Page 8 of Sweet Temptation

The smile must have been the right thing to do. For a second, surprise flashed in her eyes just before her own slight smile teased at her lips. “Thank you.”

Settled in the car, unlike last night, she easily managed to snap her seat belt in place. Hands folded in her lap, her gaze remained fixed on the road. Hands resting in her lap like an obedient schoolgirl shouldn’t be enough, but everything about her timid and quiet behavior screamed at him that she was what his Gramma Davis would call a good girl. That made him glad he’d done what he’d done. Taken the chance he’d taken bringing her, not exactly against her will, but definitely without her consent.

“Is it far?” she dared to glance in his direction. “My car?”

He shook his head. “Millers Creek is bigger than Honeysuckle, but not by much.”

“Honeysuckle?”

“The town where I live. Little less than an hour away as the crow flies.”

“Ah.”

The first red light seemed to be interminable. So much so that he actually wondered if it might be broken. At the same moment the light changed, Jacqueline’s stomach grumbled.

Immediately, her hand flattened against her. “Sorry.”

“No need, but I could stand a little food myself. Care to join me for breakfast?” His gaze shifted to the clock on the dashboard. “Okay, brunch.”

Her shoulders relaxed. “I think that would be nice.”

“Great.” He was almost surprised at how pleased he was that she’d agreed. “There’s a nice little place across the street from where we left your car.”

“Good plan.”

It only took a few more minutes to pull into the Cracked Egg parking lot. The car in park, he rounded the hood and reached her door before she could shove it open herself.

“Thank you.” Her smile was dim, but at least it wasn’t a fearful frown.

Inside, the hostess led them to a booth near the far corner of the place. A few heads turned in their direction; they were definitely a bit overdressed for the time of day.

Her nose buried in the menu, Garret took the time to observe her freely. She was prettier than he remembered, or maybe it was just the light of day that showed her beauty. That almost made him laugh, one good deed and he was waxing poetic.

“Need some time or ready to order?” The waitress stood over them, a pad in her hand, while another person set two glasses of water in front of them.

“Are you ready?” he asked.

Jacqueline nodded. “Yes, I’ll have a cheese and spinach omelet, a side of bacon, two blueberry pancakes, no toast, and a glass of orange juice.”

If nothing else, the woman had a healthy appetite. Fortunately for him, working on a ranch kept him burning the carbs. “I’ll have the same.”

The two glasses of juice arrived first. Jacqueline took her first sip and Garret tried not to stare.

“I want to apologize.”

“For what?” He reached for his glass.

“Whatever I did last night.”

“Whatever?” No wonder she was so quiet, she didn’t remember.

“I, uh, don’t remember much after ordering a drink and sitting down.”

“There’s a good reason for that.”

Her eyes lit up. “There is?”

“Sorry, but as my grandmother used to say, you were three sheets to the wind.”

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