Reckless in Texas by Kari Lynn Dell Page B

weekend?”
    â€œNah. You’ll be glad to know my parts are in perfect working order.” He picked up his leg, kicked a couple of times to prove it, then gave her a deliberately lewd smile. “All of them.”
    He watched, entertained by the emotions that trailed across her face as she tried to figure out what to do with that statement. She settled on annoyance, her frown sharpening into a glare. “Well then, what do you want?”
    He would’ve thought that was obvious, but if she preferred to pretend she didn’t understand, he was willing to play along. He held up a slip of paper between two fingers. “I brought you a present.”
    She took a step closer, squinting into the gloom. “A check?”
    â€œBetter.” He waved the note like a tiny white flag. “Information.”
    Violet’s toes bumped the bottom step. “What kind?”
    â€œCome up here and I’ll tell you.” Joe patted the seat next to him.
    Violet hesitated, her eyes tracking from him to the seat and back again.
    â€œOr you could stand in the middle of your lawn until your dad comes out to see what’s going on.”
    She glanced over her shoulder, then at the security light that cast an orange glow over most of the yard, then back to the seat. Her mouth went flat, but she climbed the steps and plopped down, leaving a deliberate space between them. “Fine. I’m here. What is that?”
    Joe held out the paper. She plucked it from his grasp with the tips of her fingers so their hands didn’t touch. She peered at it for a few moments. “It’s too dark to read. Are these names and phone numbers?”
    â€œYep. Bullfighters.” Joe pointed at the top of the paper. “The first guy is from Missouri, but he wants to relocate. Go figure. He’s looking to get on with a contractor so he’ll have steady work. Solid, smart, and he’d be a good influence on Hank, according to Wyatt.”
    Her eyes widened. “Wyatt Darrington?”
    The reverence in her voice made Joe twitch. “Yeah. So?”
    â€œHe gave you this list?” She looked down at it in amazement. “He lives in Oregon. How does he know this guy?”
    â€œWyatt knows everyone. And everything. It’s annoying.”
    Violet’s mouth curled, amused at his disgust. “But useful.”
    Especially since it had lured Violet within reach. And scent. He took a deep breath. Oranges again, and a hint of fabric softener from the clean clothes she’d put on. Another baggy T-shirt, but her curves were more pronounced, as if she’d also changed into something less constrictive underneath. Something lacy, maybe. Joe sprawled so his thigh touched hers. She shifted in response, pressing closer to her end of the seat. Joe stretched his arm along the backrest behind her shoulders. Violet slouched away from the contact.
    â€œSo now you owe me,” he said, letting his voice drop to a significant chord.
    She huffed. “I don’t need a bullfighter that bad.”
    â€œBut you want one.” This one.
    Joe lifted a finger to brush back a strand of her hair, savoring the cool slide of it over his skin. She frowned, but didn’t slap at his hand, didn’t shrink away when he leaned in. Would she let him kiss her? Maybe, but he was enjoying the slow rev of his engine, the lazy swell of heat, all from just sitting next to her, barely touching. He wanted to coax her along, rather than pushing. He traced a line down the side of her neck, watching the skin pebble in response. “Go out with me, Violet.”
    â€œOut?” she repeated, blinking. “Like…a date? Dinner and a movie?”
    â€œSure.” Whatever, if it got him close to her.
    Her forehead puckered. “But…I don’t even like you.”
    â€œYes, you do.”
    She sucked in an outraged breath, but Joe only smiled wider. He could see the pulse jumping at the base of her