got a hold of a wild one, did you?”
    “Oh, man! Blake’s hangover medicine even took a while to take effect. I’m going to make sweet tea. Who all wants a glass?” Deke asked. “I’ve got the steaks marinating in the refrigerator and I brought one of them cheesecakes from the store for dessert.”
    “There’s a gallon jug already made up in the fridge,” Allie said.
    “I’d rather have a beer,” Lizzy said.
    Allie spun around to stare at her. “What did you say?”
    Lizzy repeated it. “I want a beer.”
    Deke almost ran his glass over before he realized he needed to stop pouring. “Holy shit! What did happen at that town meeting? Saint Lizzy doesn’t drink beer.”
    “Mitch is coming for the festival on July Fourth weekend. Lizzy says it doesn’t bother her and I expect she’s tired of talking about it,” Allie said.
    Toby twisted the top off two beers and handed one to Lizzy.
    She guzzled down a third of it before coming up for air. “And he’s bringing his new little wife and I am tired of talking about it. And if you call me Saint Lizzy again, I will hit you in the head with this beer bottle.”
    Deke bent over to drink the tea from his glass without picking it up. “Yes, ma’am. Does the new wife walk three steps behind him and one to the left like you did?”
    “Hell if I know,” Lizzy answered.
    “Drinkin’ and swearin’.” He laughed. “Next thing you know she’ll be putting out a red light on the porch over at Audrey’s Place. I knew she’d never make a preacher’s wife.”
    Lizzy turned up the beer bottle again. “Where does one buy a red lightbulb anyway? Oh, and Allie, this kitchen looks gorgeous. I love the color.”
    Allie draped an arm around her sister’s shoulders. “Lean over here so I can at least smell the fumes off your beer. I miss being able to have one in the evenings. Sometimes sweet tea doesn’t quite hit the spot.”
    Deke carried his tea to the living room and claimed the recliner. “What you need is a boyfriend, Lizzy. And I only say that because I love you like a sister.”
    Lizzy felt the dark look from Toby before she actually glanced that way and caught him staring at her, eyebrows knit together and jaw set. What was his problem? Deke could love her like a sister if he wanted to. That was none of Toby’s business.
    Lizzy plopped down on the end of the sofa closest to Deke. Toby’s tall, sexy frame melted into the oversized wooden rocking chair. Blake and Allie cuddled up together on the other end of the sofa.
    “Maybe,” Blake said, “she could advertise in the Throckmorton newspaper for a boyfriend-for-a-day service. He could show up on a white horse wearing a white hat, and she could dress up like one of the former girls from Audrey’s, and he could be her boyfriend while Mitch is here.”
    “This is not funny,” Lizzy declared.
    “It is a little bit,” Deke told her.
    “I could be your pretend boyfriend,” Toby offered. “It would solve my Sharlene stalker problem if I had a girlfriend. I don’t doubt for one minute that you are over that fool man, but honey, I’m in a world of hot water. If I had a steady girlfriend, I could get her off my back.”
    “And here I thought you were a big, strong cowboy who could take care of yourself.” Lizzy’s palms went a little clammy and her pulse jacked up a notch at the thought of snuggling up to Toby, of him throwing an arm around her—all those things that a boyfriend did to make a girl feel special. But sweet lord, could she handle it without falling right back into bed with him?
    Blake chuckled. “I know Sharlene and believe me, Lizzy, when I say Toby needs you even if you don’t need him. Do you want that hussy in your family? If she runs Toby to ground then she’ll be Allie’s sister-in-law and your shirttail kin.”
    “We can fake date