Killian (The Sons of Dusty Walker Book 3) by Desiree Holt Page B

that.”
    As she put the order together, she glanced around the shop and noted almost every person staring at them with open curiosity. Killian lifted his head in a gesture of greeting, nodded, and said, “Howdy, everyone.”
    Several people murmured greetings to him, and many of them smiled. Did he see how friendly people were in this town, or was he putting on a show until his week was over? She gave herself a mental shake; she needed to quit thinking of those things. He’d be leaving soon. Too soon. She just needed to stick the hope he might stay in the back of her mind.
    Lexie was very conscious of him watching her as he took a seat at a little corner table and slowly ate his coffee cake and drank his coffee. She had to keep dragging her eyes away from him because the sight of him made her nipples peak and moisture dampen her panties. The pulse in her pussy could have given competition to a jungle drum. She hoped nobody in the shop had any idea she was so turned on.
    Finally, she went into the back room and splashed cold water on her face and hands at the sink. When she returned to the front, Killian was dumping his trash in the big barrel next to the sugar and cream area. He waited until she filled an order for a walk-in before moving up to the counter.
    “I have to go out of town later today,” he told her in a low voice. “That means dinner is out tonight.”
    Disappointment slivered through her, but she forced herself to smile. “I understand.”
    “It’s the damn office. Walt Forester wants me to fly to Georgia with him to meet a geologist we work with. Apparently, he’s finished with a study we requested on land near Stone Mountain, and he thinks it’s worth offering leases for. Plus we’ll visit some sites already under contract, so I can get a real feel for things in the field.”
    “Really?” Her eyebrows flew up. “But that’s great, right?”
    He gave her a rueful grin. “Yeah, for the people who own the land. For me, it means a night away from you.”
    She glanced self-consciously at her customers. “Um—”
    “They can’t hear me,” he assured her. “I’m talking too low. I wouldn’t embarrass you.” Now, he looked around. “At least any more than these people already do. I’m the latest topic of conversation, right?”
    “Small towns,” she pointed out.
    “I know. I grew up in one. So, we’re taking one of Dusty’s planes—”
    “Wow. High cotton,” she interrupted.
    “Doesn’t make up for missing you. But I’ll be back by noon tomorrow, so don’t make plans for tomorrow night. Got it?”
    “Pretty confident, are you?” she teased.
    “No, just don’t want to waste whatever time is left.”
    At the reminder their situation had an end time, sadness washed through her, but she deliberately pushed it away.
    “Um, how about if I make dinner for us tomorrow night? We can eat in.”
    Heat simmered in his eyes again at her words. “In more ways than one, darlin’. In more ways than one.”
    It took all her self-discipline to maintain a casual appearance when he waved and headed out the door. Then, in order to avoid the gossips ready to bombard her with questions, she hurried into the back room and busied herself straightening things up back there. She hadn’t wanted to tell him how disappointed she was at his announcement, but the thought of a night without him took the shine off the day.
    The portrait. She’d work on his portrait tonight. When he was gone, she’d hang it in her bedroom so she could look at him every night. And while she worked, she’d plan their evening together. Maybe if she pulled out all the stops, she could find out if Killian Walker really did have a dark side, and if he’d take her with him on a walk down its erotic path.
     

Chapter Six
     
     
    Killian slept little, and he knew it was more than just a strange bed. Hell, he’d slept in line shacks and on the ground in a bedroll. No, it was the image blasting into his brain every time he