Mary Baxter - The Millionaire Comes Home

“I’d like to think so. I know that I love every minute of being an innkeeper, so to speak.”

“You would. It fits your personality to a T.”

Again she wanted to tell him he didn’t know jack about her personality, but she refrained. She was already in water over her head. Why purposely drown herself?

“Did you buy the old place?”

“I’m buying it. Right now the bank and I are partners.”

He chuckled. “I hear you.”

“One of these days, though, it’ll be mine free and clear.”

“You’re that busy?”

“Ruby’s grown, despite the fact that it maintains its status as a quiet country town. Being so close to Austin has given us the tourist boost we needed to grow our economy.”

“I noticed several antique stores as I drove down main street. Ruby never had anything like that before.”

“Again, it’s the boom going on in Austin that’s responsible.”

He looked around for a moment, then faced her again, his eyes probing. If only he didn’t have that certain way of staring at a woman as if she was the only person on the face of the earth. Denton could rival Richard Gere when it came to that feat. At one time she’d loved that. Now she hated it.

“You look great, Grace. Have I told you that?”

A warmth spread through her, which she promptly ignored. “No, but that’s okay. I’d rather talk about you.”

“I’m sure you’re curious.”

“Let’s just say I know you’re not passing through for old time’s sake.”

Did he flush or had she imagined that?

“You’re right,” he said, reaching for his coffee and taking a drink. “I’m here to see a client.”

“In Ruby?” She didn’t bother to mask her astonishment.

“A quirk of fate. What can I say?”

“Whatever,” she said, hearing that breathlessness in her tone again and wishing she could get her act together.

He set his cup down, then crossed an ankle over the other knee. “I’m an investment broker in Dallas, have been for several years now.”

“That’s nice.”

He chuckled. “‘How boring’ is what you’re really saying.”

“I wish you’d stop trying to second-guess me,” she said, trying to control her edginess but failing miserably.

“I was always pretty good at doing that, if you’ll remember.”

His voice had dropped to a husky pitch, and his eyes were so intent on her lips that she felt a rush of color to her face while all the air seemed to have been sucked out of the room. “Look—”

“Sorry. I didn’t mean to go down that road. It’s just that I never expected to see you again, especially not here in Ruby.”

“Just because you hauled it—”

His lips thinned. “You’re right to be pissed.”

“Look, Denton, I’m not pissed, okay? Let’s just leave the past where it is. Buried.”

“So my car just broke down. How’s that for a mundane topic of conversation?”

Ignoring his hint of sarcasm, she asked, “Where?”

“At the station across the street.” Denton went on to explain what was going on.

“Ah, Raymond’s in charge.” Her lips quirked in a smile. “No doubt he’s proudly displaying that BMW for all the town to see.”

“Reckon?”

They both laughed at Denton’s choice of words. Then, realizing how chummy that sounded, Grace sobered. “What if he can’t fix it?”

“The dealership in Austin will have a loaner car here in no time.”

My, my, how nice, she almost said in a snippy tone, but didn’t. Obviously, he was making money hand over fist. She wondered which rancher in Ruby had the kind of big dollars it would take to invest with him? She wasn’t about to ask, for several reasons, the main one being she wanted to get rid of him. The longer this indulgence stretched itself, the more dangerous it became to her peace of mind, especially with his gaze seemingly fixed on her breasts.

In spite of her efforts to the contrary, the color lingered in her face. “You’re welcome to wait here,” she said, glancing away.

“Are you sure?”

His husky tone drew her back. “I even have a vacant room,” she quipped.

“I just might take you up on that.”

Her jaw went slack. “I didn’t—”

“I know you didn’t mean it, but I do.”

“We both know that’s not going to happen.”

Both of his eyebrows shot up. “I wouldn’t bet on it.”

“Are you married?” she asked bluntly, more for herself than for him. She was desperate to steer things back on course after she’d opened her mouth again when she shouldn’t have. But no way was he going to remain in Ruby. The thought of him sleeping in her place as a guest was ludicrous and she wouldn’t let it happen.

“Not anymore,” he said in answer to her question.

“Ah, so there was a Mrs. Denton Hardesty?”

“Was is the correct word.”

“Not an amiable parting, huh?”

“Not hardly.”

“Sorry.”

“Me, too. I hate failing at anything. But nothing about our relationship was right from the beginning. Thank goodness there were no children.”

She wanted to amen that but didn’t.

“What about you? I don’t see a ring on your finger.”

“There hasn’t been one.”

He raised his eyebrows again. “I find that hard to believe.”

“That I’m an old maid?”

Denton made a snorting sound as his gaze roamed hotly and blatantly over her. “You know better than that.”

She turned away, her heart in her throat, feeling the inability to handle much more of this togetherness. “Let’s just say I’m happy with my life the way it is.”

“There’s nothing wrong with that.”

A silence fell between them during which she made a conscious effort not to meet his eyes.

It was then his cell phone rang. Grace tried to ignore what he was saying by concentrating on what she was going to serve for snack time. The Brenners would be back shortly, and on rare occasions even Ralph was known to appear for the afternoon goodies.

Only after Denton shoved his cell back into its clip did she face him again.

“I’ve been stood up, at least for today.”

“Oh?”

“My client had an unexpected emergency to deal with. That was his housekeeper.”

Relief almost made her giddy. “I guess you’ll have to come back to Ruby another time.”

Their eyes met and held for the longest time.

“I have a better idea. I’ll take that vacant room and hang around.”

Panic paralyzed her.

Stay. He didn’t mean that, not for a minute. He was just jerking her chain again. That had to be the case. It just had to. She almost laughed at the very idea.

In an unsteady tone, she voiced her thoughts. “You’re really joking.”

His eyes took on a warm, lazy cast as they swept over her. “Is that your way of saying I’m not welcome?”

She swallowed, quelling the urge to slug him. He was baiting her, and she didn’t have a clue why. After all, he’d been the one who’d walked out on her. If anyone had an ax to grind, it was she.

“Of course, you’re welcome. It’s just that—”

“It’s just what?” he pressed.

“I can’t imagine why you’d want to stay here.” There, she’d said it. She’d been as blunt as she knew how to be. If that didn’t do the trick then nothing would.

“Can’t you?”

Denton’s tone suddenly matched his eyes, adding to her confusion. Was he flirting with her? Suddenly the feelings of acute sexual awareness that hung between them was overridden by a sense of outrage. How dare he think he could just show up on her doorstep and behave in such a brazen manner? She had to call a halt to such madness right now. She wasn’t about to let him back inside her life only to have him walk out again.