Lone Star Valentine. Cathy Gillen Thacker
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“What do I owe you?”
He remained maddeningly aloof. “Nothing.”
Trying not to wonder if the rest of him was as big and capable as his hands, she gave him a look. Waited.
He shrugged again. “I’m doing this pro bono.”
Charity? He was doing this as a charity case? Anger warred with pride. It was true, her salary as mayor wasn’t much, but she didn’t need much since she had accrued some savings before running for public office. “I don’t need your professional largesse, Gannon.”
A contemplative silence fell. He gave her a slow, reckless smile that quickly set her heart to pounding. “You really want to pay me back for my help?”
Talk about a loaded question! She regarded him matter-of-factly, letting him know with a glance she did not want to owe him any other favors, either. “Absolutely,” she snapped. “The sooner the better.”
He edged closer, inundating her with the sandalwood-and-spice scent of his cologne, and the brisk, masculine fragrance unique to him. “Then how about dinner—tonight?”
Lily blinked. “Are you for real?”
Another slow, seductive smile. “Very.”
Lone Star Valentine
Cathy Gillen Thacker
CATHY GILLEN THACKER is married and a mother of three. She and her husband spent eighteen years in Texas and now reside in North Carolina. Her mysteries, romantic comedies and heartwarming family stories have made numerous appearances on bestseller lists, but her best reward, she says, is knowing one of her books made someone’s day a little brighter. A popular Mills & Boon® author for many years, she loves telling passionate stories with happy endings, and thinks nothing beats a good romance and a hot cup of tea! You can visit Cathy’s website, cathygillenthacker.com, for more information on her upcoming and previously published books, recipes and a list of her favorite things.
Contents
“Rumor has it, you and Lily McCabe have been on the outs with each other for the past eight years.”
More like six, Gannon Montgomery corrected silently. Although it seemed longer since the two of them had shared a laugh. Or even a smile.
The relaxation he’d felt during the rare morning ride fading fast, he led his horse into the barn. “What’s your point?” Gannon demanded.
Rex Carter stepped back. “The last thing Laramie, Texas, needs is a young female mayor.”
Gannon could see how the once-popular good old boy opposite him could think that. He pulled off the saddle and removed the bridle, bit and reins. Hung them on the wall outside the stall. “Lily’s not that young. Just a few years shy of me.”
And, if memory served, incredibly sexy and smart, to boot.
Rex narrowed his gaze. “She’s twenty-nine.”
Gannon rubbed down the gelding, gave the horse plenty of water, then shut the stall door. He walked over to the sink at the rear of the barn to wash his hands. “Which, as it happens, is old enough for a lot of things. Including running for public office in Laramie County.”
Rex slapped his Stetson against the leg of his custom Western suit. “She’s an attorney, not a politician.”
The more things changed in the rural Texas area he’d grown up in, the more they stayed the same. Gannon sure was glad he now resided in Fort Worth. “Well, tell that to all the people who voted for her,” he retorted mildly.
As if recalling he’d been beaten in a landslide by the pretty and personable Lily McCabe, and forced to return to the real estate business his family owned, Rex scowled and ran a hand through his short, graying hair. “The point is, you’re not the kind of ‘celebrity judge’ the committee had in mind for the First Annual Laramie, Texas, Chili Cook-Off and Festival. And Mayor McCabe shouldn’t have asked you to do the honors.”
Gannon strode out into the unseasonably warm February day. He admired the rugged scenery and let the sage-scented breeze roll over him. “Lily didn’t have anything to do with my selection.” The request had come from a friend of his mother’s, who’d erroneously thought dragging Gannon back to join in the festivities would lead him to abandon his high-profile career and return home permanently.