Texas…Now and Forever by Merline Lovelace Page A

V.M.I. and in the Marine Corps. For that matter, he missed the corps. The old cliché was true. Once a marine, always a marine.
    Unless you caused the death of an innocent young woman.
    Then you had no business wearing the uniform of a United States Marine. No business holding yourself up as an example for your men to follow. Judge Bridges might have gotten his four defendants off, but Luke accepted full responsibility for the tragic accident. He should never have encouraged Haley to take the wheel. The speedboat was too big for an unskilled driver, its engines too powerful.
    Despite the judge’s warning to keep his mouth shut, Luke had freely admitted his criminal negligence during the trial. To this day he carried the guilt for that accident like a burr lodged just under his skin. He always would. It tugged at him now as he studied the stranger’s face. She didn’t look anything like Haley Mercado. Her face was thinner, the features were more defined. Yet for a moment there, when she’d first walked into the bar, Luke’s pulse had hitched.
    He tucked the memory of the young, vibrantHaley into the corner of his heart where she’d always remain.
    â€œAre you here in the States on business or pleasure?”
    Her glance wavered, dropped to the beer she’d yet to taste. His went to the hands she wrapped around the frosted mug. No wedding ring, he noted. No rings of any kind. Short, oval-shaped nails polished the natural-looking shade women called French white for reasons Luke had never understood.
    â€œPersonal business,” she said after a moment, meeting his gaze again. “But I’m just passing through Texas.”
    Well, well. Stretching out his long legs, Luke set out to seduce the woman across the table. It was a game he played, the same game all men played when they spotted a beautiful, unattached female. As often as not, he struck out. Occasionally he got lucky. In either case, he enjoyed the preliminary mating rituals that presaged getting to know a woman. Particularly a woman as delectable as this one.
    â€œToo bad you can’t spend more time ’round these parts.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œIf you can get past the heat and the dust, thiscorner of Texas isn’t a bad place to sit and doterize awhile.”
    The lazy drawl took some of the stiffness out of her spine. She sat back in her chair and rewarded him with the faintest glimmer of a smile.
    â€œâ€˜Doterize’?”
    â€œIt’s a local expression,” he said with a grin that admitted he’d just made up the word up, “for forgetting all your problems and pretty much doing nothing.”
    â€œI see.”
    She took a sip of her beer, leaving Luke more intrigued than ever. This cool, self-contained beauty certainly didn’t suffer from an excess of volubility. Or curiosity. Most folks who’d just met someone for the first time would be launching a few discreet probes by this time. Either she wasn’t interested or she was content to let Luke set the pace, which he was more than willing to do.
    â€œSo how do you occupy your time when you’re not passing through Texas?”
    She took her time before replying. Luke formed the distinct impression she was weighing what she’d tell him right down to the gram.
    â€œI’m a graphic designer,” she said finally.
    â€œWhat do you design?”
    Again she hesitated. The arrival of a platter of greasy fries and a cheeseburger provided an obvious excuse for her not to answer. With a murmur of thanks to the waiter, she squared the plate in front of her and arranged her face in a polite expression of dismissal.
    â€œIf you’ll excuse me, Mr. Callaghan, I’m—”
    â€œLuke.”
    â€œIf you’ll excuse me, Luke, I’m rather hungry.”
    No way was she going to shake loose of him that easy.
    â€œMatter of fact,” he replied, sniffing appreciatively, “so am I. Hey, Charlie!”