“So you get it,” he continues. “When two attractive people like us meet, fireworks explode in the sky.”
“First of all, we met a long time ago.”
“Yeah, but you were always with someone, and so was I.”
This time I let out a huge laugh. “Since when have you ever been with anyone, Brock? You flit from one woman to the next like they’re shots of tequila laid out on the bar.”
“Let me be honest with you,” he says.
“You mean you haven’t been honest up to now?”
He shoves an unruly tress of hair behind his ear. “You don’t even give a guy a chance, do you, Rory? But you know what?”
“I notice you didn’t deny my women-like-shots-of-tequila comment.”
“Why should I? I’m an honest guy. I like women.”
“So do I,” I can’t help adding.
“Yeah. You do. But you also like men.”
“Guilty.” I take a sip of the water that Maya just set in front of me.
“I have to tell you,” he says. “There’s some shit going down in my family.”
“Mine too,” I say.
He lifts his eyebrows. “There is?”
“Hasn’t Donny filled you in?”
“I’m afraid not.”
“Callie probably asked him not to.”
“Then he definitely wouldn’t. My cousin is a man of his word. We all are.”
His tone is sincere. Very sincere. And I get it. Brock Steel may be a total womanizer, but he’s also a good man.
And I like him. I like him a lot.
So I smile. I give him the full Rory Pike dazzling smile treatment. Because you know what? Being here with him makes me feel good. Yeah, his ego’s the size of Texas and Oklahoma combined. And yes, he has probably laid everything except the brick path that leads to my house. But damn, I like him. And you know what else? I like kissing him. I really would like to do it again.
“Brock?”
“Yeah?”
“I would love to go out with you sometime.”
Chapter Ten
Brock
I try to keep the goofy smile off my face. Since when do I get all giddy when a woman says she’ll go out with me? This is totally not me.
“Great,” I say. “How about tonight?”
“Tonight’s Monday, Brock.”
“What? You don’t eat on Mondays?”
“No. I just… I guess I assumed you meant sometime on the weekend.”
“Why should we wait for the weekend?”
“Don’t you work during the week?”
“I work seven days a week, Rory. I’m a rancher. If I waited until I had a day off to do anything fun, I’d never get to do anything fun.”
She looks down at the table. “Sorry.”
“Don’t be. Be glad you don’t have to work weekends.”
“I’d gladly work weekends if I were doing what I originally wanted to.”
“Don’t count yourself out.”
“The world counted me out a long time ago. I’m good. I’m just not that good.”
“I’m not sure I understand.”
“Okay. You played football, like all the Steel boys. Let’s just say I was never Division I. On a good day, I might’ve been Division II, but really I’m Division III.”
“I’ve heard you sing.”
“So has everyone in Snow Creek.”
“Well, I, for one, think you’re fantastic.”
Her cheeks pink a little.
“I appreciate you saying that. I do. I’ve made peace with my career.”
“Somehow I’m not sure you’re telling the truth, Rory.”
She looks at me then. Meets my gaze. Man, her big brown eyes are beautiful.
“Actually, I have. Sure, I have twinges of envy for those who made it when I didn’t. And I know I’m good. I’m just not good enough.”
“Only in your own head.”
“Actually… In the heads of all the opera companies who heard me audition after I finished my master’s.”
I’m not sure what to say. So she didn’t make it. Who cares? She’s a success here in town. Everyone knows and loves her.
“What about your brother? You sing with him.”
“He’s a rocker. You’ve heard him. He’s hugely talented as well, but he’s never made it big.”
“Didn’t he have plans to go on tour?”
“Yeah. It was a small tour around some elite venues in California where top agents hang out. The band was psyched, but Jesse couldn’t go because of the fire. And Dragonlock may be named after Dragon, but Jesse’s the voice of the band. The rest of them aren’t lead material.”
“I’m sorry about that.”
“It was a tiny tour, Brock. Sure, agents would have seen them, but if no one bit, they would’ve been lucky to break even.”
“I’m not talking about the tour. I’m talking about the fire.”
She looks down at her empty glass. “You guys lost stuff too.”
“Yeah, but your family lost almost everything. If there’s anything we can do…”
She shakes her head vehemently. “Please don’t go there. I can’t take your pity.”
I smile at her. “You’re a lot like your sister. Donny says Callie wouldn’t take anything either.”
“Well, we are proud people.” She rolls her eyes. “Despite what some others say.”
I raise my eyebrows. “Despite what some others say? What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Crap. I shouldn’t have said that.”
“What’s going on?”
She sighs. “Apparently…someone here in town thinks the Pikes are gold diggers.”
“Who?”
“I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Does this have anything to do with—”
“Leave it, Brock. Please.”
Maya delivers our sandwiches, which offers us a quick respite. Rory picks up one half of hers, takes a bite, and then—
“Crap, that’s hot!” She takes a quick sip of her water.
“Yeah, grilled cheese will do that to you.”
She continues drinking.
“You okay?”
“I’m fine. I just seared off a layer of skin on my tongue, but what the hell?”
I smile. “I wouldn’t want anything to happen to your tongue. I happen to love your tongue.”
Her cheeks redden. And my dick hardens.
“Our first date will be better,” I say.
“You mean this isn’t our first date?”
“No, this is lunch. The first date is dinner. The Brock Steel experience.”
That gets a chuckle out of her. “So tell me… What exactly is the Brock Steel experience?”
“That, my gorgeous lady, is something that can’t be described. You have to experience it.”
She chuckles again. “All right. Tonight it is, then. Is there anything I should do to prepare for the Brock Steel experience?”
Yeah, make sure you have birth control and sexy lingerie handy.