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“You said dinner was a truce.”
“See how good I am? I even fooled myself.”
His crooked smile sent her heart skipping, but didn’t make her feel any better. The wine prompted her to ask, “So…would you have looked to score with just anyone or me specifically?”
His expression became serious. “Just anyone isn’t standing in front of me. You are.”
She laughed. At her own stupidity, because she wanted to believe him. “Yeah, you are good.”
“I’m not just saying that, Halli.”
“I might buy it if I were a good five inches taller and model gorgeous.”
“At first glance, it’s easy to mistake you as plain, especially in those God-awful clothes you were wearing when we met.”
“They were travel clothes,” she defended.
“Hideous.”
She shrugged. Refused to give in to vain disappointment from his less than flattering description. She knew she wasn’t going to win any beauty contests, but didn’t mean she wanted to hear him say it. Apparently, all he really did need was his looks to get women into bed with him.
Case in point, she still wanted him. How pathetic.
He brushed her hair back off one cheek with his knuckles. “It’s the second look that gets a guy. And the third. And the fourth.” He lifted a lock of hair, rubbed it between his fingers. “Highlights in your hair. The sparkle in those beautiful baby blues. A set of kissable lips that transform your entire face with just one smile.”
Her stomach quivered in response to his low, gravelly voice and the way his gaze travelled over her face like a caress. Hurt and disappointment disappeared as if they’d never been. Hazel eyes locked with hers and for the first time in her life, she felt beautiful.
His head lowered toward hers. She closed her eyes in anticipation of his kiss, only to have a picture of him in 1880’s western wear and a worn brown Stetson appear like her eyelids were a movie screen. Her eyes flew open as she gave an outraged gasp and shoved him back a st
ep.
“When did Shain show up?”
He grinned. “You really do watch my movies.”
“I already admitted I did, so why are you feeding me a line now?”
“I was just playing around, and that line was practically written for you.”
She glared at him, arms crossed over her chest. Couldn’t believe he’d stoop that low, and worse, that she’d almost fallen for his act.
“Wow, I didn’t know you’d take it so personal. You want my own version?”
“Can you manage?”
His grin widened as he gripped her shoulders. A smart woman would twist away, but she couldn’t make herself move. He squared his shoulders and cleared his throat as if he were about to make an important speech.
“Ready?”
“Probably not.”
“Probably not,” he agreed.
Halli found herself pulled into an unexpected kiss. His lips were firm, yet undemanding. Beneath her hands wedged between them, his heart pounded a rapid rhythm that rivaled hers. He couldn’t act that, could he?
It suddenly hit her how exhausting it was to be so defensive all the time. Dinner had given her a glimpse of peace in the storm. She liked him. He was kissing her. What the hell was her problem?
Impulsive decision made, she relaxed and parted her lips. He groaned softly and lifted both hands to frame her heated face. His tongue slid past her teeth, igniting a need deep inside that she’d never felt before his first kiss. After a last lingering moment that shifted emotions inside her chest, he pulled back to gaze down at her.
