Page 27 of Cowboys Can't Kiss

“You’re not nerdy. You’re passionate.”

The silence lingers as the cooling engine ticks.

“Um, for what it’s worth, Jackson, I don’t think your awkward mumbles when talking to someone you like are terrible. You seem to get more comfortable the longer we’re together.”

He does that hum again that I can’t decipher.

“That’s because it’s you. You do that, Riley. I don’t know if I’d be the same with a stranger.” Before I can reply that we are still mostly strangers, despite all we’ve shared today, he fumbles with his seatbelt before exclaiming, “Oh! I have something for you inside! Don’t forget your mug and I’ll be right back.”

Jackson bolts into his house and I grab the adorable mug from the truck console. No way am I leaving that behind. Stepping intothe dark yard, I frown when the interior truck lights extinguish, plunging me into darkness. There’s not even a streetlight out here and I reach out to touch my car while my eyes adjust to the dark.

The door of Jackson’s house opens and light from inside spills out as he stalks back to me.

“I keep forgetting to change that damn light bulb. Sorry I left you out here in the dark. I, uh…I got this for you, but didn’t want to give it to you earlier.”

He holds what looks like a bouquet, but there aren’t any stems to hold on to. Instead, there’s a brightly patterned paper bowl and inside is…vegetables?

“What is it?”

“Um, this is lettuce from my garden. I have it all year around. There’s a handful of strawberries. It was all I had left for now. The rest are still green. Anyway, it’s for you.”

This is new. Not unwelcome, but new.

“Wow. Thank you, Jackson. That’s thoughtful and I don’t think I’ve ever been gifted produce by a date before.”

“I probably shouldn’t do that with a real date, then? Stick with flowers?”

Right. We aren’t really dating. We’re just friends. I don’t do cowboys and I’d do well to remember that.

Clearing away the lump in my throat, I paste a smile on again. “I’d wait until you’re extremely comfortable with them before shoving a salad bowl in their hands.”

“Heh, yeah. You’re probably right.”

His swallow clicks in the night silence.

“Can I take you out again? As a friend, I mean?”

“Yeah. I had fun. We could do something together.”

Jackson opens the car door for me and wordlessly moves to the passenger side, setting my gift of produce on the seat before returning to the driver’s side.

“Goodnight, Riley. Text me when you get home?”

“Goodnight, Jackson. I will.”

His hand touches my arm briefly before he withdraws it and stuffs it in his pocket.

I climb into my car and when I’ve backed out of his driveway, he’s still standing there, watching me leave.

eight

Jackson

“Yep!”

The steer shoots out with a moo and Hunter has the animal damn near under my horse before I can slide off and wrestle him to the ground.

“Let’s give Jackson Sutherland another round of applause for the fastest time tonight of 3.3 seconds! He’s a big guy who gets it done f-a-s-t fast, folks!”

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