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“You don’t lock your pickup any better than you lock the back door,” he said. “Come on, get in.” He stretched, reaching across with his hand, and his eyes were surprisingly warm. “I won’t bite—I promise.”
She almost laughed. “I’m not afraid of you, Colton. Bite or not.” Ignoring his hand, she climbed into the cab and settled behind the steering wheel. “Don’t you have some horse to protect or something?” she needled. “Why, right this very minute someone could be sneaking off with Black Magic to God-only-knows where.”
His smile widened. “I guess I deserved that.”
“And more.”
“I did come on a little strong.”
“That’s putting it mildly.”
Colton shoved his hat further back on his head. A dark swatch of hair fell over his brow. “I didn’t come here to argue.”
“Good. Now we’re getting somewhere,” she mocked. “Why are you here?”
“To invite you to dinner.”
“You expect me to go to dinner with you?” she asked, stunned. “You’re kidding, right?”
“Nope.”
“But—”
“Look, Cass, I know I’ve been a first-class jerk,” he admitted. “But I had my reasons.”
“And now they’ve changed?”
“I thought about what you said, that’s all. The horse is back, there’s no harm done, and I”—his face changed expression and his eyes darkened a bit—“and I’d like to take you to dinner. Think of it as my way of apologizing.”
“I didn’t know you knew how.”
“Maybe I don’t. Seems I’m having one helluva time convincing you.”
Suddenly the cab felt close. The windows, streaked with rain on the outside, had fogged on the inside, closing Colton and Cassie from the rest of the world. She felt like biting her lip, but didn’t. “What would be the point?”
“Believe it or not, we might just have a good time.”
Cassie nearly choked.
“And I’d like to spend some time with you,” he admitted with a sigh. There was more to it, of course. Colton had argued with himself all day, knowing that being with her again would tangle him up in an emotional rope he wasn’t sure he could unknot.
Cassie watched his fingers drum against his knee, saw the dark hair that covered the back of his hand. Her pulse jumped, though she forced herself to ignore it. “I don’t know if I can—”
“Is your dad expecting you?”
“No.” She shook her head. “He’s used to me working late.”
“Then why not?” he asked, a small smile teasing his lips again. She caught a glimpse of his sensual mouth, felt her heart flutter, then turned her gaze to the keys in her hand.
“I guess there’s no reason,” she admitted, jamming the key into the ignition. “Where to?”
“How about Timothy’s?”
Her throat tightened. Timothy’s was a small, intimate restaurant on the far side of town. She and Colton had been there together years before. “Sure,” she said casually. “Why not?” She flicked on the engine, and the old truck roared to life. Her eyes sparkling, she asked, “Need a lift—or would you rather take your Jeep?”
Colton actually chuckled. “I’d rather ride with you.”
“Would you?” She couldn’t help but smile. “That’s a turn around.”
