Page 59 of A Texas Hero

“This explains all the packages the past few days.” Zoey bent down, peeking into the tent, then straightened and caught his eye. “There are two sleeping bags.”

“Did you think I’d let you do this alone?”

“We’re going to sleep together, in the same tent?” She quirked a brow. “Buddy?”

“There are two sleeping bags,” he protested. “Buddy.”

“Gotcha.” She elbowed him. “Well, you had better not snore.”

“If I do, I’ll just move outside and literally sleep under the stars.” He moved toward the gas camping stove. “And I’m cooking tonight.”

“On this?” Zoey looked incredulous. “But I have a state-of-the-art kitchen only a few feet away from us.”

“Cheating,” Archer said. “This experience has to be honest or you won’t get the full Monty.”

“The full Monty?” Zoey quirked a brow, and Archer remembered the premise of that movie.

“I mean the full experience.” He bit back a smile.

She winked. “Um, yeah. The full experience. That would be nice.”

Ignoring her flirting, Archer opened up the ice chest in which he’d placed a couple of steaks he’d already presalted. He handed Zoey a cold beer from the chest.

She accepted it and twisted off the cap, then seemed to be thinking something over, her gaze looking up and to the right.

“I’m going to need a few things if I’m spending the night here.” She took a pull of the beer. “With you.”

Yes, they would be spending the night together, but only in a similar way as they’d already been doing this week. With the exception of sharing a very small space.

“Go pack a bag.”

Chapter Twenty-Two

Zoey had never been as thrilled as in the moment she realized she’d be camping for the first time in her life. Sleeping under the stars, too, because she planned on lying outside of the tent in a sleeping bag. Daddy would think she’d gone bananas if he could see her now.

“You have a beautiful home, why would you sleep on the lawn?”

She understood, on some level, because her father had not grown up with the kind of luxury Zoey had. His mother, a single mom, had worked hard for everything they had. If Zoey had to sleep in a tent year-round of course it wouldn’t be fun. But she wanted this experience and couldn’t believe a boyfriend or friend had never suggested “roughing it.” They might have assumed she wouldn’t be interested but they’d be wrong.

Zoey hadn’t asked if electronics would be allowed on this excursion, but just in case, she FaceTimed Twyla before beginning the adventure.

“I’m going camping!”

Twyla’s happy face lit up with a smile. “Really? Where?”

“My backyard.”

“Oh.” Twyla seemed stunned for several seconds, just staring into the phone. “Okay.”

“It was Archer’s idea and he surprised me. You should see it. There’s a tent and sleeping bags and a firepit…it really feels like autumn arrived in my backyard.”

“Aw, I hope you have fun,” Twyla said. “Eat a s’more for me!”

After she disconnected, Zoey packed an overnight bag with a few essentials, like her toothbrush, hair bonnet, slippers and pajamas. If she forgot anything, she could simply walk a few feet and get it, although that might be considered cheating. If she were miles away from home in the woods, she would have to make do. Either way, she took off her makeup and washed her face ahead of time. She didn’t want to have to do so with the garden hose.

When she rejoined him, Archer was grilling two steaks on a grate over the firepit.

“Smells delicious,” Zoey said, throwing her bag in the tent.