Page 31 of Dragon Charmed

He grinned. “So I’m scared to move. Should I ask you if you want me to carry your bag or not? And should I open the door for you?”

She laughed harder this time. Yep, it was his goal for her to do that again and again.

“I’ve got my own bag, and since you’re closer to the door, you open it.”

He saluted her and headed toward the door. If this was how their trip was going to start out, it was going to get real interesting, real fast.

Chapter 11

They hadn’t made it out of the city yet. Ben wanted to stop for gas, and Tessa directed him to the gas station she always used. Not because the gas was cheaper, but because it had the best mini market attached to it. Who didn’t love an entire store full of junk food?

Ben had come inside with her to pay for the gas with cash and then headed back outside to fill his truck while Tessa shopped to her heart’s—or rather stomach’s—content. Giant slushies and hot dogs turning on rollers under heat lamps called to her, but she steered clear of both as she walked down the candy aisle and made several selections that she dropped in the basket she was carrying. Now it was time for the chip aisle! She grabbed a variety and then headed to the nuts and processed meat aisle for those spicy meat sticks that she couldn’t remember the name of. And there was some jerky too. Wait, peanut butter–filled pretzels. The endcaps always had the tastiest items. She dropped that bag into her basket as well.

She wondered what Ben would think when she came out with half her body weight in junk food. Even though she had given him crap earlier about her duffel bag, he really had surprised her so far, and that was saying something. She had spent most of her life being mansplained to because of her looks. Or maybe because she had a vagina? Either way, it was refreshing to be with a man who actually valued her insight.

She stopped in the aisle at her thoughts. She wasn’t with him, with him. She was working alongside him. Big difference. No romance here. All business. Even if his beard made her want to run her fingers through it. Enough! She would blame the brain rambling on low blood sugar. It was a good thing she had enough candy to send a dentist away screaming.

The bell rang over the door as Ben joined her inside. Think of the bearded devil and he appears. He walked over to her. “I filled up the tank. You ready to go soon?”

“Yep.” Now for the next test. “Do you want to grab some snacks for the trip?” Okay, so she was going to share, but he didn’t know that and she wanted to see what his reaction would be.

He checked out her full basket, and she waited for some sort of comment. After she’d stopped modeling, she swore that she wouldn’t allow anyone to body shame her or tell her what she could and couldn’t eat.

Ben didn’t blink at the amount of food in her basket. “I think I’ll grab a couple waters if you want one, and maybe some of those prepackaged cakes that will survive the apocalypse.”

“Ohh. I forgot about those. Can you grab me one too?”

He nodded and headed to the coolers in the back of the store. He’d passed another test. As she waited for him to return, she wondered why she was even testing him to begin with. It wasn’t like they were going to end up together. She needed to remind herself of that. She hoped her brain got the message. He walked toward her, holding up the water and cakes with a wicked smile on his face. Her body warmed at his gaze. Her brain wasn’t the only thing she needed to get under control. Apparently her hoo-ha was going rogue on her.

They piled into the car, and Ben opened his water to take a sip while she set the bag on her lap and started sorting through it.

“Just so you know, I’ll share my booty with you.”

Ben choked on his water.

Son of a biscuit. “My food booty, I mean. Sorry.” What was wrong with her?

He kept coughing. Should she pat him on the back? He held up his hand to stop her when she reached toward him. She dropped her hands and dug around in the plastic bag to hide. She could tell by the heat that had rushed up her neck and face that she was red. And Tessa was normally not a blusher.

After a few more awkward seconds, he stopped hacking and took a deep breath. “I’m good now. And I…ah…” He cleared his throat. “…appreciate you sharing.”

“Jerky?” She held a piece up to him. Could she be any more awkward?

He nodded and she handed him a piece and they sat chewing in silence for a few minutes. Maybe she could claim low sugar. Or maybe she just should let it drop. Yeah. Time to distract him. “Not only do I think that snacks are essential for a car ride, but I am the queen of road trip games.”

His eyebrows cocked up. “Is that a fact?”

“Absolutely. And I’m quite competitive.”

He nodded. “I’m not surprised.”

She put on her seat belt. “Once we’re on the highway, I’ll explain the rules.”

“Sounds like a plan. Are we going to play for your booty?” His eyes danced.

She laughed. “You won’t win.”

He started the truck. “We’ll see about that, my queen,” he said before pulling out onto the street.