AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Wishful thinking on my part.” I flashed her a grin. “Guess I’m going to have to be the helpless one. My dad would shit a brick if he knew that’s what I had to resort to, but a man’s gotta do what a man’s gotta do.”
“You’ll walk back before I let you on my horse,” she said defiantly, but her eyes glimmered in amusement. “And watch your language.”
“Sorry.” I fought a smile, pretty sure I was the only guy in the world who enjoyed being scolded. Something about it renewed my certainty that she cared more than she let on. “You wouldn’t show mercy on me?”
“Nope.”
I slowed Cedar to a stop when we reached an old horse chestnut tree.
I dismounted and helped her do the same. “Thanks,” she said, “but next time could you warn me I’ll need a different kind of boots?”
Next time? She didn’t even realize she was already thinking in terms of us beyond today.
“I happen to like the ones you have on.” Discreetly, my gaze slid down her legs to those suede boots with their wedged heels, then back up again. Bad idea. I took a second to get my thoughts back to a G rating as I grabbed a blanket from my saddle bag and spread it on the ground beneath the tree.
I flopped down beside her with a picnic basket and pulled out a container of red grapes.
“I love these things,” she said, opening the lid and plucking one out.
“I know,” I replied, producing a few more items.
“You do?” I didn’t know why she seemed so surprised. I knew all her favorite foods.
“Yep. You’re staring, darlin’,” I said without looking up.
She shoved another grape in her mouth and then one in mine, her cheeks tinting pink. I tried to hide a grin and failed miserably as I opened a plastic container and unfolded tinfoil.
She peered over. “You didn’t.”
“Oh, but I did,” I confirmed, peeling back more foil to reveal the tender brisket inside. Not long after we’d met, I’d introduced her, Daniel, and Vivian to my granddaddy’s brisket. She’d asked for the recipe, even put Vivian up to begging for it, but I wouldn’t budge. If she wanted family secrets, she was going to have to join it. “I’m pulling out all the stops here. The brisket’s not all I’ve got.”
Her eyes rounded in anticipation as I unwrapped another favorite of hers.
“Jalapeño bread?” She reached for it, but I held it out of her grasp.
“I wouldn’t do this for just anybody,” I said, as she seemed to physically restrain herself from crawling over me to that bread.
“I wouldn’t recommend sharing unless it’s someone you want to be stuck with for life, because once they have this”—she waved at the food—“they’ll be hooked.”
“Stuck for life, huh? So that means there’s a pretty good chance you aren’t going anywhere.”
Her face flamed with the realization of what she’d said.
“Only because of the barbecue. And the bread.”
“That’s it?”
She quickly nodded, and I smirked. “Glad to know I won’t have to share the banana pudding with you, since you only like me for my barbecue.” I dug a fork into the brisket. She swiped the bread away from me. “Aww, don’t be like that, darlin’. If you admit you like having me around a tiny bit for something other than my grandparents’ food, I’ll share.”
She chewed bread and tore off another piece. “I like that you’re a good friend to Daniel. He needs it, even if he’s too stubborn to admit it.”
“What about you? I don’t see you opening up to other people either. Not beyond Daniel and Vivian.”
“Why would I need anyone else? Except you, of course. You’re my friend.”
“Don’t I know it.” As if I needed reminding that she’d stuck me in the casual friend category. Well, I wanted out of that zone. “Think there’s a possibility you’d ever let me where they are. In there.” I stopped just short of touching her in the vicinity of her heart.
The bread slipped from her fingers. “It’s not easy for me.”
