Page 21 of Not Over You (Prosperity Ranch 3)

When Jana brought over the meat scooped into a bowl, she sat across from him.

“This is right nice, Jana,” Knox started, “but—”

“Just say thank you,” she cut in with a smile. “You act as if no one ever did anything nice for you.”

Knox chuckled. “All right. I’ll shut up and eat.” He winked at her.

Then he dug in, and it was amazing. Maybe he was just hungry, but he’d never had better tacos. When he was on his second taco, he said, “Is there anything you can’t do, Ms. Harris?”

Jana smirked, and that playful look in her eyes reminded him of years ago, when they’d always seemed to have fun together, even when they were doing nothing.

“I can’t ride a bull,” she said.

“Have you ever tried?”

“No…”

He leaned forward and lowered his voice. “Then how do you know you can’t do it unless you’ve tried?”

“Oh, you’re funny,” Jana said, picking up her water glass. “Not all of us are as crazy as you.”

Knox sat back and surveyed her. “Women bull-ride.”

“Women who are as tough as nails and built of muscle,” she said. “I’m none of that.”

“Your body would get used to it soon enough,” he said with a shrug. “Once you learn the techniques, it’s just reflex.”

“Sorry, Knox,” she said, her eyes gleaming with amusement as she pulled a lock of her hair forward and twisted it around her fingers, “you’re not even speaking my language. Tonight was the first night I’ve even stepped foot in a rodeo arena since, well, since high school. It might be another seven years before I go again.”

“That’s too bad, sweetheart, because I was hoping for a repeat tomorrow night.”

Jana’s brows lifted. “Why, you gonna win again?”

“I can almost guarantee it.” He wasn’t being cocky, just honest.

But Jana laughed.

“What’s so funny?” Knox asked.

She just shook her head and returned to her food.

“So… I’ve been curious about something,” he said when he’d finished a third taco and was finally feeling satisfied.

Jana looked at him, giving him her full attention.

“Why don’t you have a boyfriend?” he asked.

She hesitated at this, her hazel eyes flickering away for a second. “There’s always some big thing, I guess. I mean, I get asked out on dates, but they don’t progress too much. Also, I’m happy in Prosper, and there’s not much selection here. I really couldn’t imagine dating someone I knew in high school. It would be like dating my brother, if I had a brother.”

“You dated me.”

Jana’s cheeks pinked. “Well, you were different. But you moved on. Everyone moved on. Maybe my cowboy is just biding his time before he snatches me up.”

“Maybe.” Knox couldn’t look away from her. He was pretty sure she had the exact number of freckles she had in high school.

Jana stood from the table and began to clear things off. So Knox rose, too, and helped her. As she started to wash the dishes, he joined her at the sink and said, “Let me do that.”

She peered up at him, and he wanted to lean down and breathe in her raspberry scent. Not a raspberry in sight, yet she still smelled sweet.

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