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She wanted tolookat him.
Just look. No harm in looking.
Even if he was her bestie’s big brother. Guyslooked,so why couldn’t girls?She was justifying here. No denying that. And had totally gone off the deep end. “You wrote romance?”
Dusty had read every book he had ever written—she was intensely loyal to his precious baby sister, after all. Nikki was incredibly proud of what her brothers had all accomplished. And, well, Dusty enjoyed what Ben had written. He was an excellent storyteller. He had an understanding of people that was deep. “You have never written so much as a kiss.”
“I haven’t. Until now.” He shot her a Ben grin. “Want to read it?”
“You’d let me?”
“Sure. You’re a woman. You like romance.”
“You are generalizing. Not all women evenbelievein romance.”
His expression turned serious. “Don’t you?”
“I’m not so sure anymore, Ben. I’m not so sure. And then...I look at Nikki and Sage and Maggie and Aunt Rhea, even...and then I wonder if maybe I do.” She stepped more fully into the room and closed the door behind her. “Maybe it’s just that I don’t believe in romance...for me? I’m too practical for that.”
* * *
That was justinsane.“You’re the kind of woman romance was created for.”
She shot him a look that told him she didn’t believe him at all. Ben just didn’t understand how she could think that.Her—not believing inromance? Seriously?
“What do you mean by that?” she asked.
She looked good tonight. He’d been so consumed with getting Harry to kiss Sasha, he’d lost touch with the world around him for a little bit. He hadn’t seen her in hours. Maybe a day. Or possibly two? He had slept some each night—so he thought it was two nights. She had on a little blue Talley Inn hoodie this time. So pretty in blue. Her hair was down long and loose again. Tempting a man totouch.
And she was right there, within reach. Ben slipped one hand around her waist—and the other started playing with that long, blond, silky hair. “What made you doubt romance?”
“Maybe because I’ve never really experienced romance. Real romance isn’t very...practical. Especially around here in Masterson.”
“A county where women are outnumbered by at least a factor of two?” He wanted to give herromance.More than anything.
Ben had been so certain that getting Sasha out of Harry’s head would get this Dusty Demoness out of his own.Had counted on it, a little.
Apparently, he had been wrong about that.She was even more entrenched than ever. Maybe he should just accept his fate.
Or would that be just accept hisdestiny?
“Maybe I’m just not good at it then? I’ve had that thought before.” She looked up at him, those big Dusty-green eyes kind of sad in a way that stabbed him in the gut. “Romance is more for women like Nikki or Sage.”
“How so?”
“It just seemed so easy for Sage. Sage and Gil were like magnets. You couldseethe connection between them after he rescued her along the highway that night. And Nikki? Well, everything that happened between her and Hunter is a made-for-TV movie waiting to happen. If they don’t already have the script written.”
“And that is romance to you? Isn’t romance hearts and flowers and the guy making a wimp out of himself for the woman he wants? I mean, Hunter is mush where Nik is concerned. Hard to miss that.” He hated that broken look in her eyes. He wanted to get it out of there fast.”And Gil is totally pitiful now. Follows Sage around like a puppy.”
Not made for romance? She was the kind of woman men fought wars for. She was the kind of woman romance was always about. At least for him.
He wanted to give her hearts and flowers. Buy her chocolates and take her on moonlit carriage rides. He thought the inn had a carriage somewhere. From years past. And his brother Fletcher’s place was the first one right outside city limits. It used to be Ben’s parents’ place. Ben jogged by Fletcher’s place—and their cousin Chandler’s restaurant that was nearby—every time he jogged when the weather was nice.
He could wait until the snow stopped—he’d noticed the flakes at the window—and he’d get Fletcher to bring him a damned horse. Fletcher's horses had pulled wagons before. In parades, and in that damned Rowland Bowles movie where Hunter had met Nikki in the first place. Ben was a rancher's son, born and bred. He’d take Dusty around town, no problem. He’d make sure to take warm blankets and would have Meyra get him some hot cocoa or spiced cider.
He'd take his woman all around the town. Snuggled up close.
Maybe he’d give Fletcher two hundred bucks to drive the carriage, so Ben would be free to keep his woman warm and everything. Yeah, he could see it happening. Just like that.
