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“That rumbling in your stomach says otherwise.” He looked at the dashboard clock. “We’ll stop for a bite. Got a preference?”
“It’s bad enough I’m taking you so far out of your way.” She put a hand on his arm. “I’ll get something at the ranch. Hazel always has leftovers in the fridge.”
He glanced down at her hand and then up into her eyes. A hint of strength and tenderness glistened in his gaze and made her go a little soft. Like her brothers, under that work hard play hard demeanor was a sweet man. Of course, as much a part of the Baron family as her brothers, he probably saw her as a little sister to be protected.
“Burgers? Chicken? What strikes your fancy?” he asked.
“You don’t have to… oh, look.” She pointed at the massive yellow sign down the road. “Sonic. I love their Chicago chili cheese dogs.”
His smile softened and he seemed to stare at her for a fraction longer than a casual glance before putting on his turn signal.
Reflexively, her hand lifted to her face, feeling her nose and cheeks. “Do I have something on my face?”
“Excuse me?”
“Never mind.” Now didn’t she sound like a dumb kid.
The drive-in slots at the carhop chain were all empty save one other car. He pulled into a space nearest the front door.
“Want anything else besides the hot dog?” He read the panel by the driver door, then turned to Siobhan.
“I haven’t eaten here for a while. Let me see.” She unfastened the seat belt and leaned over him to better see the menu panel. “I’ll have the Chicago chili cheese dog, a side order of onion rings—no, wait, make that tater tots—and a…. banana pudding milk shake.”
Back in her seat, Jack stared at her again with that same confused expression. “Sure you don’t want the onion rings too, or maybe a banana split?”
Now he was teasing her. “I have a healthy appetite.”
“So I noticed.” A broad smile stretched across his face as he turned to place her order and added a banana pudding milkshake for himself.
Shaking her head at him, she shifted to lean against the door and face him. For the first time ever, she looked at Jack. Really looked at him. No wonder her sister Eve had often used Jack as her plus-one and gold-digging-man repellant. Between sparkling blue eyes, a smile that could melt snow in Alaska, and all-around magazine cover good looks, like her brothers, under all the bravado was a nice, thoughtful guy. Who knew?
Siobhan’s scent lingered in Jack’s nose. She’d leaned right over his lap. Her hair had been inches from his face as she read the menu. An aroma of vanilla and almond wafted around her. Fresh, sweet, and way more intoxicating than he’d expected. With her profile direct in his line of vision, there was no missing the adorable face. Not a lick of makeup on, the natural look should have emphasized her youth; instead she looked radiant. How different from the woman he’d started the night with. Maybe it was a Baron thing. Her sister Eve wasn’t big on makeup either, and even when she did wear some, it was never obvious. He’d always thought Eve was a natural beauty, but staring at Siobhan for those few moments, he had to admit, the kid had grown into quite the stunner.
“Is that a problem?” Her voice pulled him from his wandering thoughts.
“Is what a problem?”
“My healthy appetite.”
No, it wasn’t a problem. He’d been surprised at her enthusiasm over a sloppy hot dog. Most of the women he knew would barely pick at a salad in front of him. He found her lack of pretense refreshing. “Not at all.”
The food came quickly. The only thing missing from the young server’s 1950s carhop uniform was the roller skates. Jack handed Siobhan her hot dog then the tots and the drink. Taking his time unwrapping the straw for his milkshake, he watched her balancing the food on her lap and set the tall drink on the dashboard. Slowly, she unwrapped the hot dog as if it were a treasure and dug in the way he would dig into a ribeye.
“We can get back on the road if you want. I promise I won’t make a mess in your car.” To prove her point, she took a big bite out of the sloppy hot dog, moaned with delight, popped the tip of her tongue out to lick away a drop of chili and then smiled up at him. “See?”
Tucking his shake into the cup holder, he smiled back. “No hurry.”
“Jack.” Somehow she’d turned his single syllable name into a two-syllable drawl. Not quite Irish, not quite Texas, but he kind of liked it. “It’s probably past your bedtime. I know it’s way past mine.” She took another bite of the hot dog and chewing, held her hand in front of her mouth, muttering, “Sorry, this is so good.”
“Glad you’re enjoying it.”
She swallowed and took a hard sip of the milkshake. “I am, thank you, but it’s a long drive to the ranch from here and even longer back to your place.”
The idea of simply watching her devour her late-night meal with such gusto held more appeal than it should have, but Siobhan was probably dead to the world. Starting the car, he backed out of the spot. Traffic was unusually light, and he had to fight the urge to watch her more than the road.
Siobhan took the last bite of her hot dog and sighed. “That was amazing as always. Thanks for stopping, Jack.”
“My pleasure.”
