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  “Oh, don’t be giving Myrna the medal for spoiling the fair-haired boy child. You and Daddy had him rotten before us girls were ever born,” Grace said.

  That set off the fireworks with everyone talking at once. Cathy ate her cake slowly, enjoying the big family atmosphere as much as she did the cake. It would be so easy to fall in love with him and the family, to fit in with all the good-natured bantering and fun.

  But Travis had his heart set on an Alaska adventure, and even if she could hold him down, he’d come to hate her for it when his wandering soul wanted to sprout wings and fly again.

  Chapter 18

  Riding after dark is boring and monotonous. Cathy couldn’t see the scenery of the countryside, even if it was nothing but miles and miles of dormant scrub oak trees and rolling hills. Dash lights did little to light up the cab of the truck and Travis had been unusually quiet for the past three hours. She’d been left alone with nothing but her own thoughts and they were on a continuous loop, going nowhere, solving nothing. She could see a glow in the sky giving testimony that they were coming up on Durant, Oklahoma.

  The Toby Keith CD Travis had in the player ended. He took it out and handed it to her. “Pick out something else. We’re fixing to go through Durant. Are you tired or do you still want to drive until the wee hours of the morning?”

  Cathy yawned. “I’m exhausted. Everything is surreal. It seems like a month since last Saturday night. I’ve been on a three-day adrenaline high and it hit bottom a ways back. I could sleep for a week.”

  “Me too,” he said. “There’s a sign for a Hampton Inn. It’s right off the highway.”

  “I could… no I couldn’t. The Hampton is fine.”

  “What were you about to say? You want to stay in a different motel? There are several to choose from.”

  “I almost said that I could sleep in a broom closet but after that fishing shack, I’m not saying it. Have I thanked you for everything today?”

  “Maybe a dozen times.”

  He stopped the pickup under the awning at the hotel. Cars zipped up and down the main thoroughfare to the south of the hotel. A steady stream of traffic slowed down for the red light before turning west into the Wal-Mart parking lot. Brakes, horns, sirens, a couple of early-bird crickets, and a lonesome old tree frog combined to sound like bad rock music. Cathy gladly got out of the truck and stretched, moving her neck from side to side and loving the noise of a busy college town not yet ready to turn in for the night. It sure beat squeaking rats and rusty bedsprings.

  She pointed at the brass luggage carts in the foyer. “Guess we didn’t bring enough to need one of those, did we?”

  “Thank goodness. I’m too tired to deal with that much baggage,” Travis said.

  The young lady behind the desk looked up from a book she’d been reading. Her eyes glittered as if the hero pictured on front of the fat romance book had suddenly miraculously materialized in front of her.

  “What can I do for you?” she sing-songed.

  “We need a room,” he said.

  The glitter faded when Cathy leaned out from behind him.

  “King-sized, please,” Cathy said.

  “Yes, ma’am. Love your coat,” she recovered quickly.

  “Thank you.”

  “We have a Jacuzzi suite still open.”

  “We’ll take anything.” Travis dug his credit card out of his wallet and laid it on the counter.

  “Just a plain room is fine. We’re too tired for Jacuzzi tonight. Is that coffee fresh?” Cathy nodded toward the counter behind them.

  “It is and the cookies and apples are for our customers. Breakfast is from six to ten in the morning in the dining room behind the coffee pots there. The pool is closed for the winter but the exercise room is open.”

  “We won’t need that tonight,” Cathy said.

  The girl handed Travis a paper to sign. “Checkout is eleven. Just leave your key at the desk. Room 315. Elevators are straight ahead to your left.”

  Travis gave the key to Cathy. “Go on up. I’ll park the truck and bring in the bags.”

  She went straight to the coffee bar, found green tea bags and hot water as well as decaf and dark roast coffee. She unwrapped a bag, put it in a Styrofoam cup, added two sugars and a teaspoon-sized container of half-and-half, then filled it with hot water and put a lid on the top. Then she filled a cup with coffee, covered it with a lid, and carried them to the elevators.

  When she reached the room she balanced two cups in one hand while she opened the door. She went straight to the desk to set them both down before looking around. There was a flower arrangement on the coffee table in front of a loveseat, a plasma screen television, microwave and small refrigerator, big bathroom, and a fast speed Internet connection. None of it appealed to her like a king-sized bed covered with a fluffy white duvet and four big soft pillows plus a neck roll pillow that all looked like heavenly clouds. She sat down on the loveseat, pulled off her fancy new boots, and wiggled her toes. When Travis knocked she opened the door and stood to one side to let him tote the baggage inside. Her shirt was unbuttoned and her jeans unzipped.

  “Wow!” he said.

  “Don’t be gettin’ your hopes up. I’m so tired you’d have to wake me when it was over,” she said.

  He set his duffle bag and three plastic Dollar Store bags on the floor. “Honey, you’d have to wake me to get it started. I’ll just be happy to have a shower and cuddle up in that bed with you. I was wowing because you look so danged sexy.”

  “Thank you. I’m headed for the shower.” She hung her shirt and jeans in the closet, tossed her bra on the shelf, and padded to the bathroom in white cotton panties.

  The bathroom was as large as the kitchen in her apartment and a small elephant could easily fit in the shower. She waited until the water was hot and adjusted it. She’d barely gotten her hair wet when Travis popped his head inside. “It’s big enough for two. Want some company?”

  “It’s big enough for an orgy. Too bad we’re both worn out.” She lathered up her hair with the hotel shampoo. “Duck under the shower and get your hair wet and I’ll wash it for you since my hands are already soapy.”

  She poured what was left of the shampoo on top of his hair after he’d gotten it wet and gently massaged his scalp. He bent forward slightly and braced himself by putting his hands on her waist.

  “Part of me is willing; the other part is too tired,” he moaned.

  “We need sleep more than sex. Now turn around and I’ll wash your back.”

  “I think the willing part is winning the race. That feels wonderful. You’ve got three hours to stop and when you are done I will return the favors,” he said.

  “If you touch me, my willing part will win the race and we’ll never wake up in the morning. You’ll lose your job.”

  “It would be worth it.” He grinned.

  “For a week and then you’d be sorry. We’re about to fight. I feel it in my bones so I’m going to rinse this soap out of my hair and brush my teeth while you finish your shower.”

  She was dressed in a nightshirt and was applying hotel lotion on her legs and arms when he came out of the bathroom. His hair still had water drops clinging to it and the only thing between her and that sexy body was a loosely wrapped towel.

  “Wow!” she said.

  He grinned. “Thank you.”

  “You are very welcome. Did I tell you lately that you are sexy as hell? Oh, I forgot, I made you green tea. Hope it’s still hot enough to taste good.”

  He picked up the cup and took a long sip. “Not bad. Did I tell you lately that you are sexy even in a Dollar Store nightshirt with Rudolph on the front?”

  She smiled.

  Looking at you in nothing but a loin cloth would probably make men all over the world start drinking green tea if they thought it would give them a body like yours.

  He sat down at the desk. “When did you make this?”

  “They have a coffee and tea bar down in the lobby for cust
omers. I bypassed the apples and cookies,” she said.

  “Well, damn. Were they chocolate chip?”

  She nodded.

  He looked down. “Think I could get away with going after one wearing nothing but a towel?”

  “If you can run faster than that sweet little thing behind the counter. I thought she was going to spread cookie crumbs on your body and have you for a midnight snack. And then she saw me and her world collapsed,” she said.

  He raised an eyebrow. “Jealous?”

  “No, but she was.” Cathy smiled.

  He finished his tea and tossed the cup in the trash before standing up and dropping the towel on the floor. He pulled back the covers and crawled naked into the bed.

  “You coming to bed soon?” he asked.

  “Right now.” She curled up next to him with her face on his chest.

  He sighed, rolled to one side, and wrapped both arms around her. “Good night, Cathy.”

  “Mmmm,” she mumbled, already in the first stages of sleep.

  * * *

  The rats were back only this time they weren’t interested in the food basket. She’d cut her arm on the lid from the sausage can and they could smell the blood. She wiped it on the mattress and got as far away as the chain around her ankle would let her but the wound wouldn’t stop dripping. They followed the blood drops from the bed to the corner. She wrapped her arm in the blanket poncho but it dripped through and one rat licked the floor. Another stood on his hind legs and squeaked at her. A third’s evil eyes locked in on her arm and he began to climb up the poncho.

  She screamed at the varmints and kicked out at the brave ones who were coming in for the kill. Duroc’s high squeaky voice cackled over by the door. Oscar said she was getting what she deserved.

  “I will kill you both,” she yelled.

  Then Duroc threw a rope around her and pinned her to the floor. Rats ran in every direction but she’d rather fight the rats than the man.

  “Wake up, Cathy. It’s me, Travis!”

  Duroc yelled lies in her ear while he held her down. Travis wasn’t in the shack. He was in Mingus. She raised a knee but a hand clamped down on it.

  “No, no!” she screamed.

  “Cathy, wake up!” Travis said.

  She opened her eyes and tried to see the whole room at one time. Where was Duroc hiding? She’d kill him if he wasn’t out of reach of the damned chain. Where did the soft pillows and comforter come from?

  “Breathe,” Travis demanded.

  She spoke between short sobbing gasps. “It was so real. They were there trying to bite me and he was holding me down.”

  He hugged her close. “It was a bad dream, a horrible nightmare. You’ll probably have them for a while. I’m here, honey. Nothing is going to hurt you ever again.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.”

  Travis kept his eyes open long after she relaxed. Henrys kept promises that they made and they didn’t give their word lightly. Would he be around to keep her safe forever?

  “Travis?” she whispered.

  “I’m right here.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured.

  The next time she awoke she was alone in the bed and the room was too quiet. “Travis?” She raised her voice slightly so he’d hear her if he was shaving.

  Nothing.

  She bounded out of bed and pulled the curtains back. Bright sunlight blinded her for a few seconds until her eyes adjusted. She checked the clock to find that it was eight o’clock already. They should already be on the road to Mingus. Travis was going to be late and Amos had already been patient about him missing work. Her mind ran in circles as she hurriedly dressed in her new jeans and a T-shirt. She was putting on socks when the door opened.

  “Good morning,” he said.

  “Where have you been? We should have been driving an hour ago. Why didn’t you wake me?”

  “Whoa, darlin’. It’s all right. I called Amos. He’s all right with me being a little late if we don’t get home right on the hour. Here’s coffee. I didn’t have breakfast yet but it looks pretty good. When you are ready we’ll eat and go. What woke you up anyway? I was going to let you sleep as long as you wanted since you had a restless night.”

  She took the coffee. “I’m starved. What’s on the breakfast menu?”

  “Fruit, waffles, omelets, bacon, cereal, yogurt.” He got his things from the bathroom and put them into the duffle bag. “So does that sound good?” he asked.

  “It sounds just fine,” she quipped.

  “Drink more coffee.”

  “I thought I was being sweet,” she said.

  “By the time you get to the bottom of that second cup, there’s the possibility that you might be.”

  “You have a split personality. You were all sweet last night and now you are picking a fight.”

  “Me? We’re talking about me?” he asked.

  “Well, we sure aren’t talkin’ about me. My personality is the same every day. I make no bones about it. I’m not nice until I’ve had three cups of coffee in the mornings.”

  “How did that Brad fellow or anyone else work with you? You did go to work at nine, didn’t you?”

  “Eight. And no one bothered me until after lunch. You’d be amazed how much work an old bear can do in the mornings when she’s left totally alone. It was the secret to my success. While everyone else was gossiping over the water cooler about me, I was getting two days work done behind a closed door.”

  “You’ve been faking it. You aren’t mean in the morning. It’s a façade to get people to leave you alone.”

  She shrugged. “If anyone ever finds that out I’m blaming you. I’ve got a reputation to uphold. Let’s have breakfast and give them the room key so we can go home.”

  He picked up the bags. “You ready to get rid of me?”

  She stopped so quickly that he ran into her. She spun around and put her hands around his neck, pulling his face to hers for the first passionate kiss of the day. His hands were filled with bags so he couldn’t hug her or even control the kiss by touching her face.

  The bed was there and the key wasn’t turned in yet. His energy level was up to par. He dropped one bag and wrapped his arm around her waist.

  She pulled back. “That answer your question?”

  “I believe it does. You sure you want food? We don’t have to check out until eleven,” he said hoarsely.

  “Yes, I do. Amos has been patient enough with us. If we get home by noon or even a little after I will have only missed two days at the office. I’m already so far behind it’ll take all week to catch up. So pick up the Dollar Store Samsonite and let’s go have breakfast.” She marched out of the room and toward the elevators.

  On the ride down to the first floor he dropped the bags and cornered her for more steamy kisses. When the doors opened she opened her eyes to see an older couple staring right at them.

  “Going up?” Cathy asked.

  “Oh, yes, darlin’ and I hope it’s the elevator that causes that,” the woman said.

  “It sure is. When you touch the button it fires up your passion.”

  The woman laughed and pushed the button.

  “I’d like to be a fly on the wall when she puts one on that man. He’s liable to think he’s died and gone to heaven,” Cathy said.

  “He did have a twinkle in his eyes when reached out to push the button. I’ll take these things out and put them in the truck. Go ahead and get started. I’ll be right back,” he said.

  She loaded one plate with omelets, bacon, and toast and another with a Belgian waffle. When Travis returned she was sitting at a table for two in the middle of the dining room.

  He made green tea and had a yogurt and a waffle with a side order of bacon.

  “You sure you didn’t eat breakfast before you woke me up?” she asked.

  “I didn’t wake you. You were up and raring to go when I got back to the room,” he said. “And no, I didn’t eat anything. I had a cup of
tea and watched the early morning news.”

  “Are we fighting? Our tones tell me we might be. Maybe it’s a good thing if we are.”

  He propped both elbows on the table and stared at her. “And why is that?”

  “Because it would prove that we aren’t right for each other. The old familiarity breeds contempt thing. Maybe it’s to show us that we can only stand each other for three days before it all falls apart. That once we gave in to the heat between us and had sex, everything was finished. Can we still be good friends even if we don’t have sex anymore? I’d miss you if we weren’t friends.”

  “You really believe that?” he asked.

  Their eyes locked somewhere above the waffles and sparks flickered around them like confetti.

  “No, I don’t. Not when you can still make me hot as hell’s flames by just looking at me,” she said.

  He went back to his yogurt and tea. “Then we will last a while longer because I get hot every time I see you.”

  “It can’t go anywhere, Travis. The excitement of the next oil rig and whether it will bring in a gusher will always be in your blood. It’s what drives you and makes you happy. You have wings. I have roots in the Honky Tonk and they go really deep like an old oak tree. The two don’t mix.”

  “I’ll chew on that a while and get back to you on it before we get home, but I believe a person can have wings and roots at the same time,” he said.

  “Are you sure or are you just avoiding the inevitable?” she asked softly.

  “I’m very sure, honey. Eat up. The wagon train leaves in a few minutes. You don’t want to miss it.”

  She didn’t press the issue but she didn’t expect him to come up with anything profound on the trip to Mingus, either. He couldn’t explain his feelings any more than she could hers.

  Chapter 19

  Cathy grabbed her cell phone when it rang, held it with one hand, and filled pretzel bowls with the other. She barely got out a hello when Daisy started.

  “Where in the hell have you been and why haven’t you answered your phone and don’t you ever listen to your messages? Tell me you are well and all right and that the Honky Tonk didn’t burn down or terrorists aren’t holding you hostage or you didn’t marry that Travis Henry and not even invite me to the wedding. I told you to talk to me. Did you do something so crazy that you don’t even want to talk to me about it? And why haven’t you called me back?”