“Hmm,” he tapped his fingers against the steering wheel, driving into the old part of town. “Why do you want to be a journalist?”
“Because I want to write about things that matter,” I replied immediately, without a second of thought. “If I can make a difference with something I wrote…well, that would be the best feeling in the world.” A small smile touched my lips. “You know, I think you’re the first person to ask me that.”
“I think that’s a pretty amazing answer,” he whispered, his eyes a dark stormy brown when he looked at me out of the corner of his eye.
I racked my brain for a question to ask him. I finally settled on, “When can I go back to the farm?”
He glanced at me, adjusting his hold on the steering wheel. I expected him to laugh or say something mocking, but he did neither. Jude Brooks was full of surprises.
“Whenever you want, pretty girl.” He smiled over at me—a genuine smile too, not one of the cocky ones he always seemed to wear. “I’m surprised you like it there.”
“I love it,” I whispered. “It feels like home,” I whispered under my breath, but of course he heard.
“It is home.”
???
I stared open-mouthed at all the ice cream flavors before me. This was the equivalent of heaven to sugar lovers like myself.
“I can’t believe you’ve never been here before.” Jude shook his head incredulously. “That’s a real shame.”
“I’m here now.” I scanned the selections for the tenth time.
“With me,” he added unnecessarily. “I like having you with me.”
I ignored his comment, before I either said something rude or overly gooey and affectionate, because dammit I was really starting to like the guy and I mean like, like him, and I’d really hate to get myself in trouble.
The girl working behind the counter tapped her fingers impatiently. “Have you decided yet?”
Rude, much? Didn’t she know choosing ice cream flavors was a monumental decision, not to be taken so lightly?
I didn’t say any of that, though. Instead I answered, “A scoop of the fresh strawberry and banana.”
“In a cone or a cup?” She droned, clearly bored with her job as she picked at invisible dirt under her nails.
“A cup,” I replied. She grabbed a scoop and got my ice cream. Before she could hand it over I clapped my hands. “Ooh, ooh! I want rainbow sprinkles too!”
Jude chortled beside me. When I glared at him, he asked, “What are you, five?”
I stuck my tongue out at him as she handed me the cup.
Jude ordered three scoops of chocolate on a cone. When the girl finished and handed it to him, my eyes threatened to bug out of my head. The thing was massive. Like, as long as my arm, and he was going to eat it? Looking at his light gray shirt and tan colored pants I really hoped he didn’t let it drip on his clothes. That would be unpleasant. And then, knowing Jude, he’d probably try to give me a striptease as he removed the soiled clothes. Okay, now I was picturing him getting naked and I liked that image a little too much…or a lot too much. Crap. I was in deep.
Looking over at Jude as he paid the bill, I realized that there was no reason for us to continue with this silly ‘bet.’ He’d already won. I wasn’t telling him that yet, though. I needed to drag this out for as long as I could. If he found out I had feelings for him…it wouldn’t be good. I didn’t see what was so different about me that he’d change his womanizing ways, and I didn’t want to deal with the pain of heartbreak.
“What are you thinking about so deeply?” Jude asked, with a light hand on my waist as he guided me to the table. He licked at the rapidly melting cone as he slid into the chair across from me.
“Nothing.” I replied hastily.
“That look did not mean ‘nothing.’” He eyed me, giving me a look that said I was stupid if I thought I could pull something over on him. I’d always been good about hiding my feelings and keeping things bottled up inside, but Jude not only saw right through me, but he also tended to get me to spill my guts. I wasn’t going to let that happen this time, though.
“I was staring off into space,” I shrugged easily, lifting a spoonful of ice cream to my mouth. “Oh my God,” I moaned embarrassingly loud. “That’s the best ice cream I’ve ever had.” Sweet baby Jesus, I was pretty sure I could live off this stuff. This was more than ice cream…it was like a treasure chest of buried gold—rare and amazing.
Jude cleared his throat and wiggled in his seat.
“What?” I asked, taking another bite.
“You really shouldn’t make noises like that in public,” he chuckled.