“If I were you, I’d never want to leave this place. You have everything right here.”
“I do now.” His eyes roamed over her, sending prickles of excitement through her body. “Let’s go in the kitchen and whip up our dinner. I thought we’d have salad and lemonade iced tea with our burgers.”
That sounded perfect. She followed him inside and pulled the salad ingredients from the fridge. He got out ground beef to form the burgers. “Be right back,” he said when he’d made them.
Ally loved working with him. Before long they were able to sit down to a meal in the dining room. She could get used to this on a regular basis.
“How’s Persey?”
“I took him for a run this morning. Tomorrow after work, why don’t we pick up some Mexican food and bring Silver over here? We can go for a ride before you give me my second lesson.”
She lifted her head. “Sounds great.”
Luckey chuckled. “I’m trying my best to ensure I can see you again tomorrow. But if you’d prefer Italian, we can do that, too. What time do you think you’ll be leaving the university?”
“Around three, if I’m lucky.”
“Will it be pushing you too much if I come by at four with the trailer?”
She wanted that more than he could possibly imagine. “Tell you what. Since neither of us knows what our day is going to be like tomorrow, I’ll phone you when I’m ready to leave my office. If something comes up that prevents either of us from getting together, we can make arrangements for the day after.”
Luckey nodded. “As long as we’re arranging our schedules, it’s my dad’s birthday on Saturday. How would you like to go to Dripping Springs with me? The whole family will be there to celebrate. We can take the horses.”
He wanted her to meet his family? Nothing could have made her happier. “I’d like that very much.”
Luckey sat back in the chair. “You’ve just made my day. Much as I’d like us to go in the living room and watch a movie, I know you have to get back home.”
“I happen to know you have a full agenda tomorrow, and it probably starts earlier than my day. I’ll help you with the dishes,” she said, and got up to clear the table. He grabbed what she didn’t and they took everything to the kitchen.
After refusing her help with washing the dishes, Luckey walked her out to his car. On the drive home she remembered to tell him she’d left the disk on the end table in the li
ving room.
“I can’t wait to get started,” he told her.
She shot him a glance. “You sound about as excited as I am to face my students tomorrow.”
“Since we’ve met, I count the hours when I’m not with you.”
“It’s been a wonderful week,” she conceded. Ally could relate like mad. “Luckey? Would it be against the rules for you to tell me how the case is going so far?”
He reached over to squeeze her hand, as he’d done the other day. “As soon as I have any solid information, you’ll be the first to hear.”
“Okay.”
“That’s not a put off. It’s too early in the investigation.”
“I realize that.”
“I’m hoping for results soon.” Luckey kissed her palm before letting her hand go. The touch of his lips sent a tremor through her body. She wanted more, but there’d be no physical relationship unless she let him know she wanted it. Luckey had so far proved that he was an honorable man who wouldn’t go back on his word.
You’re the one who went along with the boundaries he set, she reminded herself. So why was she upset? The question plagued her for the remainder of the short drive back to the ranch. In danger of begging him to kiss her, she reached for the door handle the second he drew up in front.
He turned to her. “Thanks for the lesson. You’re an excellent teacher. Wanan, Ally.”
She blinked. “You’ve learned the word good-night! You even said it perfectly.”
“I looked it up earlier today on the internet and practiced the sound.”