Come Closer, Cowboy. Debbi Rawlins

not Mallory, which irked her to no end. Aware she was partly to blame, she kept her cool and just listened to the men discuss what needed to be done. She liked to think she was independent, perfectly capable of running her own business, and mostly she did a good job. But for the past year she’d relied on Gunner for so many little things.

      Once he’d given her a ride when her car was in the shop. Another time she’d asked his advice on whether or not to add a second pool table at the Renegade. Just minor things, but she couldn’t deny she’d established a pattern.

      She realized she’d blanked out of the conversation when she saw Gunner and Dexter shake hands. The older man gave her a polite nod and left.

      “I assume that’s okay with you,” Gunner said, the amusement in his eyes making it clear he knew she’d zoned out.

      “Of course, or I would’ve said something.” She turned to Brady. “Will you have time to look at it soon? I’ll pay you whatever you think is fair.”

      The look Brady and Tom exchanged told her that was the part she’d missed.

      Gunner turned to the two men. “You guys can take off. I’ve got it from here.”

      Brady frowned. “Sadie thought you might need some help moving into your new place,” he said to Mallory. “Tom and I planned on giving you a hand.”

      “That’s really nice.” Mallory was genuinely touched and sorely tempted to accept their offer. Giving them each a smile, she shook her head. “I wouldn’t feel right ruining your day off. You still get free drinks, though, so don’t forget,” she said and started herding them toward the door.

      Brady seemed hesitant, glancing at Gunner, who hadn’t moved. “It’s really no trouble.”

      “Well, come on.” She motioned for Gunner. “I’m locking up.”

      “Good.” He folded his arms across his chest. “We need to talk.”

       5

      GUNNER WOULDN’T HAVE been shocked if Mallory had run like hell once she got to the door and let the two men out. When she turned to him, the fear and dread he saw in her face twisted him up inside. This wasn’t like her, running from a problem, not tackling it head-on.

      “You want anything?” she asked as she slipped behind the bar and brought out a glass.

      He used silence to get her to look up. “An explanation would be nice.”

      She blinked and focused on fixing herself a soda water with lime. “I was wrong for not returning your calls. I’m sorry.”

      Gunner waited, taking in the shadows under her eyes. She hadn’t been sleeping well. Tough. Neither had he. “That’s it?”

      “I’ve been busy with the move.”

      “Ah, of course. I hadn’t thought of that.”

      “Really?” Her chin came up. “Sarcasm?”

      “Hey, whatever it takes to get you to open up.” He held her gaze, watching the fire flash and die in her eyes. It was hard to watch this strong, fierce woman look away in defeat. Maybe he needed to let this go. For both their sakes. “You put me through hell the past five weeks. I want to know why.”

      “I didn’t mean to,” she said, her expression sad. “I thought the separation might do us some good—”

      “Why?”

      Her eyes narrowed. “I think you know why.”

      “We had sex, Mallory. Lots of friends do. It didn’t mean anything.” Gunner thought he saw her flinch. He could’ve phrased that better. “Okay, maybe it was stupid. You were worried about losing the Renegade. I was worried about you... We were both a little drunk. Are we going to let a brief lapse in judgment ruin our friendship?”

      She stared down at her soda. “Well, we can’t very well undo it, can we?”

      “No, but we can move past—” A sickening thought occurred to him, one he hadn’t considered before now. “Do you think I took advantage of you?”

      Her eyes widened. “No.”

      “I didn’t think you were that drunk.”

      “I wasn’t... I—” She sighed. “That never even crossed my mind. Jesus. It goes both ways. Do you think I took advantage of you?”

      Gunner chuckled. “Yeah, and I hated every minute of it.”

      She didn’t crack a smile. Just muttered a curse when she spilled some soda.

      “We can’t fix this if you won’t talk to me,” he said, watching her scrub the bar as if her life depended on stripping off the varnish.

      “Talk? You’d rather go to the ER.”

      Not completely true. He’d told her a few things he hadn’t admitted to anyone else. “This is different,” he said, and she finally looked at him again. “Our friendship is on the line.”

      A slight smile lifted the corners of her lips. “I live here now. You’ll find another bar in Valencia or Hollywood. This thing between us—this friendship—is bound to fizzle out. You know that as well as I do.”

      Gunner felt as if she’d stuck a knife in his chest. Guess he sucked at being a friend because that’s not how he saw it. “Yep. You’re right.” He glanced at his watch. He was supposed to meet Ben in two hours.

      “I was embarrassed,” Mallory said softly. “That’s why I stopped returning your calls.” She’d quit attacking the varnish but she still had trouble meeting his eyes.

      “Embarrassed? With me?”

      “Yes you,” she said, slowly shaking her head. “Especially you. Of all the guys I could’ve...” Pressing her lips together, she looked away.

      “Go on,” Gunner said. “Could’ve what?”

      “Messed up with.”

      He didn’t get it. “Look, if you’re waiting for me to say I regret what happened, you can forget it. We had sex...pretty damn great sex as I recall.” He watched her nibble her lower lip and his body tensed. “The truth is, I wanted you,” he said. “I still want you.”

      Mallory’s mouth opened and closed without her making a sound. She just stared at him, and damned if he could tell what she was thinking.

      “But if you feel sex and friendship can’t mix, then...” He cleared his throat. “We’ll stay friends, while I lick my wounds in private.”

      She smiled.

      “I’m glad my suffering can bring you some amusement.”

      “Ah. Poor Gunner.” She dropped the towel on the bar and walked around to join him.

      His heart started pounding...until she strolled right past him. He turned to see where she was going and noticed a guy peering in the window and pointing to the door. Mallory opened it just enough to tell him to come back at six.

      Seeing her in her old jeans with the tear just above her right knee filled Gunner with an odd sort of relief. “No daytime hours?”

      “Not for now. Maybe later, but only on weekends. I’ll check with Sadie to see what she thinks. She used to open at four before she became mayor.”

      Just as Mallory was about to slip behind the bar, he caught her arm.

      She stared at his hand, then into his eyes.

      “Friends, right?”

      “Yes.” She nodded warily. “Friends.”

      “With or without sex?”

      She just sighed and looked at him as if he had the