Turn and Burn (Blacktop Cowboys 5)

That shut Ike down immediately.

So they’d drifted into a neutral conversation by the time Max and Tanna returned. Well, Ike and Max had. Fletch had gotten intercepted by another person requesting animal care advice. He attempted to end the conversation, but the guy didn’t get the hint.

After five minutes, Tanna drained her beer and looked pointedly at Fletch. Then at the stoop-shouldered interloper. “Come on, Doc. You’re off the clock and you promised to prove that your barbecue skills put Texas boys’ skills to shame.”

For once Fletch’s blank look wasn’t feigned. “Shoot. How could I have forgotten?” He pushed back from the table and the old-timer finally shuffled away.

“Devin wasn’t kidding when he said that happens to you a lot,” she said softly. “And yet, you never act like it’s an intrusion.”

Half-embarrassed, he shrugged. Then before she could comment on that, Fletch stood. “Sorry to cut this short, but I’m whupped. Good seeing you guys.”

“No worries,” Holt assured him. “We’re about to head out shortly.”

Tanna rolled to her feet and offered his friends a smile. “I’ll be taking off too. Thanks for the company and the beer. First round is on me next time.”

When she glanced up at him, Fletch’s heart raced. “I’ll walk you out.”

If his buddies made sarcastic comments, he didn’t hear them. He had eyes only for the petite cowgirl. He placed his hand in the small of her back to navigate through the crowd, trying like hell to ignore the warmth of her skin heating his palm.

Tanna didn’t attempt to dislodge his touch or put distance between them as he escorted her outside. “Where’d you park?”

“Close to the exit.”

He chuckled. “Planning your escape route before you even entered the building?”

“That’s how I roll.”

They didn’t speak again until reaching her truck. “Tanna. Look. I’m sorry I didn’t call you this week about that coffee date.”

She faced him and his hand fell away. “I know you’ve got a busy practice, Fletch. But I will point out that you’re the one who insisted we be ‘friends’ and it was your responsibility to let me know a coffee night wasn’t in the cards for us at all.”

Chastised, he softly bit off, “Waiting by the phone, were you?”

“Maybe.”

“Then I promise it won’t happen again. I’ll call you even if it’s ridiculously late.”

“Deal.” Tanna stepped closer.

Fletch automatically backed up two steps. “Ah, you probably don’t wanna get that close to me, sugar twang.”

The crazy woman erased the distance between them and sniffed his shirt. Twice. She wrinkled her nose before breaking into a smirk. “Relax. You don’t smell. I’d be more offended if you doused yourself in Axe body spray. Now that shit is really rank.” Her fingers traced the row of buttons that stopped between his pectorals. “Nothin’ wrong with honest sweat, Fletch. I actually prefer a man who’s not afraid to let me see his dirtier side.”

Fletch’s flip “I’m all about getting down and dirty with you” masked his relief that Tanna wasn’t turned off by his less than flowery scent.

She laughed. “You never give up, do you?”

“Nope. And consider that your warning.” He grinned. “So, you giving me a second chance on that coffee date? Say . . . on Sunday?”

“How do I know you won’t stand me up?”

Fletch placed his hand over hers, which still rested on his chest. “Since my Sunday rates are triple my normal weekly rates, it’s gotta be a real emergency for a client to call me.”

“Smart. So if it looks like you won’t make it can you at least text me?”

Dammit. He so didn’t want to admit this.

Her eyes turned suspicious. “What?”

“Does it make me a techno-loser if I admit I don’t text?”

Tanna cocked her head. “You’re a doctor. I doubt you’re a technophobe and don’t know how to text, and with all those confusing pharmaceutical names, it’s unlikely that you misspell words.”

“Not intentionally.” Fletch held up his hands. “See these huge mitts? Even the tips of my fingers cover about three letters at a time so I’m a fumbling fool. It takes me three times as long to send a text as it does to dial a number. So if I can’t call, I don’t bother.”

Her eyes were on his fingers and the hungry look on her face suggested she was thinking about how well he used his fingers, not how badly. “Tanna?”

She refocused. “Fine. Where should we meet? Someplace in Rawlins?”

Tricky woman. She didn’t consider it a real date if they met up instead of him picking her up.

Wrong. But he’d let her think that if it meant she’d show up.

“Sounds good. There’s Dot’s Diner across from the Super-Valu. Around eight?”

“That’ll work.”

“I’m looking forward to it.” Fletch pressed his lips to the back of her hand before letting her go. “Drive safe.”

Sunday night, Fletch showed up early at the restaurant for their date. He thought he’d prepared himself to act cool and friendlike. But the instant he caught sight of the sexy Texas cowgirl, he knew this “friendship” experiment was doomed to fail from the start.