Heartsong (Singing to the Heart Book 2) by Sara Walter Ellwood

Darla took another dishpan and headed for the recently vacated tables, surprising Micki again.
    With nothing more to do, she stopped before Gabe on the service side of the bar. “Okay, what the hell is going on, Gabe?”
    He swallowed the last of his coffee and pushed away his empty plate. Leaning over his arms, he met her gaze. “I’d like to take you to dinner tonight.”
    “You can go--”
    “Before you tell me to go to hell,” he said, in that low baritone which did funny things to her blood, “I think you may want to hear me out.”
    She squared her shoulders and crossed her arms over her chest. “What makes you think you have anything to say that I’d want to hear?”
    Gabe laughed and shook his shaggy head of black hair. “You are the most stubborn woman. I have a plan. Let’s just leave it at that.” He threw down a hundred-dollar bill and stood.
    She picked up the money and headed for the cash register on the opposite end of the counter. When she turned with his change, he was already at the door. “Wait. Here’s your change.”
    Gabe winked at her as he placed his tan Stetson on his head. “You keep it, honey. I’ll be by your place at six. Wear something sexy.”
    Every person in the diner turned to gape at Micki as Gabe exited, the bell ringing in her ears.
    What the hell is he up to?
    She wasn’t so sure she wanted to know.
    * * * *
    Micki paced the small living room of the cottage. Looking at the antique clock on the wall, she sucked in a breath and tapped her right hand against her thigh in time with the ticktock. Gabe would be here in less than five minutes.
    Her mother sat in front of the TV watching Wheel of Fortune . As Micki made another pass behind the electric wheelchair, Momma said, “You are as jumpy as a gun-shy coonhound during hunting season. You must have a really hot date.”
    “What have you heard?” Micki stopped and glanced at the back of her mother’s head.
    The grin when her mother turned the chair around to face her told Micki everything. “Only that Gabe McKenna stopped by the diner today, and it looked like y’all were seeing each other.”
    Letting out her breath, she shook her head. “You know better. I don’t know what’s going on. He said he had a plan, which is the only reason I’m going anywhere with the jerk.”
    She started pacing again. When the knock came at the door, she about jumped out of her skin.
    Her mother chuckled. By the sounds of the whirl, she’d turned her chair around again and turned up the TV.
    Micki moved to the entry and filled her lungs with air not polluted with Gabe’s bewitching scent before she opened the door. Immediately she lost the breath when she looked at the man waiting on the other side. Gabe was dressed in black jeans that fit like a second skin and showed off his long, toned legs in amazing glory. A big silver buckle he’d won in a tie-down event at a local rodeo years ago gleamed low on his waist. When she comprehended the meaning for the not-so-subtle bulge, she jerked her eyes up over his white western shirt to his face.
    Hot blood scalded her cheeks, and she wanted to shut the door on his wicked grin. Before she had the chance to act on the impulse, he stepped over the threshold and removed his hat. His eyes held a heat she didn’t want to see, let alone respond to. But her body had other ideas. Her insides turned to hot mush, and she began aching in places she didn’t want to for Gabriel McKenna.
    “Hello, Michaela.” He moved over to where Loretta sat, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. “How are you tonight, Loretta?”
    Her mother peered up at Gabe with a mix of confusion and warning in her clear blue eyes. “I’m good. What’s going on, Gabriel?”
    * * * *
    He glanced at Michaela and more blood drained to his groin. He’d told her to dress sexy, thinking she’d not take the challenge; however, she not only met his challenge, she surpassed it. Tonight would be torture. Michaela was never one to wear