Blame it on Texas by Amie Louellen

her?
    Humiliation snaked through her. Degradation, remorse. She shouldn’t feel that way. She and Ritt had shared equal responsibility in making the baby that changed both of their lives. But she had been the one who wasn’t able to carry the child, nurture it and make it grow.
    She grabbed her shirt and pulled it over her head, not bothering to turn it right side out. Or around. The tag tickled under her chin as she shook her head. “Don’t, Ritt.”
    He ran his fingers though his hair, massaging away whatever demons plagued him.
    Shelby scrambled to her feet, using his moment of weakness to be strong. He opened his mouth to protest or lie to her once again, but she ducked her head and hurried from the room. Down the hall she fled, him right behind her.
    “Shel?” His vice was soft and questioning as she stepped into his parents’ room. She shut the door between them before he could follow.
    “Good night, Ritt.” She was proud of how steady her voice sounded, even though her knees trembled and her hands shook as she turned the lock.
    “Shel? Shelby!”
    She crawled back into the bed, surrounded by his scent and memories, and somehow managed to hold the tears at bay.
     
    Ritt stared at the old wooden door that separated him from the only woman he’d ever loved.
    “Well, you’ve really done it this time, McCoy,” he muttered to himself.
    He gave the door one last look, then turned back to the kitchen. He stopped momentarily to pick up his hat, slapping it against his thigh before settling it back on his head.
    He needed a cold shower to wash away the heat of his desire and the last vestiges of alcohol clogging up his system.
    But it was late…or early, depending on how he looked at it and he was tired.
    He made his way back into his bedroom, wondering how one man could be so stupid.
    Without bothering to change clothes, he flopped onto the bed. Pulling the pillow over his head in a poor attempt to stop the parade of memories behind his closed lids.
    He hadn’t intended his caress to be more than a simple, sweet kiss. He just wanted to touch his lips to hers and then sleep it off. But he should have known that nothing was simple where Shelby was concerned.
    In the span of one heartbeat, he’d sobered up and fallen prey to an even bigger intoxicator—his wife.
    It was a short ride to hell from there. Or was it heaven?
    He had no defenses where she was concerned, no way to block out what she did to him, his love for her. All-consuming, ever-burning, more than he could even understand.
    A wet nose nudge his hand, then Clyde whined and gave him a reassuring lick. A second later, the mattress dipped with the canine’s solid weight.
    Ritt expelled a heavy breath. He hadn’t meant to hurt her. Once the words were out, he wanted to call them back. The hurt in her eyes was like a physical blow to his heart. Any chance he had for winning her back had been blown away with that one sentence. A stupid thing to say to the one person he loved more than the air he breathed.
    Ritt had spent more than one night half-drunk, with only the canine for company and dreaming of Shelby. Why should tonight be any different?
    He scratched the dog behind one floppy ear and drifted off, dreaming of being her one and only once again.

Chapter Six
    Sunlight cut like a knife through hot butter, slicing into the best dream he’d had in a long time.
    Ritt flopped onto his back, flinging an arm over his eyes to block out the cruel light. He wanted to sink back into the bliss of the dream, but his head was pounding.
    And through the pain came a familiar heartache.
    He rolled over, burying his face in the pillow. He breathed in deep. Shelby.
    Last night came crashing back. He and Shelby at the diner. His parents calling. Tying one on at the Longbranch, coming home, and… Shelby.
    With a groan, Ritt wiped the last of the sleep from his eyes and rolled from the bed. He owed her an apology. An explanation. Something. She wouldn’t forgive him.