His intentions, clear as freshwater this morning, were now as murky as the water in his cattle tank. The sassy woman ambling across the spacious foyer had managed to do what the Texas Correctional Institution had not — intimidate him. More than that, he felt guilty, as if he were late in delivering an apology or something.

After mentally rattling off a few choice words, he removed his hat and headed for the door on his left. He pushed it open with more force than he'd intended and startled the woman seated behind the large, mahogany desk. She rose to her feet and nodded her head in a silent greeting. She was all elegance and grace, a Texas lady too good for the likes of him. Her daddy's sentiments echoed through his head.

"Hello, Corey."

Her throaty voice spread over him like warm butter.

"I've been expecting you."

The familiarity of her smooth, southern tone pricked as if barbed when he remembered how many days and nights he'd lived on just the memory of it. He resented her calm graciousness, her social politeness, and most especially, the unspoken distance imposed in her manner. She had no right to treat him like a stranger. The least she could do was fake an ounce of remorse or guilt. A little begging for his forgiveness would be more in order. Did she honestly think he was going to stand there and play lapdog to her princess act? Now was as good a time as any to set her straight.

"How do you think your social set will take to the news that you passed off my kid as one of their own? I'm thinking it will hit every news channel in four states, maybe more." He watched her face flush pink, and then settle back to pale, translucent ivory.

She stepped to the side of the desk and rested a trembling hand on its corner. "Please come in, Corey. Take a seat. Mrs. Stewart will be bringing coffee at any moment. After that, we can talk without interruption."

Her response proved how much she'd changed, inside where it was hard for a man to detect. The girl he remembered would have run for cover at a remark like the one he'd just handed her. This was no girl. She was a mind-numbing beautiful woman whose warm smile made him feel like a bad-mannered fool.

With a small turn of her hand, she indicated one of the leather chairs in front of the desk. He followed the gesture with his eyes, taking the time to take in the room's dark, masculine furnishings. It was obvious that this had been her husband's domain when alive. No woman would set herself against such surroundings by choice. Especially, if she realized that a petite, blonde-haired beauty dressed in yellow pants and a white blouse would look like an ornament, a daisy perhaps.

He reigned in his errant thoughts.

"Thanks for the offer, but I'm not here to have tea, Princess."

"It ain't tea, young man."

The voice came from behind him, and then passed him to sit a serving tray on one of the side tables. "It's strong black coffee. The kind that's good for keeping a man's tongue civil, if you know what I mean." Mrs. Stewart arched her brow and gave him a look just like the one his mama had often used when he was a boy. That look was better than a bucket of water for putting his fire out.

"Thank you, Mrs. Stewart," said Tiffany.

"You're welcome, Miss Tiffany. I'm sure your gentleman caller will mind his manners and have that coffee you offered him. Isn't that right, boy?"

___________________

Don't forget to rate, comment, and share.