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He bends and kisses me sweetly. He's all gentleness and softness and I want to grab him and shove him up against the nearest tree and have my way with him.
"I've got to get back to work," he says, stepping away. "Next time you think there's a problem, just talk to me, okay?"
"Any more background checks you've run on me I should know about?"
He smiles, walking backward to his truck. "I'll tell you all about them over dinner. Tonight. It's a date."
I wrack my brain for a way out of this, but my brain is still lust dazed. He knew exactly what he was doing when he kissed me. "Fine, but it's not a date. And don't go snooping around in my past, Ranger. Just talk to me if you want to know something."
"I will." He opens the door to his truck. "If it's a date, Skidmark is a cat."
I bite back a laugh. "One date. And Skidmark has always been and will always be a cat."
He's chuckling as he gets in his truck and drives away.
I feel lighter, happy, and a sick sense of dread settles in my gut. Nothing good in my life ever lasts long.
CHAPTER TWENTY
Dani
My heart is pounding, my palms are sweaty, and my stomach is nervous as I sit on the porch swing and watch for Grant. It seems better than making him come inside and talk to my sisters. I didn't anticipate just how nervous I'd be for a date with a man I've already slept with, but I feel like a tween waiting for her first date.
Maybe that's because this is different. I can no longer lie to myself that all Grant and I have is sexual attraction. I really like this man and I'm excited to see him.
Which almost definitely means I'm going to fuck this all up.
Goldy walks out onto the porch and leans against the railing next to the swing. "What time is he picking you up?"
"Who?"
She doesn't roll her eyes, Goldy is too mature and serious for that, but her expression approximates an eye roll with the slight narrowing of her eyes and the pinch of her mouth. "Whoever you put lipstick on for, Dandelion."
"Maybe I'm meeting friends. I can wear make-up to go out with friends, can't I?"
Goldy narrows her eyes still more. "Fine. While you're waiting for yourfriends,can we talk about the farm? I was doing some research—"
I hold up a hand. "I've got it handled, and I don't want to fight right now."
She crosses her arms over her chest. "I don't see why it has to be a fight. I just want to—"
"It's a date." I rock the swing like I can escape this conversation if I just get going fast enough. "I'm really nervous and I can't focus on anything at the moment."
Clover steps onto the porch with Honey, both of them in workout gear. Clover is babysitting Skidmark tonight and is wearing him on her chest in a baby carrier.
"Did you say you have a date?" Clover asks.
"She has a date with Grant," Honey says. "Though I don't like the way he demanded you go on a date with him."
I stare at her. "How do you know how he asked?"
Honey's eyes widen in her little-kid-innocent expression. "I pay attention, Dani. It's my artistic nature."
Clover snorts. "Is that what we're calling it now? I thought it was still referred to as snooping."
Honey slaps Clover's shoulder. "I can't help it if I accidentally overhear something and then I can't stop listening. Being curious helps me notice the natural world around me and recreate it in my art."
"Sure." Clover hops off the porch. "Come on. This train waits for no one."
