Texas Showdown by Barb Han

Author:Barb Han
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2017-12-27T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

By morning, Maria was all business. She wore dark jeans and a navy blue V-neck short-sleeved shirt. Her hair was tied back neatly in a ponytail.

“I made coffee,” Austin said through a yawn. He’d never really been a morning person and his brothers had had a field day with that considering they’d been born on a ranch. It didn’t help that he’d spent most of the night alternating between thoughts of her case and the few kisses they’d shared—kisses that had heated his blood faster than a boiling pot. The latter were inappropriate thoughts under the circumstances and yet this was Maria, his wife, and he could admit to having an overload of nostalgia when she was near. Having her home felt right on many levels but he reminded himself not to confuse circumstance with her making a decision to return.

Maria didn’t comment as she walked over to the counter. Tension radiated off of her in waves and it had nothing to do with her case. That familiar vibe was her making sure he knew personal chatter was off the table.

“I’m sorry about last night. I was a jerk,” Austin said, handing her a mug, her mug.

“It’s no problem at all,” she said so casually that he almost missed the note of pain in her voice.

“Do you mind?” he asked, taking the pot from her.

She stood there, staring at the cabinet, while he filled their two mugs.

“When you closed up on me before, I didn’t know what to do so I left you alone,” he said, searching for the right words. “I don’t think I ever apologized for my actions.”

“What actions?” she shot back.

The words had the effect of a bullet chipping away a piece of his bone. The truth had a way of cutting to the core.

“I deserve that,” he admitted. “It seems like your memories have come back and I have divorce papers on my desk that you’ve been waiting for me to sign.”

She started to say something but he stopped her.

“I intend to sign them, don’t worry. I just can’t let you walk away without knowing that I never intended to hurt you,” he said, and he touched her arm.

She stiffened but then blew out a breath and looked as though it took great effort to force herself to relax her tight shoulders.

“It was as much my fault as it was yours,” she said. “I could’ve been the one to apologize just as easily as you or start the conversation we needed to have. Don’t blame yourself. Now, if you don’t mind. I’d really like that cup of coffee. We have a lot of work to do today. Unless you need to hang back here at the ranch.”

“Did you remember anything about your cases?” he asked.

“No, and I only have pieces of my personal life. Suffice it to say, I know enough to stop asking questions about what happened between the two of us,” she said stiffly. “And, like I already said, you can bail anytime you want.

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