“Nowthatsurprises me,” he says. “But that’s what happens when you’re in a truck with a near-stranger, right? You say things you wouldn’t to your closest friends or family.”
“True.”
A pause stretches between us where we pass billboard after billboard advertising one thing after another from Jesus to fireworks to cinnamon buns.
“Speaking of the live videos,” I say, breaking the silence. “I spoke with Ashley earlier. She has a request.”
When I tell him about the detour to Wild Ranch in Texas, Liam sighs. “That could be hours out of our way. It’s way south of Dallas.”
“I told her I wasn’t sure it would work. Let me type it into maps on my phone and see how much time it adds.”
“You’re a good traveling companion,” Liam says to me.
“I am? Thanks.”
And just like that, my walls start to crumble again.
Liam has a way of making me forget I’m supposed to be guarded.
I’m sure ninety percent of it is purely physical attraction. He’s exactly my type. Whether I want to admit it or not, Liam’s dark, brooding looks combined with his confidence are everything I find hot.
But it’s not all his looks. The fact that he’s a great dad is a huge turn-on to me.
I am definitely attracted to men who could rock my world. I’ve never liked safe. The catch is that I’m scared of danger. And Liam? He’s dangerous for me. He makes me care. And I’m insanely attracted to him. I can’t imagine being with him and walking away unscathed when it ends.
I type Wild Ranch into maps. “Oh, cool.”
“What?”
“It only adds two hours to detour there, I guess because it’s further west than Dallas. But that would mean we’d have to skip Dallas and go through Houston instead. We would take back roads up north into the panhandle.” I look up at Liam. “What do you think?”
“Two hours isn’t bad, but how long would we stay in town?”
“I can organize it so that we stay overnight as one of our planned stays, so we won’t lose much time at all. I don’t think the Wilds have extra space in their house though.”
“I wouldn’t expect them to house us. We can stay at a hotel.”
“I can book something close by now.”
He glances at me. “Anyone ever tell you before how persuasive you are?”
I laugh. “All the time.”
I find a hotel ten minutes away from the ranch and make a reservation for tomorrow night. As soon as I finish, my phone buzzes with a text.
I smile as Emerson’s name flashes across the screen.
Happy birthday! Thinking of you so much. We’ll go out when you get home.
Thanks, Em
Now she’s calling me.
I don’t want to talk to her in front of Liam, so I let it ring.
“You going to get that?” Liam asks me.
I should just send her to voicemail, but I know she’ll worry.
