Lone Star Valentine (McCabe Multiples) by CATHY GILLEN THACKER

“But clearly you don’t see it that way.”
    His expression didn’t change in the slightest. Yet there was something in his eyes. Some small glimmer of frustration. “It’s a black mark against me. And the hell of it is, the managing partners are right.” He shook his head in grim self-reproach. “I’m paid to do a job, and that’s represent my client, protect his or her interests—
not
worry about everyone or anyone else.”
    “But you do.” And she loved that about him, whether he saw it as an asset or not.
    He sighed heavily. “The bane of being brought up in a small town, I guess. Everyone looks out after everyone else.”
    Maybe they didn’t live in such different universes after all. Lily smiled, feeling in sync with him yet again. “It’s all about neighbor helping neighbor,” she agreed. “Not about how many billable hours you can accrue. Or how many clients you can bring in.”
    He passed a slow-moving truck, then got back into the right lane. “Which brings me to my next question. Why aren’t you practicing law?”
    The curiosity in his low, intimate tone sent heat shimmying through her. Realizing her skirt had ridden up her thigh, she tugged it back down again. “I hated the adversarial nature of litigation. The mind-set, more often than not, that there had to be winners and losers instead of all winners.”
    He grinned in a way that reminded her he had always felt she was far too softhearted for her own good. “So you went into politics instead?”
    His voice was soft and rough, the way it had been when they were in bed. Lily swallowed around the sudden tightness of her throat and turned her gaze from his handsome profile to the passing scenery. “Rex Carter is great at bringing in new business, growing the community that way, but he’s not so great at providing funds for the existing infrastructure and all the organizations that make Laramie the friendly, warm and welcoming, down-home community it is.”
    “So you stepped up.”
    She drew a deep breath as she took in the flat, sagebrush-dotted land and the occasional herd of cattle or horses. In control of her emotions once again, she turned back to Gannon and answered candidly, “At least for a while.”
    He tossed her another quick, interested look. One that compelled her to admit, “Don’t tell anyone, but...there’s a lot about politics I hate.”
    To her relief, he wasn’t as shocked as she would have figured.
    “The fire statue was more than you could take?” he deadpanned.
    Lily laughed despite herself. “Funny. No.” She cast a look over her shoulder to make sure her son was still asleep. “I just... I’m not sure I’m cut out to be a politician for the rest of my life, either. I mean, I like working for the greater good and helping the community, but a lot of the minutiae—the petitions, and so on—are enough to drive me up a wall, and it’s only been a little over three years now.” Come May, she’d have to make the decision whether to run for office again or simply finish out her term in November and move on.
    Gannon smiled. “Some of that would exasperate me, too.”
    Lily appreciated the empathy. Unfortunately, all the shifting around had caused her skirt to ride up again, and this time, to her chagrin, Gannon had definitely noticed. Blushing, she tugged it down and pressed her knees together primly.
    He lifted a brow, obviously appreciating the view but too much of a gentleman to comment, then turned their attention back to the conversation. “Any idea what you want to do if you don’t continue in politics?” he asked sincerely.
    Relieved to think about something other than the continual sexual sparks between them and the very real possibility of making love with him again, Lily pulled herself together and replied, “Honestly? I don’t know. I might go back to the law in some shape or form that includes some sort of problem solving.”
    He nodded in something akin to approval.
    She shrugged, a little