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Pausing, Trey turned back around.
“His wallet.” She held it out. “He’s liable to miss it come morning.”
“Thanks.” He walked back to take it from her and automatically glanced at the edges of some bills that poked out of it.
“Don’t worry,” she said with cynicism. “It’s all there. I didn’t take any.”
“I never said you did,” Trey replied evenly.
Her head lifted in a defiant toss, and she looked at him for the first time straight on. “You thought it.”
Trey stared at the swollen area on her left cheekbone. Its redness already showed signs of purpling into an ugly bruise. “What happened to your face?”
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p; “Your friend.” There was a bitter and angry curl of her lip when she spoke. Again she turned at right angles, showing him only the unblemished side of her face. “It really finishes my chances of making any money tonight.”
“Are you saying Tank hit you?” Trey questioned in disbelief. “I don’t buy that.”
“Why? Because he’s your friend?” she jeered. “You men are all the same. You take one look at someone like me and see a green light to indulge in rough stuff.”
“You’re wrong. In my book, no man ever has a good excuse to hit a woman. I don’t care who she is.” The statement was calmly worded.
She studied him for an instant, a look of wonder stealing into her eyes. “You mean that, don’t you.” Long, red-nailed fingers lightly touched his cheek. “I wish more guys like you visited me.” Before he could guess her intentions, she rose on her toes and planted a quick kiss on his cheek, then drew back. “Thanks.”
Her fingers again touched his cheek. “Sorry, I got lipstick on you.”
“No problem.” He pulled a handkerchief from his back pocket and wiped his cheek, then tucked it back away. “Thanks for returning Tank’s billfold.” With a nod in parting, Trey headed for the door.
“Your friend didn’t hit me.” Her voice came after him. “He was getting undressed and grabbed me when he started to fall. We both went down, and I cracked my cheek against the foot rail.”
“That, I believe,” Trey replied and stepped into the hall, pulling the door closed behind him.
Johnny was just driving out of the lot in Tank’s pickup when Trey emerged from The Oasis. He tooted the horn and pulled onto the highway. Trey soon followed.
On the plowed and salted highway, the going was relatively easy. Within a few miles, Trey had the red taillights of Tank’s pickup in sight. The driving conditions deteriorated rapidly, though, when he turned onto the main ranch road. Blowing snow reduced the visibility to a matter of yards and created deep drifts that had to be negotiated with care. The last thirty-odd miles to the Triple C headquarters Trey covered at a crawl. It was close to midnight when he finally pulled up in front of The Homestead.
Upon entering the still and darkened house, Trey paused to remove his heavy jacket and snow-encrusted boots. In stocking feet, he made his way to the staircase without bothering to turn on a light. Only one tread creaked under his weight, but that was all that was needed.
A door opened as he neared the top step, and his mother’s slim shape, clad in a pair of tailored pajamas, filled its gap. “Is Tank all right?”
“He’s fine,” he assured her, then added wryly, “But he’s bound to have the mother of all hangovers come morning.”
“Were the roads bad?”
He nodded. “This storm is trying to turn into a blizzard.”
“Let’s hope not. Good night,” she murmured and faded back into her bedroom.
“Good night,” he echoed and crossed to the master suite.
All was dark in the sitting room, but Sloan had left on the bathroom light for him. Tired as he was, the thoughtful gesture brought a smile to the corners of his mouth. He glanced at the bed where Sloan lay on her side, the white of the pillowcase framing her dark head. The slight rise and fall of her breathing told him that she was sound asleep.
Not wanting to disturb her, Trey undressed quietly. But the instant he lifted the covers to slip into bed, she stirred, her head lifting and turning drowsily in his direction.
“You’re home,” she murmured thickly.
“Yes.” He slid under the sheet, stretching out beside her.
