How West Was Won (Haven, Texas 7)

“Let’s be grateful they’re only half-wild then,” she told him.

His eyes twinkled. God, he was gorgeous.

He snorted. “I’m not gorgeous. I’m a man.”

Whoops, she hadn’t meant to say that out loud. “Men can be gorgeous, you know.”

He shook his head. “Maybe slick city boys. Out here men are men.”

“Oh, is that so?” she teased. “So you’re not gorgeous or beautiful or hunky?”

“Definitely not gorgeous or beautiful. And nobody says hunky anymore.”

She laughed then groaned as her ribs and face protested. “Stop being funny.”

He shook his head with a rueful grin. “You’re the only person who has ever accused me of being funny.”

“Well, up until about ten minutes ago, I wouldn’t have believed you could be funny either. This is a whole other side to West Malone I’ve never seen.”

“Don’t get used to it,” he said gruffly.

Too late. He’d already shown her. He couldn’t take it back.

He put the spoon back in the bowl. She shook her head when he offered another sip. “I’m full, thank you. It was delicious.”

“Mia made it.”

“You can’t cook?”

“Uh, no. Can do the basics. Jaret knows how to do a bit more. Mostly, if you can’t warm it up or grill it then we have no clue.”

“Lucky for you guys Mia came along.”

“Yep. Although I wasn’t too impressed when she first arrived.”

“No? You didn’t like her?”

He shrugged. “Not that I didn’t like her. Just not so fond of change.”

“Really?” she drawled. “I would never have guessed.”

He frowned. “I’m getting better at handling change.”

“You hated me coming over to visit,” she pointed out. “You didn’t like someone else being here on the ranch.”

“That wasn’t so much about change as it was about you.”

“Ouch.”

“Nothing against you. I just don’t like outsiders.”

“Ouch again.”

“That was before.”

Before he knew about her home life? Before he’d decided to work out old demons, his perceived failure with Lana by looking after for her?

Probably best not to ask when she didn’t want to know the answers.