Suddenly Texan by Victoria Chancellor

into the espresso maker. “Do you know where you’re going?”
    â€œNot really, although I did see a few possibilities when I drove to Graham.”
    The sound of the hissing machine filled the quiet of the coffee shop. “I could go with you. Show you some local spots.”
    â€œYou’d do that?”
    He opened the mini refrigerator and took out a carton of milk. After pouring some into a small stainless cup, he looked up. “Of course. I’m very familiar with the area and you’re not.” He turned a knob and steam frothed the milk. With his other hand he reached for a clear bottle of flavoring.
    â€œYou’re being a great host, right?”
    â€œMaybe I have ulterior motives.” He poured steamed milk into her cup, then a small amount of syrup and finally added the froth on top. “Vanilla latte, right?”
    â€œYou remembered.”
    â€œI noticed.”
    â€œBecause you’re detail oriented, right? Like with the math?”
    â€œMaybe.” He stepped over and handed her the cup. “I just remember things about certain people.”
    â€œI’m still trying to figure out why I’m that interesting to you.” She stirred sweetener into her coffee and took a sip.
    â€œReally?” He fixed himself a latte from the rest of the milk and espresso, then walked over to the table again. “I tell you what. Why don’t you just accept thatI am interested, and that I’m trying to be helpful, and relax? I don’t have any sinister motives.”
    â€œI didn’t think you did. I’m just trying to figure out if you’re really that generous, if you’re extremely curious, if you’re an unofficial local ambassador to visitors in your town or if you have regular guy-type motivations to get to know a single woman.”
    Leo was silent for several long seconds. Then he looked up from his latte, a faint line of foam on his upper lip, and grinned. “Yes.”
    Amanda laughed. He wasn’t going to tell her anything about his motives, just as she wasn’t going to tell him about herself. Okay, she could live with that.
    She reached out a fingertip. “You have a bit of foam—” She faintly touched his lip and at the same time his tongue flicked out, swirling over the tip of her finger, sending shivers all the way down her spine.
    â€œOh! Sorry,” she whispered.
    â€œDon’t be,” he replied softly. She immediately grabbed her cup with both hands and held on for dear life.
    Leo smiled wickedly at her. He knew exactly how flustered she felt and he was enjoying it.
    Okay, maybe she was enjoying this also. She hadn’t flirted with anyone in a long time. Maybe she could practice without getting in too much emotional trouble.
    Don’t poke that bear. Her mother’s words came out of nowhere. Every time Amanda asked about the past, or relatives or Texas, that’s what she would say. Flirting with Leo was like poking a bear. Dangerous, but tantalizing.
    â€œUm, tell me about your sister and her husband,” she said instead.
    â€œOkay.” Leo sat back against the booth, cradling his own coffee cup. “Toni and Wyatt dated all through high school and everyone expected them to live happily ever after, but it didn’t happen that way. Wyatt went to Stanford and Toni stayed in Texas, but now they’re together again. Everything is working out just as it should.”
    â€œSo you believe in happily ever after endings?”
    â€œOf course. Don’t you?”
    â€œI don’t know. I don’t know anyone who’s ever had one.”
    â€œYou’re kidding!”
    â€œNo, seriously. My mother died young, poor and single. The couple I went to live with divorced right after I graduated from high school. Maybe some of my classmates are happily married, but I don’t know. I changed schools and lost track of them.”
    â€œThat’s sad. And since then?