“No, it didn’t. It was all about preventing heat stroke, remember? Texas in the summer? 101 degrees in the shade?”
“Right. I forgot,” she said, still grinning.
After a moment, his stomach clenched. “But seriously, Jessica, if I ever said anything that made you feel… objectified or put down or disrespected…”
“Don’t worry, Cord. I don’t think you’d ever do that,” she said, her expression somber. “But if you did, I’d let you know. And the same goes for me.”
He reached his hand out and, after a moment’s hesitation, her fingers interlaced with his.
So far, this date is going really well.
They drove a few miles in silence and he let his thumb explore the soft skin on her hand with gentle strokes. Maybe tonight, he could make her realize how silly it was for them to put off their relationship. Pretending to only be friends was a ridiculous idea. A glance showed his ministrations were having the desired effect. Head back, eyes closed, rapid breaths.
Yes, it’s working. I am a master!
“Have you ever had a shot in your mouth?” she asked, out of the blue.
“Huh?”
“I was sitting here, thinking about when I had to have a cavity filled last year. One of my sealants came out. Have you ever had a cavity filled?”
“A couple, but it’s been a while.” Confused, he withdrew his hand. “I think I was fourteen.”
“Do you floss?”
“Uhmm… sometimes. Not as often as I should.”
“It’s really important to prevent gum disease.”
Smooth, Dennison. You rubbed her hand and made her think about the dentist.
8
When Monday morning arrived, Jessica was ready to win the bet. Cord thought she would chicken out, but she was way too competitive to do that. She had to win. She absolutely had to. Especially after dinner Friday night.
To call her plan to use dental appointments to take her mind off Cord’s magnetism ineffective would be an understatement. A huge one. Bigger than the Milky Way. Bigger than the pile of laundry falling out of her overstuffed hamper.
By the time they’d finished their prime rib and dessert, and Cord had driven her home and walked her to the door, she’d recounted every single dental experience she could remember in graphic detail. Including the time, while under the lingering influence of drugs from her wisdom-tooth extractions, she’d told her oral surgeon he was “dreamy.” But no dental description—whether frightening, funny, or downright gory—could compete with Cord’s allure. If only he would stop caressing her fingers with those devious hands of his. One thing was certain, his professed plan to make her want to kiss him, and thus circumvent her friends-only rule, was working. So far, she’d hidden that fact from him, but how long could she hold out?
She was terrified she was racing down the same path she’d gone with Parker. Especially since Cord was even more attractive than her ex. Though she had to admit, as opposed to Parker, Cord Dennison seemed both thoughtful and respectful, not to mention, romantic.
But their relationship was doomed from the start. She’d already determined she wanted nothing to do with city life. She’d even arranged to do her student teaching at Sage Valley High, though she hadn’t broken the news to Nick, yet. Her other brothers would never interfere, but Nick acted like a controlling mother.
Yet as much as she now wanted to come back home after college, she found herself considering whether she might throw away her own aspirations so she could be with Cord. Hadn’t she been the same way with Parker? That had red warning signs all over it—flashing, with horns and sirens.
That’s why she was gung ho about this shorts-and-shirtless challenge. It was fun, required no physical contact, and rested squarely in the friend-zone. She and Laurel had pulled similar harmless pranks at UNT.
Jessica clomped down the stairs, already self-conscious in her shorts and boots. Though she’d seen other girls wearing similar outfits—western style boots with shorts or dresses—Jess thought it looked ridiculous. Maybe she could pull it off with some cute fashionable boots instead of old, well-worn and twice-resoled cowboy boots, but she didn’t own any.
Not that it mattered. As soon as Cord showed up at breakfast with his shirt on, she could declare victory. She figured at most, she’d have to get through the morning trail ride before switching back to jeans. But she was positive he didn’t have the guts—or maybe it would be the stupidity—to show up for breakfast at Nanna’s without a shirt. She’d made it clear breakfast was part of the bargain, and she wouldn’t let him off the hook.
“Morning, Nanna. Yum! Do I smell bacon?”
“Yes, I have bacon in the oven. Eggs are almost done, and I have homemade tortillas.”
“Breakfast tacos! I’ve died and gone to heaven.”
“Well, you can thank Cord.”