Page 15 of Cougar Chronicles

“It’s… It’s the age thing, cowboy.” She swallowed. “That’s all.”

“Not good enough, sugar.” He stood and tossed his empty coffee cup in the nearby wastebasket. “We’re going out tonight.”

“Jack, I have class.”

“Mark doesn’t have a class tonight.”

“It’s not Mark’s…Professor Fleming’s class. It’s a different class. Conceptual drawing.”

“Skip it.”

“No. Drawing is my passion. I don’t want to skip it.”

“I’ll make it worth your while.”

“Damn it, Jack. Why are you so determined?”

“I do whatever I can to get what I want, sugar. Right now, you’re it.”

Holly sighed. “Tomorrow night?”

“Don’t want to wait. But tomorrow will be, if that’s what it takes. The day after, I pick up Sam from my mom’s, and my time’ll be more limited.” He grinned. “In fact, tomorrow’s perfect.”

“Perfect?” What did he have in mind? And why did tomorrow sound like it wouldn’t work? “Oh!” She clapped her hand to her mouth. “Tomorrow’s no good. I have to go to Professor Fleming’s—”

“Exhibit,” Jack finished for her, still smiling. “I figured you’d like that idea, so I’ll be takin’ you. We’ll have dinner first. Deal?”

Warm tingles spiraled through Holly. He understood how much the exhibit meant to her. Maybe, just maybe…

She sighed.

No.

This was only temporary. Once Jack found out the truth about her, he wouldn’t want her anymore.

Six

“How am I supposed to walk through Professor Fleming’s exhibit after that meal you just fed me?” Holly patted her full tummy. “You’re going to have to roll me out of here.”

Jack’s husky chuckle was too low to resonate over the din of the restaurant, but Holly felt its vibration. Very sexy. Then again, everything he did was sexy.

“You do like a good steak, don’t you, sugar?”

“Yes, I do.”

His smile was pure sin. “So many women these days won’t eat red meat. Heck, they won’t eat anything but rabbit food.”

“Well, I enjoy eating,” Holly said, “and life is too short not to do the things we enjoy.”

“True enough,” Jack agreed.

He had no idea how true. The man hadn’t even hit thirty yet. The whisper of a chill skittered up Holly’s neck. She hated thinking about his age. Thinking about his age led to the myriad reasons they could never be together long term. That saddened her, truly. She liked this man more with every minute she spent in his company. He was so much more than a hot cowboy. He was a father, a son, a rancher. Her lips curved. A nude model.

She had to end it tonight. The more time she devoted to him, the harder the heartbreak would be when it ended.

And itwouldend. That was inevitable.

“So you ready?” Jack said.

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