Read Nearest Thing to Heaven (Maverick Junction) for Free Online Page B

eyes.
    “Sorry. I couldn’t hear what you said. Why are you here?”
    “A better question is why you didn’t ask who was at your door before inviting me in.”
    Her shrug again drew his eyes to those silky shoulders. Those bare , silky shoulders.
    “I figured it was Annelise.”
    “But it wasn’t.”
    “It could have been.”
    Useless, he realized, and gave up.
    “I had to come into town to drop the kids off at day care, so Annie asked me to pick you up and drop you off at the ranch on my way home. It’ll save her backtracking. She figured the two of you could go right from Cash’s place to Maggie’s in Lone Tree. So, looks like I’m your appointed driver this morning.”
    “Oh, Ty, I’m sorry. This is twice now. Actually, three times. Annelise should have called. There’s no reason I can’t rent a car.”
    “Nah. Doesn’t make any sense to do that.” He leaned against the door, felt the warmth of the sun coming in the window against his back. “I don’t mind. And I was already in town, so it’s no big. Honestly.”
    She still looked skeptical. “I need a couple minutes.” Her head disappeared around the door frame.
    “Pour yourself a cup of coffee,” she called from the bedroom. “It’s fresh. Only made it maybe ten minutes ago.”
    “Don’t mind if I do.” Ty went to the cupboard and dug around till he found a cup, then poured himself some. He carried it to the table and sat in one of the chairs Annie’d refurbished.
    He looked around the kitchen and living area, at the blue walls. Tiffany blue, Annie’d told him. He smiled. A woman and Tiffany’s. Fitting.
    The change made him think of Roger Barry who had rented this apartment from Dottie for years. He’d brought the old guy home a couple times after he’d had a few too many at Bubba’s, and this place had been a disaster. Roger had moved out, and the place sat empty until Annie rode into Maverick Junction on that big Harley of hers.
    And although she had enough money to buy the state of Texas and still have plenty left over, she’d repainted the walls herself, then furnished the place from the secondhand shop in town and a few yard sales.
    The apartment wasn’t much, just one main room with a bedroom and bath off to the left. Annie’d divided the big room into kitchen, dining, and living areas. By the far window, he spotted the old brown sofa that had been in Cash’s grandfather’s living room. Boy, as kids, he, Cash, and Brawley had done some major arm-wrestling on that thing.
    Studying the small space, he had to admit she’d done one heck of a job. With a little bit of money and a whole lot of elbow grease, style, and imagination, she’d completely transformed the apartment and made it her own.
    Thing was, it fit Sophie, too. The bright colors, the sunlight. The feminine touches. Salvaged crystal mixed with whimsy.
    For a split-second, he let himself wonder what Sophie’s place in Chicago looked like. Tried to picture her in the cold, windy city. Truth was, he couldn’t imagine her looking any more perfect than she did right here in the Texas sunshine.
    The sun rose above the tree outside the living room and a rogue beam danced into the apartment, straight through the sun catchers that hadn’t been there yesterday. And damned if they weren’t fairies.
    Right in the center? A stained-glass Tinker Bell.
    “Do you think I’m dressed okay?”
    Ty turned to look at Sophie, who stood in the doorway between the kitchen and bedroom. And she’d given him permission to stare. Thank you, Jesus.
    She wore coffee-colored pants with a long-sleeve blouse the color of Texas bluebonnets on a sunny day. It flowed around her like molten glass. Two crosses on silver chains along with a strand of multicolored crystals shimmered at her neck. A bold cuff bracelet encircled her tiny wrist; large silver hoops glinted at her ears. And, again, she wore a pair of killer heels that screamed, Do me .
    Sweat popped out on his brow.
    The woman smelled