Lone Star Burn: Taken by Surprise (Kindle Worlds Novella) Read Online Free PDF Page A

whispered soft against his skin. She grinned at him with her full, sensuous lips, and amusement sparkled in her hazel eyes. For a brief moment, shame washed over him. What was he doing thinking of one woman when he was dating another?
    But it was just dating, he reminded himself. He’d been very clear about that with her right at the start. It also occurred to him as he studied her that he’d subconsciously chosen a woman who was the complete opposite in looks from Jessie. Where Jessie had dark-brown hair with golden highlights, Lynne was a strawberry blonde. Jessie was shorter, maybe five foot five, while Lynne was taller. In heels, as she was now, her head just reached above his mouth. Jessie had lush curves that he loved to touch and run his hands over. Lynne was tall and slender.
    So what was he trying to prove? That he’d done an about-face to help him take the cure?
    “Jack?” Lynne stared at him. “Are you okay?”
    “What?” He rubbed his hand over his face. He needed to get his shit together. “I apologize again. Too much time staring into the sun today, I guess.”
    “No bank robbers to catch?” she teased.
    “No, and I like it that way just fine.”
    “I saw you come in here, and I wanted to catch you. What’s your schedule tomorrow?”
    He laughed. “About the same as today, I’d guess. Helping to keep the peace. Why?”
    She ran the tip of a finger along his shirt collar. “I want you to take me to breakfast in the morning.”
    Trying not to be too obvious, Jack took a little step back. He was coming to realize Lynne was an overly touchy-feely type, something he was uncomfortable with in public, especially when he was out dressed in his uniform. She frowned as he moved away, and, to take the sting out of it, he grinned at her.
    “You have a big itch to have breakfast with me?”
    “I want to have breakfast at Delfina’s Diner. When Delfina passed, I was hoping the estate would put it up for sale. I could sell it in a heartbeat.”
    He cocked an eyebrow. “They’re not?”
    “Uh-huh. I hear she left it to some shoestring relative no one ever knew about. Marshall Wohl said he was handing over the keys today, and I’m betting she’ll be there tomorrow.”
    “Huh.” Jack scratched the back of his neck. He’d discovered in the six months he’d been here that things like this could be a major topic of interest in Fort Mavis.
    “No one knows a thing about her,” Lynne went on. “Marshall’s been as close-mouthed as a clam, the jerk.”
    Jack grinned. “You know him. He never spills a thing about his clients. It’s probably why he has so many.”
    “Wellll,” Lynne drawled, “I’m hoping she’s just here to look it over and get back to her own life. I can tell my boss, Lee Ann Marlowe, about it and get a referral fee.”
    “Okay. Sure. What time do you want to meet?”
    Lynne fiddled with his collar again. “It would be a lot easier if I just rolled over next to you and we got there together. Right?” She winked at him.
    Jack let his gaze travel around and realized the customers were shamelessly gawking at him. He’d already forgotten what he came in for, so he took Lynne by the wrist and led her outside. She was a good lover, but, at the moment, the last thing he wanted was her in his bed. Thinking about Jessie did that to him, damn it.
    “Not tonight, okay?” He gentled his voice as much as possible. “I have some stuff to take care of.”
    “What kind of stuff ?” She pouted.
    “Just…things. But I’ll meet you there at eight o’clock. That work for you?”
    Her eyes clouded with disappointment. “Oh, okay. Party pooper. I guess that will have to do.”
    “Listen.” He made a show of looking at his watch. “I have to get going here. See you in the morning.”
    For a moment, he thought she was going to argue with him, insist that he change his mind and spend the night at her house. Then her lips curved into a smile.
    “Sure. That’s okay.” She winked. “And