Free Mission Happy (A Texas Desires Novel Book 3) by Rylie Roberts Page B

to the tray on the dresser. She reached across the bed for the remote. With a solid hefty push, she rolled to Connor’s spot, reaching for his pillow to tuck under her head as she looked at the television.
    When he got the last of the dishes off the bed, there was a knock on the door. Connor headed that direction, and to her surprise, the room service waiter’s voice got closer. She reached for the bedspread, quickly tugging it across the lower half of her body before he came into the room.
    She hadn’t anticipated this. Julia quickly lowered her head, letting her hair fall in her face. It had been a so uplifting to share real time with Connor. Him allowing her to just be a normal person.
    In her need to hide, she’d missed the beginning of her latest movie trailer now playing on the television. It was the romantic comedy, Pink Slip , where she had the lead. When she heard her voice, her gaze lifted to the television. Oh lord, no! Forgetting anyone else was in the room, she executed a body dive for the remote that lay mere inches away. Julia fumbled with the buttons, flipping channels, turning the volume up, all while trying to turn the dumb thing off.
    She finally managed the off button, but the fiasco ended with all eyes in the room focused on her as she tried to keep herself reasonably covered. She never acknowledged either man, instead, kept her head bent, picking at her fingernail like nothing had happened. Any other time, she might have even seen the humor in this situation. Not tonight. The comfortable silence they shared turned awkward until she heard the door shut again, and Connor came back to the room, still just staring at her.
    Finally, she pushed the hair from her face and lamely said, “Ignore me. I can’t stand those kinds of movies…”
    Connor sat on the side of the bed, his big body turned toward her. There was a concerned questioning to his look.
    “I don’t really watch movies. Lots of ugliness,” she tried to explain, knowing, without question, she still wasn’t making much sense.
    “We don’t have to watch TV. You just need to tell me when I do something you don’t like. I wouldn’t have turned it on. No big deal. I’m not really a movie kind of guy either,” he offered in the kind patient way he had about himself. Since, in her mind, this felt very much like lying, she lifted, scooting closer to him, letting the sheet fall away, intending to change the subject.
    “What kind of guy are you?” she asked, grasping on to anything to help divert his attention.
    “Just a normal guy,” he said, looking a little confused by the question.
    “You get real quiet. If I’m doing something you don’t like, you tell me,” she said, using his own words back at him. Technically, either of them saying those type things might indicate more than one night, and the thought made her unreasonably hopeful as she stared into his kind eyes.
    “You’re perfect just the way you are. Actually better than perfect. I’ve always been quiet; it has nothing to do with you. Keeping everything bottled up’s kind of a problem for me, but I’ve talked more while I’m with you than I normally do.” As Connor spoke, he cupped his hand around her thigh. The hold was comforting, especially when his thumb swept across her skin. Julia reached out, linking her hand with his. She liked the easy acceptance of his wrist turning to better fit with her hold and his fingers entwining with hers.
    “Why’s it a problem?” she asked, not even sure why that part stuck in her head.
    Almost immediately, he responded the same way he had when she’d broached the other off-limits subjects. Connor broke eye contact, staring down at the bedspread. Maybe as much as a minute passed before he let go of her hand and rose from the mattress, heading toward the tray the waiter had left behind.
    “It’s not just work. You don’t like to talk about you,” she said when he didn’t answer.
    “It’s not that. I can’t talk about so