Page 95 of Hot to Trot

"And I know which one that'd be."

Bubba laughed and then nodded toward town. "I'm headin' to Phoenix. Rick's got the smoker goin' and I don't miss them kinda meals. Y'all goin', too?"

Adam helped Scarlet from the back of the car, steadying her on the uneven gravel. "We'll be there shortly. Scarlet has broken the law and penalties have to be paid.”

She turned as red as her hair. It was the first time he'd seen her embarrassed, and something about her blush pleased him.

"Then I'll be gittin' gone." Bubba grinned. "See you later, Chief."

The truck roared away.

Scarlet held up her hands. "Are you going to let me go?"

He shook his head. "Not a chance."

"Well, in that case, can I get another pat down?"

He wrapped her in his arms, trapping her handcuffed hands between them. "I may never let you go again."

She sighed. "We've got a play to put on. But later... I never got to test out your mattress and I've got mosquito bites you can scratch, not to mention a patch of poison ivy."

"So you're staying?"

“I already talked to my agent. Let him do the dirty work. I’m available if they want me for the movie, but I’m upholding my commitment to the guys.” She nipped his neck. “And I’ll be going back to work next month. Turns out I’m great at biting people in Collinstown."

''And maybe you can think about your other job?"

"What job?"

“Being the police chief's gal?”

"Hmm. Not sure. Phone calls at night about dog poop on the square? Stolen goats? Might be too exciting for a city girl like me."

He took out his key and unlocked the cuffs binding her hands. "Then you've never seen the Saturday night poker game at Tucker House. Sometimes we have to raid and confiscate muscadine wine and laxatives. It gets wild."

They linked hands and walked to her car. "I think there is no place I'd rather be than in Oak Stand, Texas. With you."