To Love a Texan by Georgina Gentry

Author:Georgina Gentry [Gentry, Georgina]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Women teachers, Man-woman relationships, General, Romance, Historical, Fiction, Texas, Love stories
ISBN: 9780821779903
Publisher: Zebra Books
Published: 2007-01-01T05:00:00+00:00

Chapter Eleven

Two afternoons later, the gambler seemed to be much better, although he insisted on having Lily feed him. “How—how’d our business do last night?”

Lillian hesitated.

“That bad, huh?”

“Well, with me not allowing the girls to, you know, and you too hurt to deal cards—not so good. Also, our bartender has quit and gone back home to Iowa.”

He tried to get out of bed.

“What do you think you’re doing?” She restrained him and he looked up at her, their faces close.

“Can’t lose the Lily—worked too hard all my life not to be an average bum.”

Just settle down,” she commanded. “You can’t do anything about that right now. We’ll talk about it later.”

He settled back against his pillows with a sigh and reached to touch his unshaven face. “I need a shave.”

“Maybe I can get the barber to come here.”

He shook his head. “Not likely, even for a good friend. Why don’t you do it?”

She snorted. “Aren’t you afraid I’ll cut your throat? Then I’d own the Lily outright.”

“I trust you.” He grinned up at her.

“More fool, you.” She went to his dresser and got the straight razor, looked at it dubiously. “You know, I have absolutely no experience with this. Maybe we’d better call in Delilah.”

“If you say so,” he nodded.

“In the meantime, I need to go up to town for supplies. Want anything?”

“How about some of those good cigars?”

She frowned at him. “Cigars are bad for you.”

“Lady, I’ve got scars all over from bullets and knife fights and my insides are probably rotted already from cheap whiskey. Get me some cigars.”

“All right.” Some things weren’t worth the argument. “I’ll have Delilah come shave you and clean you up.”

“Oh, I was hopin’ you’d do that.” he winked at her.

“Mister O’Neal, I’ve done just about everything I intend to do for you.” She kept her tone icy, too aware of how charming he was and how vulnerable, too, weak and wounded. She went upstairs and got her purse.

Fern caught her in the hall. “That rancher asked me. He really asked me!”

“Oh? Good for you. He knows and doesn’t care?”

She nodded and smiled. “He says I’m gettin’ a fresh start and the past doesn’t matter.”

Lillian put her arm around the tall brunette and hugged her. “I’m so happy for you, Fern. We can put on a wedding right here.”

Then she stuck her head in the girls’ rooms and said, “You need to get up and start cleaning this whole house, Delilah can’t do it alone. I’ll be back to help.”

“Clean?” Flo, the strawberry blonde, raised her head and blinked.

“Yes, clean. We may have Fern’s wedding right here and the place should look presentable.”

She stopped to give Delilah instructions about shaving the gambler and cleaning him up. If this were one of her romantic novels, the heroine would wash his naked body and then they would kiss.

This wasn’t a romantic novel. The rascal could just stay dirty for all she cared. After all, if he hadn’t been involved in that trickery, he wouldn’t have gotten shot by some drunk cowboy.

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