Page 7 of Unmasking Mr. Crown

"Oklahoma?" he guessed.

"Nope." She shook her head.

"Arkansas?" he continued.

"A little further east," she corrected, but didn’t share her birthplace—Nashville, Tennessee. "And you?"

"Texas-born and Texas-bred. And when I die … "

He’s from Texas? No way!

"You'll be Texas-dead," Natalie finished, keeping the fact that Kate lived in Houston to herself.

A smug grin curled around his lips. "Somethin’ like that."

Mr. Crown signaled for another round. Natalie took inventory of his appearance once more, still puzzled by one glaring detail.

"What's the story with your tie?" she asked, her nose wrinkling.

Hand to his heart, his face acquired a wounded expression. "You don't like it?"

"I didn't say that.”

"You didn’t have too. Your face speaks for itself.”

The corners of her mouth turned down. “Sorry about that. I’ve been told I have Resting Judgmental Face.”

“I think your face is pretty perfect.”

Silence hung between them for several seconds. Something about the way he spoke these seven words sent her insides tumbling like a Simone Biles floor routine. Except this wasn’t a line. His tone was much too sincere for that.

He circled back to her original point. “I also think this tie is pretty perfect.”

"You’re not serious. I’m sorry, but it's atrocious."

His jaw dropped, feigning shock. "It's vintage bespoke from Gieves & Hawkes on Savile Row. Do you know what I could get for this tie on eBay?"

"Banned?" she teased.

"Seriously, what's not to like? Don't you like animals? Everybody likes animals."

"I love animals. In parks. In the wild. In pastoral scenes on canvas. But a fox carrying a dead rabbit in its bloody mouth hardly says professional. Whoever decided that image would look good hanging around someone's neck was sadly mistaken."

"I’ll have you know that this tie was inspired by a very famous painting. The same artist who designed this tie designs ties for the Royal Family."

"The Prince of Wales wouldn’t be caught dead wearing that. It's hideous."

He trailed the tie through his fingertips, placing it just so. "I've closed many deals while wearin’ this tie.”

God, his accent! It’s country enough to sound sexy but not too twangy.

“It's all about metaphor,” he added with a wink.

She swallowed a laugh. Am I to be just another rabbit in your chops, Mr. Crown?

She debated whether to say those words out loud. To surprise him with her own bit of boldness, to see his reaction. While their flirtation had flowed as effortlessly as ale through brew taps, she’d definitely been the more conservative in terms of anything overtly sexual.

Then reality set in.