Page 131 of Cowboys & Navy SEALs

She turned in surprise. “What?”

He glanced at her hands. “You keep digging those fingernails into your palms and we’re gonna have to get a set of pliers to pull them out.”

She looked down, realizing she was clenching her hands. “Oh.” She opened her hands, which felt stiff from the tension.

“You know, you’d be a whole lot prettier if you’d smile once in a while.”

Her eyes widened, then she laughed, recognizing the lyrics of a popular song. “‘Lullaby’ by Shawn Mullins.”

“Yep.” A smile slid over his lips giving him a boyish, mischievous appearance that was even harder to resist than his usual tough-guy expression.

She allowed herself a moment to check him out. Her eyes slid over his rugged profile, the defiant set of his chin, his defined biceps, even more pronounced with him holding the steering wheel, his chiseled abs. She noted how the t-shirt and jeans seemed to be an extension of him.

A dart of warmth shot through Delaney with enough force to heat the whole West Coast.Sheesh. Crazy that she’d be thinking about how good-looking Corbin was in the middle of a crisis. She angled toward him, curious to know more about the man who was throwing her for a loop and making her rethink her stance on steering clear of a relationship. “Are you a fan of folk rock?”

“I like all types of music. Rock, jazz, country.”

She pursed her lips. “Hmm … a man with eclectic tastes. Impressive.”

A hint of a smile pulled at his lips. “I’m glad you find something about me impressive. I was starting to wonder.”

The comment broadsided her, rendering her speechless. There were many things she found impressive about Corbin Spencer, hence the problem. She could tell from his sly expression that he was teasing her, which helped relax her a little.

He glanced at her. “You were amazing last night, by the way.”

The compliment settled into her chest like a warm ray of sunshine. “Thanks.” Of all the people in the audience, she’d been most aware of him. It was gratifying to know that he’d paid attention to her performance.

“You have such a unique voice. Where did you learn to sing like that?”

“My mother loved to sing. From the time I was a kid, she was always strumming on her guitar and singing … mostly Top 50 Billboard hits. She taught me to play the guitar and would get me to harmonize with her.” Those were some of the few happy memories Delaney had of her mother—before she became so addicted to drugs that she couldn’t function. One of the darkest days of Delaney’s life was the day her mother sold her guitar to buy drugs. But she wasn’t going to tell Corbin that.

“What was your mother’s name?”

“Angie.”

“Tell me about her.” Corbin’s voice was gentle, patient. Still, it touched a nerve.

Her jaw tightened as she balled her fists again. “What do you already know about her?”

“Facts, mostly that Sutton gave me.”

She remained silent, waiting for him to expound. Why was she still so dang sensitive where her mother was concerned? Maybe she should just get it out in the open so it wouldn’t be hanging between them. She felt like she was on a high dive, trying to decide if she should go into the water gently or just plunge right in. “My mother was an alcoholic and druggie,” she blurted. “She never could hold down a steady job, so we lived off food stamps and what little we could scrape together. Sometimes, when we got desperate, she’d sing at a local bar for a few extra bucks. Unfortunately, she drank up the profits before itdid us much good.” Resentment sat like lead on her chest as she stared unseeingly at the road in front of them.

“I’m sorry.”

She nodded. “Thanks.” How many times had she heard those two empty words from well-wishers?

“Tell me about your mother’s relationship with Hugh.”

A surprised laugh gurgled in her throat. “You don’t pull any punches, do you?”

He shrugged. “I don’t have time to pull it out of you diplomatically. I need to know what type of person we’re dealing with.”

The words tumbled out like bricks against a cement floor. “A manipulator, a devil with a black heart. The meanest man I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

“So your mother and Hugh were romantically involved?”

Her hand went to her throat. “There was nothing romantic about it. But yes, they were involved.” She spat out the words like they were poison. “Even though my mother was ten years older than Hugh, she was beautiful … looked about the same age as him. Hugh was our landlord. We never had money to pay the rent. I’ll let you figure out the rest.” The beginning of a headache formed across the bridge of her nose. “How much farther to the wig store?” She was ready to be out of the SUV to give her space from Corbin and his probing questions.

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