Tex flipped the bottle in one hand, a grin the size of Texas on his face while he tossed the shaker in the other hand. He poured the concoction out with a flourish, and added the garnish with a spin.

The scattered applause warmed his heart, but not as much as the memory of Laura in his arms. It was her smile that he remembered the best. Her curves, yes, and oh little green gods, the way she rose to meet him… but it was the relaxed, easy smile that lit up her face afterwards that made him feel like he’d just turned a stampede.

“A gin and tonic, Cowboy! And a Libertas!”

Tex tipped his hat at the bikini-clad guest, putting the beer glass under the tap while he selected the gin from the glass display behind him and put ice in a tumbler. A generous splash and a squirt from the tonic tap, and he had both drinks out on napkins.

He turned to take the next order, and found himself looking at Laura’s face.

It was not smiling. It was neither relaxed, nor easy.

His bear actually quailed at that face, filled with anger and looking for a fight.

Tex immediately cast back to try to figure out what on earth he had done wrong. They had parted amicably, as far as he knew. She’d joked about an attempt to poison her again. Had someone actually tried to? Had he failed to protect her?

We would not fail, his bear insisted.

“What’s wrong?” Tex blurted. “You look…” angry probably assumed too much “...upset?” He had a feeling careful word choice was going to be important here.

“Upset?” Laura said, with icy tones. “I look upset?”

It’s a trap, his bear helpfully told him.

Tex swallowed. “Yes?”

“What an amazing coincidence,” Laura said sarcastically. “I am upset,” she continued. “I am livid. I am furious. I just came by to tell you not to bother coming by tonight. Or any night.”

She turned on her heel and stalked away, heels clicking on the tiled floor. Tex watched her go with his jaw hanging, divided between his instincts telling him to follow her and his duty to stay at the bar.

“Can I get a beer?” a guest asked from the end of the bar.

“Margarita!” someone called.

Bastian, still in his lifeguard gear, saved him from the dilemma by walking up at that moment. It was just getting dark, and he was getting off his watch.

“Go get her,” the dragon shifter said in a resigned voice, coming behind the bar. Clearly, he had heard Laura’s departure. A gaggle of guests already nursing their drinks were staring and murmuring about it as well. “I can mix up some sidecars and spill some beer in a cup with the best of them.”

“Thank you,” Tex said, heartfelt. “I owe you one.”

“You and everyone,” Bastian said, rolling his eyes. He wasn’t as cranky as he had been, now that they had settled into the new house, but he wasn’t entirely back to his usual cheerful self, either.

Tex didn’t pause, but took off after Laura, who had left through the back entrance towards the hotel.

He caught her almost at the hotel door, and took her arm.

“Laura, Laura, love…” he said, glancing around to make sure no one was in obvious earshot.

“Don’t you Laura, Laura, love me,” she snapped back, shaking her arm free. “That is why I am upset. You can’t keep your mouth shut with the one secret I give you. You betrayed me. You told, well at least Scarlet, and probably half the big-mouthed staff.”

Tex stood his ground, but relinquished her arm. “I had to tell Scarlet,” he protested. He hadn’t really thought about the fact that he was betraying her trust, but he’d known that Scarlet could help protect her, and that knowing the truth would help her do that. His mate’s safety was his first, driving priority.

“You don’t get to choose for me,” Laura spat. “I make my own choices, Tex.”

“This isn’t a choice,” Tex said firmly.

“Everything is a choice,” Laura retorted. “And I can choose not to be with someone who can’t respect my secrets.”

“You’re my mate,” Tex insisted.

“And what, being my mate makes you my owner? You get to make my decisions for me?” Laura scoffed. “I pick my path, and that may not include you, Cowboy, so don’t get too settled.”

The idea cut to the center of Tex’s chest, and he was suddenly, desperately afraid that he’d screwed this up and had no idea how to fix it.

She was turning to walk away into the hotel when there was suddenly a muffled bang above them, followed by a very familiar panicked woman’s scream and the wail of the smoke alarm.

“That sounded like it came from my hotel room,” Laura said in a small voice, casting Tex a wide-eyed look.

Laying aside their argument, they ran for the stairs.