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devastating when he gave that sexy half smile. She’d love to see that smile close up, like when he was hovering over her, both of them naked...
    Stop that. Hadn’t she spent the time before he came into the office reminding herself of all the reasons why they couldn’t be together? Fantasizing about making love with him was the wrong direction for her thoughts to go.
    It was a while before she realized he’d hit the highway, that they were leaving Deer Lake.
    “Brody, where are we going?”
    “Out of town.”
    “So you’re kidnapping me?”
    “Not exactly.”
    It took about fifteen minutes to get to Botswell, the next town over. He pulled into a one-story—shack, was the only way she could think of to describe it. She supposed it was a bar, with the headache-inducing half-blinking neon sign proclaiming it as Ed’s Bar and Grill. Though the grill part was suspect, since the place resembled an oversized shed. She’d come into Botswell on occasion, mainly to do some shopping, never to hit the bars.
    This one seemed—interesting, in a she’d-never-stop-here-without-a-guy kind of way. Or even with a guy, for that matter. She half expected a brawl to tumble out the front door any second.
    When she climbed out of his truck and met him around the front, she cocked her head and looked at him. “Seriously?”
    “Best beer and burgers I’ve ever had.”
    “I hope this isn’t a date, Brody, because if this is where you bring your women, your taste is sorely lacking.”
    He cracked a smile and grabbed her hand. “You have such little faith in me, Tori. Just trust me.”
    She snorted. Trust him? Borrowing a line from one of her favorite movies ever—as if.
    The inside didn’t look much better than the outside. Old, worn tables were scratched with wear and tear. There were a few pool tables scattered around, and those were taken up by people who must be regulars. A couple older-model televisions sat above the bar that several people who’d bellied up were watching.
    A couple food tables were full, but Brody had spied one in the corner, so he grabbed her hand and, despite her dragging her heels the whole way, tugged her along. She feared for her life as she took a seat in a rickety chair.
    “Come on,” he said. “It’s not that bad.”
    She wasn’t exactly a prima donna as far as the places she hung out, but Ed’s was as low on the dive bar food chain as she’d ever gotten.
    A waitress hustled over. She was older, in her fifties maybe, with faded-out blond hair that she’d over-teased, over-bleached and gathered up in a haphazard ponytail. And she didn’t look happy to see them, because she didn’t smile as she grabbed a pencil from her hair and pulled the pad out of her apron. “What can I get you to drink?”
    Brody ordered the specialty beer. Tori looked at him.
    “Try it. It’s great.”
    Tori nodded. “Okay, I’ll have one of those. And can we see a menu?”
    The waitress, whose nametag said “Pat”, snickered. “Honey, we have cheeseburgers, or cheeseburgers without cheese on them. If you’re feeling adventurous you can have a hot dog. That comes with or without chili and the works. I’ll be back with your drinks and you can let me know what you want.”
    Tori shifted her gaze to Brody. “Limited menu.”
    “People come here for the beer and the burgers. The hot dogs kind of suck.”
    “Thanks for the warning. I guess I’ll have a burger, then.”
    “Good call.”
    When Pat came back with the beer, Brody said, “We’ll both have the cheeseburgers.”
    “Smart idea. Everything on them?”
    Brody looked at her. Tori said, “Sure. Why not?”
    Pat finally shocked her by patting her hand and grinning. “You’re gonna love these burgers, honey. And once you eat them, you’re gonna come back again and again. Enjoy your beer.”
    After Pat hustled away, Tori looked at Brody. “Oh, my God. She seemed almost human there.”
    He laughed. “Pat has tons of attitude. She and Ed have owned