Page 19 of Dandelion Sighs

“Nice save,” he said.

“Thanks, but it’s so good a little dirt wouldn’t ruin it.” I hunched in on myself to gnaw on the thigh. God, this was so good. I had the recipe. It was an old one of my mom’s that Paola doctored up. When was the last time I had cooked for myself? Less than when I last went on a date at least.

“Now I owe you a meal.”

I snapped my head up, ripping a hunk of meat with it. I hurried up and chewed and swallowed. “You don’t owe⁠—”

“So I guess the question is, where should we go? I’d offer to grill, but I have to admit to being a little intimidated by the offerings here. I’m a simple man, and I run a simple grill.”

“I bet you grill just fine.” I winced. I was supposed to be putting him at ease about not owing me a meal.

“You want to find out?” He shrugged and dug a fork out of the to-go container for the coleslaw. “All right, then.”

My mouth went dry. Was he…inviting me over? “You’re going to grill?”

“Don’t sound so dubious, boss. I won’t even have to scour the house before you show up.”

“Show up where?” I croaked.

“My place. What night works the best?”

I blinked. Blinked again. Grilling. His place. A meal. Together. I should say no. I should put a stop to this. There was no way it was appropriate for me to go to a new employee’s house. By myself.

Yet, the word no didn’t occur to me. “Friday.”

Chapter Six

Jasper

Why the hell did I invite Sheridan over?

I careened through my rental house, making sure I didn’t have underwear lying around or that my towels weren’t draped over random chairs from my showers. I’m a guy who likes to air dry. I finished the firepit area sooner than expected, going in early the last two days just so I could clean myself up before she got here.

It wasn’t that I didn’t want her to myself all night, but I shouldn’t have her to myself. I wasn’t on the market. If I wanted to mess around, I did. Sheridan wasn’t a messing-around type. She was strong and sensitive. Sweet and hardworking. Sexy and determined. She was a complete package. And when those eyes had me in their soft-brown tractor beams, there was nothing I wouldn’t do to make her smile. Until she had moaned over the chicken. Now there was nothing I wouldn’t do to hear that again.

Was that how she sounded when she⁠—

I groaned. I couldn’t think about it. She would be here soon.

The doorbell rang. I almost sprinted to answer.

Play it cool. Play it cool.

I had jumped to a woman’s bidding before, and it was not appreciated. Not at all.

I pushed a hand through my hair and straightened the clean KCC shirt I had tossed on and crossed to the front door. I opened it to Sheridan on the stoop. She’d still pulled her dark hair back but changed into linen shorts instead of her cargo-type ones. Her V-neck shirt was a fucking tease that pooled at her hips.

She held a six-pack in her hands. “I figured I brought you enough water.”

“Hey, it’s from Isla’s place.” I stepped back to let her in.

She slid inside like she was afraid to touch me. “Isla? Barron?”

“Yeah, it’s Cunningham now, but Reservoir Barrel is hers. She runs it with her husband, McCoy.”

“I’ve heard it’s close, but I haven’t been out there.”

“We’ll have to remedy that after we eat.”