Page 22 of The Texas Ranger: Saddled Up
“Sometimes we have to weather the storm to get to the rainbow.”
“Wow. You have a deep heart line.” She followed the groove with her finger. “The love line governs all matters of the heart, including romance, sex and commitment. Oh…that’s very interesting.”
“Yeah?” he said. She let go of his hand like she got burnt. “Wait. You’re not going to tell me what you found?”
“Are you into palmistry?” she asked.
“Maybe.” If he could be truthful, he’d tell her that he enjoyed her holding his hand, the way the ends of her hair brushed his skin and the lovely scent of her. Being near her was the ultimate good vibe.
Her mouth twisted as she took ahold of his hand again. “Be open-minded. This is your love line.” She pointed to one of the creases. “Think of it as a fingerprint. It’s unique to you.”
“Hmm. What does my love line say to you?”
“Well, you don’t always communicate how you feel and tend to be solitary when it comes to love.” Her gaze settled on him. “You can also be disconnected which can make people think you’re cold but you’re not. You’re actually very caring about people who mean something to you.”
“All that from a palm, huh?”
She released his hand. “All that from a palm.” She winked.
He flexed his hand because her touch had left his palm warm. “You don’t know a damn thing about reading palms, do you?”
She laughed. “Nope. Not a thing, but I had you going. What are you hiding, Bear?” She’d edged closer, her tongue sliding out across as if the words had left a taste on her lips.
“Excuse me?” He shifted on the stool, his Wranglers fitting snugger. He looked at his hand. “Did my palm tell you I’m hiding something?”
“I see the walls in your eyes. You’re a mystery, Bear.” She touched his wrist. “Not that it’s a surprise. And not that I’m complaining. I’ve never been afraid of puzzles.”
“I’m just a simple cowboy, ma’am. Living and breathing the land.”
She lay back, smiling. “You’re the least simple man I’ve ever met.” She plucked the cherry out of her frothy pink drink and bit into the plump fruit.
He had it bad if he found it sexy to watch a woman eat, but damn…he wanted to lick that tiny drop of juice off her bottom lip. Shit, she beat him to it.
“How would you take me asking you questions?” Her beautiful eyes sunk right through his raw surface.
“What would you like to know?” This could be a dangerous conversation, but he enjoyed the casual flirting. With many other women he’d been fast about taking things to the next level and even faster getting the hell out of dodge. With Aasia, he wanted to take thigs as slow as an IV drip so he could savor every second.
“Hmm.” She rolled the cherry stem around her forefinger and thumb. “What was your childhood like?”
“Fishing poles, skipping rocks, and shenanigans. It was a good childhood. The best.”
Wendi set a bowl of pretzels near them and Bear reached for it at the same time as she did. Their fingers brushed and he smiled. “Ladies first.”
He felt something trapped in his chest. Something sweet and dangerous.
She recoiled, giving a nervous laugh. “No, you go ahead. You take the pretzels. I read once that a lot of people don’t wash their hands when they use the restroom and then they reach into the bar snacks.”
“Those are fresh pretzels,” Wendi chimed in.
“Can a man get a drink around here?” Tipsy Tim swayed on his stool at the end of the bar. He frequented the bar so much he got the nickname. Bear didn’t mind the old man, but at times he could get a bit abrasive when he’d had a few too many.
“Hold your horses!” Wendi sighed. She looked back at Aasia and said, “I can’t wait until I’m done with my nursing degree. Three more classes and I’m out of this place.”
Bear watched to make sure Tipsy Tim behaved himself with Wendi and then said to Aasia, “Just so we’re clear, I always wash my hands.”
She sipped her drink through the straw, but her gaze was directed at the couples on the dance floor.
“If I remember correctly, you like to dance.” He’d enjoyed watching her dance the last few times she’d been in Oscar’s. He needed to cool himself. He was starting to sound like a perfected stalker. Bear had the utmost respect for woman. His ma had taught him well.
