Whoa—Marcus was all with the insight. She liked it. “Exactly. So what should we do? Drive to Los Lobos?”
Which was an option but while she liked their northern neighbor well enough, it was kind of a hike and tonight was a work night for her.
“I was thinking we’d go to my place and I’d cook.” He held up both hands. “I want to be clear. I’m not making any moves and I don’t have any expectations beyond dinner. Nothing’s going to happen that you don’t want to happen.”
Her first thought had been to question his ability to cook but now she was caught up in the weird ramble that had followed. What on earth was he—
“You mean sex?” she blurted. “That issonot happening. No. We’re not doing that. No way.” She paused and thought maybe she’d put a little too much emphasis on the point but didn’t know how to walk it back.
Marcus being Marcus only laughed. “You’re saying that’s a no?” he asked, his voice teasing.
She relaxed. “Thanks for not getting mad. I didn’t mean to be quite so firm on the point.”
“Always tell me what you’re thinking, Jax. I want to know and it turns out I’m a bad mind reader.”
“You’re asking a lot,” she said as they started for the front door of the store. “My mind can be a scary place.”
“I think I can handle it.”
He held open the passenger door of his truck. She slid onto the seat. When he was next to her, she said, “I have no idea where you live. Somehow I don’t see you as a ‘condo by the beach’ kind of guy, but maybe I’m wrong.”
He backed out of the parking space, then headed down the road. “I’m not. I live a few miles outside of town.”
“I look forward to seeing your place.”
They talked about the construction project as they drove east through Port Palmas. In less than ten minutes they’d left the residential areas behind and were on a two-lane road lined with trees.
“How much land do you have?” she asked.
“About five acres.”
“That’s a lot.”
“It’s mostly wooded. The area around the house is cleared, but the rest of it is left wild.”
“You could raise goats. That would be fun.”
He glanced at her. “Why would I want goats?”
“Because the baby ones are so cute. Have you seen baby goats? They’re adorable. Apparently there are places where you can do yoga with baby goats. I’ve always wanted to do that.”
“Yoga with goats? Why?”
“Duh. The cuteness factor.”
“Until they pee on you.”
She wanted to say that baby goats would never do that, but bodily functions being what they were, she knew they could and probably would.
“That would be a problem. I’m sure the classes have a way of dealing with that.”
They turned down a long driveway. About a minute later, she saw a sprawling ranch-style house with a circular drive and a garage off to the side. The style was eclectic, as if each of the wings had been added in a different era without much thought to blending in, yet the overall effect was one of sturdiness and welcome. This was a house to be comfortable in, she thought. One that would weather any storm.
“Great house,” she said when he’d parked out front. “A little big for just you.”
“I agree.”
They went inside. The sun was only now starting to set so light spilled into the house. Overhead were gorgeous wood beams and while the floor plan wasn’t completely open, she could see into a big farmhouse kitchen and to the giant family room beyond.
