Thunderbolt over Texas by Barbara Dunlop

Thunderbolt. He slowly pulled back.
    Her face was flushed and her eyes were glazed.
    He suspected he looked exactly the same way.
    She rubbed his chest and eased off with a deep breath. “Guess it’s good to get that out of the way,” she said.
    â€œOur first kiss?”
    She nodded, her gaze fixed somewhere below his neck. “Yeah. Could have been awkward in front of Katie.”
    â€œI’ll say.” He stepped back, raking a hand through his damp hair. “Now at least I’ll know what to expect.”
    â€œMe, too.”
    â€œSo it wasn’t such a stupid idea after all.”
    â€œI think it was quite brilliant.”
    â€œYes.” He nodded. “Brilliant.” He took a tight breath. “I’m, uh…” He gestured vaguely toward his bedroom door then escaped quickly and grabbed a clean shirt, stuffing his arms into the sleeves.
    Brilliant was just the word. Brilliant. Now he wouldn’t be able to look at her without getting aroused.
    When he returned to the living room she was curled up in the armchair again with a pen and paper in her hands.
    â€œWe should talk logistics,” she said.
    Cole’s steps faltered.
    Maybe her mood could shift one-eighty in the blink of an eye, but he needed a few minutes to recover. He made a show of securing his buttons and tucking the shirt into his waistband, before he dropped down onto the couch and met her eyes.
    â€œWhat have you got so far?” he asked, struggling to get back on an even keel, trying to ignore that fact that she was wearing his clothing.
    She tucked her auburn hair behind one ear. It was beautiful even when it was wet.
    â€œHow fast do you think we can pull this off?” she asked.
    â€œWhy? You in a hurry?”
    She glanced up in surprise. “Yes. I’ve got a whole display to coordinate. Dozens of pieces.”
    â€œI don’t think Katie’s going to buy love at first sight.”
    â€œI didn’t mean this afternoon. It’ll take a couple weeks to prepare the gallery.”
    â€œA whole two weeks?”
    â€œProbably a little more.”
    Cole tamped down his annoyance at her business-like approach. They’d shared one kiss. Nothing had changed. There was still nothing more to their relationship than a commercial transaction.
    â€œWhat’s wrong?” she asked.
    â€œNothing.” He neutralized his expression.
    â€œYou sure?”
    â€œWhat could be wrong?”
    She nodded. “Okay. Where’s the Thunderbolt now?”
    â€œIn a lawyer’s safe in Wichita Falls.”
    â€œCan we get it?”
    â€œNot until after the wedding.”
    Sydney nodded again. “I’m going to need to make a few calls.”
    â€œKyle has a land line at the house. So does Grandma.” You couldn’t pick up a cell signal in the Valley.
    â€œYou don’t have a phone?”
    Cole shrugged. “I only moved in after Kyle and Katie got married. Haven’t updated much.”
    â€œNo problem.” Sydney flipped the page. “Okay. So what’s our next move with Katie?”
    â€œYou might not want to takes notes on that.”
    â€œWhy?”
    He raised a brow.
    â€œOh. Right. We don’t want to leave an evidence trail.”
    â€œRain’s stopping,” Cole noted. “How about I drive you back to her place and you can wax poetic about me for a while?”
    A slow smile grew on Sydney’s face and Cole relaxed for the first time since the kiss.
    â€œLet me see…” She began counting off on her fingers. “You are a good-looking guy. Smart, funny and oh—”She snapped her fingers and laughed. “I can tell her you’re sexy.”
    Cole wasn’t sure how to take that. Was Sydney saying she thought he was sexy, or that she was willing to lie about it? He couldn’t ask. It would sound stupid. And there was no logical reason for him to care.
    Still, he couldn’t help but