Flirting with Love(22)

“His girls? You have your boys and he has his girls?” she asked with a smile. “Your mother raised you guys right. So many people think of animals as second-class or something. I love that you think of yours as part of your family.” She squeezed his hand and inhaled deeply. “Hay, manure, and leather. Sounds gross, but I love the smell of horse barns.”

“You really are a farm girl at heart.” He pulled her against him. “I’m really glad you agreed to go out with me.”

She smiled. “I’m glad you finally asked.”

“Finally? Maybe we have time to make up for.” He lowered his lips to hers and enjoyed another delicious kiss. They walked to a stall in the back of the barn, where three puppies were sleeping on top of one another.

Elisabeth gasped and shot an elated, wide-eyed look at Ross.

Luke came in the back doors of the barn carrying a puppy in each hand. “Hey there. You must be Elisabeth. I’d hug you hello, but my arms are full. Maybe you could unload me of my burden.”

“Oh my God. I’d love to. Ross, look at these babies! They’re the sweetest little things.” She took a puppy from Luke and rubbed her nose in its neck. “What type of pups are they?”

“They’re a special breed of oops and a Friday night.” Luke patted Ross’s back. “Take this one, bro. Daisy’s on her way down.”

“Elisabeth, this is my youngest brother, Luke.”

She ran her eyes between the two brothers a few times. Ross shared a knowing look with Luke. He was used to the double take. Despite their five-year age difference, they looked so much alike that almost everyone needed a few extra glances to determine that they weren’t twins. They both wore their hair shorter on the sides than on top, and their hair was a shade lighter than their siblings’. All of the Braden men stood over six feet, with dark eyes and strong builds, but he and Luke looked strikingly similar compared to their other siblings.

“Hi, Luke.” Elisabeth kissed the puppy. “This is possibly my best first date ever. Are you keeping all of the puppies?”

“If I have my say, we are.” Daisy breezed into the barn, still dressed from work in a skirt and heels. She tossed her white-blond hair over her shoulder and wrapped her arms around Luke’s neck, then planted a kiss on his lips. “Hi, handsome.”

“Hey, babe.” Luke slid his arm around her waist. “This is Elisabeth. She and Ross are on their first date.”

Daisy hugged Elisabeth and kissed the puppy on the head. “Aren’t they too sweet for words?”

“I’m in love.” Elisabeth laughed.

Ross sidled up to Luke and lowered his voice so Elisabeth couldn’t hear him. “I’m jealous of that puppy.”

“No shit. Why’d you tell Wes you two weren’t dating?” Luke asked quietly.

“We weren’t. Now we are.” Ross felt a pang of something good in his chest as he said it. It was the first time he’d claimed a connection to a woman in so long that he almost wished Elisabeth would have heard their conversation just so he could see her reaction.

Luke laughed as Ross moved closer to Elisabeth.

“Are you working the county fair this year?” Luke asked.

“Every year, like clockwork.”

“Did I tell you that I got a booth at the fair?” Elisabeth asked Ross.

“No. For your pies?” He was happy to hear she was going to the fair, which meant he could see her while he spent the day there, but it also caused his stomach to clench tight. He didn’t like how upset she was the other day, or how people must have treated her in order for her to have reacted that way. It was one of the reasons he wanted to take her out in Trusty. To waylay negative judgments, and this way, he could set his eyes on anyone who dared to look at her crosswise.

“Yes, but I think I’ll also give out puppy treats and maybe do free grooming, pawdicures, that sort of thing.”

She was so damn sweet. “That’s a great idea.” He’d keep a close eye at the fair, but hopefully by then people would have begun to accept her.

“Pawdicures? I love that,” Daisy said. “We’ll bring these guys to you when they’re older.”

Daisy took the puppy from Ross’s hands. “I see the way you’re looking at my puppies. Don’t get any ideas, Ross. You have three dogs already, and a weekend puppy.”

“Wrong. I’m looking at Elisabeth.”

Elisabeth glanced up and tilted her head with a thoughtful gaze. A smile spread across her lips. Ross didn’t think he’d ever met anyone as beautiful as her, and seeing her with a puppy, with her heart practically visible in every stroke of the pup, he could see why she was a pet pamperer. Her love of animals really was a part of her. No one could fake the happiness emanating from her.

They left a little while later and went to the Brewery, a local restaurant and pub. There was only one way to nix rumors, and that was by staring them down. Ross walked into the pub with his arm around Elisabeth. He knew he’d turn a few heads after keeping his dating life private for so long, but he hadn’t expected nearly every person in the joint to turn and gawk.

He tightened his grip on Elisabeth’s shoulder and felt her body stiffen. He kissed her temple and whispered, “You’re with me, Lis. I’ll never let anyone bother you.” He felt her breathing deeply as the hostess approached.

“Hi, Ross. Are you meeting your brothers?” Maria Cross had gone to school with Wes, and she’d worked at the Brewery for years.

“Not tonight. A table for two, please.”

She smiled at Ross and forced a smile for Elisabeth. “You’re Cora’s niece, right?”

“Yes, Elisabeth,” she said confidently.

“Elizabeth, that’s right.” Maria picked up two menus.

In an effort to make Elisabeth more comfortable, Ross corrected Maria. “Actually, it’s E—lis—”

Elisabeth touched his arm. “It’s okay. Elizabeth is easier.”

What the hell? She was changing her name because it was easier for others? Perplexed, Ross refrained from correcting Maria. When she sat them in the center of the room, he asked for a private booth. He wanted people to see them together, but he also wanted Elisabeth all to himself. He struggled with meshing the conflicting feelings and figured a private booth would offer enough of a show, while allowing them a modicum of privacy.

“Of course.” Maria led them to a booth at the back of the restaurant, near the billiard room.

“Hey, Ross.” Tate McGregor waved from a table across the room, where he was sitting with three other guys Ross had grown up with. Tate had come by to get Elisabeth’s van the other morning. He waved to Elisabeth. “Howdy, Elisabeth.”

Ross waved to them, then slid in beside Elisabeth as she lifted a hand and waved to Tate. He pulled her in close. “You okay?”

“Yeah, thanks.” She smoothed her dress and shifted her eyes around the room.

“Why didn’t you want me to correct her about your name?”

“Because I’ll be correcting my name with everyone I meet, and it’s just one more thing that sets me apart from belonging here.” She smiled, but it never reached her eyes. “It’s okay. It’s such a small thing. One letter.”

He touched her cheek. “It’s one beautiful letter, for one beautiful woman. I don’t mind correcting people.”

“You’re so good to me. It’s okay, but thank you for offering. Pick your fights, right?”

He kissed her softly.

“Well, look who’s out on a Friday night.” Christina Stiefel, a slim, large-busted brunette who worked as a receptionist in an accountant’s office in town, set her hand on Ross’s shoulder.

He shrugged it off, questioning his decision to go out in town.

“Christina, this is Elisabeth Nash. Elisabeth, Christina and I went to school together.” He wanted to introduce Elisabeth as his girlfriend, but he realized he’d better clear that with her first.

“Oh, please. We did much more than go to school together.” She locked her green eyes on Ross, and his insides went hot. Not in a good way. She and Ross had gone on two dates the summer after Ross graduated from college, which Christina had never forgotten and Ross had worked hard to erase from his memory.

The second date had come to an ugly end. She’d wanted to sleep with Ross and he wasn’t interested. She’d turned on him like a vicious snake. She was the reason he hired an accountant in the next town over. The less he saw of her, the better.

Ross tried to play it cool. “We went out twice, many years ago. So long ago, in fact, I can barely remember it.” He slid his arm around Elisabeth.

Christina ran her eyes bitchily between them. “Well, nice to see you.” She turned on her heels and stalked away.

Elisabeth gave Ross a curious look.

“I’m sorry. She’s the epitome of why I don’t date women in Trusty, and hardly worth mentioning. Two dates, she wanted to fool around, I thought she was a money-hungry bit—unpleasant person.” He cringed at his own venom.

Elisabeth’s eyes widened.

“That sounds really bad.”

“Not after meeting her, it doesn’t. She gave me the stink-eye.”