After he consumed the last of his second burger, Jason reached out and snatched one of the oysters. “The owner of the burger place told me they were a specialty of the restaurant.” He ate one and reached for another. “These are good. I know they aren’t really oysters. It tastes almost like chicken. What are they?” He put the second one in his mouth and gave her a questioning look.
Evilly, Hope waited until he was chewing before she answered. “Bull’s balls. Calf testicles. They’re actually really good when they’re cooked properly. Nothing better than munching on some freshly fried balls,” she told him teasingly as she took another oyster and popped it into her mouth and gave him an innocent look.
Score!
Hope bit back a smile as Jason nearly choked. He swiped up his soda and took several sips to wash down the oyster. His eyes narrowed in aversion. “That’s disgusting,” he grumbled. “Why didn’t you warn me?”
She shrugged, unperturbed, but she’d been pretty certain he’d have this kind of reaction. Any one of her brothers would have reacted exactly the same way. “You’re a well-traveled man. Don’t you try out the local cuisine when you travel? Or are you just having sympathy pains for the bull?”
The disgruntled look on his face was priceless, and Hope itched to have her camera in her hands. Obviously, even if he was willing to eat just about anything, she guessed he drew the line at bull’s balls. She’d lived in Colorado long enough to get used to crunching on the unusual Rocky Mountain specialty. She hadn’t lied when she’d told him they were really good if they were cooked well, and the oysters he’d picked up were outrageously good…if you liked bull’s balls.
“I’ve eaten all kinds of local cuisine, but there’s something seriously wrong with eating—” He scowled at the oysters. “That.”
Hope burst out laughing, nearly snorted as she saw a humorous side of Jason she’d never seen before. He looked like a little boy who didn’t want to eat his peas, which really made her want her camera. She wasn’t sure she’d ever see this look again, and she wanted to capture it. Smug, confident, panty-meltingly gorgeous Jason Sutherland actually looked like a rebellious child.
He pushed the remaining carton toward her. “It’s not funny. Some things are just too personal to eat.”
Hope chortled. “I’m sure they were personal to the bull, too. You are having sympathy pains. I take it you don’t travel to Colorado very often.”
“Rarely. And I’ve never been offered…those.”
He couldn’t even manage to say what they really were, which delighted Hope no end. “Why do I have a feeling that my brothers would feel the same way?” Hope smiled. Obviously testosterone-overloaded men had a real problem eating testicles.
“They would,” Jason agreed with a grimace. “It makes me wish I could send some to Grady without him knowing exactly what they were.”
“Admit it, if you didn’t know what you were eating, you’d like them. They’re pretty tasty.” Hope cajoled him to confess that the local specialty was actually good. “They’re even better if you have a tangy cocktail sauce, but they didn’t give you any.”
“But I do know what they are. And I can’t believe you actually dip those in sauce.” Jason gave her an unhappy look. “And you didn’t warn me on purpose,” he finished accusingly.
She had intentionally waited until he ate some of them, had wanted to see his reaction. It had pleased her more than she had expected. “Maybe I was trying to get back at you for threatening me, and for being such a jackass earlier. Staying married any longer than we have to is just compounding our stupid mistake.”
His expression turned stormy. “You must have wanted the marriage, Hope. I’m sure I didn’t force you.”
Of course he hadn’t. She’d obviously been all for the idea. There was no such thing as a shotgun wedding anymore, and she had to have been willing—probably because she had always wanted Jason so desperately. Her inhibitions had obviously all flown away and she’d readily agreed. “I wonder if I asked you.” She wished she knew exactly what had happened.
“Maybe it was a mutual decision,” Jason said casually as he got up and threw empty cartons away, grabbed a chocolate bar from the cupboard, tore off the wrapper, and consumed half of it in one bite.
It wasn’t very romantic, but it was very possible she had asked him. Without her usual defenses, she might have even begged. Just the thought made her flush, her face now as red as her hair.