A Man of His Word by Sarah M. Anderson Page B

the option, as it happens to be the truth.”
    He caught the corner of her smile in his peripheral vision. Took a lot of work not to stare. “I’m a lawyer, Dan. The truth is highly relative.”
    â€œI’m more of a black-and-white guy, myself. My mom always said to be up front about the black and white because it makes lyin’ about the gray a hell of a lot easier.” Shesnorted in what he hoped was appreciation. “The fact of the matter is that I told no one about the kiss. After you left, I checked the kitchen for bugs and came up empty. Today, I took your call outside where no one could hear me, and told no one—not even Maria—who called or where I was going.”
    Her head nodded as she thought about it. Thinking was progress. “So what’s the gray area here?”
    Dan looked out. The summer sun was just scooting behind some of the taller buildings, throwing cozy shadows over the parking lot. “I’m going to be hungry by the time we get out of here. We’re going to stop somewhere and get dinner, and I’m buying.”
    She was on her feet, backing away from him. Cornered, he thought again. “I can’t—”
    He climbed to his feet and took a chance by taking her hand. She didn’t pull away—yet—but her hand was like a bar of steel. “You can, and you will. The gray area is that I’d like to call it a date—a date between you and me,” he hurried to add when she tried to yank her hand away. This was not going as well as he wanted it to. “I’d like it to stay between you and me. No uncles, no aunts, no corporations, no tribes.”
    â€œWhat if I say no?”
    â€œYou wouldn’t be the first.” It had been close to a year since he’d parted ways with his last lady friend. There wasn’t anyone left in Wichita Falls who was interested in him instead of his money. He was usually too busy to try to make the Fort Worth social scene anymore. But he still managed to have a few dates every now and then. She wouldn’t be the first, and she wouldn’t be the last.
    She was chewing on the inside of her lip again. Thinking was definitely progress. “You’ve only got four weeks left. You might get desperate and tell someone.”
    â€œI might get desperate.” He went for broke. Keeping a tight hold on her hand, he stepped in real close and ran a thumbover her cheek. Her eyes fluttered and, ever so slightly, she leaned into his hand. “But not that kind of desperate.”
    She let him kiss her, let him entwine his fingers with hers, let him pull her into his chest close enough that he could feel her nipples harden under her shirt. He’d give anything to get her out of that shirt so he could see those nipples for himself. God help him, her body was saying yes to a date and maybe a whole lot more. He had no idea what her mouth would say, though, so he hung back. Just a simple kiss, that’s all.
    If only the rest of their situation could be this simple.
    A horn blared behind them, nearly sending them both out of their shoes. “Hey, buddy, you call for a tow?” the driver sneered out the window.
    â€œThink about the date,” he whispered to her as he let go of her hand.
    â€œOkay.”

Eight
    A girl could tell a lot about a man by his vehicle. And according to the license plate, this seemed to be Dan’s actual truck, not some rental. He’d driven all the way up from Texas.
    Rosebud ran her hands over the premium leather of the passenger seat, trying to snoop without it looking like she was snooping. Dan had given her his keys after the tow-truck driver had called her “honey.” It felt weird to just let a man take over for her, but frankly, she’d rather sit in the truck and try to figure out Dan Armstrong than stand next to that driver and wish she had some mace.
    Dan had satellite radio. Of course he did. A man like Dan wouldn’t