Page 19 of Not Over You (Prosperity Ranch 3)

Knox tapped the brim of his hat. “If you’re doling them out, then I’m accepting, ma’am.”

“Oh, so modest,” Jana teased. “I see not much has changed about Knox Prosper after all.”

“Well, between you and me,” he said in a low tone, “I didn’t want to change the good parts.”

The heat in her chest inched up her neck. Jana stepped back. “Well, congratulations again, and good luck again tomorrow night.”

“Want a ride?”

“My car’s just up there,” Jana said, pointing, although it wasn’t exactly visible in the darkness.

“Want a ride?” Knox said, his tone low and warm.

Jana hesitated, then took a step toward the truck, and Knox leaned over to pop open the door for her. She climbed in, her heart in her throat, her hands too hot. She smoothed them over her black jeans she’d paired with a blue and white polka-dotted shirt.

Knox began to drive, slowly, because her car was only a half-block up ahead.

Jana dared another glance at him. “Heading to a big celebration with your family?”

“Nah,” he said. “There’s another night of bull-riding to go. Besides, the only one I wanted to spend time with is Ruby, but there’s a lot of factors involved.”

“She’s darling,” Jana blurted out, hoping it was okay to say. The little girl obviously took after her mom with her dark curls and brown eyes.

Knox only smiled. “She’s got every member of the Prosper family wrapped twice around her pinkie finger.”

“I’ll bet,” Jana said. “First grandkid, and all.” She bit her lip, not knowing what was off-limits here.

Knox was already slowing the truck because they’d reached her SUV. Her phone chimed three times in a row, as if the texts had waited to deliver at the same moment.

“Busy night?” Knox said.

Jana glanced down at her phone. “It’s Barb. The ladies are meeting at Racoons, with half the town, I imagine.”

“Well, have fun.”

His tone was kind of off, and Jana met his eyes. Even in the dim light of the dashboard, she could feel the intensity of his gaze.

“You going?” she said. “I’m sure you’ll get free drinks all night.”

“Naw,” he said. “I’m done with the bar scene. Stirred up too much trouble in my life.”

Jana blinked. “Wow, I didn’t know. I mean, the place is harmless, really. No bar fights around here or crazy stuff going on.”

Knox took off his cowboy hat and scrubbed a hand over his hair. It was a wild mess, but sexy, too, as one would expect. “I’ve been dry for eight months now. So being in a bar complicates things.”

“Oh, yeah, true.” Jana couldn’t stop staring at him. He’d given up bars and didn’t drink?

“Like I said, Jana Harris, I’m a changed man.”

Jana nodded, her mind spinning too fast to respond.

“And if you’re okay with that, maybe you’d agree to have lunch with me tomorrow?” he said, one edge of his mouth lifting. “Or better yet, I could bring lunch to your place, and you can teach me all about jam-making.”

Jana was still trying to process what Knox had told her about not going to bars. It took her a moment to say, “You don’t give up easily, do you?”

“No, ma’am.” Knox held her gaze. “You still got my number?”

“I do.” She held back a smile and climbed out. “Thanks for the ride.”

“Anytime.”

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