Predictable anatomical consequences? Is that a legal term?”
“If it’s not, it should be.” He pushed open the door and ushered her into the diner. “And that subject’s officially off-limits.”
“You’re no fun.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I just pick the appropriate time and place. This isn’t it.” He paused inside the door. “Good. The counter has spots available.”
The hostess arrived and seated them immediately as he’d predicted. The stools had backs, which gave them a place for their coats. Ty barely had time to help Whitney off with hers before two water glasses appeared along with napkins and silverware.
He gestured toward the glasses. “See? Counters rock.” He took off his jacket and hung it on the back of his stool.
“Unless you want to fool around.”
“Stop it.” He bumped his knee against hers.
She bumped back. “I can’t help it if you kissed me last night and gave me ideas.”
He blew out a breath and stared straight ahead. “I am deliberately changing the subject. Is your tree decorated?”
“Yes.” This time she rubbed her knee against his instead of bumping it. “And I hung up some mistletoe.”
“Of course you did.” He tugged on the brim of his hat. Then he gave her a sideways glance, amusement glinting in his eyes. “Did you really consider that necessary?”
“The knee rub or the mistletoe?”
“Both.”
“No.”
“I should hope not. The knee rub is overkill and any guy who’s met you wouldn’t need mistletoe to inspire him.”
“That is a really fancy compliment, Ty. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such a fancy compliment.” Or had one delivered by such a gorgeous hunk of manhood.
“See what I’m discovering about you with this lunch date? You have a smart mouth.”
She met his gaze and lowered her voice. “Oh, Ty, you have no idea how smart my mouth can be.” And she ran her tongue over her upper lip.
“Dear God.” He glanced away and his jaw tightened. “What have I done?”
“Not only is my mouth smart, but it’s educated.” She bumped his knee again. “Do you understand what I’m saying, cowboy?”
He turned to her. “Do you realize you’re torturing the man who’s paying for your lunch?”
“Let me remind you that this lunch plan was your idea and not mine. Last night I was perfectly willing to—”
“Enough.” His large hand closed over her thigh and squeezed. “We’re going to talk about neutral topics while we eat the burgers and fries which are coming our way.”
His warm hand on her thigh was doing crazy things to her pulse rate, but she pretended total nonchalance. “Would you care to make a list of acceptable subjects?”
“You know what I’m saying.” He glanced up as plates were put in front of them. “Be nice.”
“I am nice. Very nice. As you’ll quite likely find out later.”
“Whitney, do you have a one-track mind?” He gazed into her eyes.
She could get lost in those gray depths. “Today I do. Don’t you?”
“God help me, yes. But I thought that getting together like this would diffuse things a little.”
“Wrong.”
“So I see. Eat your lunch.” He turned away, picked up his burger in both hands, and took a generous bite.
It shouldn’t have been a sexy move, but with Ty every move was sexy, even chewing. His jaw was clean-shaven, unlike the scruff he’d worn for the calendar. “Who decided you should have a beard for the calendar picture?”
“The photographer.” He glanced pointedly at her untouched meal and lifted his eyebrows.
“Okay, okay.” She focused on her plate and began eating her burger.
He went back to his food, too, but after swallowing another bite, he spoke. “Just FYI, don’t expect a tan. That was taken in the summer. I’d spent some weekends at the ranch helping Rosie and Herb spruce up the place.”
“Nobody has a natural tan in Wyoming in the winter. I was just curious about the beard because I’ve only seen you
“If it’s not, it should be.” He pushed open the door and ushered her into the diner. “And that subject’s officially off-limits.”
“You’re no fun.”
“That’s where you’re wrong. I just pick the appropriate time and place. This isn’t it.” He paused inside the door. “Good. The counter has spots available.”
The hostess arrived and seated them immediately as he’d predicted. The stools had backs, which gave them a place for their coats. Ty barely had time to help Whitney off with hers before two water glasses appeared along with napkins and silverware.
He gestured toward the glasses. “See? Counters rock.” He took off his jacket and hung it on the back of his stool.
“Unless you want to fool around.”
“Stop it.” He bumped his knee against hers.
She bumped back. “I can’t help it if you kissed me last night and gave me ideas.”
He blew out a breath and stared straight ahead. “I am deliberately changing the subject. Is your tree decorated?”
“Yes.” This time she rubbed her knee against his instead of bumping it. “And I hung up some mistletoe.”
“Of course you did.” He tugged on the brim of his hat. Then he gave her a sideways glance, amusement glinting in his eyes. “Did you really consider that necessary?”
“The knee rub or the mistletoe?”
“Both.”
“No.”
“I should hope not. The knee rub is overkill and any guy who’s met you wouldn’t need mistletoe to inspire him.”
“That is a really fancy compliment, Ty. I’m not sure I’ve ever had such a fancy compliment.” Or had one delivered by such a gorgeous hunk of manhood.
“See what I’m discovering about you with this lunch date? You have a smart mouth.”
She met his gaze and lowered her voice. “Oh, Ty, you have no idea how smart my mouth can be.” And she ran her tongue over her upper lip.
“Dear God.” He glanced away and his jaw tightened. “What have I done?”
“Not only is my mouth smart, but it’s educated.” She bumped his knee again. “Do you understand what I’m saying, cowboy?”
He turned to her. “Do you realize you’re torturing the man who’s paying for your lunch?”
“Let me remind you that this lunch plan was your idea and not mine. Last night I was perfectly willing to—”
“Enough.” His large hand closed over her thigh and squeezed. “We’re going to talk about neutral topics while we eat the burgers and fries which are coming our way.”
His warm hand on her thigh was doing crazy things to her pulse rate, but she pretended total nonchalance. “Would you care to make a list of acceptable subjects?”
“You know what I’m saying.” He glanced up as plates were put in front of them. “Be nice.”
“I am nice. Very nice. As you’ll quite likely find out later.”
“Whitney, do you have a one-track mind?” He gazed into her eyes.
She could get lost in those gray depths. “Today I do. Don’t you?”
“God help me, yes. But I thought that getting together like this would diffuse things a little.”
“Wrong.”
“So I see. Eat your lunch.” He turned away, picked up his burger in both hands, and took a generous bite.
It shouldn’t have been a sexy move, but with Ty every move was sexy, even chewing. His jaw was clean-shaven, unlike the scruff he’d worn for the calendar. “Who decided you should have a beard for the calendar picture?”
“The photographer.” He glanced pointedly at her untouched meal and lifted his eyebrows.
“Okay, okay.” She focused on her plate and began eating her burger.
He went back to his food, too, but after swallowing another bite, he spoke. “Just FYI, don’t expect a tan. That was taken in the summer. I’d spent some weekends at the ranch helping Rosie and Herb spruce up the place.”
“Nobody has a natural tan in Wyoming in the winter. I was just curious about the beard because I’ve only seen you
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