Page 18 of One Texas Night...
Instead she shook her head again and held up her notebook between them. “I’ve done nine rooms so far. We should walk through them so I can get your comments about the things in each.”
He looked amused. “All right. We’ll continue this discussion after dinner tonight.”
“Jared—”
“You have to eat. We enjoy being together. This job won’t last long, and it may be a lot longer than six years before we see each other again. Matter settled. I’ll take you to dinner tonight. We can go two-steppin’ at a fun honky-tonk.”
“You are so incredibly sure of yourself.”
“I know what I want, and I think I know what you want. Right?”
“Let’s look at the rooms.”
His smile widened as he nodded. Exasperated with him, she leaned closer and tapped his chest with her finger, looking into his green eyes.
“So if I stop fighting you, we’ll have a full-blown affair?”
“Why do I think you want this as much as I do?” he asked, his smile vanishing as desire flared in the depths of his eyes.
“Not this time. I have responsibilities I didn’t have before. And if did, you can kiss your friendship with Sloan goodbye. He’s rather unforgiving sometimes.”
“I don’t think your brother has to know everything that you and I do.”
“No, he doesn’t, but he’s already called.” At Jared’s look of surprise she added, “In good conscience I told him that you were at work. But don’t worry, he’ll keep up with both of us while this job in happening. You know I’m right.”
Frowning, Jared stared at her. “Sloan is in Dallas, and we’re far away in Houston. He has his own family now to worry over. You’re no longer eighteen years old. Yet I shouldn’t be surprised because he called me, too. I think he was overjoyed that I was at work.”
“As a matter of fact, he’s glad the job is going well. And he’s extremely happy you’re working on your own business matters.”
“Does he do this all the time with you?”
“Not at all. You bring this on. He knows you too well.”
“Thank goodness you don’t take everything he says to heart.”
“He hasn’t realized I can make my own decisions. I’m not worried about Sloan, and I don’t think you really are, either.”
Jared’s frown disappeared. “I still want to take you to dinner and dancing. And if they happen, kisses are harmless. Even your brother won’t get worked up if he finds out we’ve kissed.” He jumped in to stave off her argument. “Dinner is still on. Enjoying each other’s company does not necessarily mean seduction.”
“Jared, you and I cannot get personal on a small scale,” she finally stated in exasperation.
He smiled and caressed her throat. “That’s what keeps it so interesting,” he said. “So how soon would you like to quit for the day?”
“I’m getting a lot done. I’d like to work until six.” Trying once again, she warned, “Dinner is asking for trouble, and you know it.”
“Not when you’re circling the room doing the two-step, it won’t be. Relax. Trust me, and I’ll show you we can have fun together, enjoying each other’s company.”
Knowing she wasn’t going to win this battle, she conceded. Getting back to work, she walked beside him and talked to him about the rooms she had done.
“I’ll help you, unless you’d prefer working alone.”
“You can help,” she said, passing a notebook and pen to him. “I’ll tell you what to write.”
“Sure,” he said. He stuck to business, which was a relief to her, and finally at six o’clock when the clock in the hall chimed, he held out her notebook. “Six it is. The witching hour. Time to get ready for our evening out.”
“We could just keep working and really get things done.”
“We could, but we’re definitely not going to. C’mon, we’ll get ready. You’ll be glad you did. How much time do you want? Meet here at half past seven?”
