Page 5 of Pretend To Be My Cowboy
“I have a question.” Her voice was so sweet—soft and melodic like she was a Disney princess about to burst into song. And yes, having Casey for a little sister, he’d watched more animated princess flicks than he cared to remember.
“What’s that?” he asked.
Her bright blue eyes twinkled, and he noticed a light spray of freckles on her slightly upturned nose. “Is there any way to get into this thing without humiliating myself?”
A shocked laugh slipped out of him. He had not been expecting that.
Her rueful smile as she eyed her sundress and strappy sandals, and then the admittedly high step up into the cab, had him chuckling again.
“Here, I can help—”
“Oh no, I’m just kidding,” she said with a wave of her hand. “Mostly.”
But Nash was already settling his hands at her waist and lifting, depositing her onto the seat in one quick move that left her blushing and him…
Well, not blushing. He didn’t blush.
But hedidfeel a rush of heat that had nothing to do with the glaring summer sun. Once he was behind the wheel he cranked up the air-conditioning.
She shifted in her seat to face him as he drove out of the parking lot.
“How far is it to Aspire?” she asked.
For no reason he could ever explain, he felt like returning her smile. It was just so friendly. And sweet.
“It’s an hour to Aspire,” he said. “And your father’s ranch is about twenty minutes outside of town.”
“Will we get to drive through town?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
She laughed, and when he turned to her with a brow arched in question, she said, “Sorry, it’s just...you called me ma’am.”
He scrubbed the back of his neck as he tried to decipher that. Was it lady code forI’m offended? Their mother had beaten it into him and his cousins that ladies were addressed as ma’am and men were sir, and old habits were hard to break. “Uh, sorry, I—”
“Oh no,” she said. “Don’t apologize. It’s just that no one’s ever called me that before.”
“What do they call you?” he asked. He flinched at the stupid question that slipped out. He should never be allowed to talk to women. Particularly beautiful women with bright, cheerful smiles.
But Emma didn’t seem to think it was a weird question. “Mainly Emma,” she said. “Although my step dad calls me Emmy and my sister, Lizzy, calls me sis. And my students and their parents usually call me Miss Emma.”
“You’re a teacher?”
She nodded. “Kindergarten.” She sighed wistfully as she looked out the window. “It’s the best.”
He wasn’t entirely sure if she was talking about teaching or the view, but he decided it didn’t matter.
She turned back to him with an expectant look. “Will you tell me about Aspire?”
“Sure.” And then he went blank. What would a pretty lady from a big city want to know about their tiny ranching town? He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel. Probably not the facts and figures surrounding the cattle industry. He glanced over. Right?
Ah heck. He had no idea what she wanted him to say. And this right here was precisely why he hadn’t been on a date in over a year. Well, this and the fact that he was pretty sure he knew and had ruled out every woman in Aspire under the age of sixty. Not to mention, he was perfectly content with his life exactly as it was. He got to spend his days working the land, and had plenty of free time to spend with his family and friends.
He glanced over at the woman beside him. So pretty, but no doubt a heap of trouble as well. She’d expect things he didn’t know how to give. No, sir. Give him a beer, some buddies, a pool table, and ESPN any night of the week. That was all he needed to be happy. This right here?
He shifted in his seat as he became aware of her. This was like a test.
He never had been much good at tests.
