Not that he hadn’t been a patron a time or two. He’d certainly had his fair share of fun over the years. But he wanted tonight to be different, special. It was a chance for him to show Aja some of the gems tourists often missed.
He went to reach for the handle on his door and saw Aja doing the same. “Now, I don’t know about those jokers in New York, but us country boys don’t let women open their own doors. You’ve been in a car with me before; you should know that.”
The sharp intake of her breath coupled with the high arch of her lifted brow was all the warning she gave him. “Let?” She released a long sigh before she continued. “First, ‘let’ implies that I need your permission. My case is officially over, and any deference I showed you before will not spill over into us getting to know each other personally.
“Second, I am perfectly capable of opening my own door. I am not fragile or broken; there is no logical reason why I should sit here and wait for you to walk around this monster truck of yours and open my door.”
His smile widened as he stared at her. The very thing that frustrated the hell out of him while working her case was also the thing that turned him on. She was fearless and didn’t back down from anyone, and after seeing her wield her lawyerly powers in that interrogation room, he figured she must be a marvel to watch in an actual courtroom.
“Aja, I wasn’t insinuating you were helpless. Everything I’ve known about you tells me you’re one of the strongest people I know. I don’t want to open doors for you because I think you’re this breakable thing—I do it because it’s just one of the ways for me to show my appreciation for a wonderful person like you choosing to spend your time with me. Not to mention, holding doors open for people is the courteous thing to do. And you know us southern boys are all about good manners.”
She stared at him as if she were attempting to gauge the veracity of his explanation. “You are so infuriating.”
“Pot, meet kettle.”
“We have to be some kind of insane to do this.”
He laughed hard and loud at that one. “Baby, you ain’t ever lied.” They were both so headstrong and determined to have their own way, it would be interesting to see how they kept from slitting each other’s throats. But as her gloss-covered lips bent into a sultry smile and her shoulders quaked with laughter, he knew whatever minefields they had to navigate to get closer to each other would be worth it.
“So now that you know I’m not being a chauvinistic pig, would you allow me the honor of opening your door for you?”
“Absolutely.”
He opened his door, quickly walking around the back of the vehicle to get to her side. He pulled the handle, offering her his hand as she placed one booted foot onto the running board and then on the ground.
He bit his lip, for fear of saying something stupid as he took a long glance at her. She wore a short red sweater dress that put every one of her luscious curves on display, paired with black, over-the-knee stiletto boots that made her petite legs look so much longer than they had any right to be. Whoever lied and said full-figured women weren’t the sexiest thing on earth had never had the pleasure of meeting Aja Everett.
At the moment, he wasn’t upset that society was stupid; it gave him more of an opportunity to have her all to himself.More for me.
They walked around the corner until they were on South Congress Avenue, in the middle of what appeared to be a small street festival. People were walking the street while vendors enticed pedestrians over to their shops with cocktails and appetizers, all to the sound of loud, rhythmic music.
“What is all this, Jackson?”
“It’s called First Thursday. On the first Thursday of every month, shop owners put on this sort of block party. People come, they drink and eat, enjoy the music, and do a little shopping too. I thought it would be a nice way for you to get reacquainted with the area since so much of your time is dedicated to the ranch.”
She laced her fingers through his and gave them a squeeze. “You’re taking a woman whose idea of recreational time is a day on Fifth Ave shopping on your first date? You’re either the bravest man I know or the least smart.”
He pulled her hand up to his mouth and placed a light kiss on the back. “Probably a little of both.”
She winked at him and pulled him in the crowd’s direction. “Well, come on then, Ranger. Let’s get this party started.”
* * *
Jackson retrieved wet paper towels from his kitchen and offered Aja one. “I still cannot believe you got us Franklin Barbecue takeout without us having to set up a tent on that line.”
He was glad she was impressed. People waited hours in line to get inside that place just to order. Getting a table to eat in was nearly impossible without securing a reservation six months in advance. With good reason too. Eating their food was a spiritual experience.
“I was there one night last year to pick up an order for an office potluck when two patrons who’d had a little too much fun on Dirty Sixth got a little rowdy. I handled the situation, got them out of there without too much fuss, and the owner was grateful. Told me anytime I wanted something, call him personally, and he’d make certain I’d never have to wait in line again.”
She finished wiping her hands and mouth, then took another sip of her beer. “I guess that Texas Ranger badge really does come with some perks.”
“I swear, it’s the only one I’ve ever taken advantage of.”
She lifted her hands and laughed. “Hey, no judgments from me. Barbecue that good is worth bending some rules for. And technically, if you’re still paying for the food, it’s not a bribe.”
He winked and gave her a playful “No comment” before removing their dishes from the table to his kitchen counter. He scraped the remains of their meal into the trash.
“You want me to help with cleanup? It’s the least I can do after you took me shopping, showed me some of downtown Austin’s culture, and fed me grilled meat I didn’t have to cook myself.”
