Free Come and Get It by Beyond the Page Publishing

sweetheart. I told you we’d talk today and I
meant it.” He continued to guide her down the aisle and into a pew
two rows back from the dais.
    She quickly scooted all the way down,
hoping to nip out the other end and head for a side exit. She was
thwarted in that effort when Rebecca Lynn and Jess blocked her
way.
    “ Hey, Dixie. Hey, Quin.
Great party last night, huh? Didn’t I tell you?” Rebecca Lynn was
all smiles. She kissed Dixie’s cheek. “You look tired, honey. Did
you get any sleep last night?”
    “ I’m fine,” Dixie said
between clenched teeth. “Scoot up and let me out.”
    Before she could think about moving,
Quin placed a hand on her knee. He didn’t say a word but the
message was clear—wherever she went, he would follow.
    Dixie closed her eyes and sent a
prayer the Lord would forgive her for throttling Quin Halladay in
His house. She brushed his hand from her knee.
    “ What the heck do you think
you’re doing? You don’t even believe in God,” she whispered
frantically. “You can’t just show up and escort me to church. That
means something in the South.” He quirked an eyebrow at her. “You
know what it means. Everybody here knows you’ll be gone soon and
you’re just flaunting our . . . understanding . . . to show off.
They’ll feel sorry for me but they’ll judge me too.”
    He turned slightly, looking at her.
“You’re serious.”
    Dixie tipped her head back and sighed.
“Yes. Please, just go.”
    He got up and left without a word and
Dixie whispered her thanks. Relieved as she was that he was gone,
she still felt a void where he’d once been.
     
    * * *
     
    Quin had worked up a good pout by the
time he got back to his room. He’d meant it to be cute and sexy,
showing up to attend church with Rose. He figured it would soften
her up a little, maybe get her to agree to come back here to the
restaurant for lunch. And, yes, maybe a little sack time in his
room. Instead, he’d made some archaic social blunder and
embarrassed her.
    He flopped down on the bed and picked
up the room service menu. By now he knew the thing by heart. He
picked up the phone and dialed, ordering a grilled chicken
sandwich, a side salad, and a beer.
    The clerk gave him the bad news. “I’m
sorry, sir. We can’t sell beer or wine before noon and no liquor at
all on Sundays. Is there anything else I can get you?”
    His jaw clenched and released. “No.
You know what? Cancel that. I’ll go down to the truck stop for
breakfast.” He hung up, grabbed his keys, and hit the
road.
     
    * * *
     
    The aroma of fresh coffee and frying
bacon hit Quin the moment he walked into the dining room. He
couldn’t remember the last time he’d allowed himself to indulge in
anything fried. He made a concerted effort to maintain a fit,
healthy body and he liked the way women looked at him when he was
shirtless. They appreciated his sculpted chest, washboard abs, and
bulging biceps.
    Dixie liked his body and she liked
what he could do with it. He didn’t see anything wrong with that
and he didn’t understand why it was so important to her to maintain
a sense of propriety when everyone in town knew they were sleeping
together. It didn’t make any sense.
    He took a stool at the counter and
nodded yes when the waitress held up a coffeepot and raised her
eyebrows in question.
    She snagged a heavy crockery cup with
one finger and set it down in front of him. “You want creamer,
honey?”
    “ Please,” he replied,
reaching for the menu. He perused it quickly while the waitress
refilled cups and returned with a pitcher of half-and-half. She
pulled her pad and pen out of her apron pocket and waited. “Um, how
about two eggs over medium, bacon, home fries and a side of
pancakes.”
    “ Silver dollar or regular?”
she asked.
    “ Better make it silver
dollar.” He patted his stomach. “Gotta watch the old
waistline.”
    The waitress snapped her gum and
looked him up and down. “Nothin’ wrong with your waistline,