A Town Called Valentine: A Valentine Valley Novel Read Free Page A

too.”
    “Emily,” Nate said without thinking.
    Tony grinned. “At least you got her name. Or did you get more?”
    Nate winced and sighed. “Nope. Shouldn’t have been trying for more.”
    “She seemed willing to me.”
    “And tipsy. I shouldn’t have—”
    The door jangled, and Nate automatically turned to look. Emily stepped back inside, rain dripping down her coat, her fingers gripping her purse.
    Without looking at Nate, she said coolly to Tony, “My car won’t start, and I’m not certain who to call for a tow. Could you please give me a name?”
    Tony walked to the end of the bar. “Sorry, but Ernie won’t come at night if it’s not an emergency.”
    “Oh.”
    Nate thought she looked blank for a moment, as if it never occurred to her that there were parts of the country where you couldn’t have what you asked for twenty-four hours a day.
    She took a deep breath, still not glancing at Nate. “Then if you could call me a taxi, I’d appreciate it.”
    “It’s too late,” Nate said quietly.
    “Pardon me?” She met his eyes at last.
    He felt a jolt of need. Damn, but she still affected him even though he regretted their little game and his lack of control. And then she bit her plump lower lip, making everything worse.
    “Only one taxi driver in Valentine Valley,” Tony explained with a shrug of his shoulders.
    “Let me guess,” Emily said with a touch of bitterness. “He only comes at night if it’s an emergency.”
    “She,” Nate said reluctantly.
    Her posture seemed to slump as she tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. He’d smelled that hair, tasted the skin on her neck. He stirred on the barstool, wishing he could adjust himself. And it had been his stupid idea to head back to the pool room.
    “Since you’re not from around here,” Tony said, “there’s a motel just down the block.”
    Nate could see her jaw clench from across the room.
    “I own a building in town,” she finally said. “I need to get there.”
    Tony and Nate shared a surprised glance. Both of them knew just about everybody—and every building—in town. Who was this Emily?
    “I can drop you off,” Nate offered. It was the least he could do.
    She studied him, wariness in her narrowed eyes. “If you can tell me how to get—”
    “You can’t walk there in this,” Tony interrupted. “You can trust Nate to take you, regardless of what happened in the back room.”
    Her eyes shut as she grimaced. Ned and Ted Ferguson gave another matching set of snickers.
    Nate frowned. He could see Emily’s blush like a beacon. He glared at the brothers, and they both hunched their shoulders and turned back to the game.
    “But first,” Tony continued. “I’ve just brewed a fresh pot of coffee. Nate, how ’bout something to eat?”
    He was just about to protest that he was not drunk, but then he remembered kissing a woman he didn’t know a thing about. “Sounds good.”
    Emily perched on a chair closest to the door. “Thank you. I’ll wait.”
    Tony served him some fajitas with the coffee, and although Nate offered her some, she didn’t leave the safety of her chair, making him feel even more like a monster. After a half hour, he quietly said, “Guess it’s time to leave, Tony.”
    Tony smiled and glanced at Emily. “I might have to call you tomorrow.”
    “There’ll be nothing to report.” He stood up and slid on his jacket.
    Emily waited by the door, wincing as she peered out at the rain.
    He opened it and gestured. “After you.”
    He ran toward the pickup as rain dripped off the edges of his hat. He followed her to open the door, but she veered toward her own car first and tried to lug a suitcase out of the trunk. He grabbed it out of her hand, opened the truck door, and slid it onto the rear bench. She was short enough that she had trouble getting up inside, and he almost boosted her up by the ass but figured she wouldn’t appreciate it. He ran to his side and hopped in, and the slam of both