Page 25 of A Cowboy's Trust
“Longest single syllable word in the English language.”
He chuckled softly, easing around a slow driver on the highway. “Is this the sort of thing that your sister knows automatically, or is she a word geek?”
“Not a word geek, but she definitely knows bits and pieces about an awful lot of things.” Tansy peered out the window, admiring the way the approaching car lights glittered off the fresh snow, turning the fields around them into sparkling wonderlands. “If you’re ever playing a trivia game, she’s a good one to have on your side.”
“Good to know. What about you?”
Tansy shook her head, readjusting position until she could admire him more thoroughly. “I do really well in a few categories, and really badly in a lot of others.”
“I’d still pick you for my team.” Jake cleared his throat. “Although we better make sure Fern plays with us, because I too have my strengths and weaknesses.”
“What categories would you kill it in?”
“Security, sports, gardening, and R&B songs.”
Too funny. But also a little too practiced a response. Tansy watched him for a minute. “Sounds as if you had that list ready to go. Did you preplan a set of topics for us to discuss this evening?”
Jake swore softly then made a face. “I can’t stop myself. The being prepared bit.”
“We’re not helping you with your spontaneity goal. Not if we follow a predetermined conversation list.”
He nodded, far too serious. “It’s a habit. And it’s my fallback when I want to make a good impression on somebody.”
There they were, finally at the biggest item that had been ringing bells in Tansy’s brain since the moment he’d announced he wanted to take her on a date. “Maybe we need to talk about that part, just a little bit.”
“The fact that I fall back on making lists?”
“The idea that you want to impress me.” Tansy shrugged. “I mean, I like it that we’re getting along, and I’m no longer dreaming up ways to make your head explode. But I?—”
A loud laugh burst from Jake. “Youweredeliberately tormenting me.”
“Torment is such an extreme word. But yes, I’d go with deliberate in a heartbeat.” Tansy took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Why did you ask me out?”
“Why did you let me kiss you on New Year’s Eve?”
That was easy. “Because you are one hot number and infinitely better than the dude who was kicking my ankles every other step.”
His amusement was not dying down, judging by the assorted chuckles and snorts escaping him. “You’re top notch at delivering compliments that then whack my feet out from under me and leave me sitting on my ass.”
“We all have to be good at something.”
He pulled to a stop in a free spot half a block from the restaurant then twisted toward her. “I asked you out because, while we might’ve gotten off on the wrong foot in the beginning, the longer I’m around you the more I’m intrigued. I’d like to get to know you better. I hope, as annoying as I am with my lists and unnecessary preplanning, that you like me too.”
Tansy examined his face. Such earnestness there, and yet as he dipped his chin slightly, a flash of mischievousness hit her as well. Maybe he could be somebody she could enjoy more than just dirty dreams about.
“I wasn’t planning on getting serious with anyone,” she started.
“Me neither,” he agreed. “I was married once, briefly. It didn’t go well, and since then I’ve pretty much only dated casually.”
May as well shock the hell out of him. “Let me finish that sentence. Iwasn’tplanning on getting serious with anyone, but then Rose found Chance. Ever since, I’ve been thinking that maybe I’m okay with risking the idea of one guy forever.”
Jake dipped his head slowly. “It does feel like a risk, doesn’t it?”
“Absolutely.” Going for broke. “So, the whole getting to know me better, and being intrigued by me—are you serious about maybe getting serious?”
Jake laughed, shaking his head slightly. “Every time I think I’ve got things under control, you come out of left field and make me have to reopen my eyes and man up. Yes, Tansy. The reason why I asked you out was because I’m ready to take some risks and go looking for something like what Aiden and Petra have. I don’t know if that’s going to be with you, but I feel as if there’s a chance. So this isn’t casual, and I’m not just looking for a good time. This is honest-to-God dating. Finding out about each other and seeing if what we want in the future makes us a good match. A good fit.”
“How spicy do you eat your food?” Tansy asked.
