Page 17 of Serious Cowboy

With his encouragement, Callie tried a taste of each one as they perused their menus, crinkling her nose at the spicier ones. Once he heard her order the chicken with the brisket, he ordered theburger with an extra sausage and some pulled pork on the side. He wanted her to have a wholistic Three Sisters experience.

They had fun sharing their meals, and he especially enjoyed her reaction to each of the sauces after being mixed with the meats. This locales’ barbecue sauces were renowned around here because they were delicious, but they were also unique. He’d traveled and had barbecue in various regions of the country, but never once had he tasted sauces quite like these.

“Oh, my heavens,” she said, covering her mouth since it was full. “This is…yum…”

“I know, right?”

She lifted her chin and gazed over at him through her lusciously long lashes. “That’s a very modernish West Coast term, you know.”

He felt his neck grow hot. Was it? He remained quiet not knowing how to respond to her observation. At least until she reached out and pinched his forearm.

“I’m teasing you, silly.” He found he liked her teasing, though. Probably because it meant she’d initiated physical contact between them. “Anyone ever tell you that you take things a little too seriously sometimes?”

“Yes,” he admitted in absolute candor. He didn’t mind being transparent about that. But she just laughed.

“You’re a hoot, Zeke Knight. An honest to goodness hoot.”

Not knowing what to make of that description, he fell back on his standard response.

Nothing.

Callie simply shook her head. “What am I going to do with you?” she asked, and though he was sure it was rhetorical, he found himself gazing into her eyes. Her features warmed as he did, and for the first time in years and years, an impulse seized him. An impulse to reach out to her. To hold her hand. To embrace her. Maybe evenkissher.

Instantly, he pushed the desire away.

Yes, they were out on what had essentially become a date. And yes, they were having a fantastic time. But he knew where the end of that road led, and he didn’t have any intentions to go there. Not with anyone, but especially not his friend’s sister.

Yet the temptation to close the distance and take that extra step increased every time they were together. That first night when he dropped her off at home, she’d paused as if waiting for him to make some sort of move, but he’d made an excuse instead and left her standing there.

The next weekend when he took her snowmobiling, it had been the perfect casual time with perfect picnic food he’d bought from the Sip ‘N Shop. He’d wanted to hold her hand, tuck her hair back into her hat, anything to touch her, but he hadn’t given in.

Their third date, when they traveled all the way to Billings since the weather was decent, going bowling and seeing a romcom movie, she paused again. He was well in tune with her expressions and silences now, though this was unusual for him. Being in tune with anyone but his own moods wasn’t in his wheelhouse. He was more than unsettled by this change.

This time she’d looked at him on her front porch with an emotion framing her features that he could only describe as longing. And while it’d been difficult to deny her—particularlysince the last thing he wanted to do was disappoint Callie—his exit was made easier by receiving a call from her brother, of all people.

“Tim,” he answered purposely so Callie would know who it was. She became silent even as she rolled her eyes and pursed her lips. “What’s up?”

“Been too long since you’ve been over to dinner.”

Zeke sighed. His buddy did this to him often. Tried to keep him socializing. The thing was that Zeke had been more sociable lately than he’d been in years. The wild part was that it was Tim’s sister he was being sociable with.

He knew his buddy would be annoyed if he found out about them sneaking around behind his back. But it’d been ridiculous of Tim to forbid him and Callie to see one another in the first place. She wasn’t some sixteen-year-old teen. She was a grown woman and more than capable of making her own decisions.

Zeke was more than capable of making decisions for himself, as well. Whether his best friend liked those decisions or not.

Besides, this wouldn’t ever be a permanent type of thing. They were simply having fun and hanging out together. Zeke had made certain of that.

“Maybe. But I’m willing to bet you need something else fixed while I’m at it.”

Tim chuckled. “Maybe.”

Zeke thought through his schedule that week and what day he had some extra time. “Wednesday. I can come Wednesday. You don’t have to feed me.”

“Sure, we do.” And Tim disconnected the line.

“Well, that was rude,” Callie declared.

Zeke frowned at her. “What was?”

---