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“Miss Lester, you know I’m always happy to hear from you, and to hear your opinions about how Divine can be a better place, and how I can do my job better, but I draw the line firmly at personal questions.”
Tabitha gasped. “Oh, Lord. You didn’t say no. That means you are, doesn’t it? How can you—”
“Miss Lester, you’re entitled to your opinions. My personal life does not dictate how I do my job. And my constituents will not dictate my personal life. Did you have any other matters to discuss?”
“Well…I guess not, since you’re…one of them now. I was calling to clear up that nasty rumor and to invite you to Keep Divine Pure’s next meeting on Sunday. We wanted to hear your thoughts about the problem growing in our community, but…” She chuckled bitterly. “I can see that’s not going to happen. May I just say I am very disappointed.”
“Yes, you may, ma’am. If that’s all, have a good day.”
The line went dead and he held back the urge to throw his phone. He should’ve asked where she’d heard the rumor but it didn’t matter. He cared what the voters in Divine thought of him but he wasn’t about to let a lone citizen dictate his personal life. Next, she’d be peeping in his windows.
Chapter Twelve
Fresh from a shower, Travis was zipping up his jeans and buttoning his shirt when Veronica slipped into the bathroom and snuggled up behind him, rubbing her full breasts in a move that enticed him to stay naked. He loved the sweet sound she made, almost like a purr, and he watched in the mirror’s reflection as her graceful hands slid around his waist and upward to his chest.
“Ready to get started on work, Nika?” Maybe thinking about the fact she needed to get started would help to tame his cock. Not.
“Yes. You inspired me, Travis,” she murmured, and he could feel the heat from her cheek between his shoulder blades as she pressed it to him.
“So our getting together has been good for your work?” he asked, the hollow feeling opening up in his chest again. He wanted to be more than research to her but wouldn’t push her. She’d been pushed enough for one lifetime.
She peeked out from behind his arm and he could see the turmoil in her eyes. “It’s more than that to me, Travis. Yes, it’s going to make a huge difference in my stories. You and Hank have opened a whole new world to me. But—”
The crater in his chest deepened, hoping for her next words but they were interrupted by a loud, rapid knocking at the door and the sound of voices, and thumping outside.
Travis frowned and looked at her. “Were you expecting company?”
Veronica shook her head. “No. I was going to search online for our costumes for that race and then I was going to write until the two of you came back tonight.”
Travis helped her into her silky robe, since she was still nude, and she followed him to the front door. Multiple voices sounded on the porch and before he could reach the door, more rapid knocking filled the quiet of the house. He looped an arm around her and slid her behind him and opened the door.
A bevy of women, of all ages and sizes stood on the front porch, all chattering excitedly until their eyes landed on him. Beyond the porch, more stood on the walkway while others were climbing from the cars lined up in front of the house. There had to be at least twenty women, maybe more. Their spokesman, the woman who’d knocked, took one look at him and a pink blush filled her cheeks and she stammered unintelligibly. In the distance, he could see Jack, Angel, and the ranch foreman, Ash Peterson, along with several ranch hands, making their way down to the old foreman’s house.
“Good afternoon, ladies, can I help you?”
“We…Uh. Hi. We—” She finally fell silent.
Another woman came near and put her arm around the shoulder of the stammering woman and smiled from ear to ear, her eyes twinkling. “What my sister Sue is trying to say, sir, is that we hope we’ve come to the right place. My name is Tracy Farmer and we are the admins of the Heart of Texas Romance Reader’s Forum, and these are a number of our group members. Veronica Benedict invited our group to a private meet and greet at this location, complete with driving directions. Is she here?”
