Page 99 of Texas Glory
“Miss Redd,” Tyler said, “isn’t inclined to give my workers a discount on the rooms. With this cold spell blowing through, I thought they might enjoy a few nights in the warmth of the hotel, sleeping in a real bed instead of on a cot. Since they built the hotel, it only seemed fair to offer them a special rate.”
“I’ve seen your workers. Most are filthy. No telling what sort of bugs they’ll bring with them,” Susan said.
Cordelia placed her hand on the counter. “Offer them a discount, half the normal rate, on the condition that they visit the bathhouse before they register. That should satisfy both of you.”
Tyler smiled warmly. “Thank you, Mrs. Leigh. I’ll work out the details with Miss Redd and let the men know.”
She patted his arm. “See that you get one of the nicer rooms.”
Dallas secured her against his side and began walking toward the stairs. “I think working out the details with her is what he intended all along,” he said in a low voice near her ear.
Cordelia jerked her head back. “You think he has an interest in Susan?”
“Yep.”
Before she could turn around to observe that interest, Dallas was escorting her up the stairs. At the landing, she stepped into the hallway. “Which room?”
He scooped her into his arms and carried her up the next flight of stairs.
“Dallas, this floor isn’t ready.”
“You sure? Thought it was.”
“Only the bridal—” Her voice knotted around the tears forming in her throat.
In long strides, he walked to the end of the hallway, bent his knees, and inserted the key into the lock. “Seemed right that you should be the first to use your special room.” He gave a gentle push and the door swung open.
A fire was already burning lazily in the hearth, and she realized his real reason for coming into town was not to talk with the tanner as he’d told her that afternoon, but to bring her to this room.
“You deserved something better than what you got on our wedding night so this is a little late in coming.”
“What does it matter when you’ve given me so many special moments since then?”
“I plan to give you more … a lot more.”
Because she carried his son. What did the reasons behind his thoughtfulness and kindness matter? His generosity was directed toward her.
But the reasons did matter. In a shadowed corner of her heart, they did matter.
Contentment swept through Dallas as gently as dew greeting the dawn. He’d never before experienced this immense satisfaction, not only with himself, but with his life, because always before, no matter how much he had—something was always missing.
That something was now draped over half his body, her breathing slowly returning to normal, a glow to her warm skin that spoke of her enjoyment as eloquently as her gasps had only moments before.
He combed his fingers through the ebony hair fanned out over his chest. He loved the silken strands. He loved the brown of her eyes and the tilt of her nose. He loved the tips of her toes, even though they were growing cold.
She started rubbing them along his instep. He loved that as well.
He loved her.
And he didn’t know how to tell her. Sometimes, he would mention that he was happy, and she would smile at him, but something in her eyes made her look sad, as though she didn’t quite believe him.
He thought all his contentment might seep out like a hole in the bottom of a well if he told her what was in his heart and the silent disbelief filled her eyes.
He’d brought her here to tell her, to share his feelings in the special room she had envisioned for women to spend their wedding night, but she’d given him that look before he’d ever spoken the words, so he’d shoved them back and tried to show her his feelings instead.
He smiled with satisfaction. If her moaning and shuddering were any indication, he’d successfully shown her.
Still, he’d like for her to hear the words … Where her stomach was pressed against his belly, he felt the slight rolling of his son. His contentment increased. He slipped his hand beneath Dee’s curtain of hair and splayed his fingers over her small mound.
