Tex Appeal by Alison Kent Kimberly Raye Read Free Book Online

hobbled back to her seat.
    Cheryl Anne ignored her pinched toes—she wanted so much to slip off the high heels—pasted on a smile and went back to work.

5
    L ATER THAT NIGHT , Cheryl Anne stood in her kitchen and stared at the ceiling. Or what had once been the ceiling. The sheetrock had been demolished, the roof and shingles ripped away. A huge gaping hole stared down at her.
    She drew a deep, shaky breath and tried not to panic as she picked her way past the chaos that filled the small room. The construction team had gutted the entire thing, including the cabinets.
    And the problem is?
    No problem, she told herself. The cabinets had been so old—eighty years to be exact—and old-fashioned. Peeling. Scarred. Ugly, even if they had been hand-carved and had the original glass knob handles. The newspaper was giving her a state-of-the-art kitchen. That meant lots of stainless steel and high-tech gadgets. Everything she’d ever dreamt of, including a cappuccino maker and an espresso machine. Not that she’d ever been fond of espresso. But that was the point—to ditch the old Cheryl Anne and embrace the new.
    She blinked frantically against the moisture that burned her eyes and swallowed past the sudden tightness in her throat.
    “The boys tore them down while I was going over plans for the bathroom.” The deep, familiar voice came from behind and she whirled to find Dayne standing in the framed entrance where her kitchen door had once been.
    He stood well over six feet, his hard muscled body filling up what suddenly seemed like a small space. He still wore the crisp, creased Wranglers and Branson Construction shirt he’d had on earlier.
    “They really made a mess in here.” He didn’t sound any happier than she felt.
    She shook away the crazy feeling and shrugged. “I hated those old cabinets anyway.”
    “Really?”
    Yes. It was right there on the tip of her tongue, but for some reason she couldn’t bring herself to say it. “Maybe hate is a little harsh. They weren’t that bad. Nice even, if you like vintage.”
    He seemed to think about her words. “So do you?”
    Once upon a time. “I’m going with a more modern, eclectic feel.”
    “So it’s out with the old and in with the new?”
    “That would be the plan.”
    “Seems a shame to throw something away just because it isn’t as polished or as perfect as it used to be.”
    “Actually, it’s a shame to hold on to something that’s served its purpose and is no longer satisfying your needs.”
    “Is that why you dumped me?” He nailed her with a gaze. “Because I didn’t satisfy you?”
    “Listen, it’s nothing personal. You’re a great guy, but you’re just not the guy for me.”
    “That’s not what you said that night down by the creek.”
    “That was a long time ago. People change.”
    He eyed her, his gaze sweeping from her head to the tips of her stilettos and back up again. “Nice outfit.”
    A rush of warmth went through her and she forgot all about her aching feet. She glanced down at the button-up silk shell and matching skirt she’d changed into for tonight’s class. It was bold, it was red and it made her feel more naked than clothed. A smile tugged at the corner of her mouth. “I figured it was about time that I bought something that didn’t look like it had been featured in an episode of the Golden Girls .”
    It was his turn to smile. “You didn’t dress that bad.”
    “I didn’t dress that good.” She shrugged. “But that’s all behind me now. I’m turning over a new leaf. New job. New clothes.”
    “New man?”
    She gathered her courage. “Eventually. Listen, I know this is hard for you to understand, but it’s something I have to do. I’m so sick of living my life in a cocoon. I want to break out. To cut loose. I want some excitement.”
    “And I’m not exciting anymore.”
    “I’d still like to be friends.”
    “Friends, huh?” He looked ready to argue, but then his tight mouth eased into a grin. A