Page 34 of Rocky Mountain Home
“—to hurt Dare, you’ll poison me?” Jesse offered.
Ginny looked affronted. “Damn that Luke. I accidentally give the man one little bout of food poisoning, and I’m never going to live it down.”
Dare bit her lip to stop from laughing out loud.
Jesse stood next to her, slipping his fingers over her nape and playing with her hair as he answered Ginny. “Very unfair. I’m sure you’re a great cook.”
“I totally am. But I’m an even better shot, so…”
She stood and marched closer, peeking up at Jesse with deadly intent. “Hurt Dare and you’ll end up with buckshot where the sun don’t shine. Then while you’re picking lead out of your nether regions I’ll—”
Jesse turned away from Ginny to focus on Dare again. “And on that note, breakfast? Want me to cook?”
Dare motioned toward the kitchen. “Be my guest.”
“I like my eggs scrambled,” Ginny announced as she slipped into the kitchen ahead of them, like an annoying mosquito they had no chance of removing from the room before it drew blood.
“I bet you do.” Jesse turned to Dare. “Your house, your rules, but I was hoping for talk time before I leave. Alone talking.”
“Goodbye, Ginny,” Dare announced.
Her friend sighed good-naturedly before turning for the door. “Next time come for dinner. I mean it.”
“Awesome.” He sounded sincere. “I look forward to it, and you can go now.”
“I need to see you kiss her,” Ginny announced.
“You do not—”
The rest of Dare’s words were lost under Jesse’s lips as she found herself pressed against his long, hard body and kissed senseless. Every inch of her was tingling before he let her up for air.
His grin was both cocky and satisfied.
“I heard your toes curl from here,” Ginny announced.
“Shut up.”
Ginny finally left, and Jesse proved his expertise in making fried eggs and toast. It was tasty, but she was distracted by the abuse her family had inflicted on him.
“I’m sorry you got hit. I told the guys not to go off half-cocked.”
Jesse smirked. “Half-cocked is the defining characteristic of all teenage guys. Dustin’s what, eighteen?”
She nodded. “Old enough to know better.”
“Give them time.” Jesse pushed his eggs around on the plate for a moment before offering a wry smile. “I’m wrapping my brain around it myself, so I hardly expect them to be thrilled with me.”
They finished the meal, Dare considering his words. The fact he hadn’t run the instant he’d heard her news impressed her.
She still wasn’t marrying the man.
“I should hit the road,” Jesse said finally. “Where’s your calendar? I’ll do some juggling so I can be here for your doctor’s appointment, but if I catch my foreman before he sets the schedule for the week, it’ll be easier.”
She scrambled on the computer for the details, and he added it to his phone along with her number.
Which reminded her. “I should send a response to Jaxi. Or did you want to get in touch with her?”
He made a face. “Can I get back to you on that one? I mean, I’m just not sure…”
