The Way to Texas by Liz Talley Page A

girl. You’re going to ride a four-wheeler. That won’t make your panties hit the dirt.”
    â€œWell, my panties aren’t going to hit the dirt. Or anywhere else. If I’m going to have a relationship, it’s not going to be based on sexual attraction.”
    â€œWho said anything about sex?” Tyson said, stepping into the kitchen. He couldn’t skulk and listen to the conversation like some Peeping Tom. Though the conversation had been interesting.
    Dawn spun around and banged her ankle on a bottom drawer that was sticking out. She yelped then hopped around on her good foot.
    â€œUh-oh,” Margo said, “I’m outta here on this one.”
    â€œCoward,” Tyson said, stooping down and lifting Dawn’s foot into his hands.
    Dawn’s traitorous friend disappeared swifter than a cat with the family goldfish. Tyson ignored the discomfort of the moment and focused on the reddening markon Dawn’s ankle. He tried to not notice how sweet her ankle was or how he wanted to slide his hand up her smooth calf to sample the curve of her leg.
    She tugged her foot from his hands. “It’s fine.”
    He looked up at her and smiled. Her face was red and it had nothing to do with the heat still radiating from the oven. “So what was that all about?”
    â€œNothing,” she said, straightening and testing her weight on her ankle. “It was nothing. Just girl talk.”
    He rose, all the while trailing his eyes over her from the top of her braided hair to the tips of her tennis shoes. And he lingered on a few spaces in between a bit longer than necessary. “So, did you just say you wanna have sex with me?”
    Her eyes widened, and the color on her cheeks deepened.
    â€œDon’t answer that. I’m overstepping here. We agreed to be friends. Friends without benefits. Plus, sex on a four-wheeler would be uncomfortable. Though I’ve never really tried it before,” he said.
    Dawn closed her mouth. She looked cute, like a confused puppy. “Oh.”
    â€œListen, I’m heading out to the house to check on Gramps. I’ll get the strings hung for the doughnut dunk before I go. See you tomorrow at 1:30 p.m. For the, uh, friends thing.”
    He stepped out into the cool autumn day, feeling much better than he had after getting off the phone with Karen. He had a date with Dawn. Or what had they called it? An outing.
    Anticipation built at the thought of having her to himself for the afternoon. It might not result in anything.But then again…it might give him another horizon to explore in his fresh start.
    He whistled all the way to his truck.

CHAPTER SEVEN
    T HE L ONGS’ RANCH HOUSE sat on a lovely hill of goldenrod. Dawn thought the pretty yellow flowers were the only thing that saved the house from being declared condemned.
    Shutters tilted drunkenly, the porch sagged and bright plastic toys littered the drive. It could have been a nice house if someone razed it then built another one. But, Dawn ignored the condition of the house because as Texans often said, “They’re good people.”
    Emma Long appeared on the drooping porch and waved, a bright smile affixed to her round face. “Hey, Dawn, don’t come too close. Bailey’s got the stomach flu and done give it to Avery.”
    Dawn stepped from her car and shaded her eyes against the sun. “So we aren’t going?”
    â€œHeck, no. Well, I ain’t, but you and Tyson can still go. Head on around back. He’s back there, getting a four-wheeler ready for you.” Emma kicked a plastic pail off the porch and picked up a few old newspapers sitting on the steps.
    Dawn hesitated.
    Because now her outing felt more like a date. Well, maybe not a steakhouse-and-movie date, but close enough to make her wish she’d passed on the four-wheeling thing. But then again, maybe she was being plain silly about the whole thing. She could resist Tyson.
    Plus,