“I have some business to take care of.”
That was no help. A pine needle rested on the blue serge of her skirt. She flicked it away. It sailed clear off the blanket. “Will you be coming home for dinner?”
“I told you this morning I wasn’t sure if I’d get everything done in time.”
She smoothed the crease created by her overzealous flicking. “Will you be stopping by the saloon?”
“Ahh.”
She wished he were more vociferous. That ‘Ahh’ could mean anything, and there was only the slightest chance one of them wasn’t correct. Her cheeks felt like they were on fire.
In no apparent hurry to clarify his exclamation, Asa drew his knee up and rested his forearm across it. His legs were so long, his knee was level with her mouth. It wasn’t any effort at all for him to reach out and hook his finger under her chin. She’d never met a man so devoted to face-to-face conversation. Hadn’t his mother ever told him that demure ladies kept their eyes downcast? It was something a man was supposed to look for. He tugged and she had no choice but to meet his knowing gaze. Couldn’t he even allow her any of the few advantages available to being a lady?
“You want to know if I plan on being overcome with manly needs while I’m in town?”
She gritted her teeth against the amusement in his voice. “The thought had crossed my mind.”
His finger dropped away from her chin. “You forget our deal?”
“No.” Lord, this was embarrassing.
“I gave you my word.”
“I know. I didn’t mean to insult you. It’s just that…”
“Just what?”
“Two weeks have gone by.”
“Yeah?”
If she didn’t die of mortification, there wasn’t a God. “You haven’t come to my bed.”
“Darlin’, I’ve been there nightly.”
“I was speaking figuratively.”
“Uh-huh.”
He was being deliberately obtuse. She took a steadying breath. If she didn’t get a hold on her emotions, she was going to wrap her fingers around his neck and throttle a direct answer out of him. “Then why…?” She filled in the blank with a descriptive wave of her hand.
His right eyebrow kicked up. She heeded the warning and braced herself. “Why haven’t I exercised my marital privileges?”
She gritted her teeth again in the face of his amusement. “Yes.”
“I’ve been waiting for an invitation.”
Anger and relief swept through her like a wave. She held up her hands as if to ward off his idiocy. “I invited you two weeks ago.”
He was shaking his head before she finished the statement. “Not to my way of thinking.”
It was a struggle, but she managed to contain her anger and frustration so her voice lost its high squeak and came out in a more even-toned threat. “What exactly do you consider an invitation?”
If he smiled, she was going to go over to his horse, wrench that rifle out of the scabbard, and shoot him in a place guaranteed to get his attention.
He didn’t smile. He picked up a piece of chicken instead.
“Now, today was a nice start,” he said, taking a bite of chicken. He hummed in his throat as he chewed. She had to wait for him to swallow to continue.
“What was so nice about today?”
“This is the first time in two weeks you’ve done anything but stare at me when I do something nice. Today, you wanted to spend lunch with me and you paid me two compliments. Right now,” he took another bite of chicken, “I’d say things are looking up.”
“You wanted me to…approach you?”
“Don’t go bug-eyed on me. I told you forcing a woman wasn’t my style.”
She pressed her fingertips to her forehead. “Mr. MacIntyre, I’m afraid you’re going to have to be clear as to what you expect from me.”
“Calling me by my first name would be a start.”
As much as she wanted to, taking that step was very…frightening. “I know.” She opened her eyes to find his face level with hers. There was no avoiding his eyes this close. “I’m trying. I really am.”
His hand slid behind her neck. With a slight pressure, he pulled her forward. “I know, darlin’. You haven’t heard me complaining.”
He was going to kiss her. She knew it, she just didn’t know if she wanted it because she’d likely go up in flames, and she couldn’t converse when she was burning.
She bit her lip. “But you were going into town.”
“And you think I’m looking for something I can’t find at home?”
“The thought crossed my mind.”
This time, he did smile. “There’s nothing I can get in town that I don’t have better at home.”
She sighed. “I don’t know if I can be as…willing as you seem to want.”
“That’s one worry you can hand over to me. I won’t be going to town for women.” His lips brushed her nose. “I’m not a green boy. I can wait for what I want.”
The supposition being that he wanted her. “But I’ve only got a month…”