That caught her off guard. He wasn’t the kind of man a woman didn’t show up for.
His eyes skimmed over her once, from hair to boots, unhurried. When they returned to her face, they were warm, and she felt it like a caress.
“You look—”
“Like I wandered into the wrong movie?”
The corner of his mouth lifted. “I was going to say right.”
Heat rose from her chest to her cheeks, slow and traitorous. He must have noticed because he didn’t look away. He also didn’t comment, which charmed her more.
“There’s one booth left. Let’s grab it.”
His palm settled briefly at the small of her back as he guided her to it. He sat across from her at first. Then a group of rowdy cowboys spilled into the aisle. Without asking, he moved, slidingonto the bench beside her. Their thighs brushed. He didn’t move away.
“Bachelor party,” he said. “If I’d known, I’d have chosen someplace quieter.”
“This is fine. I live alone and run an art gallery. I get plenty of quiet.”
The waitress came with menus. “Evening, Coop. What to drink?”
“Evening, Carol. We’ll take two Shiners.”
“Coming right up,” she said, already walking away.
Erica looked at him, a brow arched.
“You don’t drink light beer,” he said evenly.
“And you know that how?”
“You don’t strike me as someone who waters things down.”
She wasn’t sure if that was good or bad, but she smiled.
The waitress brought their beers, sliding the bottles in front of each of them.
“Ready to order?”
He deferred the choice to her this time. She picked up her beer, took a sip, then said, “You decide. You’re on a roll.”
He ordered two chicken-fried steak specials. “Gravy on the side. What’s the vegetable tonight?”
“Asparagus,” Carol replied.
She wrinkled her nose when he glanced her way.
“We’ll have green beans.”
When they were alone again, he asked, “You don’t like green vegetables?”
“You don’t trust gravy?” she countered.
He didn’t smile, but his eyes did before he answered, “I don’t trust anything I can’t look at first.”
“That explains a lot.”
He glanced at her hair again. She’d put it up in a twist but left a few strands loose around her face to soften the look.
