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look like a real good reason to come…early.”
    A growl practically rumbled from his chest, and his green eyes darkened from crystal to almost jade. “Let’s go.”
    Catie slipped on her jacket and headed out the front door as Jarrod held it open for her. The cool night smelled clean and crisp, the sky clear with stars spattered across its expanse.
    “You’ve got a choice to make,” he said as they walked to the black truck parked out front.
    She paused in front of the passenger door and looked up at him. “I told you, yes.”
    “This one’s not a simple yes or no.” He smiled and reached up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “I’d like to take you to dinner. The choice is we can go to a nice place and hope for a quiet evening with no interruptions. Problem is I can’t seem to go out into public anymore without someone coming up and wanting to give me their opinion on one thing or another. You need to know that it’s a real possibility.”
    Catie leaned in toward him, enjoying his spicy male scent. “And choice number two?”
    “Dinner at my place.” His hand slid into her hair and he caressed her scalp. “Just the two of us.”
    “That’s a no brainer.” She rose up on her toes and brushed her lips over his. “Let’s go to your place.”
    During the ten mile drive to his ranch, Jarrod had hardly been able to keep his hands or his eyes off Catie. The way her nipples had been poking beneath her top, he’d been able to tell that she wasn’t wearing a bra, and he’d almost bet that she didn’t have on any panties, either. His cock had hardened to uncomfortable proportions at the thought of touching and tasting that satiny smooth pussy he’d stroked just a couple of nights ago.
    Instead of copping a feel, he kept his hands glued to the steering wheel as they’d talked about everything from the weather to what he’d done before he became sheriff. Whenever he tried to steer the conversation around to her, Catie managed to evade his questions. As though she didn’t like talking about herself…or maybe she had something to hide?
    He pushed the thought to the back of his mind as he guided the truck from the highway, up the short dirt road, and then parked in front of his home.
    “Nice,” Catie murmured, peering at the house through the starlit night. “What I can see of it, anyway.”
    Jarrod opened his door and walked around to help Catie, only she was out of the truck before he made it to her side. He took her hand and led her to the house, enjoying the feel of her fingers twined with his.
    He unlocked the front door and let her in, then closing it behind them. “How does steak sound?” he asked as he flipped on the track lighting.
    “As long as it’s medium rare, I’ll love it.”
    “Done.” He took off his western hat and tossed it onto the back of a recliner, then raked his fingers through his hair.
    Catie slid off her jean jacket and laid it next to his hat as she glanced around the living room that was done in western décor from oxblood brown leather sofas and chairs to end tables made from knotty pine. Bookcases along one wall were filled with novels on the American West, along with tales by Zane Grey and other western authors.
    “For a bachelor, you have great taste.” She moved to one end table and touched the bronze statue of a bucking bronco doing its best to unseat its rider.
    Jarrod’s mouth watered as he watched Catie trail her fingers down the statue. He cleared his throat and came to stand beside her. “My youngest sister’s into decorating and insisted that a sheriff needs appropriate digs.”
    “It suits you.” Catie tilted her head up and looked at him, her lips slightly parted, her chocolate eyes focused on him. “Rough…untamed…and utterly male.” The desire in her gaze slammed into him like a fist to his gut. Before he even had a chance to act on his instinct, she moved into his arms and wrapped her arm around his neck.
    “I don’t know what you do