beautiful version of her second favorite song. Afterward, he paused for several moments before making his choice.
“ I’ve got it,” he said, finally. “Do you remember Doug Stone?”
“ Sure do,” she said, relaxing as he began to play another old favorite of hers, Come In Out Of The Pain . Red’s version was soulful and sexy, and she easily conjured up her own image of him sitting with his guitar propped comfortably on his leg, and wearing nothing but an old pair of jeans. Tiffany thought of the near kiss situation earlier today. She’d been tempted, but wouldn’t make a move with any man until she had ended the relationship with Tanner.
She blinked several times as the song came to an end. “That was beautiful,” she whispered. “I really like the way you sing.”
“ Enough to let me have a look at that tattoo one of these days, Doc?”
She giggled. “You know, I have a tendency to show it off when I shoot tequila...”
“ Good to know,” he interrupted . “You got a favorite brand so I’ll know what to stock up on?”
“ ...and that’s why I don’t shoot tequila anymore,” she finished.
“ Major bubble buster,” he groaned. “What does Tanner think of the old yellow rose?”
Tiffany sat up, thinking the mention of Tanner had its own bubble busting properties. “He doesn’t like it.”
“ It’s a flower and it’s on your butt. What’s not to like?”
She adjusted the clip in her hair. “He...wants me to have it removed.”
“ Don’t you dare!”
“ Why do you care?” she asked. “You’ll never see it.”
“ Never is a long time.”
“ Red...,” she murmured, glad he couldn’t see her blush.
He chuckled. ”Hey, what were you like as a kid? I bet you were a prissy little thing.”
“ Shows how much you know. My brother, Drake, can verify how wrong you are. I beat up a kid who picked on him once, and got myself in a lot of trouble at school.”
“ I bet that upset your mother.”
She mulled it over before answering. “She didn’t care what I did, as long as she didn’t have to look at me.” She waited through another prolonged silence as he seemed to mull over her statement.
“ You want to talk about it?”
“ Nope, but thanks for asking.”
“ Anytime, but I guess I need to let you go. You’re probably pruning.”
She stopped herself from telling him she’d like to keep talking. “I guess so.”
“Listen, I know you don’t like the name Tiffy, and I can understand that, but does it bother you when I call you Doc? I’ll stop if you don’t like it.”
“Strangely enough, I find it comforting.”
“Oh,” he said, sounding pleased. “Then I’ll talk to you later.”
“Goodnight Red.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Boxer briefs…G’night Doc.”
<><><>
Tiffany foraged through her fridge for something to eat, wishing she’d taken Red’s offer to bring home leftovers. Settling on a personal pizza from the freezer, she’d just popped it into the microwave when the phone rang.
She checked the caller ID and answered with a bland, “Hello Tanner.”
“ Who the hell have you been talking to for an hour?” he demanded.
“What do you care, and where’s the bimbo of the week?”
“There you go with your paranoia again, Tiffy.”
The sound of the hated nickname grated on her nerves to no end. “Where are you Tanner? What’s her name?”
“ Hmph, must be that time of the month again,” he said. “For a couple of days you have no control over your emotions, and your imagination runs rampant for an entire week.”
Tiffany cursed lowly. “Why don’t you for once, in your pathetic life tell me the truth? I’m not stupid, you know. I’ve just chosen to look the other direction for the past five years.”
“ I’m not with anyone else...”
“ Last chance, Tanner. If I don’t get the truth right now, I’m out of here.” She fumed internally at the impatient sigh he
“ I’ve got it,” he said, finally. “Do you remember Doug Stone?”
“ Sure do,” she said, relaxing as he began to play another old favorite of hers, Come In Out Of The Pain . Red’s version was soulful and sexy, and she easily conjured up her own image of him sitting with his guitar propped comfortably on his leg, and wearing nothing but an old pair of jeans. Tiffany thought of the near kiss situation earlier today. She’d been tempted, but wouldn’t make a move with any man until she had ended the relationship with Tanner.
She blinked several times as the song came to an end. “That was beautiful,” she whispered. “I really like the way you sing.”
“ Enough to let me have a look at that tattoo one of these days, Doc?”
She giggled. “You know, I have a tendency to show it off when I shoot tequila...”
“ Good to know,” he interrupted . “You got a favorite brand so I’ll know what to stock up on?”
“ ...and that’s why I don’t shoot tequila anymore,” she finished.
“ Major bubble buster,” he groaned. “What does Tanner think of the old yellow rose?”
Tiffany sat up, thinking the mention of Tanner had its own bubble busting properties. “He doesn’t like it.”
“ It’s a flower and it’s on your butt. What’s not to like?”
She adjusted the clip in her hair. “He...wants me to have it removed.”
“ Don’t you dare!”
“ Why do you care?” she asked. “You’ll never see it.”
“ Never is a long time.”
“ Red...,” she murmured, glad he couldn’t see her blush.
He chuckled. ”Hey, what were you like as a kid? I bet you were a prissy little thing.”
“ Shows how much you know. My brother, Drake, can verify how wrong you are. I beat up a kid who picked on him once, and got myself in a lot of trouble at school.”
“ I bet that upset your mother.”
She mulled it over before answering. “She didn’t care what I did, as long as she didn’t have to look at me.” She waited through another prolonged silence as he seemed to mull over her statement.
“ You want to talk about it?”
“ Nope, but thanks for asking.”
“ Anytime, but I guess I need to let you go. You’re probably pruning.”
She stopped herself from telling him she’d like to keep talking. “I guess so.”
“Listen, I know you don’t like the name Tiffy, and I can understand that, but does it bother you when I call you Doc? I’ll stop if you don’t like it.”
“Strangely enough, I find it comforting.”
“Oh,” he said, sounding pleased. “Then I’ll talk to you later.”
“Goodnight Red.”
“Oh, and one more thing.”
“What’s that?” she asked.
“Boxer briefs…G’night Doc.”
<><><>
Tiffany foraged through her fridge for something to eat, wishing she’d taken Red’s offer to bring home leftovers. Settling on a personal pizza from the freezer, she’d just popped it into the microwave when the phone rang.
She checked the caller ID and answered with a bland, “Hello Tanner.”
“ Who the hell have you been talking to for an hour?” he demanded.
“What do you care, and where’s the bimbo of the week?”
“There you go with your paranoia again, Tiffy.”
The sound of the hated nickname grated on her nerves to no end. “Where are you Tanner? What’s her name?”
“ Hmph, must be that time of the month again,” he said. “For a couple of days you have no control over your emotions, and your imagination runs rampant for an entire week.”
Tiffany cursed lowly. “Why don’t you for once, in your pathetic life tell me the truth? I’m not stupid, you know. I’ve just chosen to look the other direction for the past five years.”
“ I’m not with anyone else...”
“ Last chance, Tanner. If I don’t get the truth right now, I’m out of here.” She fumed internally at the impatient sigh he
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