Nearest Thing to Heaven (Maverick Junction) (15 page)

I
t was dinner for God’s sake. They’d grab a bite to eat, talk a little bit, then he’d take her home. Period. Nothing fancy. Nothing that even vaguely hinted at more. It wasn’t like they’d set up a tryst in some flea-bitten motel for a quick roll in the hay…or some magical, romantic night on the town.

So why was he as nervous as a pig at barbecue time?

Because he’d kissed her.

Why in the hell had he kissed her?

He tossed the last bale of hay from the back of his work pickup and stripped off his leather gloves, slapped them on the leg of his worn denims.

He had to get himself under control. He wasn’t some horny teenager.

Nope. What he was, was a horny thirty-two-year-old.

And if there was any difference between the two, it escaped him at the moment.

A cloud of dust warned him of incoming. The kids were home. Haley’d driven into town to pick up supplies for the bunkhouse and had offered to take the boys with her. He owed her for that. It had given him time to finish up here.

As the car pulled up in front of the bunkhouse, he strolled out to meet them. “Need some help?”

“Boy, do I. The back of this SUV is packed tight.” She opened the doors and started unloading boys. “Human cargo first.”

Like a swarm of locusts, they descended on him, full of hugs and stories of their trip to town. He hugged back, tousled hair, and listened. Then, moving to the rear of the vehicle, he grabbed small loads for each of the boys.

“There you go. Take those inside and put them on the table.” He and Haley together made short work of the rest of it while the boys, bags delivered, tore off for the bunkhouse.

“Did you pick up dinner for you and the kids tonight?” he asked.

“Sure did. You’re treating us to pizza and ice cream from Sadler’s.” She held up two more bags.

“Good for me. Here, why don’t you give me those?” Ty asked. “I’ll stick them in the fridge for you.”

“Sounds good. I’m going to grab a quick shower before I come over.”

“Yeah.” Ty looked down at himself. “I figure I’d best do the same thing.” He whistled, and the boys came tearing out of the bunkhouse, each with a cookie in hand.

“Look what Cook gave us,” Jesse said.

“He give you one for me?”

“No, Daddy. But you can have some of mine.” Jonah held his out.

“That’s okay, bud.” Ty slung an arm around him. “I already had one,” he lied. “Enjoy yours.”

“’Kay, Daddy.”

Together the four of them walked across the yard, and Ty herded his brood into the house.

Forty minutes later, the kids had taken over the living room. Action figures scattered the length of it, and a full intergalactic battle was under way.

Upstairs, a towel wrapped around his waist, Ty finished shaving. That task complete, he walked into the bedroom to study the sparse contents of his closet. A suit was out. Period. He supposed, though, he owed Sophie something other than a pair of worn-out jeans. Being a city girl from Chicago, she’d expect a tad more than that.

Heck, he should probably expect more than that from himself.

That in mind, he started to reach for his chinos, then stopped. Hell with it. He was who he was. He’d wear his Sunday jeans and a gray button-down shirt Babs had bought for his last birthday. That would have to do.

Downstairs, he heard Haley come in, heard the boys scramble to greet her. He took a deep breath. Tonight would either be fun or the biggest disaster ever.

When Sophie answered the door, Ty stood dumbfounded. He couldn’t find words. But he didn’t have any doubt why he’d asked her out. Or why he’d kissed her.

Tink was breathtaking.

Finding his tongue, he said, “Darlin’, you look good enough to be dinner.”

She dipped in a mock curtsy. “Why, thank you, sir.” Then her eyes traveled the length of him. “You look pretty darn good yourself. That gray shirt with those smoky eyes of yours? Mmmm.”

Heat rushed up his neck, and she laughed, a tinkling little sound. She cocked her head. “Do you want to come in?”

“No.” He shook his head. “If you’re ready, we should probably go. I made reservations. I hope you don’t mind. We hadn’t actually talked about where you wanted to go tonight.”

“Anywhere is fine. Bubba’s, Sally’s and Oliver’s are the sum total of my dining experiences since I’ve been in Texas.”

“Well, that pretty much makes up the triumvirate of restaurants in the area.” He swallowed. “Let me just say again that you look great, Sophie. That pink…Wow. Every man who sees you is gonna envy me.”

A smile brightened her face. “Thank you, Ty.” She rubbed a hand over the sweater’s sleeve. “Maggie picked this for me.”

“Remind me to thank her. It’s perfect.”

“That’s what she said.” She grabbed a purse the size of a small elephant from the counter. “So where are we going?”

“We’re heading toward Austin. There’s a great little Italian restaurant about halfway there.
Cucina de Luigi
.” He stopped on the stairs. “I thought you might be tired of steaks and barbecue. You like Italian, don’t you?”

“Are you kidding? I can’t think of anything better. How’s Luigi’s lasagna?”

“The best. And their meatball calzones.” He kissed his fingertips.

Sophie dropped a hand to her stomach. “Glad I went light on lunch because I fully intend to pig out tonight.”

“Overindulgence can be a very good thing.”

“I think so, and I’m looking forward to it. Hope you are, too.”

The double entendre hit home. Reminding himself to breathe, he sucked in a lungful of air. He sure hoped he survived the evening.

The porch light reflected off his gleaming pickup. Randy, one of his ranch hands, had given the truck a good wash and cleanup today. One look at those white slacks and Ty thanked God he’d thought to do it. No cookie crumbs or spilled anything to spoil them.

Dottie peeked out the kitchen window, and he waved to her. Unabashed, she waved back, a wide grin on her grandmotherly face.

Before Ty opened Sophie’s door, he noticed her scoping out the yard, her eyes moving slowly over it. “Everything okay?”

“Yes. Of course.”

He watched that tiny pink tongue trace her bottom lip. She was nervous. Because of him or something else?

“You’d tell me if it wasn’t, wouldn’t you?”

She smiled. “Sure.”

Studying her, he helped her in, then closed her door. When he walked around the hood and slid behind the wheel, the same feeling he’d had the last time they’d been shut up alone together in the truck hit him. The feeling they were the only two people in the world.

He liked it.

He wouldn’t call it comfortable. No. Her scent filled the cab, wrapped around him and tied his stomach into knots. But they were good knots.

Knots he knew how to loosen—if she was willing.

The drive to Luigi’s didn’t take nearly long enough. Whatever nerves he’d had flew out the window as the miles passed. He’d forgotten how good it felt to be on a grown-ups-only outing with a beautiful woman.

When they drove into Twin Springs, Sophie lowered her window and leaned out. “Oh, Ty. This is like a little Christmas fairy land.”

“Yeah, I thought you might like it. They go all out for the holidays.”

The town looked like Santa’s Toyland and
Midsummer Night’s Dream
rolled into one. White lights twinkled and shone from every tree, outlined the quaint-looking little shops, and encircled the elaborate streetlights.

She turned to him. “Do you think we’ll have any time to shop?”

“Absolutely. They stay open till midnight through the month of December.”

“Oh, I’m sorry for them, but happy for me.”

Ty laughed. “I wouldn’t feel too sorry for them. This month puts them in the black, believe me. It’s a destination for lots of Austinites.”

Christmas carols played over outdoor speakers, and Sophie sang along with them.

When he parked and walked around to open the door for her, he found himself with an armful of delicious woman as she threw her arms around him.

“Thank you.”

“The evening’s just started,” he reminded her.

“I know. But already it’s wonderful. Exactly right.”

“Then, you’re welcome.” Taking her hand, so tiny and soft in his, he led her down the street to Luigi’s.

They stepped inside to the smell of warm bread, garlic, and tomato sauce. Here, too, white lights sparked magic. A Christmas tree stood tall and proud in the foyer. Gold brocade ribbon trailed over doorways and in centerpieces, giving the restaurant a slightly formal air.

Once they’d been shown to their table, Ty ordered a bottle of wine. After the waiter uncorked it and left, he raised his glass. “To a memorable night with an even more memorable lady.”

Sophie smiled. “I’ll see you and raise you.” She held up her own glass. “To a special night with an unforgettable gentleman.”

He winced. “I’m a cowboy, Sophie. Nothing more, nothing less.”

“There’s a lot to be said for cowboys, Ty. Personally, I find them fascinating.” She sipped her drink.

“Oh, yeah?”

“Yeah. But don’t let it go to your head.”

He chuckled and opened his menu.

When the waiter returned, Sophie said, “I’d love to try that calzone you’ve been raving about, but I have to go with the lasagna.”

“That’s okay. I’ll share.”

And he did. Leaning across the table, he fed her a forkful of his meatball calzone, watched as those luscious lips closed around it. Instantly, he became uncomfortably aroused. The woman played havoc with his system.

As they ate and talked and laughed, he realized a big part of her draw was that she was so unaware of herself. There was no coyness, no sense of self-importance. For the first time, he recognized the resemblance between her and Annie. Not physically, no. They looked nothing alike. But their ethics. Their attitude toward life. Both had a solid foundation.

Annie. Tall, dark, and willowy with those ice-blue eyes. So self-confident and hardworking. So practical despite all her money.

And Sophie? He could barely keep his fingers out of her pale blond hair and found himself falling into those big brown eyes of hers. She was a devoted believer in fairies and their magic. Yet despite that, she, too, could be practical and hardworking.

Both cousins loved life.

Annie had decided to make hers in Maverick Junction, while Sophie would head back to Chicago soon. He’d originally thought that a good thing. Now, he wondered.

Talk turned to his ranch, then to her greeting card business.

“Why did you decide to start Stardust Productions, Sophie? Seems like a big job to take on.”

“Money,” she said.

“Excuse me?”

“Money. I needed a way to earn a living. I love to paint, so it seemed a good fit.”

“It can be hard to get start-up money for a risky business venture like that, can’t it? But then you probably didn’t need outside money, did you?”

“I sure did. I really hunted around before I finally found a bank willing to take a chance on me.” She tilted her head and looked across at him. “Ty, I don’t have any money.”

Confused, he said, “That’s okay. I asked you out. I’ve got it covered.”

She smiled and shook her head. “No. I mean, I’m not wealthy. I have a couple thousand dollars in savings and run my checkbook week to week.”

Surprised, he sat back in his chair. “Seriously?”

That enticing tongue of hers flicked out to wet her lips. “Most people think, you know, that because I’m Annelise’s cousin, well…”

So, Ms. Sophie London wasn’t an heiress. He reached across the table and caught the hands she was clasping and unclasping. “You think that matters to me?”

“It might. It does to some people.”

“It doesn’t to me.” His eyes met hers unwaveringly. “It doesn’t,” he said more quietly, but this time he instilled steely determination into the words.

At the same time, his conscience taunted him.
Jerk. The money itself doesn’t matter a fig. But you’ve been judging her, and you know it. Thinking of her as a little rich girl, blah, blah, blah. You’ve made some bad calls, bud.

He’d noted an almost haunted look at times. What bothered her? Kept her awake at night? Had her searching the yard tonight for the boogeyman.

He and his demons were on a first-name basis. She’d denied having any. She wasn’t being honest, and that bothered him. A whole bunch. How could he protect her if he didn’t know what to fight?

Ty wished his inner voice would shut up and go to sleep. Maybe she’d watched a scary movie just before he picked her up.

He didn’t believe that, either. Nor did he believe he’d get his answer tonight.

“Do you want dessert now, or would you rather wait and get something at one of the little shops?”

Sophie patted her tummy. “I think some tea and dessert later would be best.”

By the time he’d paid and they stepped outside, the night air had turned downright cool. He wrapped an arm around her as they wandered from shop to shop, glad for the excuse to pull her close, to feel her body against his.

It had been years since he’d been out with a beautiful woman. Babs had been hounding him that it was time. Right now, with Sophie tucked close, he had to agree. It felt damn good.

He even enjoyed nosing around in a few of the stores.

“Boy, I might have forgotten the start of the holidays with all the wedding excitement, but the retail world sure hasn’t,” Sophie said.

“Look at this!” She held up a wreath, its decorations red hot peppers. “I love it!”

“That’s Christmas Texas-style, Tink.”

After meandering through the displays, she chose some ornaments—a black Harley for Annie, a gaudy pink flamingo wearing a boa for Dottie, and three fishing ones for the boys. She’d even found an ornament that looked a lot like Trouble.

“Nothing for you?” he asked.

She shook her head. “No, but I need you to go next door.”

“Why?”

“Because I have one more to buy, and I want it to be a surprise.”

He gave her a peck on the tip of her nose. “I’ll be in the coffee shop. Take your time.” Nearly back to Maverick Junction, Ty spotted the sign for Blackwater Road. Acting on impulse, without giving himself time to second-guess his decision, he pulled off onto the side road.